Bret Kepner
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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 http://www.GatewayRaceway.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 Brett Heidgerken, Decatur, IL 67 Chevelle 505 Chevy 8.871 10/11/2005
RWD Brett Heidgerken, Decatur, IL 67 Chevelle 505 Chevy 153.88 10/11/2005
TRK Kevin Autenrietch, Bethalto, IL 84 S-10 355 Chevy 9.772 9/28/2004
TRK Kevin Autenrietch, Bethalto, IL 84 S-10 355 Chevy 135.39 9/28/2004
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
4CYL Joe Laramee, Decatur, IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 10.544 4/11/2006
4CYL Joe Laramee, Decatur, IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 129.87 4/18/2006
FWD Adam Corbett, St. Charles, MO 85 Golf 122 Volks 11.622 8/30/2005
FWD Justin Bondurant, Fenton, MO 04 Neon 146 Dodge 122.66 10/11/2005
RTY Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 93 RX-7 79 Mazda 11.936 8/30/2005
RTY Derek Coffman, Valley Park, MO 94 RX-7 79 Mazda 122.21 8/10/2004
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
MAY 9th, 2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT QUALIFIERS
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine ET MPH Date
EVENT 7 5/16/2006
1 Faisal Merghelani St. Louis MO 02 Camaro 346 Chevy 10.001 136.79
2 Tony Huff Collinsville IL 68 Nova 468 Chevy 10.082 132.01
3 Tony Buhl Lebanon IL 89 Mustang 331 Ford 10.675 127.01
4 Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 350 Chevy 11.132 121.42
5 Greg Boschert St. Louis MO 66 Mustang 331 Ford 11.309 125.40
6 Chris Stauffer S. Roxana IL 81 El Camino 355 Chevy 11.963 113.99
7 Jim Harris O'Fallon MO 03 Corvette 346 Chevy 12.215 116.86
8 Ralph Denne Red Bud IL 64 Impala 409 Chevy 12.426 109.40
9 Ricky Myers E. Alton IL 02 Corvette 346 Chevy 12.527 113.67
10 Dave Smith Richwoods MO 87 Mustang 302 Ford 12.600 106.82
11 Les Gibson Hillsboro MO 93 Mustang 302 Ford 12.717 123.67
12 Harold Swindle St. Louis MO 05 Mustang 281 Ford 12.847 107.66
13 Michael St. John Highland IL 70 Camaro 502 Chevy 12.915 110.58
14 Eric Martin Scott AFB IL 90 Mustang 302 Ford 12.972 107.42
15 Eric Hulsey Cuba MO 90 Eclipse 122 Mitsu 12.990 104.59
16 Nick Brem Belleville IL 78 280ZX 355 Chevy 13.060 103.21
MAY 16th, 2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT
Despite rain almost everywhere but the track itself and a forecast which only included more
precipitation, the hardest-core racers put up a valiant fight against Mother Nature for the seventh
event in the 2006 SX Performance Street Car Shootout Series at Gateway International Raceway.
Although the weather eventually won out, (a storm much heavier than predicted hit the facility literally
minutes before the final rounds were to be run), the event was not without surprises. In fact, the war
during the official qualifying period eventually produced the quickest and fastest SCSS runs of the
season.
The racetrack’s surface was in phenomenal condition. More than a half-dozen of the National Hot
Rod Association’s best Pro Stock entries were involved in testing for the upcoming NHRA Pontiac
Performance Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, and great atmospheric conditions led to shattered track
records when the Pro drivers were able to hit the track between rain showers. Eventually,
Tennesseean Allen Johnson’s 500-cubic inch Dodge Stratus earned both ends of the track marks at
6.69 seconds, 205.98 miles per hour. Illini Pete Berner reset the unlimited Pro Stock track records
with his IHRA-legal 815-cubic inch Pontiac GTO at 6.39/217.63. While the corrected elevation
dropped from 1008 feet above sea level to 753 feet during SCSS competition, the tacky track
claimed a number of victims. Dave McCutcheon’s immaculate 1956 Chevy Nomad station wagon
destroyed a transmission, Tom DeCosta’s $85,000 Copperhead Edition 2005 Dodge Viper V-10
absolutely annihilated a clutch in spectacular fashion, and Chris Stauffer’s ‘81 355 El Camino
trashed a rearend severly enough to lock up the entire drivetrain!
