These two drivers put on one helluva show in qualifying on Friday. Both cars left the starting line on very strong runs, and as they both got to about 900 feet both cars made huge right hand turns simultaneously, Maggio was up on two wheels and both cars were showing full right-side profiles. Both drivers did a masterful job of getting the cars collected without hitting the wall or each other.

This led to one of Meadors’ crew lamenting, “I guess we will have to put some more wing in it.” 

A couple of the teams sought out Pro Mod legend Dennis Radford, who is crew chief on his wife’s Pro Stock-style truck running in Super Pro and Top Sportsman. “I told them we used to put all the wing we could into it, and then added half a turn more,” advised Radford.

Well, all the teams heeded that advice. In addition, as the teams headed into the first round, performances increased and there was a surprise in store.   Meadors, Maggio and Rod Burbage all advanced.

Lee Smith

However, in the match up with the number four and five qualifiers Lee Smith and Jeremy Hanger there was a surprise. At the green, it appeared that Smith had Hanger covered with a .038 to .073 light. At about 330 feet Smith started spinning and shaking as Hanger was chugging down the track. Then about 700 feet down track as Smith was running down Hanger, a bang was heard and Smith’s blower belt serpentined high into the air as the engine lost power and Hanger got to the stripe first.