Mike Wheeler in the “Rapture” altered.

Brainerd Wins Back to Back in ‘Black Gold’

Words by Chris Graves
Photos by MaxCacklePhotos.com

The second stop on the 2011 Texas Blown Fuel tour brought the series to North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas, on April 16 for a night of heads up, all blown nostalgia drag racing under clear skies and with excellent weather conditions. The TBFA brought its largest field to date with twelve blown machines on the property, a feat in itself given the tough economy and declining car counts across the board in the sport of drag racing this year.
     
Joining the TBFA for the first time were Steve Matthews and Bobby Bebout. Matthews, of Ardmore, Okla., races an original 1970 Woody Gilmore Top Fuel chassis with a blown alcohol small block Chevy. Bebout is wheeling the “Bad Company” blown fuel altered owned by veteran fuel racer Steve Tryon of Oklahoma City. Bebout spends his time away from the racetrack in the ultimate fighting cage and brings a new level of security to the TBFA pits, to say the least!

Willie and Kat Brainerd were hot off their season-opening win at Shreveport and hoped for a repeat performance in the “Black Gold” blown slingshot.

The TBFA series welcomed back some familiar faces in Eddie Taylor’s “Faded Memories” blown dragster, Rich Witko’s “Terminator” blown funny car and Mike Wheeler’s “Rapture” blown altered.
     
Last year’s TBFA Champion, Leonard Ament and the “Black Magic” team, were in full force and ready for a strong showing at their home track after mechanical issues put them out early in Shreveport.

The “Defiant” blown front engine dragster of Stouffer & Meador also came to Denton with high expectations after very positive pre-race testing results.