The first serious qualifying effort came from all-time Tuesday night win leader Hal Marshall’s familiar
white Chevy S-10 pickup, back after a one week layoff, at 11.13/121.42. Defending weekly champion
Tony Buhl’s Vortech-blown ‘89 Mustang followed with an off-pace 11.68/115.19 with the Lebanon,
Illinois, driver still struggling to return to his previous ten-second performance. Then came Buhl’s
final-round victim at the last SCSS bash, Greg “Hook-n-Ladder” Boschert’s unassuming ‘66 Mustang
coupe. The St. Louis fireman launched hard on his narrow eight-inch DOT tires and, as the
progressive times would bear out, was on his best run ever when a mighty BANG! at half track was
followed by a large plume of smoke and a coasting 12.85 at only 75 miles per hour.
When the black-striped 2002 Z28 of Faisal Merghelani pulled into the water box in the very next pair,
however, the diehard fans in attendance knew to watch closely. The popular St. Louis pilot, fresh off
a fifteenth-place finish at the annual Pump Gas Drags in Memphis, Tennessee, had clocked a
career-best 9.52 at 144 mph at the southern shootout and was making his first appearance in SCSS
competition since August of 2005. Merghelani decided to make his first qualifying run without the aid
of nitrous oxide injection and, even naturally aspirated, stole the pole from Marshall with an 11.00 at
126.91 mph.
Faisal’s stay at the top of the heap was brief. Three pairs later, Buhl suddenly found his Mustang’s
“old combination” and charged to a 10.67/127.01, his best run in over a year. Merghelani wasn’t
finished, though; twenty-two minutes later, the 346-inch Camaro returned to the line and unleashed a
“juice-aided” 10.00 at 136.79 mph...the best numbers of the 2006 SCSS season! But the battle
wasn’t over. Five minutes later, current SCSS point leader Tony Huff staged his silver 468-inch ‘68
Nova and, with a 10.23/129.34, proved Merghelani wasn’t the winner yet.
Meanwhile, due to a bit of down time while the track crew loaded Stauffer’s El Camino onto a rollback
hauler for a trip off the track, Boschert was able to repair the damage to his Mustang. “It was just a
backfire that went down through the motor instead of up through the manifold”, said the Ford veteran
as he hurried to the staging lanes, “and it only wounded a few more spark plugs. I just changed
sixteen jets and eight plugs in fifteen minutes! I need one more shot at the track!”. Boschert got his
final pass only five minutes before the end of qualifying and hit a “back-to-normal” 11.30/125.40.
Buhl followed with a 10.75/126.95 before Huff’s Nova, with only two minutes remaining in qualifying,
proved the final round would be a heck of a race with a career-best 10.08/132.01 which also made
the Collinsville, Illinois, driver the nineteenth member of the SCSS 130 MPH Club!
Both Boschert and Huff elected to make another pass in timed trials after qualifying had been
completed. Boschert’s Mustang clocked an 11.27/125.10 but it was Huff, a man on a mission, who
rocked the crowd with an incredible 9.995 at 131.78 mph! Although his first nine-second run would
not count toward qualifying, it definitely changed the complexion of his battle with Merghelani. “We
changed jets a few weeks ago when the car jumped from 10.40s to 10-teens”, Huff said as he suited
up for the final round, “and then we decided tonight was the right time to tap the new nitrous system.
It’s not much...only a little 75-horsepower shot and I only touched it for a second at half-track...but it
got us in the nines!”. Merghelani was impressed but not surprised. “We’ve got more”, said the driver
of the Team Rigged-and-Jimmied flagship.
Less than five minutes before the two were to pull onto the track for the final round, the rain finally
began to fall from a massive black clouds moving in from the north. The argument will remain
unsettled until the next meeting of Merghelani and Huff.
