2009 Event Coverage > ADRL Gateway Event Coverage, August 7-8
Saturday
Mark Walter:
Extreme Pro Stock
Brian Gahm would visit the winners circle for the second time in 2 weeks in ADRL Extreme Pro Stock action. Gahm would take on the wandering tribe of Goforth’s from Holdenville Oklahoma. This was race 4 and a month on the road for the Dean’s Casing Service backed team. Gahm’s 4.137 174.17 MPH run was almost nullified when Dean Goforth crossed the center line near the end of the course almost hitting Gahm.
Gahm met Brad Waddle in round 1 and soundly defeated him with a 4.162 173.34 pass to a 4.340 163.99 hit by Waddle.
In round 2 action Gahm would win against Steven Boone with a 4.139 174.46 run to Boone’s 4.172 173.41 pass.
John Montecalvo would meet Gahm in semi-final round action. Gahm won with a 4.152 173.99 MPH run to Montecalvo’s 4.180 173.20 MPH hit.
On the other side of the ladder, Goforth would defeat the Rislone backed Mustang of Bob Bertsch in round 1 with a 4.183 171.61 MPH run to a 4.247 170.30 MPH pass.
In round 2 it would have been the battle of the Pontiacs with Goforth taking on the 2004 GranAm of Ron Miller. Unfortunately Miller could not make the call. Goforth sailed to 4.177 171.97 MPH victory.
Goforth would have an easy round in the semi’s when Robert Patrick’s Mustang got out of shape and had to lift. Goforth ran a 4.180 to Patrick’s slowing 5.618.
Mark Walter:
Flowmaster Extreme 10.5
Beyond the festivities of the first 3 second pass in the history of 10.5 racing, we did have a great race with super performances by many of Flowmasters Extreme 10.5 standouts.
Bill Glidden epitomizes consistency, hard work and fortitude that make him worthy of his championship winning status. Billy and Shannon would add another Minute Man to their collection with a victory over the 3 second barrier breaker Chuck Ulsch. Billy’s 4.076 176.74 MPH pass would take the win against Ulsch’s wandering 4.336 187.47 MPH hit.
Billy took out Todd Kitchen in round 1 with a 4.147 to a 4.495. Just like everyone else in round 1, Kitchen had a hard time finding the combo for the hot greasy Gateway surface.
Round 2 pitted Glidden against Jeff Paulk. Paulk had recovered well from his Friday meeting with the retaining wall. Paulks 4.160 177.58 MPH pass was not good enough to get it done against Glidden’s 4.094 176.28 MPH run.
Semi final round action saw Glidden taken on the battle weary Titans' 2007 Scion with Gary White at the wheel. White was part of the Bischoff altercation in the final round of qualifying. White’s 4.128 177.14 MPH hit was not enough to defeat the ever consistent GTO of Glidden running a 4.093 at 175.78 MPH.
Ulsch would defeat Joel Bayless’ beautiful 2006 GTO in round 1 with a lifting 4.273 150.00 MPH run to a 4.342 176.44 MPH hit. The race was actually much closer than appeared. Ulsch’s late .109 to a .041 of Bayless nearly cost him the race. Margin of victory .001 thousandth of a second! Just think, had Bayless won, there would have been no 3 second barrier breaking run in Extreme 10.5.
Jake Carlton was Ulsch’s 2nd round victim. Ulsch would win with a 4.056 194.91 MPH pass to Carlton’s 4.148 176.01 MPH losing effort.
In the semi’s Ulsch took out Jeff Naiser in route to his 3 second record shattering run. Ulsch, 3.986 197.88 MPH to Naiser’s 4.109 178.24 MPH hit.
Mark Walter:
Pro Nitrous
In an all Al-Annabi Racing finals, Mike Castellana would defeat Khalid Al-Balooshi (K.A.) when Al Balooshi would leave before the tree was activated. This was K.A’s second final in as many races. The startled Castellana would run an off pace 4.579 118.45 MPH pass for the victory.
Castellana met Terry Murphy in round 1. Murphy would lift and slow to a 5.379 92.79 MPH pass after getting loose. Castellana would run a 3.947 @ 190.19 MPH for low ET of the round.
In round 2 action Castallana took on Lee Adkins pristine 68 Camaro. Adkins would leave first with a .014 to .035 reaction time. His efforts were not enough as Casatallana would defeat him with another 3.924 192.03 MPH blast.
