Bret Kepner
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
These results reflect the record holders, qualifiers, and final round contestants at each of the
SX Performance Street Car Shootout Series events held each Tuesday at Gateway
International Raceway in Madison, Illinois.
Tuesday SCSS Track Records can be set during official qualifying or championship rounds. The
official qualifying period begins at 6:30 PM and concludes at 9:00 PM, barring unforeseen
circumstances. At 9:30 PM, the two quickest qualifers meet in a no-handicap championship round for
trophies. Each of the Top 16 qualifiers receives a "Fastest Street Car Qualifier" decal. The SCSS
trophies and decals are presented by SX Performance Fuel Systems in St. Louis, MO (6
Sunnen Drive, 314-644-3000, http://www.sx-performance.com ). Additionally, the two
quickest Sport Tuner drivers, (open to all passenger cars except Rear-Wheel-Drive vehicles with
engines of six cylinders or more), also meet in a no-handicap championship round for trophies
presented by St. Louis Street Racing.com (http://www.stlsr.com) and the two quickest Super
Truck drivers, (open to all trucks and utility vehicles), meet in a no-handicap championship round for
trophies presented by http://www.GatewayRaceway.com .
GATEWAY INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, MADISON, ILLINOIS
2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT TRACK RECORDS
Class Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine ET MPH Date
RWD Sam Moore, East Alton, IL 93 Mustang 352 Ford 8.584 9/26/2006
RWD Sam Moore, East Alton, IL 93 Mustang 352 Ford 161.25 7/18/2006
TRK Kevin Autenrietch, Bethalto, IL 84 S-10 355 Chevy 9.772 9/28/2004
TRK Steven Gleghorn, Alton, IL 94 S-10 434 Chevy 140.44 9/26/2006
RTY Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 93 RX-7 79 Mazda 10.048 9/26/2006
RTY Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 93 RX-7 79 Mazda 137.95 9/26/2006
4CYL Joe Laramee, Decatur, IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 10.534 9/26/2006
4CYL Joe Laramee, Decatur, IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 130.19 9/26/2006
6CYL Rob Nolan, Granite City, IL 87 Regal 231 Buick 11.041 10/11/2005
6CYL Rob Nolan, Granite City, IL 87 Regal 231 Buick 124.56 4/11/2006
FWD Adam Corbitt, St. Charles, MO 85 Golf 122 Volks 11.473 9/5/2006
FWD Adam Corbitt, St. Charles, MO 85 Golf 122 Volks 126.95 5/30/2006
DSL Phillip Blackburn, Springfield, IL 03 2500 HD 403 Chevy 11.835 8/2/2005
DSL Phillip Blackburn, Springfield, IL 03 2500 HD 403 Chevy 114.29 8/2/2005
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT QUALIFIERS
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine ET MPH Date
EVENT 23 9/26/2006
1 Sam Moore E. Alton IL 93 Mustang 352 Ford 8.872 153.67
2 Tony Huff Collinsville IL 68 Nova 468 Chevy 9.439 142.19
3 Tim Mallicoat Collinsville IL 68 Camaro 468 Chevy 9.568 130.56
4 Gary Tripp Imperial MO 69 Camaro 406 Chevy 9.578 142.58
5 Kim Westphal Roxana IL 89 Mustang 355 Chevy 10.013 117.55
6 Eric Cheatham Belleville IL 93 RX-7 79 Mazda 10.048 119.96
7 Steven Gleghorn Alton IL 94 S-10 434 Chevy 10.376 140.44
8 Joe Laramee Decatur IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 10.534 130.19
9 Orson Johnson House Springs MO 99 Mustang 281 Ford 10.564 131.51
10 Tony Buhl Lebanon IL 89 Mustang 331 Ford 10.641 126.23
11 Raymond Arthur Edwardsville IL 67 Camaro 427 Chevy 10.734 116.64
12 Mike Mester Valley Park MO 00 Firebird 402 Pont 10.756 125.03
13 Brett Evans Glen Carbon IL 65 Mustang 427 Ford 10.883 103.23
14 Derrick Roeslein Fenton MO 02 Camaro 346 Chevy 10.935 122.68
15 Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 383 Chevy 10.949 124.57
16 Robert Tarr Aviston IL 91 Mustang 381 Ford 11.104 127.11
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT FINAL
ROUND
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle R.T. ET MPH
W Sam Moore, East Alton, IL 1993 352 Mustang 0.625 8.584 161.25
RU Tony Huff, Collinsville, IL 1968 468 Nova -0.053 (foul) 9.352 142.07
Capping what was easily the most spectacular event in the history of the SX Performance Street Car
Shootout Series, Sam Moore earned his second title of the season while joining in what had already
become the complete destruction of the SCSS record books. Exceptional atmospheric conditions, a
nearly perfect racing surface and a massive turnout of the area’s quickest and fastest machinery
made the sixty-third race in the series one which produced simply mind-boggling performances.
Records in nearly every category were not merely exceeded but completely destroyed by elapsed
times and speeds many thought would never be seen in the SCSS program. Here are just a few of
the amazing statistics from the meet.
*** A record “bump spot” for the Super Sixteen qualifiers of 11.10 seconds, nearly a
half-second quicker than the previous mark of 11.52 seconds
*** An average performance for the top sixteen qualifiers of 10.31 seconds at 128.38 miles per
hour, over a half-second quicker than the previous record average of 10.87/126.75
*** The top eight qualifiers under 10.53 seconds, more than a quarter-second quicker than the
previous best of 10.87 seconds
*** The top thirty-two qualifiers under 11.91 seconds, almost a quarter-second quicker than
the previous record of 12.14 seconds
*** 22 cars over 120 mph, three more than the previous record
*** 17 vehicles ran quicker than 12.00 seconds and FAILED to qualify
*** 111 of the top 130 qualifiers (85%) recorded career-best elapsed times
The event started with little indication of what was to come. Following the completion of early timed
trials, the official qualifyng period was only five minutes old when Matthew Jordan’s 2003 Mustang
suffered a massive coolant loss near the finish line and signaled the official beginning of “Oildown
Season” with a lengthy clean-up by the Gateway International Raceway Safety Crew. During the
down time, the corrected elevation dropped from 1300 feet above sea level to 980 feet on its way to
a mere 517 feet during the final rounds. The meticulously prepared surface never dropped below 73
degrees, however, leading to an absolutely astounding qualifying session.
