WILKINS HEADLINES MAD DAWG OPENER ENTRIES
Wed, 2008-04-30 18:33
For the first time in his impressive career, small block wizard Sandy Wilkins
has confirmed his plans to compete in the heads-up excitement of the Outlaw Mad
Dawg series. Fresh off his big Top Sportsman win in Rockingham, Wilkins, a
4-time national event winner has confirmed his plans to tow his small
block-equipped Cavalier to Don Plemmons' all concrete Farmington Dragway on
Saturday. Wilkins' decorated Top Sportsman career also includes an NHRA Top
Sportsman divisional championship. Finding success in previous seasons at
Farmington, Wilkins won his first ever IHRA Top Sportsman race at the Mocksville
facility.
Sure, he's a talented bracket racer even at 200mph, but
what would inspire a man to mix it up with the bad boys of heads-up, especially
when you're seemingly short 300 cubic inches? "You don't get better by beating
your sister", laughed Sandy Wilkins during a telephone interview on Tuesday.
"You've got to go out there and race against people like Todd Tutterow, Randy
Weatherford and those guys if you want to improve", said Wilkins. "I won't learn
much if I go bracket racing every single weekend", added Wilkins.
heads-up excitement of the Outlaw Mad
Dawg series. Fresh off his big Top Sportsman win in Rockingham, Wilkins, a
4-time national event winner has confirmed his plans to tow his small
block-equipped Cavalier to Don Plemmons' all concrete Farmington Dragway on
Saturday. Wilkins' decorated Top Sportsman career also includes an NHRA Top
Sportsman divisional championship. Finding success in previous seasons at
Farmington, Wilkins won his first ever IHRA Top Sportsman race at the Mocksville
facility.
Sure, he's a talented bracket racer even at 200mph, but
what would inspire a man to mix it up with the bad boys of heads-up, especially
when you're seemingly short 300 cubic inches? "You don't get better by beating
your sister", laughed Sandy Wilkins during a telephone interview on Tuesday.
"You've got to go out there and race against people like Todd Tutterow, Randy
Weatherford and those guys if you want to improve", said Wilkins. "I won't learn
much if I go bracket racing every single weekend", added Wilkins.
Although it's never been on a dyno, a power to speed
calculation once revealed that his torque-packing, self built 432 c.i. small
block Chevy produces just a shade over 1,300 horse power. Even though he's set
to make his Mad Dawg debut this Saturday, Wilkins is no stranger to
the southeastern heads-up scene. A regular competitor in Big Dog,
Sandy also picked up a win in 2007 at Dunn-Benson's Top Dawg series. "I'm hoping
to run a 4.29 or 4.30 at Farmington on Saturday", says Wilkins, hopeful that
those numbers will get him in the main event. I've run faster at Farmington on
just horse power than I have anywhere, so I'm real optimistic about my Mad Dawg
debut", says Wilkins.
Also ready to get back to business is Prime Time Race
Cars' Ronnie Gardner, who put together an incredible 4-win string at Dunn-Benson
in 2007, and most recently won the Big Dog opener a month ago.
Gardner is campaigning a slick, silver 68 Camaro this year. Fans can also expect
to see Jack Gaddy on Saturday, as he continues his "Out of retirement" tour.
Gaddy made his second race start in 15 years at Piedmont last month, and plans
to compete in his first ever Mad Dawg race on Saturday.
Another headliner name making his Mad Dawg debut on
Saturday is Taylorsville, NC's Darrin Hoyle. Since qualifying 8th in his debut
Big Dog last month, Hoyle has made an enormous amount of changes that he hopes
will step up the performance of his Chevy Cobalt, a car once campaigned by
Rickie Smith on the IHRA Pro Stock circuit. "I've changed a little bit of
everything so there's no telling what's going to happen", laughed Darrin
Hoyle. "I'm still in experimental stage right now, and I've made changes to
my nitrous, 4-link and converter, added Hoyle. A feared competitor in ORSCA
Limited Street, Hoyle says he's enjoying his experiences thus far in other
heads-up venues, and is excited about making his Mad Dawg debut at Farmington on
Saturday.
The Mad Dawg series, founded by promoter Mark Joyce in
2006, is expanding its geographical presence as it begins its 3rd
season. Gaining a swell of interest by racers and fans at its originating track,
Mooresville Dragway, the Mad Dawg series will now make 3 stops at Farmington,
including its season opener on Saturday. Mad Dawg events routinely attract as
many as 24 cars, and a consolation race for qualifiers 9 through 16 is a common
attraction that benefits the racers, as well as being a huge hit with
fans.
A Mad Dawg preview can be seen at The Farm this coming
Friday night. A special "Happy Hours" test session is scheduled from 7:00pm
to 10:00pm and will be held with Farmington's regular Friday Night of Thunder
for street cars, motorcycles and drag cars. Up for grabs is a $200.00 prize for
the quickest elapsed time posted by a legal Mad Dawg entry during the 3 hour
test session. Lots of action on tap this Saturday at Farmington. Bad 16 Top
Sportsman cars to compete, burnout contest and a lovely Miss. Mad Dawg crowned
on Saturday night. For more information about the Outlaw Mad Dawgs, including
members, sponsorship opportunities and complete schedule, please visit: www.outlawmaddawgs.com
Expected to compete in the Mad Dawg series this
season:
*David Lambert - 2003 Cavalier with 738 Buck
power
*Joel Douglas/Anthony Sherill - Stroupe Cavalier with
632
*Ronnie Gardner - 68 Camaro with Fulton 762
*Jack Gaddy - Out of retirement with ex-Shane Hunt
Cavalier
*Todd Howard/Jerry Williams - Both Quick-8 Racers
Association Champions. Howard behind the wheel of Williams' famous Haas-built
Probe
*Jamie Chappell - Pontiac Grand Am with 632 Albert
powerplant
*Chad Tilley - Grand Am with 728 Albert engine, a
3-time series winner in 2007
*Rocky Raynor - Tough customer with his 1963 Stroupe
Corvette
*Donnie Krusinski - TM Race Cars Monte Carlo with new
powerplant
*Andy Beal - 68 McAmis Camaro. Clocked 4.24 with new 762
in-house power combo
*Todd Tutterow - 41 Willys. Any questions?
*David Campbell - New paint on ex-Pro Stock of Greg
Anderson. Car never looked better
*Bob and Jason Harris - GTO with new Albert 632 between
the frame rails
*Travis Harvey - 68 Race Tech Camaro. Final round
appearance in Spring Nationals event
*Darrin Hoyle - The bad man of Limited Street. Chevy
Cobalt with Fulton motivation. "I'm looking forward to my Mad Dawg
debut"
*Mark "The Kid" Jones - Wheel man for Jim Wheatly's
Camaro, also owner of the slickest 1990 Cutlass in drag racing
*James Bunton - 96 Corvette. Dangerous on the tree, a
past D-9 Top Sportsman champ
*Dap Morrison - 57 Chevy was rocking at the Spring
Nationals
*Jim Teachman/Brian Teachman - Gotham City 2 car punch.
Jim's 57 Chevy always a crowd favorite
*Tony Wilson - Monte Carlo, racing since he could
walk
*Gilmer Hinshaw - Brand new Don Ness Cobalt with PAR
power
*Jeff Pittman - 68 Chevelle with Eagle Racing
power
*Kevin Kuhn
*Freal Mize
*Harold Robinson
*Nick Cline
*Jeremy Creasman
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