RICK INTRAU FASTEST LS1, HUSBAND AND WIFE RACE IN SUPER MOD FINAL AT YEAR
ONE EXPERIENCEBy Tim Glover
Photos(Commerce, GA - April 23) Although rain ultimately won on Friday, and cold windy conditions on Saturday made it seem more like January than April, racers and spectators alike enjoyed hundreds of mint condition vehicles featuring Year One reproduction parts. While some vehicles stayed in the pits, the majority of them went down the track, ranging from relatively sedate passes to a record setting 8.24 second pass at 172+ mph (on true 10.5 inch tires, no less) by the world's fastest LS1 Camaro, owned and driven by Rick Intrau. Fans also enjoyed a Quick 16 program, featuring even faster cars, but those cars were limited to the eighth mile course. Other treats presented by the Year One people included the Wheelstander driven by Scott Kennedy, the Chicago Rush Jet Dragster driven by Danny Sullivan, and the '57 Chevy Jet Funny Car driven by Ernie Bogue, Jr. Shortly after 9pm, spectators were also treated to a fireworks show. Some other interesting cars included two Shelby GT continuation cars brought to the track by Bobby Mikus of Dallas, TX, one an "Eleanor" clone from the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds." The Year One crew also put on a huge car show on the grounds of Road Atlanta, which ran at the same time as the show at Atlanta Dragway.
Although the car count was limited in Pro Mod, the excitement was not. Houston, TX based Horsepower Engineering shop manager Rick Intrau held the previous fastest LS1 record of 8.35 seconds at 168mph on 10.5 inch tires, and bettered it this weekend with what he called a "safe" 8.240 at 172.64mph in his '96 Firebird WS-6. Intrau said he only had 15psi boost on that pass. Steve Turley came in a distant second with a 9.23 at 149.57mph in his Huber Heights, OH based '96 Firebird Formula. Intrau thanked his sponsors, Horsepower Engineering, Pro Turbo Kits and his tuner, Kenjo Kelley.
Ken Quartucci from Wallingford, CT took the Extreme Mod win with his '00 Camaro, carding a 9.84 second pass at 138.69mph. His opponent, Eric Piner ('00 Camaro - Winter Garden, FL) had a lot more to give, but his car suddenly decided to "hook" in the final, and it went into a wild, bumper scraping wheelstand that cracked the oil pan on the landing and slowed him to a 10.23 at 128.35mph.
The husband and wife team of Judson and Linda Massingill from Houston, TX ended their day facing each other in the Super Mod final. Judson held the decided advantage, having a 427 cubic inch engine in his '99 Camaro to Linda's 375 powered '98 Camaro. He did let her leave the starting line first, but his 9.31 at 132.15mph was too much for her 10.82 at 124.51mph pass. At the finish line, Judson's car popped, and simultaneously broke both the engine and transmission. When asked what he though about defeating his wife, he commented with a smile, "My love life may go downhill. Another bad thing is she has all the money. She might put that in her engine." Linda won the EFI 12 class during a previous race at Atlanta Dragway. Ryan Young(Camaro - Gainesville, GA) and Howard Wolf ('99 Corvette - Marietta, GA) finished in the semi-final round.
Rodney Naquin's PACS Racing '01 Trans Am was the top Super Stock LS1 car by the end of the day. His McComb, MS based machine carded an 11.21 at 103.97mph for the win. His opponent, Ryan Robinson of Raleigh, NC was second across the finish line with his Camaro, turning in an 11.36 at 118.46mph. Josh Osteen ('99 Camaro - Aiken, SC), and David Moss, Jr. ('02 Firebird Formula - Winter Garden, FL) were the semi-final pair.
"It was great. I ran it all motor, let off early, and won the race," commented Street Fighter LS1 winner Dan Taber. Taber left the line first with his Katy, TX based '98 Firebird and crossed the finish line with an 11.14, 111.95mph pass, way ahead of opponent Adam Henley. Henley's Conyers, GA based '00 Firebird slowed to an 11.93 at only 87.20mph. Taber mentioned his old engine (since expired) held the fastest stock short block record, 9.64 at 141mph. The Street Fighter semi-finalists were Tony Whatley ('69 Camaro - Houston, TX) and Chris Dixon from Greensboro, NC.
The F.A.S.T. (Factory Appearing, Stock Tire) class was, and Terry Pendleton of Mishawaka, IN fared the best during his 2005 Year One Experience. Pendleton's seven inch wide tires pulled the car to an amazing 11.13 at 125.76mph for the win. His opponent, former F.A.S.T. winner Dave Dudek from Shelby Township, MI, had shifting problems with his Hemi Challenger and slowed to a 12.85 at 102.58mph. Dudek changed transmissions before the final, but still had problems. "I wish there wasn't so much headwind. I could have gone even quicker," said Pendleton. Later, in a test and tune session, Pendleton carded an 11.07 second pass. Tom Cannon ('70 Challenger - Glenside, PA) was the lone semi-finalist.