The first major shock came from unheralded Steven Gleghorn who debuted a new 1994 Chevy S-10
pickup with a Dart Cylinder Head-equipped 434-cubic inch smallblock powerplant. The nitrous-aided
pickup’s very first pass was a 10.37 at an incredible 140.44 mph, shattering Kevin Autenrietch’s
135.39 mph SCSS Speed Record for Trucks only two days shy of its second anniversary! That effort
was soon overshadowed by Moore’s first pass.
Back behind the wheel of Bill Silva’s infamous “Silva Bullet” ‘93 Mustang, the current SCSS Speed
Record holder had his sights set on Brett Heidgerken’s nearly one-year-old 8.871 second ET mark.
The ProCharger-equipped 352-inch Ford launched conservatively with a 1.52-second 60-feet ET but
thundered to the top end to post an 8.872-second blast at only 153.67 miles per hour. After an
eighth-mile clocking of 5.79/128.66, (the fastest 660-feet speed in SCSS history), Moore found
himself without power after the supercharger drive belt departed just past the 1000-feet mark. “One
lousy thousandth of a second!”, exclaimed Moore after the run, adding, “I can’t believe we missed it
by one thousandth of a second! If the belt hadn’t come off, there’s no telling how quick and fast that
car was gonna go!”. Silva and Moore quickly made the decision to rest the Mustang and see just
who, if anybody, could come close.
Thus began a performance parade the likes of which had never been seen on a Tuesday night at
Gateway. It was the winningest SCSS pilot ever, Tony Huff, who stepped up to a 9.43/142.19 in his
nitrous-aided bigblock ‘68 Nova but he was quickly followed by Tim Mallicoat’s new low-rider ‘68
Camaro, (9.56 at an early shut-off 130.56 mph on a run which had identical eighth-mile numbers to
Huff’s pass), and Gary Tripp, who’d appeared in four of the past five final rounds, with his 496-inch
‘69 Camaro at 9.57/142.58. The amazing list of qualifiers tells the rest of the story.
By the time qualifying was completed, (and Jeremy Heizer’s ‘91 GTA Firebird ran 11.23/124.25 and
DIDN’T qualify!), all but four drivers had recorded best-ever performances. Ironically, it was
Moore and Silva who were responsible for the recent improvement in Huff’s performance and, as the
two prepared for the championship, Silva and Moore headed to the starting line to watch Huff make a
late timed trial with yet another new tune-up. A career-best 9.38/142.01 appeared for the Nova pilot
but the Chevy moved to the centerline for the second run in a row. “On the first run, an oil breather
line came off and sprayed the left tire”, said Huff before the trophy dash, “but this time it was
different. I’m not really sure what’s causing it to turn but it’s definitely making me uncomfortable”.
Incredibly, it was Silva who discovered the culprit just minutes before the two were to meet for the
event’s final run and quickly remedied the problem. “It was a leaky valve stem!”, said Silva with a
smile, “and I just replaced it. The car came back with only four pounds of air in one tire. That’ll make
you do some steering, for sure!”.
In the championship dash, Huff knew he was still in the game if Moore encountered even the
smallest miscue. Still the Chevy pilot needed an advanatge and he pushed the Christmas Tree as
hard as he dared. Unfortunately, Huff came up with a redlight start by fifty-three thousandths of a
second. The fans, all on their feet, immediately turned their eyes to the thundering “Bullet”. When
announcer Rich Tivitt screamed that the eighth-mile numbers were an all-time SCSS record at
5.55/130.24, everyone held their collective breath until the scoreboards showed a simply
indescribable 8.58 seconds at 161.25 miles per hour. While the elapsed time obliterated
Heidgerken’s long-standing Chevy record, the run was tinged with irony; the speed was exactly the
same as Moore’s 161.25 mph record blast recorded during his July 18th victory. Silva, meanwhile,
was just as happy for Tony Huff’s career-best but losing 9.35/142.07!
“What are the odds that the speed would be the same to the hundredth of a mile-per hour?”,
asked a laughing Moore during the winner’s circle ceremonies in front of the main grandstand. “I
guess it’ll give us something to shoot for next week! We’re thinking about going to either the NMRA
World Finals at Bowling Green, Kentucky, this weekend or the NMCA World Finals at Memphis the
next weekend. Either way, we’ll be running the car a lot in the next few weeks and I’m positive there’s
more in it. Just wait...you’ll see!”.
And the Number Eight Qualifier IS... Joe Laramee, whose unbelievable turbocharged
four-cylinder Pinto qualified for the field in the lucky eighth position but suffered enough damage to
head home to Decatur, Illinois, only minutes before it was announced that he would receive a very
special award. After sixty-three completed SCSS events with sixteen qualifiers at each race, the
eighth qualifier during this event would earn the 1000th “Fastest Street Car Qualifier” decal. Laramee
was named the recipent of $50.00 in cash from BretKepnerPhotos.com, a free entry to any future
SCSS event from GIR drag racing manager Jason Dukes, a Gateway International Raceway T-Shirt
and hat from GIR, and a one-of-a-kind, special edition GOLD Qualifier Decal from SX
Performance. Ironically, the same event saw the Series’ quickest and fastest female, Kim Westphal,
become the 500th different driver to earn a Qualifier sticker.
