The sun was shining down on Kennedale, America as 10 teams rolled into Texas Raceway to try their luck on the new and IMPROVED racing surface. After two rounds of qualifying, here's how everything ended up:

#1 Gene Hector ('63 Small Block Corvette) 4.030 at 178 mph
#2 Gaylen Smith ('70 Hemi Cuda) 4.077 at 176 mph
#3 Ken Thomas ('97 Bad Bird Firebird) 4.102 at 174 mph
#4 Heath Harvey('96 Grand Prix) 4.215 at 171 mph
#5 Frankie Taylor ('05 Mad Man Vette)4.405 at 148 mph
#6 Kevin Hargett ('01 Turbo Mustang) 4.647 at 162 mph
#7 H.T. Wilson ('89 Camaro) 4.670 at 153 mph
#8 David Baldwin ('63 Corvette) 4.684 at 147 mph

#9 Chuck Poindexter ('76 Luvamaro) 4.721 at 149 mph
#10 Tim Cruce ('47 Anglia) 6.038 at 94 mph

First Round:

Heath Harvey (W) 4.277 at 167 mph (.022 RT)
Frankie Taylor (RU) 4.757 at 111 mph (.164 RT)

I watched this race on video in Frankie's trailer and Frankie drove a quarter mile to end up at the 1/8 only to wind up on the short end of the stick. Heath was on his game and takes the win.

Ken Thomas (W) 14.791 at 52 mph (-.280 RT)
Chuck Poindexter (RU) NT

Chuck had problems staging and his lights were blinking off and on but ultimately left before the tree activated. Not sure if Ken coasted thru because he knew this or if he had problems himself. It sounded like the bad bird was spitting and sputtering.

Gene Hector (W) 4.399 at 168 mph (.079 RT)
David Baldwin (RU) 4.722 at 148 mph (.006 RT)

David pushed the tree but couldn't overpower that BLOWN small block.

H.T. Wilson (W) 4.530 at 155 mph (.161 RT)
Gaylen Smith (RU) 5.298 at 97 mph (.087 RT)

Gaylen had the starting line advantage but just after the 60 foot clocks the new Cuda started moving around and he wasn't able to get around H.T. in the traps.

Semi Finals:

Ken Thomas (W) 4.087 at 174 mph (.073 RT)
H.T. Wilson (RU) 4.532 at 156 mph (.248 RT)

H.T.'s luck ran out here as Ken Thomas comanded this round.

Gene Hector (W) 4.097 at 174 mph (.024 RT)
Heath Harvey (RU) 4.301 at 166 mph (.046 RT)

Gene had the slightly better reaction time and better performance and takes the win.

Finals:

Gene Hector (W) 4.067 at 166 mph (.060 RT)
Ken Thomas (RU) 4.117 at 173 mph (.061 RT)

Dead even off the starting line it was Gene Hector who got there first but the BAD BIRD was right there.

Congratulations to Gene Hector and crew for the victory on the new and improved racing surface at Texas Raceway and also to Ken & Susan Thomas and the TMS team for their runner-up finish. I can't wait until next month at TXR when a few more cars have been down the track......History in makin!

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