Andy Caldwell got to race his Florida neighbor Chris Teel's '68 Nova SS in the Factory Stock final. Caldwell's 383 four barrel equipped 3950 pound '70 Super Bee took the finish line .045 seconds before Teel's 396 powered Nova. Knowing he did not have the advantage, Teel took a shot at the tree and red lighted with a -.091 second react. Caldwell's .040 second react and 13.80 at 98.53mph was too much for Teel's slightly slower 13.98 at 98.82mph.
Good friends and fellow racers Mike Holman of Covington, GA and Jim Mayfield from Gainesville, GA faced each other in the Quick 16 final. Holman took the eighth mile category win using a quicker react (.018 vs. .024) and crossing the finish line first for the win with a 6.32 at 108.59mph pass (6.28 dial) in his '70 Buick GSX. Mayfield was a little more off, running 5.60 at 131.94mph in his '92 Beretta. Jefferson, GA racer Shawn McDonald was the quickest qualifier, and made it to the semi-final round with his '67 Chevy II, along with Ray McDougall ('72 Camaro - Auburn, GA). Holman said he had been running a 6.25 dial during eliminations, but was glad he changed it to 6.28 in the finals. Earlier in the day, after their round one wins, Mayfield and Holman were kidding about meeting in the final and how they could handle it if they did. Holman thanked the Year One crew for putting on the show, and also thanked Gerald Whatley and Son General Contracting.
Baron Yarber brought his '88 Mustang all the way from Meadow View, VA to compete in True Street. His efforts paid off with a 9.60 average (three passes) at 143mph. Dwayne Stiles' '90 Mustang finished runner up with a 9.75 average at 137mph. Two Atlanta Dragway racers, Alton Clements III and Kevin Rich, tried their hand at the class also, with Clements in the low 12 second category and Rich in the mid 17 second range.
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PRO MOD LS1 CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Rick Intrau '96 Firebird WS-6 Houston, TX 8.24 172.64
R/U: Steve Turley '96 Firebird Formula Huber Heights, OH 9.23 149.57
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EXTREME MOD LS1 CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Ken Quartucci '00 Camaro Wallingford, CT 9.84 138.69
R/U: Eric Piner '00 Camaro Winter Garden, FL 10.23 128.35
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SUPER MOD LS1 CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Judson Massingill '99 Camaro Houston, TX 9.31 132.15
R/U: Linda Massingill '98 Camaro Houston, TX 10.82 124.51
Semi:
Ryan Young '00 Camaro Gainesville, GA
Semi:
Howard Wolf '99 Corvette Marietta, GA
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SUPER STOCK LS1 CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Rodney Naquin '01 Trans Am McComb, MS 11.21 103.97
R/U: Ryan Robinson '00 Camaro Raleigh, NC 11.36 118.46
Semi: Josh Osteen '99 Camaro Aiken, SC
Semi: David Moss, Jr. '02 Formula Winter Garden, FL
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STREET FIGHTER LS1 CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH INDEX
Win: Dan Taber '98 Firebird Katy, TX 11.14 111.95 (10.90)
R/U:
Adam Henley '00 Firebird Conyers, GA 11.93 87.20 (10.90)
Semi: Tony Whatley '69 Camaro Houston, TX
Semi: Chris Dixon car Greensboro, NC
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QUICK 16 CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win:
Mike Holman '70 Buick GSX Covington, GA 6.32 108.59 (6.28)
R/U:
Jim Mayfield '92 Beretta Gainesville, GA 5.60 131.94 (5.50)
Semi:
Shawn McDonald '67 Chevy II Jefferson, GA
Semi:
Ray McDougall '72 Camaro Auburn, GA
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F.A.S.T CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Terry Pendleton '69 Camaro Mishawaka, IN 11.13 125.76
R/U: Dave Dudek '70 Hemi Challenger Shelby Township, MI 12.85 102.58
Semi: Tom Cannon '70 Challenger Glenside, PA
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FACTORY STOCK CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH
Win: Andy Caldwell '70 Super Bee Rockledge, FL 13.80 98.53
R/U: Chris Teel '68 Nova SS Orlando, FL (foul) 13.98 98.82
Semi: Frank Cantrell '73 Barracuda Seneca, SC
Semi: Rich Seguin '69 Firebird Loudon, TX
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TRUE STREET CAR HOMETOWN avg. ET avg. MPH
Win: Baron Yarber '88 Mustang Meadow View, VA 9.60 143
R/U:
Dwayne Stiles '90 Mustang Winder, GA 9.75 137