NOTES FROM THE SCSS: There were plenty of notes from this one...With three events
remaining in the SCSS season, Tony Buhl still leads the 2006 Season Championship point
standings with his Vortech-blown ‘89 331 Mustang. The point championship is determined by the
number of Qualifier stickers earned with the date on which the driver’s point total is earned, followed
by each driver’s best ET of the season, used as tie-breakers. The pressure is still on the Ford pilot,
however. If Buhl fails to qualify at any event in which Tony Huff makes the field, Huff would
assume the lead based on his season-best 9.35 elapsed time even though both would be tied for
number of decals earned...Probably the most amazing aspect of the event was the fact that no less
than four ten-second machines failed to qualify for the field and three of them ran numbers in late
timed trials which would’ve been good enough to qualify had they been recorded only minutes
earlier. Last week’s runner-up, Paul Schoelich, had carburetor problems on the first qualifying run in
his black naturally-aspirated smallblock ‘90 Mustang and, on his second pass, Paul admitted that “I
just missed third gear, plain and simple”. Schoelich made a clean 10.49/131.54 twenty minutes after
qualifying concluded. Ben Nungester, whose gorgeous flamed orange ‘69 Camaro won the August
8th SCSS title, suffered his third straight week of problems before getting assistance from Gary Tripp
on whose car Nungester had been thrashing through September. A best-ever 10.53/129.08 came in
a late timed trial alongside Tripp’s off-pace 10.96/122.03. Jack Nungester’s black ‘71 Camaro ran a
best of 11.24/128.05 in qualifying to finish as second alternate but unloaded the 55-year old’s first
“ten”, a 10.97/129.14 in late timed trials. Had these drivers recorded those numbers during
qualifying, the bump spot could have conceivably dropped as low as 10.93!...That’s not counting the
return of Greg Boschert’s 10-second ‘66 Mustang coupe, which made its first pass in over four
months with as easy 13.66/102 on the rebuilt 331-inch smallblock...Bump Spot qualifier Bobby Tarr’s
‘91 Mustang was the only qualifer NOT in the ten-second zone or quicker. The kicker is that Tarr
hit a 10.98/127.40 in late timed trials which ALSO would’ve made it an all ten-second field!..Jim
Harris’ ‘03 Z06 Corvette ran a best in qualifying of 11.76/124.60 to finish thirteenth alternate (!) but
proved the exceptional condition of the track even late in the event with an 11.45 timed trial at a
career-best 126.46 mph with zero tire spin on low-profile street tires...Bob Morrill, the first SCSS
driver ever over 150 mph, mentioned just before the final round, “This is the best Tuesday night
surface I’ve ever seen!”...Kim Westphal is now the quickest woman in SCSS history and would have
been another qualifer under 10.00 seconds had she finished her NHRA license runs before the
conclusion of qualifying. Her 355 Chevy-powered ‘89 Mustang notchback ran a best of 10.01 at only
117 mph before her final “full-track” license effort during late timed trials resulted in a stellar 9.88 at
136.54 mph!...Orson “OJ” Johnson’s potent red ragtop ‘99 Mustang destroyed its previous best by
nearly a quarter-second with a 10.56 and became the newest member of the SCSS 130 MPH Club at
131.51 before a late timed trial of 10.51/131.59...Raymond Arthur just keeps plugging away in his
“Suspicion” ‘67 Camaro; he hit another best of 10.73/116 in qualifying and then clocked another
carrer-best in late timed trials at 10.61/127.55!...Five-time SCSS finalist Dennis Roeslein’s
well-known natirally-apsirated pewter ‘02 Camaro nailed a best-ever 10.93/122.68 in
qualifying...Chad Miller’s FC Customs ProCharged 2006 Mustang ran as fast as 126.91 mph in
qualifying and as quick as 11.36 in late timed trials...Brad McCrary’s renowned ‘90 Mustang ran a
best-ever 11.33/119.03 in late timed trials...The quickest and fastest six-cylinder entry was Biran
Shoffner’s infamous “Thrust” ‘94 Toyota Supra which hit an 11.55 at 123.35 mph, only 1.21 mph from
Rob Nolan’s long-standing SCSS 6-CYL Speed Record. Scott Hart’s all-white ‘87 T-Type V6 turbo
Regal ran a best-ever 11.98/118.13, as well...If you mised this one, you missed one hell of a show.
SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT
STANDINGS (as of SEPTEMBER 27th, 2006)
Pos Points Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine
1 (18) Tony Buhl Lebanon IL 89 Mustang 331 Ford
2 (17) Tony Huff Collinsville IL 68 Nova 468 Chevy
3 (14) Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 383 Chevy
4 (12) Jim Harris O'Fallon MO 03 Corvette 346 Chevy
5 (10) Raymond Arthur Edwardsville IL 67 Camaro 427 Chevy
6 (8) Joe Williams Maryville IL 68 Nova 468 Chevy
7 (6) Gary Tripp Imperial MO 69 Camaro 496 Chevy
8 (5) Adam Corbitt St. Charles MO 85 Golf 122 Volks
9 (4) Matt Crittendon St. Louis MO 89 Mustang 306 Ford
10 (4) Rusty Schneider Owensville MO 99 Mustang 281 Ford
11 (4) Sam Moore E. Alton IL 93 Mustang 352 Ford
12 (4) Joe Laramee Decatur IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2006 STLSR.COM SPORT TUNER SHOWDOWN FINAL ROUND
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle R.T. ET MPH
W Adnon Omerovic, St. Louis, MO 1995 122 Talon 0.205 14.171 98.21
RU Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 1993 79 RX7 -0.045 (foul) 10.606 137.95
Although the main action centered around only four drivers, the St.
Louis Street Racing.com Sport Tuner Showdown Series was still the greatest show on
earth. With Eric Cheatham’s RX7, (the STSS Rotary Record Holder), Joe Laramee’s insane turbo ‘77
Pinto, (the SCSS 4-Cylinder Record Holder), Adnan Amerovic’s well-known ‘95 Eagle Talon, (the
quickest and fastest All-Wheel-Drive entry), and Brian Orsborn’s red SRT-4 Neon, (the quickest
FWD machine in the group), all one the property at the same time, every spectator knew they would
be witnessing an all-out war.
