Words by Chris Graves
Photos by Max Cackle Photography

The Texas Blown Fuel Association held its fourth event of the 2011 racing season at the 5th Annual “Witko Nationals” Anniversary Race at North Star Dragway in Denton, Texas on Saturday July 2nd.  With temperatures over 100 degrees and a track temperature of 149 at six o’clock the teams and track officials elected to delay the start of the event one hour to give the track a chance to cool down.  The staff at North Star Dragway did a great job preparing the racing surface throughout the event and that resulted in some outstanding performances under the lights in North Texas.

Willie Brainerd came into the event as the points leader after three consecutive final round appearances in the “Black Gold” front engine dragster with Chris Stouffer and team “Defiant” nipping at his heels in second place.  Brainerd almost missed the show with unexpected motor troubles the week before the event and literally fixed the motor the morning of and hit the road from Mounds, Oklahoma to make the show. Thirteen TBFA teams were on hand to entertain the big crowd at North Star Dragway along with a twenty car field of Southwest Junior Fuelers, Pro Mod Motorcycles, and more. 

FINAL QUALIFYING ORDER:

1. Rich Witko (Denton, Texas) – 4.70 @ 148
2. Don Holley (Denton, Texas) – 4.71 @ 146
3. Steve Matthews (Ardmore, Oklahoma) – 4.75 @ 148
4. Chris Stouffer (Cleburne, Texas) – 4.76 @ 148
5. Leonard Ament (Denton, Texas) – 4.823 @ 143
6. Mike Wheeler (Paradise, Texas) – 4.826 @ 145
7. Cole Johnson (Houston, Texas) – 4.85 @ 147
8. Willie Brainerd (Mounds, Oklahoma) – 4.94 @ 142
9. Wes Breiten (Wolfe City, Texas)  - 4.95 @ 143
10. Eddie Taylor (Arlington, Texas) – 4.96 @ 143
11. L.H. Newlin (Tolar, Texas) – 5.11 @ 142
12. Rick Grindstaff (Dickinson, Texas) – 5.39 @ 130
13. Bobby Bebout (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) – 6.51 @ 99