NOTES FROM THE SCSS: With Dave Odenahl out for the week while checking engine
damage from the May 8th SCSS event, Tony Huff, Hal Marshall and Tony Buhl are now in a
three-way tie for the SCSS Season Championship with four “Fastest Street Car Qualifier” decals
each. The point championship is determined by the number of Qualifier stickers earned...Had he run
the number during qualifying, Huff’s 9.99 would’ve made him the tenth driver under ten seconds flat
in three years of SCSS D.O.T. tire competition...Ralph Denne’s mega-old-school 409-powered 1964
Impala didn’t exceed its best of 12.14, but it was yanking the left front wheel on every
attempt...Harold Swindle made a lot of fans with his show-stopping gloss-black ‘05 Mustang GT
Saleen while running 12.84/107...Jim Harris once again won the battle of the late-model ‘Vettes with
a best of 12.21/116 from his ‘02 Z06...Les Gibson ran a career-best speed of 123.67 mph during
qualifying on a tire-spinning 12.71 pass but returned during timed trials afterward to run
11.99/125.04! Gibson’s ‘93 302 Mustang ran a best of 11.61 in SCSS competition back in September
of 2004...Dave Smith’s ‘87 302 Mustang went from a 12.60/106.82 qualifier to a 12.37/109.23 in late
timed trials...Ricky Myers’ black ‘02 Corvette also stepped up in the air at the edge of the storm,
dropping from a 12.52/113.67 to a 12.45/113.54...More than one person commented on the absence
of Winnipeg, Manitoba’s Don Fotti, who has entered his blue ‘68 427 Mustang fastback in the SCSS
event the week before the World Ford Challenge, (which he attends religiously), every year since the
inception of the series.
SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT
STANDINGS (as of MAY 17th, 2006)
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine
1 (4) Tony Huff Collinsville IL 69 Nova 454 Chevy
2 (4) Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 350 Chevy
3 (4) Tony Buhl Lebanon IL 89 Mustang 331 Ford
4 (3) Dave Odehnal Waterloo IL 93 Camaro 350 Chevy
5 (3) Greg Boschert St. Louis MO 66 Mustang 331 Ford
6 (2) Matt Verbeck Troy IL 68 Camaro 383 Chevy
7 (2) Joe Laramee Decatur IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford
8 (2) Rob Nolan Granite City IL 87 Regal 231 Buick
9 (2) Gary Bates O'Fallon MO 04 GTO 346 Pont
10 (2) David Starns St. Louis MO 91 Mustang 355 Ford
11 (2) Chris Stauffer S. Roxana IL 81 El Camino 355 Chevy
12 (2) Jim Harris O'Fallon MO 03 Corvette 346 Chevy
MAY 16th, 2006 GATEWAYRACEWAY.COM SPORT TUNER SHOWDOWN - FINAL
QUALIFYING STANDINGS (Top Four Only)
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine ET MPH
1 Eric Hulsey Cuba MO 90 Eclipse 122 Mitsu 12.990 104.59
2 Curtis Wyatt Granite City IL 02 WRX 152 Subaru 13.178 106.36
3 Shapoudlou Alexander St. Louis MO 00 Civic 97 Honda 14.093 99.33
4 Eric Barker Remington IN 06 Grand Prix 323 Pont 14.763 95.33
Although his car could easily be mistaken for the black Eclipse of past Sport Tuner Showdown Series
finalist Ross Accardi, there was no confusion when the hulking beast known as Eric Hulsey stepped
out of his similar Mitsubishi in the staging area in front of the main grandstands before the STSS final
round. The Cuba, Missouri, racer was understandably unfamiliar to the Tuner afficianados, however;
his pole qualifying position came in the first “real” trip to the racetrack with his 4G63-powered
Eclipse. From an opening qualifier of 13.95/101.49, Hulsey worked his way down to a 12.99 at
104.57 and, after qualifying was completed, hit a 12.958 at 103.51 in late timed trials! “I brought it to
the first Midnight Madness”, said Hulsey, “but without clocks, I really wasn’t sure how fast it was. I
used to have a Mustang which ran 13.50 and this felt quicker than that”. The stronger feeling of
acceleration came, no doubt, from the Eclipse’s exceptional 60-feet ETs, (as quick as 1.75 seconds),
and the team racer for the Gateway DSM group, ( http://www.gatewaydsm.org/ ), would have most
likely gone quicker in the final.