Most speculation centered on Cheatham, whose show-quality Mazda had unleashed the quickest
and fastest Sport Tuner numbers ever only three weeks earlier, (10.36/136.02), but failed to qualify
in his next appearance forcing the Belleville, Illinois, racer to reconsider his chassis configuration.
After much work applying several new ideas, he pulled to the line for his first pass in what was nearly
a different car than the record holder. An easy 11-second effort proved the short-wheelbased RX7
was tranferring weight much more efficiently. Omerovic also opened with an effortless 12.06/120.80
and Orsborn’s 12.27/122.62 showed the Neon was ready.
Omerovic returned to the line quickly, ready to finally add a small 30 horsepower shot of nitrous
oxide into the two litre Eagle which, only last week, had just missed erasing Laramee’s 129.54 mph
4-Cylinder Speed Record with a 129.00 run. An almost painfully slow 2.26-second 60-feet ET was
followed by a tremendous top end charge and a 12.01 at a staggering 130.13 miles per hour!
Cheatham’s next attempt was equally shocking. The 82mm-turboed rotary left the line with a
best-ever 1.43 60-feet ET and rocketed to a 6.39/109.15 eighth-mile before Cheatham lifted off the
throttle and coasted to an astonishing 10.04 at only 119 miles per hour! But, wait! Laramee was
up next! The little black Ford launched with a 1.65 short time but suddenly slowed to a 13.91 at only
69 mph. “It lost a hose near the finish line so I shut it off”, said Laramee adding, ”Did that Talon
really run 130?”.
Cheatham made several more attempts to learn the characteristics of the new chassis settings but all
were half-pass efforts. Omerovic hit an 11.98 at 127.32 but Orsborn began a frustrating night of
problems which kept him in the 12.30s. Then, Laramee returned. The boxy Pinto left with a cautious
1.75 60-feet ET but then blasted to a 6.78/105 eighth-mile and kept charging to a 10.53, beating
Laramee’s own 4-Cylinder ET record by a hundredth of a second. The shocker came with the speed;
at 130.19 miles per hour, the Illinois Ford stole the 4-Cylinder Speed Record back from Omerovic by
six hundedths of a mile per hour!
Unfortunately, that was it for Laramee. “It really nosed over in the last few hundred feet so I know it
hurt something, “said a dejected Laramee at the conclusion of qualifying. “We’re gonna take her
home and see what’s broken”. Omerovic suddenly was back in the game and a late timed trial before
the final round proved he was as ready as he could be with a best-ever 11.74/124.71. Although
hopelessly outclassed in elapsed time, Omerovic knew it would still be a race if Cheatham could not
figure out the Mazda’s chassis mods in time. When the two staged for the championship run,
Cheatham knew there were a million ways he could lose but certainly did not foresee as one of them
a redlight start by forty-five thousandths of a second. To add insult to the redlight’s wounds,
Omerovic’s Talon snapped the left rear axle just after leaving the line, rendering the five-time finalist
dead in the water. On top of it all, Cheatham thundered to a 10.60 at yet another new record for
Wankels, a 137.95 mph speed.
“I heard it snap just after I left”, said a stunned but elated Omerovic during trophy presentations, “but
then I saw his redlight and I just got off the gas completely. I guess you just never know, huh? I sure
didn’t expect that!”. Cheatham was disgusted but knew he’d gained much more information. “I think I
know what we can really do with it now. At least I’ve got a few new ideas to try.”
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2006 GATEWAYRACEWAY.COM SUPER TRUCK SHOWDOWN FINAL
ROUND
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle R.T. ET MPH
W Hal Marshall, Collinsville, IL 1986 383 S-10 0.532 10.878 124.68
RU Tim Girardier, St. Clair, MO 1993 351 Lightning 0.041 11.722 114.56
For the twentieth time, Hal Marshall earned a winner’s trophy. For the third time in a row, however,
not even Hal thought he’d get it. When Steve Cleghorn’s new ‘94 S-10 unleashed an incredible
10.32 at 140.44 mph to reset the
GatewayRaceway.com Super Truck Showdown.
Speed Record by almost six miles per hour, most folks figured Hal’s 10.94/124.57 qualifying effort
was nowhere near enough to battle the Alton, Illinois, smallblock.
However, Cleghorn’s new 434-inch nitrous-aided pickup spent the rest of the event slowing down,
and when the finals rolled around, Cleghorn elected to load up. That allowed Showdown regular Tim
Girardier into the trophy dash as first alternate with his first-generation Ford Lightning, a red F-150
with the original 351 longblock and an aftermarket supercharger. Having qualified with a great
11.91/115.31, Tim was more than happy to go into his first Super Truck final round against Hal.
Girardier strapped a massive half-second holeshot on Marshall’s white S-10 in the title bout and it
took Hal most of the track to make it up. When the winningest driver in Tuesday night history finally
passed the Ford at the 1000-feet mark, even the Lightning’s tremendous 11.72/114 couldn’t catch
Hal’s third run under 11 seconds, a 10.87/124.68.
“What was THAT?”, screamed a member of Hal’s massive grandstand fan club, referring to Hal’s
tardy launch. Hal yelled back, “I told myself I wasn’t going to redlight and I didn’t, did I?”. The
King of the Trucks had no problems during the event but did have a new perspective on the
remainder of the season. “Ya know”, said Hal as the crowd finally drifted away, “after a race like we
had tonight, I think I’m gonna have to step on this thing a little starting next week. They’re all gettin’
faster and faster. It’s time to start keepin’ up with ‘em.”
Photos of the September 26th SX Performance Street Car Shootout Series event are now available
for viewing at Bret Kepner Photos.com.
Sam Moore, East Alton, IL 1993 352 Mustang
Tony Huff, Collinsville, IL 1968 468 Nova
Adnon Omerovic, St. Louis, MO 1995 122 Talon
Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 1993 79 RX7
Hal Marshall, Collinsville, IL 1986 383 S-10
Tim Girardier, St. Clair, MO 1993 351 Lightning
SX Performance Street Car Shootout Series events held each Tuesday at Gateway
International Raceway in Madison, Illinois.
