Team Info:

Owners - Carl & Paul Meador, Chris & David Stouffer, Steve Hight

Team Bio - Reviving the Old Days!

There are lots of race teams out there with multiple partners. Seems it's been that way since racing started. A couple of guys get together and race because one has a motor, one has a chassis and maybe another has a tow rig. Ours is not much different than any of those out of the past or present. In fact, we may be exactly like the others. Several guys team up to go racing and have some fun. They agree on a few things and partnerships form. Sound familiar? Together they begin trying to find combinations that work and discover some that don’t. They watch and listen to the other racers that have been down this path before. 1960, 1980 or 2012? What year is this again?

In 2000 Jerry Norman, from Seminole, TX., built our current front engine dragster for my brother, Paul and I. Then, in 2008, Jerry updated it with a fabricated 4340 9” Ford housing and a Strange full floater rear and removed the 8 3/4 Chrysler. The dragster had been in storage and not seen the strip at all until late 2008. Chris Stouffer was approached in 2006 to see if he was interested in driving our front engine dragster. Chris was racing his 23T altered with a Ron‘s injector so we built a 6-71 blown alky small block Chevy for us to play with until the FED was complete. Chris grew up watching my dad, his dad, me, my brother and our family travel the U.S. and run a nostalgia top fuel dragster. I’m trying to pass on what I’ve learned from my dad and racers like Brent Fanning, Bob McLennan, George Santos and lots of others that contributed to the sport. We are grateful to be able to race and for all the new friends we meet.

Chris Stouffer is our driver and partner. Chris has been racing since he was in high school with various altereds, dragsters, door cars and pickups. His latest hot rod is a beautiful factory big block 69 Malibu. Chris and his family live in Cleburne, Texas. He is married to Roxanne and they have two children. Their oldest is daughter, Kennedy, and their youngest is son Matthew. Chris is employed by Miller Brewery in Ft. Worth.

David Stouffer is Chris’ dad. David and I have been friends for many years. David brought a younger Chris along when he could while we raced my dad, Claudie Meador’s, nostalgia top fuel dragster back in the late 80‘s and throughout the 90‘s. David is a very good self taught mechanic who has built engines for other people for 30 years or so. He has slowed up a little the last couple years and is enjoying time with he and wife Millie’s 5 grandchildren. He and Millie reside in Cleburne, Texas. David is an invaluable asset to our team and can also BS with the best of them. David is usually the one who puts the car in the groove after a burnout and double checks all the safety items before a pass.

The next guy on our team is the tallest one of the group. Steve Hight is one of Chris’ best friends and they grew up together in Cleburne. Steve is also a hot rodder who owns a neat little Chevy II. He and Chris tubbed it, front and back halved it and did just about everything except the roll cage. It’s a street car and runs very well along with having that perfect stance. Steve is married to Jessica and they live a couple hundred yards down from David. Steve owns a large shop that he allows us to work out of and keep the toys safe. He is a huge help at the track and at home.

My younger brother Paul, from Hico, TX. has always loved drag racing. He and I were practically raised at the strip during our dads’ early years. When dad went off to race his CC/ gas supercharged 57 Chevy, and later a 48 Austin, mom would bring us along. During the time we raced his fuel dragster Paul serviced the clutch, oil pan and oil system . Paul has been an independent owner/operator truck driver just about all his life. He loves street rods and is attempting to redo his old 1950 Ford pickup.

My wife of 30 years, Donna, and I look forward to our time racing. We’re located in the central Texas town of Stephenville. For several years I raced a motorcycle and had lots of fun. Having had several old hot rods kept me looking over my shoulder for the law during my street racing days. An old converted 39 Chevy coupe ex-gasser with a straight axle, Olds/Pontiac rear and a 327 and a 4 speed plus a 51 Chevy coupe with a 427 Chevy and a 69 RS camaro with a 427 and 4 speed are the ones I wish I would have kept. I’ve always loved the old cars and the nostalgia racing movement. The front-motored dragsters have been a passion for me since the old Green Valley days. Being around all those diggers at the nostalgia drags and helping my dad helps me to appreciate what several partners did back in the early years. I also appreciate the opportunity I was given to work on the 300-mph modern top fuelers for several years as well and feel like I came away with some great knowledge.

Thanks to all our wives for letting us dip into the budgets. Thanks to the Good Lord for giving us the opportunity to do this and ask that he watch over each of us and keep us all safe - Carl Meador

Hometown - Cleburne & Stephenville, Texas
Crew - Carl, Paul, Donna & Cody Meador,
Chris, David & Matthew Stouffer, Steve & Jessica Hight
Sponsors - Our empty pockets!
Special Thanks - Pete Riola - Automotive Machine
Jerry Norman - SMC Racecars
Brandon McKinney - McKinney RaceCars
Don Ross Fabrication
Kenneth Rierson
Spud Miller - Fuel Injection Ent.
Max Cackle Photography
& Claudie Meador for everything you did!!

Racecar Info:

Name - "Defiant" - Empty Pockets Racing
Chassis - 206" 2000 J. Norman
Powerplant - 355 CI. SBC
17% over 6-71 Mooneyham
Dart Block, Scat 4340 - 3.48 crank
Ross pistons, Bill Miller 5.99 alum. rods
Comp. Cams - Cam, lifters, belt drive
Old Brodix heads, RCD, Harlan Sharp, ARP
Fuel Injection Ent. rebuilt Mallory Mag V
FIE flowed - Hilborn 175-2 pump, nozzles
Hilborn 4-port w/ 3" butterfly
Hilborn front cover w/ Enderle dual pump drive
Milodon pan and Mellings pump
Safety - DJ belts, restraints, chute packs, covers,
Dennis Taylor diaper, ISP padding
Horsepower - Never Enough!
Transmission - Larry Decker built powerglide
Rear End - 4340 Fabricated 9" Ford
3.89 Pro gear
Strange 40 spline spool/axles
Strange full floaters
4 pad Aerospace calipers
M & H 1200 X 16 racing slicks
Accomplishments - 2011 TBFA Season Champions
2010 TBFA Season Runner Up
2011 Witko Nationals Winner
2011 BHRA Nationals Winner
2011 #1 Qualifier at 3 events