That thought was not lost on number two qualifier Curtis Wyatt, whose wingless blue Subaru Impreza
WRX was making its second consecutive final round appearance. “I don’t know who that guy is”, said
Wyatt of Hulsey before the trophy dash, “but there’s no way I’m going to beat him unless he redlights
like Jon Blalock did last week!”. A strong statement, indeed, since Wyatt had clocked a career-best
13.17/106.36 in qualifying far ahead of “Shap” Alexander’s impressive D16Y7-powered (97-cubic
inch) 2000 Civic. Wyatt, still the only driver of the STLSubaru team, ( http://stlsubaru.com/ ), to have
qualified for a Sport Tuner Showdown Series championship bout, will have to wait for another
opportunity to determine the outcome.
MAY 16th, 2006 GATEWAYRACEWAY.COM SUPER TRUCK SHOWDOWN - FINAL
QUALIFYING STANDINGS (Top Four Only)
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle R.T. ET MPH
1 Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 350 Chevy 11.132 121.42
2 Chris Stauffer S. Roxana IL 81 El Camino 355 Chevy 11.963 113.99
3 Al Ingram Belleville IL 90 Silverado 454 Chevy 13.071 104.00
4 Randy Christy, Jr. Granite City IL 99 Dakota 360 Dodge 14.164 94.51
“Animal Hal” Marshall made his return after his disappearing act during the May 9th Super Truck
Showdown Series event but, when asked about his absence, Hal finally had to be told that the
Tuesday night program really was held last week. “I honestly thought it was rained out”, said a
confused Hal, “and we were at home, ready to go!”. The winningest Tuesday night racer ever spent
the week installing a new automatic transmission in his legendary white S-10 and, with an
11.13/121.42 right out of the box, it seemed things would soon be back to normal in the Super Truck
division.
For Hal, they were. The new tranny began smoking, lurching, and generally dying as the little Chevy
went slower with every pass. A late timed trial after qualifying resulted in the worst yet, a 12.29 at
only 101 mph, leading Hal to thow his hands at the truck and, with his customary optimism, mention
“This thing’s a mess”. However, the number two qualifier was having a far more frustrating night.
Chris Stauffer, whose teal green ‘81 El Camino was actually the number one qualifier last week
before withdrawing with brake issues, had earlier become the second 2006 Super Truck Showdown
contestant to run under twelve seconds with a best-ever 11.96/113.99. The Chevy’s next pass,
however, resulted in a destroyed rearend and a locked drivetrain and the efforts of most of the
Gateway safety crew were required to remove the El Camino from the track.
Past Super Truck Showdown event winner Al Ingram’s supercharged 454SS pickup qualified third
followed by second-generation racer Randy Christy, Jr., whose father dominated both the Truck
Showdown and the Street Car Shootout in 2004-2005. However, in what has become an honored
tradition, none were available for the final round. In fact, it was seventh alternate Steve Zuener who
pulled to the lanes to face “Animal Hal”, much in the same way Steve’s brother, Tim, had responded
the previous week as tenth alternate en route to a runner-up finish. Steve Zeuner’s Crestwood,
Missouri-based 2002 Ram, equipped with a miniscule 287-inch Hemi, had only clocked a best of
14.97/89.08 but, like his brother before him, Steve was willing to take the trophy if nobody else
wanted it.
“I gotta tell you”, intimated Hal Marshall as the rain began to fall, “I was really looking forward to
seeing THAT race”. Hal gestured toward the water-soaked Chevys of Tony Huff and Faisal
Merghelani and added, “THAT was gonna be SUMTHIN’!”. Ol’ Hal knows a good one when he sees
one.
Photos of the May 16th SX Performance Street Car Shootout Series event are now available for
viewing at Bret Kepner Photos.