Tuesday SCSS Track Records can be set during official qualifying or championship rounds. The
official qualifying period begins at 6:30 PM and concludes at 9:00 PM, barring unforeseen
circumstances. At 9:30 PM, the two quickest qualifers meet in a no-handicap championship round for
trophies. Each of the Top 16 qualifiers receives a "Fastest Street Car Qualifier" decal. The SCSS
trophies and decals are presented by SX Performance Fuel Systems in St. Louis, MO (6
Sunnen Drive, 314-644-3000, http://www.sx-performance.com ). Additionally, the two
quickest Sport Tuner drivers, (open to all passenger cars except Rear-Wheel-Drive vehicles with
engines of six cylinders or more), also meet in a no-handicap championship round for trophies
presented by St. Louis Street Racing.com (http://www.stlsr.com) and the two quickest Super
Truck drivers, (open to all trucks and utility vehicles), meet in a no-handicap championship round for
trophies presented by http://www.GatewayRaceway.com .
GATEWAY INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, MADISON, ILLINOIS
2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT TRACK RECORDS
Class Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine ET MPH Date
RWD Sam Moore, East Alton, IL 93 Mustang 352 Ford 8.584 9/26/2006
RWD Sam Moore, East Alton, IL 93 Mustang 352 Ford 161.25 7/18/2006
TRK Kevin Autenrietch, Bethalto, IL 84 S-10 355 Chevy 9.772 9/28/2004
TRK Steven Gleghorn, Alton, IL 94 S-10 434 Chevy 140.44 9/26/2006
RTY Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 93 RX-7 79 Mazda 10.048 9/26/2006
RTY Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 93 RX-7 79 Mazda 137.95 9/26/2006
4CYL Joe Laramee, Decatur, IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 10.534 9/26/2006
4CYL Joe Laramee, Decatur, IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 130.19 9/26/2006
6CYL Rob Nolan, Granite City, IL 87 Regal 231 Buick 11.041 10/11/2005
6CYL Rob Nolan, Granite City, IL 87 Regal 231 Buick 124.56 4/11/2006
FWD Adam Corbitt, St. Charles, MO 85 Golf 122 Volks 11.473 9/5/2006
FWD Adam Corbitt, St. Charles, MO 85 Golf 122 Volks 126.95 5/30/2006
DSL Phillip Blackburn, Springfield, IL 03 2500 HD 403 Chevy 11.835 8/2/2005
DSL Phillip Blackburn, Springfield, IL 03 2500 HD 403 Chevy 114.29 8/2/2005
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT QUALIFIERS
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine ET MPH Date
EVENT 23 9/26/2006
1 Sam Moore E. Alton IL 93 Mustang 352 Ford 8.872 153.67
2 Tony Huff Collinsville IL 68 Nova 468 Chevy 9.439 142.19
3 Tim Mallicoat Collinsville IL 68 Camaro 468 Chevy 9.568 130.56
4 Gary Tripp Imperial MO 69 Camaro 406 Chevy 9.578 142.58
5 Kim Westphal Roxana IL 89 Mustang 355 Chevy 10.013 117.55
6 Eric Cheatham Belleville IL 93 RX-7 79 Mazda 10.048 119.96
7 Steven Gleghorn Alton IL 94 S-10 434 Chevy 10.376 140.44
8 Joe Laramee Decatur IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 10.534 130.19
9 Orson Johnson House Springs MO 99 Mustang 281 Ford 10.564 131.51
10 Tony Buhl Lebanon IL 89 Mustang 331 Ford 10.641 126.23
11 Raymond Arthur Edwardsville IL 67 Camaro 427 Chevy 10.734 116.64
12 Mike Mester Valley Park MO 00 Firebird 402 Pont 10.756 125.03
13 Brett Evans Glen Carbon IL 65 Mustang 427 Ford 10.883 103.23
14 Derrick Roeslein Fenton MO 02 Camaro 346 Chevy 10.935 122.68
15 Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 383 Chevy 10.949 124.57
16 Robert Tarr Aviston IL 91 Mustang 381 Ford 11.104 127.11
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT FINAL
ROUND
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle R.T. ET MPH
W Sam Moore, East Alton, IL 1993 352 Mustang 0.625 8.584 161.25
RU Tony Huff, Collinsville, IL 1968 468 Nova -0.053 (foul) 9.352 142.07
Capping what was easily the most spectacular event in the history of the SX Performance Street Car
Shootout Series, Sam Moore earned his second title of the season while joining in what had already
become the complete destruction of the SCSS record books. Exceptional atmospheric conditions, a
nearly perfect racing surface and a massive turnout of the area’s quickest and fastest machinery
made the sixty-third race in the series one which produced simply mind-boggling performances.
Records in nearly every category were not merely exceeded but completely destroyed by elapsed
times and speeds many thought would never be seen in the SCSS program. Here are just a few of
the amazing statistics from the meet.
*** A record “bump spot” for the Super Sixteen qualifiers of 11.10 seconds, nearly a
half-second quicker than the previous mark of 11.52 seconds
*** An average performance for the top sixteen qualifiers of 10.31 seconds at 128.38 miles per
hour, over a half-second quicker than the previous record average of 10.87/126.75
*** The top eight qualifiers under 10.53 seconds, more than a quarter-second quicker than the
previous best of 10.87 seconds
*** The top thirty-two qualifiers under 11.91 seconds, almost a quarter-second quicker than
the previous record of 12.14 seconds
*** 22 cars over 120 mph, three more than the previous record
*** 17 vehicles ran quicker than 12.00 seconds and FAILED to qualify
*** 111 of the top 130 qualifiers (85%) recorded career-best elapsed times
The event started with little indication of what was to come. Following the completion of early timed
trials, the official qualifyng period was only five minutes old when Matthew Jordan’s 2003 Mustang
suffered a massive coolant loss near the finish line and signaled the official beginning of “Oildown
Season” with a lengthy clean-up by the Gateway International Raceway Safety Crew. During the
down time, the corrected elevation dropped from 1300 feet above sea level to 980 feet on its way to
a mere 517 feet during the final rounds. The meticulously prepared surface never dropped below 73
degrees, however, leading to an absolutely astounding qualifying session.