The semi’s pitted Castallana against Johnny Pilcher’s 63 Split window Vette. Pilcher would have to lift giving an easy victory to Casatallana with a 3.919 191.59 MPH run to Pilcher’s slowing 4.903 101.68 MPH pass.
In round 1 K.A got a free pass when Earl Folse was unable to make the pass. Folse broke a rocker which leaned out a cylinder leading to a burned piston and ruined valve seat in the #2 cylinder. K.A. soloed to an out of shape 4.243 136.46 MPH pass.
K.A. took out the 'Purple Gorilla' 2007 Corvette of Dave Pierce in round 2. Pierce ran a great 4.037 @ 185.33 MPN run. However, it was not enough for Al-Balooshi's 3.947 190.59 MPH run.
Semi final action pitted K.A. against local favorite john Deflorian Jr. from Arnold Missouri. Deflorian would red light his chance to defeat the Al-Annabi team member of Castallana's when he left .178 seconds before the green!
Mark Walter:
Pro Extreme
Mike Janis would solo for the win in Pro Extreme. Jason Scruggs slung the rods out of his Garret race car in the semi’s. Janis put on a great show for the fans with a super 3.863 @ 195.59 MPH blast.
Janis made a statement in round 1 when he soundly defeated Brian Daniels with the 'low for the round' run of 3.860 @ 198.12.
Round 2 saw Wes Johnson unable to make the run against Janis due to a breakage in the prior round. Janis saved parts and maintenance with an easy 9.691 84.13 MPH stroll.
Semi Final Action pitted Janis against fan favorite ‘Mad Man’ Frankie Taylor. Taylor’s troubled 4.087 178.57 MPH hit would not have enough for Janis’ 3.967 192.66 MPH run.
Scruggs would meet Joey Martin's 55 LowMad in round 1. Martin launched hard moving towards the centerline making him lift. He peddled the car and still managed a 4.774 which was not enough for Scruggs' spinning 4.123 176.53 MPH pass.
Scruggs turned up the wick for his second round opponent Bubba Stanton. Knowing the prior champion could hit the number forced Scruggs to show his capabilities with a stellar 3.793 197.86 MPH run to Stanton's 3.861 200.29 MPH blast.
Semi's saw Scruggs run low ET and fastest MPH of eliminations (3.741 @ 207.18) when Cody Barklage broke the throttle cable during the burnout. Unfortunately it would hurt the motor forcing him to miss the finals against Janis.
Mark Walter:
I think many of us came to the St. Louis ADRL race not really sure what to expect. I’ve been here with other organizations and saw the event fall flat and the track surface be less than stellar. Let’s face it, it’s August in the Midwest…the dog days of summer, could you really expect championship performance and record crowds? If you're the ADRL the answer is yes! The series continues to break records every place they go this year. At last count there were 64,000 people through the gate for the event this weekend. It has become a phenomenon that just may bring drag racing back to it's glory days of the 60's and 70's!
The racers where not deterred! The absolute news story of the weekend is Chuck Ulsch’s 3.986 @ 197.88 MPH blast into the record books as the first Extreme 10.5 car into the 3 second zone and the one to be remembered for all time as the first in the threes. Some folks did not think it would be possible given the 140+ track temperatures we saw throughout the weekend. However, after his 4.011 pass in the second round of qualifying, I felt it was possible if he could get the Mobley owned Camaro from A to B during the hot first few rounds of eliminations. It was a historic day for the fast door car world, one we will all remember just like Edie Hill’s first in the four’s at the Texas Motorplex in May of 1988. A hearty well done from the staff at DragStory.com for being the first to break the 3 second barrier and be the founding member of the Mickey Thompson 3 second club! Only 4 spots left in the club, who will be next?
The wicked track conditions lead to several wild rides this weekend with some costly results.
Tony Bischoff’s 2002 Cougar crashed as it went through the lights in round 3 of qualifying. “The car just turned left”, reported Bischoff. After at least 2 barrel rolls, the car came to a stop on its roof. A small fire ensued. Bischoff hit the fire extinguisher system and exited the car as he kicked open the door and climbed out. Bischoff is uncertain of his plans for the future. Jerry Haas was going to stop by and look at the car to determine if it could be fixed.
Matt Hartford took a wild ride in his Wilson Manifold Extreme Pro Stock entry. The car launched hard to the right and then went up in smoke. The car was instantly loose and then just went right causing the rollover. Jason Collins made some fancy moves at the other end to keep his car out of Hartford’s debris field.
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