Faisal Merghelani, St. Louis, MO 2002 346 Camaro
Tony Huff, Collinsville, IL 1968 454 Nova
Eric Hulsey, Cuba, MO 1990 122 Eclipse
Curtis Wyatt, Granite City, IL 2002 152 WRX
Hal Marshall, Collinsville, IL 1986 350 S-10
Steve Zeuner, Crestwood, MO 2002 287 Ram
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 http://www.GatewayRaceway.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 Brett Heidgerken, Decatur, IL 67 Chevelle 505 Chevy 8.871 10/11/2005
RWD Brett Heidgerken, Decatur, IL 67 Chevelle 505 Chevy 153.88 10/11/2005
TRK Kevin Autenrietch, Bethalto, IL 84 S-10 355 Chevy 9.772 9/28/2004
TRK Kevin Autenrietch, Bethalto, IL 84 S-10 355 Chevy 135.39 9/28/2004
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
4CYL Joe Laramee, Decatur, IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 10.544 4/11/2006
4CYL Joe Laramee, Decatur, IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford 129.87 4/18/2006
FWD Adam Corbett, St. Charles, MO 85 Golf 122 Volks 11.622 8/30/2005
FWD Justin Bondurant, Fenton, MO 04 Neon 146 Dodge 122.66 10/11/2005
RTY Eric Cheatham, Belleville, IL 93 RX-7 79 Mazda 11.936 8/30/2005
RTY Derek Coffman, Valley Park, MO 94 RX-7 79 Mazda 122.21 8/10/2004
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
MAY 9th, 2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT QUALIFIERS
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine ET MPH Date
EVENT 7 5/16/2006
1 Faisal Merghelani St. Louis MO 02 Camaro 346 Chevy 10.001 136.79
2 Tony Huff Collinsville IL 68 Nova 468 Chevy 10.082 132.01
3 Tony Buhl Lebanon IL 89 Mustang 331 Ford 10.675 127.01
4 Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 350 Chevy 11.132 121.42
5 Greg Boschert St. Louis MO 66 Mustang 331 Ford 11.309 125.40
6 Chris Stauffer S. Roxana IL 81 El Camino 355 Chevy 11.963 113.99
7 Jim Harris O'Fallon MO 03 Corvette 346 Chevy 12.215 116.86
8 Ralph Denne Red Bud IL 64 Impala 409 Chevy 12.426 109.40
9 Ricky Myers E. Alton IL 02 Corvette 346 Chevy 12.527 113.67
10 Dave Smith Richwoods MO 87 Mustang 302 Ford 12.600 106.82
11 Les Gibson Hillsboro MO 93 Mustang 302 Ford 12.717 123.67
12 Harold Swindle St. Louis MO 05 Mustang 281 Ford 12.847 107.66
13 Michael St. John Highland IL 70 Camaro 502 Chevy 12.915 110.58
14 Eric Martin Scott AFB IL 90 Mustang 302 Ford 12.972 107.42
15 Eric Hulsey Cuba MO 90 Eclipse 122 Mitsu 12.990 104.59
16 Nick Brem Belleville IL 78 280ZX 355 Chevy 13.060 103.21
MAY 16th, 2006 SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT
Despite rain almost everywhere but the track itself and a forecast which only included more
precipitation, the hardest-core racers put up a valiant fight against Mother Nature for the seventh
event in the 2006 SX Performance Street Car Shootout Series at Gateway International Raceway.
Although the weather eventually won out, (a storm much heavier than predicted hit the facility literally
minutes before the final rounds were to be run), the event was not without surprises. In fact, the war
during the official qualifying period eventually produced the quickest and fastest SCSS runs of the
season.
The racetrack’s surface was in phenomenal condition. More than a half-dozen of the National Hot
Rod Association’s best Pro Stock entries were involved in testing for the upcoming NHRA Pontiac
Performance Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, and great atmospheric conditions led to shattered track
records when the Pro drivers were able to hit the track between rain showers. Eventually,
Tennesseean Allen Johnson’s 500-cubic inch Dodge Stratus earned both ends of the track marks at
6.69 seconds, 205.98 miles per hour. Illini Pete Berner reset the unlimited Pro Stock track records
with his IHRA-legal 815-cubic inch Pontiac GTO at 6.39/217.63. While the corrected elevation
dropped from 1008 feet above sea level to 753 feet during SCSS competition, the tacky track
claimed a number of victims. Dave McCutcheon’s immaculate 1956 Chevy Nomad station wagon
destroyed a transmission, Tom DeCosta’s $85,000 Copperhead Edition 2005 Dodge Viper V-10
absolutely annihilated a clutch in spectacular fashion, and Chris Stauffer’s ‘81 355 El Camino
trashed a rearend severly enough to lock up the entire drivetrain!
