Brainerd & Millsap Score Season Opener Wins at Thunder Road

Words by Chris Graves
Photos by Max Cackle Photography

Willie Brainerd

The heads-up nostalgia racing scene in the southwestern U.S. continues to grow, and the 2011 racing season for the Southwest Junior Fuel and Texas Blown Fuel Associations show no signs of slowing down.

Thunder Road Raceway Park in Gilliam, La., hosted the season opener for the SWJFA and TBFA circuits on Saturday, March 12. A full field from both associations entertained the nostalgia drag racing fans on hand as the drivers and crew chiefs faced a freshly ground racing surface with not much traction to offer. Despite the green starting line, racing was hot on the track and a few teams even set new career best performances to kick off the new season.

The Texas Blown Fuel series competes on a 7.60 quarter-mile index and qualifying was highlighted by Dustin Johnson’s “Fair Warning” blown altered who clicked off a 7.69 at 180 mph to take the top spot heading into eliminations. Johnson’s luck ran out early as he broke out in first round with a 7.49 at 180 mph to Willie Brainerd in the “Black Gold” blown slingshot. Brainerd, making his TBFA debut, advanced to the semi-final where he defeated the tough team of Meador & Stouffer in the “Defiant” blown front engine dragster to advance to the final round.