The first major shock came from unheralded Steven Gleghorn who debuted a new 1994 Chevy S-10
pickup with a Dart Cylinder Head-equipped 434-cubic inch smallblock powerplant. The nitrous-aided
pickup’s very first pass was a 10.37 at an incredible 140.44 mph, shattering Kevin Autenrietch’s
135.39 mph SCSS Speed Record for Trucks only two days shy of its second anniversary! That effort
was soon overshadowed by Moore’s first pass.
Back behind the wheel of Bill Silva’s infamous “Silva Bullet” ‘93 Mustang, the current SCSS Speed
Record holder had his sights set on Brett Heidgerken’s nearly one-year-old 8.871 second ET mark.
The ProCharger-equipped 352-inch Ford launched conservatively with a 1.52-second 60-feet ET but
thundered to the top end to post an 8.872-second blast at only 153.67 miles per hour. After an
eighth-mile clocking of 5.79/128.66, (the fastest 660-feet speed in SCSS history), Moore found
himself without power after the supercharger drive belt departed just past the 1000-feet mark. “One
lousy thousandth of a second!”, exclaimed Moore after the run, adding, “I can’t believe we missed it
by one thousandth of a second! If the belt hadn’t come off, there’s no telling how quick and fast that
car was gonna go!”. Silva and Moore quickly made the decision to rest the Mustang and see just
who, if anybody, could come close.
Thus began a performance parade the likes of which had never been seen on a Tuesday night at
Gateway. It was the winningest SCSS pilot ever, Tony Huff, who stepped up to a 9.43/142.19 in his
nitrous-aided bigblock ‘68 Nova but he was quickly followed by Tim Mallicoat’s new low-rider ‘68
Camaro, (9.56 at an early shut-off 130.56 mph on a run which had identical eighth-mile numbers to
Huff’s pass), and Gary Tripp, who’d appeared in four of the past five final rounds, with his 496-inch
‘69 Camaro at 9.57/142.58. The amazing list of qualifiers tells the rest of the story.
By the time qualifying was completed, (and Jeremy Heizer’s ‘91 GTA Firebird ran 11.23/124.25 and
DIDN’T qualify!), all but four drivers had recorded best-ever performances. Ironically, it was
Moore and Silva who were responsible for the recent improvement in Huff’s performance and, as the
two prepared for the championship, Silva and Moore headed to the starting line to watch Huff make a
late timed trial with yet another new tune-up. A career-best 9.38/142.01 appeared for the Nova pilot
but the Chevy moved to the centerline for the second run in a row. “On the first run, an oil breather
line came off and sprayed the left tire”, said Huff before the trophy dash, “but this time it was
different. I’m not really sure what’s causing it to turn but it’s definitely making me uncomfortable”.
Incredibly, it was Silva who discovered the culprit just minutes before the two were to meet for the
event’s final run and quickly remedied the problem. “It was a leaky valve stem!”, said Silva with a
smile, “and I just replaced it. The car came back with only four pounds of air in one tire. That’ll make
you do some steering, for sure!”.
In the championship dash, Huff knew he was still in the game if Moore encountered even the
smallest miscue. Still the Chevy pilot needed an advanatge and he pushed the Christmas Tree as
hard as he dared. Unfortunately, Huff came up with a redlight start by fifty-three thousandths of a
second. The fans, all on their feet, immediately turned their eyes to the thundering “Bullet”. When
announcer Rich Tivitt screamed that the eighth-mile numbers were an all-time SCSS record at
5.55/130.24, everyone held their collective breath until the scoreboards showed a simply
indescribable 8.58 seconds at 161.25 miles per hour. While the elapsed time obliterated
Heidgerken’s long-standing Chevy record, the run was tinged with irony; the speed was exactly the
same as Moore’s 161.25 mph record blast recorded during his July 18th victory. Silva, meanwhile,
was just as happy for Tony Huff’s career-best but losing 9.35/142.07!
“What are the odds that the speed would be the same to the hundredth of a mile-per hour?”,
asked a laughing Moore during the winner’s circle ceremonies in front of the main grandstand. “I
guess it’ll give us something to shoot for next week! We’re thinking about going to either the NMRA
World Finals at Bowling Green, Kentucky, this weekend or the NMCA World Finals at Memphis the
next weekend. Either way, we’ll be running the car a lot in the next few weeks and I’m positive there’s
more in it. Just wait...you’ll see!”.
And the Number Eight Qualifier IS... Joe Laramee, whose unbelievable turbocharged
four-cylinder Pinto qualified for the field in the lucky eighth position but suffered enough damage to
head home to Decatur, Illinois, only minutes before it was announced that he would receive a very
special award. After sixty-three completed SCSS events with sixteen qualifiers at each race, the
eighth qualifier during this event would earn the 1000th “Fastest Street Car Qualifier” decal. Laramee
was named the recipent of $50.00 in cash from BretKepnerPhotos.com, a free entry to any future
SCSS event from GIR drag racing manager Jason Dukes, a Gateway International Raceway T-Shirt
and hat from GIR, and a one-of-a-kind, special edition GOLD Qualifier Decal from SX
Performance. Ironically, the same event saw the Series’ quickest and fastest female, Kim Westphal,
become the 500th different driver to earn a Qualifier sticker.