The first serious qualifying effort came from all-time Tuesday night win leader Hal Marshall’s familiar
white Chevy S-10 pickup, back after a one week layoff, at 11.13/121.42. Defending weekly champion
Tony Buhl’s Vortech-blown ‘89 Mustang followed with an off-pace 11.68/115.19 with the Lebanon,
Illinois, driver still struggling to return to his previous ten-second performance. Then came Buhl’s
final-round victim at the last SCSS bash, Greg “Hook-n-Ladder” Boschert’s unassuming ‘66 Mustang
coupe. The St. Louis fireman launched hard on his narrow eight-inch DOT tires and, as the
progressive times would bear out, was on his best run ever when a mighty BANG! at half track was
followed by a large plume of smoke and a coasting 12.85 at only 75 miles per hour.
When the black-striped 2002 Z28 of Faisal Merghelani pulled into the water box in the very next pair,
however, the diehard fans in attendance knew to watch closely. The popular St. Louis pilot, fresh off
a fifteenth-place finish at the annual Pump Gas Drags in Memphis, Tennessee, had clocked a
career-best 9.52 at 144 mph at the southern shootout and was making his first appearance in SCSS
competition since August of 2005. Merghelani decided to make his first qualifying run without the aid
of nitrous oxide injection and, even naturally aspirated, stole the pole from Marshall with an 11.00 at
126.91 mph.
Faisal’s stay at the top of the heap was brief. Three pairs later, Buhl suddenly found his Mustang’s
“old combination” and charged to a 10.67/127.01, his best run in over a year. Merghelani wasn’t
finished, though; twenty-two minutes later, the 346-inch Camaro returned to the line and unleashed a
“juice-aided” 10.00 at 136.79 mph...the best numbers of the 2006 SCSS season! But the battle
wasn’t over. Five minutes later, current SCSS point leader Tony Huff staged his silver 468-inch ‘68
Nova and, with a 10.23/129.34, proved Merghelani wasn’t the winner yet.
Meanwhile, due to a bit of down time while the track crew loaded Stauffer’s El Camino onto a rollback
hauler for a trip off the track, Boschert was able to repair the damage to his Mustang. “It was just a
backfire that went down through the motor instead of up through the manifold”, said the Ford veteran
as he hurried to the staging lanes, “and it only wounded a few more spark plugs. I just changed
sixteen jets and eight plugs in fifteen minutes! I need one more shot at the track!”. Boschert got his
final pass only five minutes before the end of qualifying and hit a “back-to-normal” 11.30/125.40.
Buhl followed with a 10.75/126.95 before Huff’s Nova, with only two minutes remaining in qualifying,
proved the final round would be a heck of a race with a career-best 10.08/132.01 which also made
the Collinsville, Illinois, driver the nineteenth member of the SCSS 130 MPH Club!
Both Boschert and Huff elected to make another pass in timed trials after qualifying had been
completed. Boschert’s Mustang clocked an 11.27/125.10 but it was Huff, a man on a mission, who
rocked the crowd with an incredible 9.995 at 131.78 mph! Although his first nine-second run would
not count toward qualifying, it definitely changed the complexion of his battle with Merghelani. “We
changed jets a few weeks ago when the car jumped from 10.40s to 10-teens”, Huff said as he suited
up for the final round, “and then we decided tonight was the right time to tap the new nitrous system.
It’s not much...only a little 75-horsepower shot and I only touched it for a second at half-track...but it
got us in the nines!”. Merghelani was impressed but not surprised. “We’ve got more”, said the driver
of the Team Rigged-and-Jimmied flagship.
Less than five minutes before the two were to pull onto the track for the final round, the rain finally
began to fall from a massive black clouds moving in from the north. The argument will remain
unsettled until the next meeting of Merghelani and Huff.
