G. Smith Smothers the Competition @ DTR/Midland
The Southwest Superchargers held their third race of the 2013 season June 20 @ Desert Thunder Raceway, Midland, Tx., and Hemi racer Gary Smith of Lubbock took home the winners share and the "Jerry".
Nine SWSC faithful arrived to take a crack at the DTR eighth mile facility. Qualifying began @ 6: p.m. as Don David and Andy Mears rolled through the water. Both showed extraordinary times, and were just as quickly dismissed as bogus, no times. Next up was Sue Stringer and Jason Wise, in Mike Aton’s dragster. Jason displayed a 4.8772/138 to Sue’s meager 5.3092/123. A pair of Chrysler Hemis made their way to the starting line next, in Gary Smith and Lyle Byrum's funny. Lyle’s 5.0344/139 outran Gary's sliding 5.4547/146. Last months runner-up Clay Cunningham met Joe Navar as the third pair, and Clay showed a best of the round 4.8079/130 to Joes slippery 5.8135/139. Finally Jacob Penner took a bye and went 7.6096/66 as electrical gremlins took over his "Just For Kicks" race car.
The sun had gone away and the temp relented a couple degrees when Q-2 began for our SWSC racers. Clay Cunningham started off the round with a spinning 5.4449/94 vs Joe Navar's better 4.8355/145. Sue Stringer improved to a 5.1099/120 but Jason Wise had a torque converter go away opposite, no time. Andy Mears qualified with a 4.7869/145 with Don David displaying a 4.8325/142 in the other lane. Both Gary Smith and Lyle Byrum improved in the next pair, Gary going a 4.8918/138 and Lyle a 4.9891/139. Jacob Penner was unable to chase away the bugs in his car.
The SWSC laptop was ignited on 90% and quickly revealed a pairings tree that looked like this: #1 Qualifier Andy Mears (.0869 off index) would run #8 Sue Stringer (.3099). #2 Clay Cunningham (.1079) would meet #7 Lyle Byrum (.2891). #3 Don David (.1325) got #6 Gary Smith (.1918). And #4 Joe Navar (.1355) would have to run #9 Jacob Penner (.9096) who was substituting for #5 Jason Wise (.1772, broke).
OK, Race fans, here we go! First pair through the water box was middle-of-the-pack #4 Joe Navar vs. #9 Jacob Penner.
Jacob had borrowed a mag, but the effort was for naught as Joe took the win light 4.8903/126 to Jacobs meager 10.70/46. Next was the #3 qualifier Don David and #6 Gary Smith. Dons car did one of its patented wheelies enough to pull the wheels out of the beams (red light) and Gary got the instant win light, 4.8518/129 to Dons 5.0767/118. #2 Clay Cunningham vs #7 Lyle Byrum was the next pair. Clay likewise tripped the big red eye and Lyle took the win light by a 4.9435/140 to 5.4609/92 margin. Lastly #1 Andy Mears and #8 Sue Stringer came through. Sues slip-sliding 8.0611/46 was no match for Andy's better 4.8663/140.
Round about 10:00 p.m. our racers began Rd 2 Eliminations. #1 Mears and #4 Navar were the first pair up. Joe was a little tardy on the tree and Andy capitalized by going 4.7887/138 to Joes softer 4.8393/145. #6 Smith and #7 Byrum (both with KB alum Hemis) were the other half of the semi-final round. Lyle’s funny went a decent 4.8921/143 but Gary was ready with a winning 4.7521/143.
In the final round we had a bona fide BBC guy in #1 Qualifier Andy Mears. And just as die-hard a racer and Chrysler guy in #6 Gary Smith, both from Lubbock, Tx. So hometown bragging rights for the next month were up for grabs. Mears left first (.0955 vs. .1225) but Gary's Hemi pulled it out on top end and took the stripe 4.7607/137 to Andy's 4.8942/145. A nice first win for Gary Smith and the Seismic Activity crew. And Congrats to the Banzai Racing Team of Andy Mears.
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Winner Gary Smith and Team @ Desert Thunder Raceway.
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Runner Up Andy & Jan Mears.
Mears Mazda Winners Bonus Gary Smith
Mears Mazda R/U Bonus Andy Mears
ATI Jet Quick Qualifier Bonus Andy Mears (4.7869)
SWSC/G. Smith Best Pass Gary Smith (4.7521)
Good Vibrations Quick Light Award Gary Smith (.0506)
1Seven West Photo Win Bonus Gary Smith
1Seven West Photo R/U Bonus Andy Mears
Stick around, SWSC race fans, as the SWSC next travels to El Paso Dragway July 20. Expect even more heads-up, supercharged, non-electronic, alcohol-fed racing action as the 2013 season continues. We’ll see you there!
Floyd
Final Round
