Godwin, Taylor, Morrison & Corlett
Score SHRA Victories at Thunder Road Raceway

Gilliam, Louisiana - October 10th, 2015

The MalloryPrint.com Southwest Heritage Racing Association held it's sixth points race of the 2015 season at Thunder Road Raceway Park in Gilliam, Louisiana on Saturday, October 10th. This event was presented by Mears Mazda-Volvo and marked the first time the SHRA series had visited the facility just north of Shreveport. Entering this event, a heated points battle in Nostalgia Eliminator 1 led the drama as Chris Graves and Clay Cunningham came in tied for the top spot with just two points races remaining. Bruce Dodson, Dusty Rose and Vic Corlett also entered the event leading the points standings in their respective classes as the pits filled with a strong car count of front engine dragsters, altereds and nostalgia super stockers. The call went out at 5 pm to kick off the first of two time trials under comfortable sunny skies in Louisiana.

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR 1

With corrected altitude under 2,000 feet and dropping rapidly, many of the eleven Nostalgia Eliminator 1 teams found themselves busting under their 4.65 indexes in time trials. Upon the conclusion of both rounds, Jason O'Neill led the pack with a perfect 4.65 followed by Steve Dunkin's pair of 4.66's. Chris Graves grabbed the third spot with a 4.68 and Clay Cunningham qualified fourth with a 4.69. It was a tight field leading into eliminations where every point earned would prove critical in the NE 1 Championship hunt.

(Brian Briggs)

A lengthy oil down from a local sportsman racer pushed the first round of eliminations into the night and rapidly dropping temperatures combined with a slight dew setting in on the track created very tricky conditions for the teams. Round one was full of upsets and pedal jobs as teams battled for traction. Brian Briggs made his first appearance of the season and upset defending Champion Tera W. Graves in round one with a pedaling 4.96 after W. Graves lost traction at the hit of the throttle. Clay Cunningham snuck by first time SHRA racer Rich Witko after Witko's quicker 4.98 wasn't enough to hold off Cunningham's 5.07 as Witko got caught sleeping on the starting line. Bee Godwin jumped from NE2 to NE1 and played the role of spoiler by taking out Championship contender Chris Graves after Graves also blew the tires off at the hit. Tommy Drozd and Jason O'Neill also advanced to the second round.

(Andy Mears)

In round two, Andy Mears wheeled his blown 1957 Chevy Funny Car to a 4.74 at 143 mph to take the win over Tommy Drozd's 4.88 at 139 mph. Godwin kept his win streak alive by knocking out a tire spinning Briggs with a 4.86. Cunningham and O'Neill were up next in a battle with big points implications. Cunningham now had the lead while O'Neill sat in third looking to close the gap. Off the line O'Neill had a huge starting line advantage, but tripped the clocks with a 4.62 break out run giving the win to Cunningham with a 4.82. The semi-finals saw the giant killer Godwin's win streak continue as his 4.92 took out Cunningham's tire spinning 5.31 and Mears benefited from the bye run to meet Godwin in the final round.

(Jason ONeill vs. Clay Cunningham)

Both drivers were on their game and expecting the unexpected given the tricky track and very cool temperatures. Mears took a slight starting line advantage but fought for traction, while Godwin stayed consistent and posted a 4.82 at 149 mph to take the win in his first appearance in the NE1 class. Mears' 5.02 at 138 mph came up short at the stripe. It was all smiles in the Godwin pit area and Cunningham now holds a 19 point lead over Graves in the NE 1 Championship battle with O'Neill sitting in a respectable third position, 16 points behind Graves. Three drivers have a mathematical chance at the title which will be decided at the SHRA Championship Finals, Saturday Oct 31st at North Star Dragway.

(Bee Godwin - NE1 Winner!)

Nostalgia Eliminator 1 Run Sheets:

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR 2

The 5.00 Nostalgia Eliminator 2 category brought nine cars to play for keeps with Bruce Dodson leading the points chase entering the event. After two time trials, Dodson's perfect 5.001 at 141 mph led the field into eliminations. Thomas Hixson's 5.008 at 138 mph secured the number two spot with a tie broken by mile per hour over Jason Scott's 5.008 at 135 mph. Joel Kelton rounded out the top half of the field in the number four spot with a 5.04 as the teams were paired up and preparing for first round back in the pits.

(Jason Scott)

(Bruce Dodson)

Jason Scott moved into round two defeating Michael Renaker in Renaker's first SHRA appearance of the season. Gary Ballard used a 5.04 at 128 mph to take out Ron Muncy, who debuted a new altered in his first NE2 start of the season. Rick Taylor took out Thomas Hixson in the opening round when Hixson's transbrake failed on the starting line. Joel Kelton had a solo shot after Jeff Cameron had mechanical issues in the pits and Dodson benefitted from the bye run to move into second round with a 5.02 at 136 mph.

Dodson met Kelton in the first pair of round two action, but Kelton rolled the beams and Dodson advanced with a 5.13 at 113 mph. Scott used a 5.14 to move past a red lighting Ballard and Taylor clicked off a 5.29 at 134 mph in a bye run to move into the semi-finals. In the semis, a wild pedal fest between Taylor and Dodson saw Taylor's 6.63 advance over Taylor's 7.13. Scott had the bye run and posted a 5.11 at 124 to meet Taylor in the final round.

