 
While the Berry Plumbing & Equipment/Sheppard Race Cars Limited Street Class had no new records set it was a still a thrilling race from start to finish. On Friday Jeff Paulk and Keith Szabo traded 4.8's before Paulk laid down a 4.79 for the quickest L/S pass of the night. During Saturday's qualifying rounds however, Carlton Thompson of Tallahasee FL led the field with his own 4.79. Event winner Keith Szabo qualified #4 with a 4.87. Points leader Paulk went out in the first round at the hands of Buck Walker, 5.26 to a tire smoking 5.50. Walker's dream weekend ended in the semis against Shane Stack. Usually one of the heavy hitters in the EZ Street class, Stack bolted on a bigger turbo and bigger drag radials to take his shot at Limited Street.
Szabo meanwhile defeated Alan Halbert in the first round and then Carolina winner David Waits on a holeshot. In his semi-final match-up with Mike Collins took a 4.95 to a 5.02 win. The final round match-up was decided by thousandths of a second as Szabo ran a 4.891 to defeat Stack's 4.894.
The TCI EZ Street record book took the proverbial beating as the records were set and reset. When the day was done Steve Jackson made it three victories in a row and reset the mph record at 148.62. What made the feat even more impressive was the fact that the previous victories were using Procharger power and this one was utilizing a nitrous combination. Jackson hurt his engine a few weeks back and could not get the pieces to get it back together in time for testing so he brought out a previously used nitrous engine. Jackson had a tough road to the finals, starting with Charles Hull in the first round and then Atlanta winner Nick Yarber in round 2.
New ET record holder Terry Elam ran his quickest pass of the weekend against Jackson in the semi-fianls but lost on a holeshot 4.956 to a slower 5.02. In the finals against Chad Henderson's beautiful Buick Regal, Jackson's Mustang put dow his best run of the weekend for the win 4.97 to a very good 5.02.
Modified Street
Every time the Modified Street cars ran it almost appeared to be a wheelstand contest instead of a drag race. Bumper dragging runs were the norm and provided some of the most exciting races of the weekend. After 4 rounds of competiton the class had 2 new records and Brian Murphy held the trophy. Murphy, drivng the Mo Money Entertainment Mustang set the ET record with a 5.35 and Stacy Parker set the mph record with a 134.14 blast. Upstart Kevin Schrimsher eliminated Parker in the semis while Murphy defeated Robert Rodgers. Schrimsher had run in the 5.4's all day but slowed in the final to a 5.53 to go down to Murphy's 5.42.
Larry Peavy of Milledgeville Ga won his first ever Southern Truck Parts 5.0 Index title in fine fashion. In the finals, Peavy used a .015 reaction time and 5.010 to defeat Jermy Ellis's .020 initiated 5.006. The margin of victory was 1/1000 of a second. Ellis, winner of the previous two events, beat Jeffery Barker on a holeshot in their semi-final round contest while Peavy used a starting line advantage to push Bick Bickerstaff into breaking out. Barker was the numer one qualifier with a 5.004. 
Like Peavy, James Williams scored his first ever Dutton Grading 6.0 Index title, but he did it in his first try. Defending series champ Lebron "The Man" Hill was Williams final round opponent but broke out with a too fast 5.998 while Williams was safe at 6.023. Bo Conner in his gorgeous 1968 Camaro and Montgomery winner and SGMP pole sitter Blaine Aldridge were the semi-finalist.
The I 4.0 Inc. 7.0 Index class also had a new winner in Kenny Ford. Kenny from series supporter PTC Torque Converters won out over a tough field of competitors. Driving his first generation Camaro, Ford defeated heavy hitter Pete Nelson in the semis and Terry McClendon's Mustang in the final. McClendon beat Ken Buckner in their semi-final contest. Tim Proctor was the number one qualifier with a nearly perfect 7.001.
It was a fantastic race and we look forward to seeing all of you in Huntsville for the doubleheader.
Wade Mooney
Sept 9,2008
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