NOTES FROM THE SCSS: There were plenty of notes from this one...With three events
remaining in the SCSS season, Tony Buhl still leads the 2006 Season Championship point
standings with his Vortech-blown ‘89 331 Mustang. The point championship is determined by the
number of Qualifier stickers earned with the date on which the driver’s point total is earned, followed
by each driver’s best ET of the season, used as tie-breakers. The pressure is still on the Ford pilot,
however. If Buhl fails to qualify at any event in which Tony Huff makes the field, Huff would
assume the lead based on his season-best 9.35 elapsed time even though both would be tied for
number of decals earned...Probably the most amazing aspect of the event was the fact that no less
than four ten-second machines failed to qualify for the field and three of them ran numbers in late
timed trials which would’ve been good enough to qualify had they been recorded only minutes
earlier. Last week’s runner-up, Paul Schoelich, had carburetor problems on the first qualifying run in
his black naturally-aspirated smallblock ‘90 Mustang and, on his second pass, Paul admitted that “I
just missed third gear, plain and simple”. Schoelich made a clean 10.49/131.54 twenty minutes after
qualifying concluded. Ben Nungester, whose gorgeous flamed orange ‘69 Camaro won the August
8th SCSS title, suffered his third straight week of problems before getting assistance from Gary Tripp
on whose car Nungester had been thrashing through September. A best-ever 10.53/129.08 came in
a late timed trial alongside Tripp’s off-pace 10.96/122.03. Jack Nungester’s black ‘71 Camaro ran a
best of 11.24/128.05 in qualifying to finish as second alternate but unloaded the 55-year old’s first
“ten”, a 10.97/129.14 in late timed trials. Had these drivers recorded those numbers during
qualifying, the bump spot could have conceivably dropped as low as 10.93!...That’s not counting the
return of Greg Boschert’s 10-second ‘66 Mustang coupe, which made its first pass in over four
months with as easy 13.66/102 on the rebuilt 331-inch smallblock...Bump Spot qualifier Bobby Tarr’s
‘91 Mustang was the only qualifer NOT in the ten-second zone or quicker. The kicker is that Tarr
hit a 10.98/127.40 in late timed trials which ALSO would’ve made it an all ten-second field!..Jim
Harris’ ‘03 Z06 Corvette ran a best in qualifying of 11.76/124.60 to finish thirteenth alternate (!) but
proved the exceptional condition of the track even late in the event with an 11.45 timed trial at a
career-best 126.46 mph with zero tire spin on low-profile street tires...Bob Morrill, the first SCSS
driver ever over 150 mph, mentioned just before the final round, “This is the best Tuesday night
surface I’ve ever seen!”...Kim Westphal is now the quickest woman in SCSS history and would have
been another qualifer under 10.00 seconds had she finished her NHRA license runs before the
conclusion of qualifying. Her 355 Chevy-powered ‘89 Mustang notchback ran a best of 10.01 at only
117 mph before her final “full-track” license effort during late timed trials resulted in a stellar 9.88 at
136.54 mph!...Orson “OJ” Johnson’s potent red ragtop ‘99 Mustang destroyed its previous best by
nearly a quarter-second with a 10.56 and became the newest member of the SCSS 130 MPH Club at
131.51 before a late timed trial of 10.51/131.59...Raymond Arthur just keeps plugging away in his
“Suspicion” ‘67 Camaro; he hit another best of 10.73/116 in qualifying and then clocked another
carrer-best in late timed trials at 10.61/127.55!...Five-time SCSS finalist Dennis Roeslein’s
well-known natirally-apsirated pewter ‘02 Camaro nailed a best-ever 10.93/122.68 in
qualifying...Chad Miller’s FC Customs ProCharged 2006 Mustang ran as fast as 126.91 mph in
qualifying and as quick as 11.36 in late timed trials...Brad McCrary’s renowned ‘90 Mustang ran a
best-ever 11.33/119.03 in late timed trials...The quickest and fastest six-cylinder entry was Biran
Shoffner’s infamous “Thrust” ‘94 Toyota Supra which hit an 11.55 at 123.35 mph, only 1.21 mph from
Rob Nolan’s long-standing SCSS 6-CYL Speed Record. Scott Hart’s all-white ‘87 T-Type V6 turbo
Regal ran a best-ever 11.98/118.13, as well...If you mised this one, you missed one hell of a show.
SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT
STANDINGS (as of SEPTEMBER 27th, 2006)
Pos Points Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine
1 (18) Tony Buhl Lebanon IL 89 Mustang 331 Ford
2 (17) Tony Huff Collinsville IL 68 Nova 468 Chevy
3 (14) Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 383 Chevy
4 (12) Jim Harris O'Fallon MO 03 Corvette 346 Chevy
5 (10) Raymond Arthur Edwardsville IL 67 Camaro 427 Chevy
6 (8) Joe Williams Maryville IL 68 Nova 468 Chevy
7 (6) Gary Tripp Imperial MO 69 Camaro 496 Chevy
8 (5) Adam Corbitt St. Charles MO 85 Golf 122 Volks
9 (4) Matt Crittendon St. Louis MO 89 Mustang 306 Ford
10 (4) Rusty Schneider Owensville MO 99 Mustang 281 Ford
11 (4) Sam Moore E. Alton IL 93 Mustang 352 Ford
12 (4) Joe Laramee Decatur IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2006 STLSR.COM SPORT TUNER SHOWDOWN FINAL ROUND
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle R.T. ET MPH
W Adnon Omerovic, St. Louis, MO 1995 122 Talon 0.205 14.171 98.21
RU Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 1993 79 RX7 -0.045 (foul) 10.606 137.95
Although the main action centered around only four drivers, the St.
Louis Street Racing.com Sport Tuner Showdown Series was still the greatest show on
earth. With Eric Cheatham’s RX7, (the STSS Rotary Record Holder), Joe Laramee’s insane turbo ‘77
Pinto, (the SCSS 4-Cylinder Record Holder), Adnan Amerovic’s well-known ‘95 Eagle Talon, (the
quickest and fastest All-Wheel-Drive entry), and Brian Orsborn’s red SRT-4 Neon, (the quickest
FWD machine in the group), all one the property at the same time, every spectator knew they would
be witnessing an all-out war.