NOTES FROM THE SCSS: With Dave Odenahl out for the week while checking engine
damage from the May 8th SCSS event, Tony Huff, Hal Marshall and Tony Buhl are now in a
three-way tie for the SCSS Season Championship with four “Fastest Street Car Qualifier” decals
each. The point championship is determined by the number of Qualifier stickers earned...Had he run
the number during qualifying, Huff’s 9.99 would’ve made him the tenth driver under ten seconds flat
in three years of SCSS D.O.T. tire competition...Ralph Denne’s mega-old-school 409-powered 1964
Impala didn’t exceed its best of 12.14, but it was yanking the left front wheel on every
attempt...Harold Swindle made a lot of fans with his show-stopping gloss-black ‘05 Mustang GT
Saleen while running 12.84/107...Jim Harris once again won the battle of the late-model ‘Vettes with
a best of 12.21/116 from his ‘02 Z06...Les Gibson ran a career-best speed of 123.67 mph during
qualifying on a tire-spinning 12.71 pass but returned during timed trials afterward to run
11.99/125.04! Gibson’s ‘93 302 Mustang ran a best of 11.61 in SCSS competition back in September
of 2004...Dave Smith’s ‘87 302 Mustang went from a 12.60/106.82 qualifier to a 12.37/109.23 in late
timed trials...Ricky Myers’ black ‘02 Corvette also stepped up in the air at the edge of the storm,
dropping from a 12.52/113.67 to a 12.45/113.54...More than one person commented on the absence
of Winnipeg, Manitoba’s Don Fotti, who has entered his blue ‘68 427 Mustang fastback in the SCSS
event the week before the World Ford Challenge, (which he attends religiously), every year since the
inception of the series.
SX PERFORMANCE STREET CAR SHOOTOUT SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT
STANDINGS (as of MAY 17th, 2006)
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine
1 (4) Tony Huff Collinsville IL 69 Nova 454 Chevy
2 (4) Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 350 Chevy
3 (4) Tony Buhl Lebanon IL 89 Mustang 331 Ford
4 (3) Dave Odehnal Waterloo IL 93 Camaro 350 Chevy
5 (3) Greg Boschert St. Louis MO 66 Mustang 331 Ford
6 (2) Matt Verbeck Troy IL 68 Camaro 383 Chevy
7 (2) Joe Laramee Decatur IL 77 Pinto 147 Ford
8 (2) Rob Nolan Granite City IL 87 Regal 231 Buick
9 (2) Gary Bates O'Fallon MO 04 GTO 346 Pont
10 (2) David Starns St. Louis MO 91 Mustang 355 Ford
11 (2) Chris Stauffer S. Roxana IL 81 El Camino 355 Chevy
12 (2) Jim Harris O'Fallon MO 03 Corvette 346 Chevy
MAY 16th, 2006 GATEWAYRACEWAY.COM SPORT TUNER SHOWDOWN - FINAL
QUALIFYING STANDINGS (Top Four Only)
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle Engine ET MPH
1 Eric Hulsey Cuba MO 90 Eclipse 122 Mitsu 12.990 104.59
2 Curtis Wyatt Granite City IL 02 WRX 152 Subaru 13.178 106.36
3 Shapoudlou Alexander St. Louis MO 00 Civic 97 Honda 14.093 99.33
4 Eric Barker Remington IN 06 Grand Prix 323 Pont 14.763 95.33
Although his car could easily be mistaken for the black Eclipse of past Sport Tuner Showdown Series
finalist Ross Accardi, there was no confusion when the hulking beast known as Eric Hulsey stepped
out of his similar Mitsubishi in the staging area in front of the main grandstands before the STSS final
round. The Cuba, Missouri, racer was understandably unfamiliar to the Tuner afficianados, however;
his pole qualifying position came in the first “real” trip to the racetrack with his 4G63-powered
Eclipse. From an opening qualifier of 13.95/101.49, Hulsey worked his way down to a 12.99 at
104.57 and, after qualifying was completed, hit a 12.958 at 103.51 in late timed trials! “I brought it to
the first Midnight Madness”, said Hulsey, “but without clocks, I really wasn’t sure how fast it was. I
used to have a Mustang which ran 13.50 and this felt quicker than that”. The stronger feeling of
acceleration came, no doubt, from the Eclipse’s exceptional 60-feet ETs, (as quick as 1.75 seconds),
and the team racer for the Gateway DSM group, ( http://www.gatewaydsm.org/ ), would have most
likely gone quicker in the final.
