CLASS RACER FORUM - Any news from ADRL Maple Grove?

Dave Thomas was NOT "thrown out" for having a three-speed transmission. We have been in extensive talks with Dale Aldo concerning the three-speed but, as most of you know, the three-speed is a Super Stock combination not available on the production V-10 Challenger SRT Drag Pak. We also talked to Dave about this prior to the event.

A few days before the race, ADRL Tech Director Chris Bell and SCS Tech chief Jimmy Holzman kept the three-speed on the "no go" list while Dale Aldo indicated MoPar will probably make the three-speed legal for the 2012 model year Challenger production package. While this was a pretty huge development in itself, it keeps the 2011 Challengers restricted to a two-speed.

Dave was on his way back from a Ramchargers/MoPar function in Michigan and stopped by to talk with Bell and Holzman about the situation. Dave was very gracious about the decision and was invited to make some runs on Friday. He was inadvertently included in the qualifying listing which went out to DragRaceCentral before it was revised.

Dave had a two-speed with him but he and his crew had been going nonstop after almost a week on the road and he admitted they were "too beat up" to install it for the weekend. As you saw, he made several impressive runs with the three-speed, (while about 140 pounds heavy), and he planned to stick around for Saturday but I honestly think the guys were just too exhausted and decided to head home on Friday night.

I thanked Dave for coming; it meant a lot to us that he came to the track to meet the tech guys and discuss the scenario. He was very forthcoming about the car's capabilities in both three-speed and two-speed configurations and I really enjoyed hearing his opinions.

Being on top of multiple events, (Atlanta, Atco, etc.), we knew SCS attendance at Maple Grove would be minimal but, quite frankly, it really wasn't a concern. With a surprisingly large spectator attendance on Saturday, the crowd loved the cars and the SCS pit area, which is placed as the first thing fans see at each event, was absolutely packed with fans. Bo Butner and his guys actually had trouble swapping transmissions on Saturday because of the amount of people swamping the cars.

St. Louis should be the largest turnout yet for the SCS but, after three events, I am absolutely elated at the success of the program. It has exceeded all of my expectations and the involvement and support of Jesse Kershaw, Dale Aldo and Dr. Jamie Meyer has been not only huge but continuous. There are currently two instances of manufacturers actually creating new production combinations specifically designed to make their products more competitive in the SuperCar Showdown and that, to me, is astonishing.

In all seriousness, one need only to ask David Buckner, Bo Butner, Chris Holbrook, Joseph Teuton, Kevin Helms, the Skillman family, Bo Kenney, Randi Lynn Shipp or Len Mattingly about the response from the fans to gauge the success of the SCS series. Every one of them will tell you the spectators have gone absolutely nuts about these machines and the show has been spectacular. I should also add that Butner has been making darned good "gas money" on T-Shirt sales! Moreover, every racer is having a great time and the schedule is far more appealing than that to which they're accustomed.

The selflessness of Jeff Teuton has enabled us to have at least one MoPar at each race and I can't thank the old man enough for the work he has put into the series. There is no question the addition of Chevrolet products will change the face of the program, (I'm not sure if the we'll see the COPO cars first or the Meaney Corvette first), but the paying spectators have already let us know they're enjoying the series just fine with Ford and MoPar on the property.

I know most racers, (even me when I forget the basic premise of the SCS), think a drag racing program can only be judged by the number of entries but, as I've noted before, that was never a concern with the SCS. Quite frankly, it would've been just as popular at Maple Grove if it had been a three-run match race between a Cobra Jet and a Drag Pak SRT.

The program is doing just fine. I can't begin to express my gratitude to the folks who've made it happen.