Most speculation centered on Cheatham, whose show-quality Mazda had unleashed the quickest
and fastest Sport Tuner numbers ever only three weeks earlier, (10.36/136.02), but failed to qualify
in his next appearance forcing the Belleville, Illinois, racer to reconsider his chassis configuration.
After much work applying several new ideas, he pulled to the line for his first pass in what was nearly
a different car than the record holder. An easy 11-second effort proved the short-wheelbased RX7
was tranferring weight much more efficiently. Omerovic also opened with an effortless 12.06/120.80
and Orsborn’s 12.27/122.62 showed the Neon was ready.
Omerovic returned to the line quickly, ready to finally add a small 30 horsepower shot of nitrous
oxide into the two litre Eagle which, only last week, had just missed erasing Laramee’s 129.54 mph
4-Cylinder Speed Record with a 129.00 run. An almost painfully slow 2.26-second 60-feet ET was
followed by a tremendous top end charge and a 12.01 at a staggering 130.13 miles per hour!
Cheatham’s next attempt was equally shocking. The 82mm-turboed rotary left the line with a
best-ever 1.43 60-feet ET and rocketed to a 6.39/109.15 eighth-mile before Cheatham lifted off the
throttle and coasted to an astonishing 10.04 at only 119 miles per hour! But, wait! Laramee was
up next! The little black Ford launched with a 1.65 short time but suddenly slowed to a 13.91 at only
69 mph. “It lost a hose near the finish line so I shut it off”, said Laramee adding, ”Did that Talon
really run 130?”.
Cheatham made several more attempts to learn the characteristics of the new chassis settings but all
were half-pass efforts. Omerovic hit an 11.98 at 127.32 but Orsborn began a frustrating night of
problems which kept him in the 12.30s. Then, Laramee returned. The boxy Pinto left with a cautious
1.75 60-feet ET but then blasted to a 6.78/105 eighth-mile and kept charging to a 10.53, beating
Laramee’s own 4-Cylinder ET record by a hundredth of a second. The shocker came with the speed;
at 130.19 miles per hour, the Illinois Ford stole the 4-Cylinder Speed Record back from Omerovic by
six hundedths of a mile per hour!
Unfortunately, that was it for Laramee. “It really nosed over in the last few hundred feet so I know it
hurt something, “said a dejected Laramee at the conclusion of qualifying. “We’re gonna take her
home and see what’s broken”. Omerovic suddenly was back in the game and a late timed trial before
the final round proved he was as ready as he could be with a best-ever 11.74/124.71. Although
hopelessly outclassed in elapsed time, Omerovic knew it would still be a race if Cheatham could not
figure out the Mazda’s chassis mods in time. When the two staged for the championship run,
Cheatham knew there were a million ways he could lose but certainly did not foresee as one of them
a redlight start by forty-five thousandths of a second. To add insult to the redlight’s wounds,
Omerovic’s Talon snapped the left rear axle just after leaving the line, rendering the five-time finalist
dead in the water. On top of it all, Cheatham thundered to a 10.60 at yet another new record for
Wankels, a 137.95 mph speed.
“I heard it snap just after I left”, said a stunned but elated Omerovic during trophy presentations, “but
then I saw his redlight and I just got off the gas completely. I guess you just never know, huh? I sure
didn’t expect that!”. Cheatham was disgusted but knew he’d gained much more information. “I think I
know what we can really do with it now. At least I’ve got a few new ideas to try.”
SEPTEMBER 26th, 2006 GATEWAYRACEWAY.COM SUPER TRUCK SHOWDOWN FINAL
ROUND
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle R.T. ET MPH
W Hal Marshall, Collinsville, IL 1986 383 S-10 0.532 10.878 124.68
RU Tim Girardier, St. Clair, MO 1993 351 Lightning 0.041 11.722 114.56
For the twentieth time, Hal Marshall earned a winner’s trophy. For the third time in a row, however,
not even Hal thought he’d get it. When Steve Cleghorn’s new ‘94 S-10 unleashed an incredible
10.32 at 140.44 mph to reset the
GatewayRaceway.com Super Truck Showdown.
Speed Record by almost six miles per hour, most folks figured Hal’s 10.94/124.57 qualifying effort
was nowhere near enough to battle the Alton, Illinois, smallblock.
However, Cleghorn’s new 434-inch nitrous-aided pickup spent the rest of the event slowing down,
and when the finals rolled around, Cleghorn elected to load up. That allowed Showdown regular Tim
Girardier into the trophy dash as first alternate with his first-generation Ford Lightning, a red F-150
with the original 351 longblock and an aftermarket supercharger. Having qualified with a great
11.91/115.31, Tim was more than happy to go into his first Super Truck final round against Hal.
Girardier strapped a massive half-second holeshot on Marshall’s white S-10 in the title bout and it
took Hal most of the track to make it up. When the winningest driver in Tuesday night history finally
passed the Ford at the 1000-feet mark, even the Lightning’s tremendous 11.72/114 couldn’t catch
Hal’s third run under 11 seconds, a 10.87/124.68.
“What was THAT?”, screamed a member of Hal’s massive grandstand fan club, referring to Hal’s
tardy launch. Hal yelled back, “I told myself I wasn’t going to redlight and I didn’t, did I?”. The
King of the Trucks had no problems during the event but did have a new perspective on the
remainder of the season. “Ya know”, said Hal as the crowd finally drifted away, “after a race like we
had tonight, I think I’m gonna have to step on this thing a little starting next week. They’re all gettin’
faster and faster. It’s time to start keepin’ up with ‘em.”
Photos of the September 26th SX Performance Street Car Shootout Series event are now available
for viewing at Bret Kepner Photos.com.
Sam Moore, East Alton, IL 1993 352 Mustang
Tony Huff, Collinsville, IL 1968 468 Nova
Adnon Omerovic, St. Louis, MO 1995 122 Talon
Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 1993 79 RX7
Hal Marshall, Collinsville, IL 1986 383 S-10
Tim Girardier, St. Clair, MO 1993 351 Lightning