That thought was not lost on number two qualifier Curtis Wyatt, whose wingless blue Subaru Impreza
WRX was making its second consecutive final round appearance. “I don’t know who that guy is”, said
Wyatt of Hulsey before the trophy dash, “but there’s no way I’m going to beat him unless he redlights
like Jon Blalock did last week!”. A strong statement, indeed, since Wyatt had clocked a career-best
13.17/106.36 in qualifying far ahead of “Shap” Alexander’s impressive D16Y7-powered (97-cubic
inch) 2000 Civic. Wyatt, still the only driver of the STLSubaru team, ( http://stlsubaru.com/ ), to have
qualified for a Sport Tuner Showdown Series championship bout, will have to wait for another
opportunity to determine the outcome.
MAY 16th, 2006 GATEWAYRACEWAY.COM SUPER TRUCK SHOWDOWN - FINAL
QUALIFYING STANDINGS (Top Four Only)
Pos Name Hometown ST Vehicle R.T. ET MPH
1 Hal Marshall Collinsville IL 86 S-10 350 Chevy 11.132 121.42
2 Chris Stauffer S. Roxana IL 81 El Camino 355 Chevy 11.963 113.99
3 Al Ingram Belleville IL 90 Silverado 454 Chevy 13.071 104.00
4 Randy Christy, Jr. Granite City IL 99 Dakota 360 Dodge 14.164 94.51
“Animal Hal” Marshall made his return after his disappearing act during the May 9th Super Truck
Showdown Series event but, when asked about his absence, Hal finally had to be told that the
Tuesday night program really was held last week. “I honestly thought it was rained out”, said a
confused Hal, “and we were at home, ready to go!”. The winningest Tuesday night racer ever spent
the week installing a new automatic transmission in his legendary white S-10 and, with an
11.13/121.42 right out of the box, it seemed things would soon be back to normal in the Super Truck
division.
For Hal, they were. The new tranny began smoking, lurching, and generally dying as the little Chevy
went slower with every pass. A late timed trial after qualifying resulted in the worst yet, a 12.29 at
only 101 mph, leading Hal to thow his hands at the truck and, with his customary optimism, mention
“This thing’s a mess”. However, the number two qualifier was having a far more frustrating night.
Chris Stauffer, whose teal green ‘81 El Camino was actually the number one qualifier last week
before withdrawing with brake issues, had earlier become the second 2006 Super Truck Showdown
contestant to run under twelve seconds with a best-ever 11.96/113.99. The Chevy’s next pass,
however, resulted in a destroyed rearend and a locked drivetrain and the efforts of most of the
Gateway safety crew were required to remove the El Camino from the track.
Past Super Truck Showdown event winner Al Ingram’s supercharged 454SS pickup qualified third
followed by second-generation racer Randy Christy, Jr., whose father dominated both the Truck
Showdown and the Street Car Shootout in 2004-2005. However, in what has become an honored
tradition, none were available for the final round. In fact, it was seventh alternate Steve Zuener who
pulled to the lanes to face “Animal Hal”, much in the same way Steve’s brother, Tim, had responded
the previous week as tenth alternate en route to a runner-up finish. Steve Zeuner’s Crestwood,
Missouri-based 2002 Ram, equipped with a miniscule 287-inch Hemi, had only clocked a best of
14.97/89.08 but, like his brother before him, Steve was willing to take the trophy if nobody else
wanted it.
“I gotta tell you”, intimated Hal Marshall as the rain began to fall, “I was really looking forward to
seeing THAT race”. Hal gestured toward the water-soaked Chevys of Tony Huff and Faisal
Merghelani and added, “THAT was gonna be SUMTHIN’!”. Ol’ Hal knows a good one when he sees
one.
Photos of the May 16th SX Performance Street Car Shootout Series event are now available for
viewing at Bret Kepner Photos.
Faisal Merghelani, St. Louis, MO 2002 346 Camaro
Tony Huff, Collinsville, IL 1968 454 Nova
Eric Hulsey, Cuba, MO 1990 122 Eclipse
Curtis Wyatt, Granite City, IL 2002 152 WRX
Hal Marshall, Collinsville, IL 1986 350 S-10
Steve Zeuner, Crestwood, MO 2002 287 Ram
