Volume IX, Issue 9, Page 27

Despite making a stunning 4.44-seconds pass at 169 mph in testing on Friday evening, Texas racer Billy Martone couldn’t get his wild, blown Cuda to hook up again to the Huntsville surface, finishing last of 24 entries in qualifying with a 5.42 at 143.49 mph. Martone’s traction woes continued on Sunday as he immediately blew the tires off against Bobby Cole in the opening round of eliminations.

Anthony New gets his Fox-body Mustang a little crossed up in the burnout just prior to his first-round win over Dave Sheppard. New lost to Jack Barfield in the following round. After qualifying John Ferguson’s 2000 Camaro 5th at 4.54/162.16 and making a strong first-round bye run, Steve Kirk Jr. faded to a 4.98 in round two, which allowed Tony Johnson to drive around him at the top end.
Round three was a rare, bad one for team owner Mobley, as he saw all three of his Maryland-based drivers—Keith Sexton, Chuck Ulsch (near lane) and Keith’s dad, Richard Sexton—eliminated in rapid succession. Here, Jack Barfield employed a .048 holeshot to get past ORSCA points leader Ulsch and advance to the semis.
Jack Barfield looked like the former ORSCA Outlaw 10.5 champion he is after qualifying 3rd with a 4.53/162.10 pass and reaching the semi-finals against Moyer at Huntsville. His ’02 Camaro got way out of shape right off the start, though, and Barfield did a great driving job just to stay in his left lane and bring the car back to his trailer with all four corners intact. Moyer also had a little tire spin off the hit, but was able to recover and drove past to reach the final. “It went out eight to 10 feet and then just took a hard right,” Barfield explained. “I pedaled it twice early and let it go right over to the centerline and then I brought her back and thought I had it straight before I stabbed it again, but it just shot right back and that’s when I gave it up. I knew I was out on him, but it was all over the place out there.”