(Rick Taylor)

In his first SHRA final round appearance, Scott was looking to claim victory in Shreveport, while Taylor was in his second final round of the season, but also hunting for his first SHRA event win. We were guaranteed a first time winner as Scott and Taylor brought their cars to the line. Scott left the line a tick too early with a -.001 red light and wasted a 5.01 while Taylor claimed his first win for team "Nitro Monkey" with an 8.55 at 47 mph.

(Rick Taylor - NE2 Winner!)

Nostalgia Eliminator 2 Run Sheets:

NOSTALGIA ELIMINATOR 3

In the 5.50 index NE3 class, defending Champion Dusty Rose came to Shreveport with a healthy points lead over second place Gary Mitchell and third place Doug Morrison. Similar to the quicker classes, NE3 teams dipped under the index in qualifying which shuffled the final order and drew some great first round pairings. Morrison qualified in the top spot with a perfect 5.501 coming in hot after his win at the previous event at Little River Dragway. Mitchell scored the second spot with a great 5.506 and Joe Scarlata rounded out the top three with a 5.53 in the seven car field.

(Joe Scarlata)

Round one kicked off with the top two in points lining up as Rose and Mitchell crept into the beams. Rose left first and never trailed, posting a 5.52 at 115 to take the nod over Mitchell's 5.55 at 121 mph. Scarlata busted off a perfect .000 reaction time coupled with a 5.52 at 118 mph to defeat Josh Moseley's 5.55 at 120 mph. Dustin Bradford moved into the semis defeating a broken Joey Myrick and Doug Morrison soloed to a 5.52 at 119 mph in his bye run as the top qualifier in the odd numbered field.

(Dustin Bradford)

Rose and Scarlata kicked off the first pair in semi-final round action as Scarlata had issues off the starting line, while Rose posted a 5.53 at 119 to move into the finals. Bradford took a small starting line advantage over Morrison, but his 5.54 at 123 mph couldn't hold off Morrison's quicker 5.51 at 122 mph as Morrison was moving into his second straight final.

Morrison and Rose crept into the beams for the last dance in NE3 and Morrison took the lead off the starting line with a .009 reaction time. Rose played catch up but crossed the line with a 5.48 break out and Morrison's 5.51 at 122 took the win light and with back to back wins, moved Morrison into second place in the points standings with one event remaining.

(Doug Morrison - NE3 Winner!)

Nostalgia Eliminator 3 Run Sheets:

NOSTALGIA SUPER STOCK

A nine car field of stick shifting old school nostalgia super stockers were called to the lanes for their time trials. Ronnie Smith scored his second number one qualifying effort of the season in his 1964 Plymouth Savoy. Time trials were concluded and cars were paired up for the opening round of eliminations where Gary Durham, points leader Vic Corlett, Tony Smith, David Ardoin and Ronnie Smith all earned first round wins.

(Ronnie Smith)

In round two action, Durham benefited from the bye run and clicked off a 6.75 on his 6.73 dial at 101 mph. In a heads up 7.05 dial race, Corlett and T. Smith did battle down the eighth mile and despite Smith's quicker 7.061, Corlett took the win light with a starting line advantage and 7.066. Ardoin moved into the semi-finals past a red lighting Ronnie Smith who went -.009 red.

(David Ardoin)

Semi-finals brought Corlett to the line in a bye run where he posted a 7.04 on a 7.05 dial and moved into his fourth final of the season. Durham and Ardoin were up next to run for the other spot in the finals and Durham jumped the tree with a -.184 reaction time, while Ardoin moved to the finals with an early shutoff 8.71 at 58 mph.

(Gary Durham)

Ardoin was in his second final of the season and looking to score his first SHRA win while Corlett hoped to add another tally to his win column in his stellar 2015 season. This one was over at the starting line when Ardoin went -.284 red and had the best seat in the house to watch Corlett click off a 7.03 on a 7.05 dial to score his third win of the season and improve on his points lead in nostalgia super stock.

(Vic Corlett - NSS Winner!)

Nostalgia Super Stock Run Sheet:

SHRA racers had a long night at Thunder Road Raceway Park but the wins were well earned and points battles are soon to be determined at the SHRA Championship Finals presented by Mears Mazda-Volvo, October 31st at North Star Dragway. This event will also host the AlkyDigger.com Nostalgia Eliminator Shootout during the qualifying rounds for qualified drivers. It will be an action packed Halloween night of old school drag racing and six SHRA class Champions will be crowned as the Old School Bracket racers will join the Nostalgia Super Stockers and Nostalgia Eliminator racers in an action packed season finale.

The SHRA would like to thank MalloryPrint.com, AlkyDigger, Good Vibrations Motorsports, Bad Behavior Racing, Neil & Parks Racing Enterprises, Mears Mazda-Volvo, Lenamond Auto Supply, Gary's Muffler Shop, Equipment Sales & Service of Texas, Bubba's Tow, Harry's Hot Rod Truck & Accessories, Competition Sales of Dallas, Howards Cams, Competition Products, Hayden Enterprises and Safety Boost for their support of the 2015 SHRA racing season.

Click Here to see photos from Shreveport!