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SUNDAY FINAL
Gillig, Ulsch, Berney, and Keenan Collect Championships in Orlando 
300 cars, 21,000 spectators, and the best - bar none - heads-up, street-legal doorslammer racing in the world. That in a nutshell is a recap of the just-completed event simply known as “Orlando.” Technically it’s called the Real World Street Nationals, and this year’s version, the 14th annual, was an unqualified success. Well, the racers who crashed, broke, or failed to qualify may have a problem with that assessment, but the vast majority of fans and racers who jammed the tight confines of Orlando Speed World Dragway likely have a positive response if asked to evaluate the event. The number of race vehicles on hand is even more impressive considering that there are only four classes – Super Pro Street, Outlaw 10.5, Heavy Street, and Radial Tires.
In
Super Pro Street,
the premier class of the RWSN, 2003 winner Tony Gillig returned to the winner’s
circle at the expense of fellow Illinois
resident Chuck Samuel, himself a former winner in Orlando. Gillig, who is stepping away from his team’s 2004 Mustang after this weekend, took the win when Samuel got out of the groove and lifted.
In Outlaw 10.5, consistency won the weekend for Maryland’s Chuck Ulsch, who parlayed a string of 6.90s into a trip to the final and a classic Ford versus Chevy confrontation with Brad Brand. Ulsch lined his 2002 Camaro up beside Brand’s 1992 Mustang in the final stanza, which came to a sudden end when Brand pulled the trigger way too early and left a glowing red bulb in his wake.
The Heavy Street battle was a true classic, and in the end it was the all-steel, 3,500-pound ’55 Chevy of California’s Monty Berney taking a very popular win over Philadelphia’s Marino Cintron. Berney’s “shoebox” Chevy put on an amazing show all weekend, running a jaw-dropping 7.177, 199.95 in the semifinals. In the final, Cintron’s ’68 Camaro lurched, lit the red light and then died at the line, allowing Berney to collect his first Orlando victory. He took an easy 7.984, 197.10 jaunt to the finish line. The last of the four showdowns took place in Radial Tires, where another Ford versus Chevy battle was waged between New Mexico’s Mike Keenan and Floridian Tim Murray. Keenan, who paced his 1999 Ford Mustang to the No. 1 qualifying spot on Saturday, completed the weekend sweep by taking out Murray and his 2000 Camaro 7.861, 191.61 to 7.934, 176.09.
SUNDAY NOTEBOOK
Gugliotta, known in IHRA circles as “The Flying Meatball,” finished third behind Pete Berner and Tony Gillig in a tight season-long championship battle. But just a week removed from last weekend’s tension-filled IHRA season finale Gugliotta is having some fun for himself here in Orlando. He’s not here to watch, though. No, he’s here driving a turbocharged ’89 Pontiac Trans Am in Outlaw 10.5 for his friends Robert and Steven Criskfulli. “I’m just out playing for the weekend,” Gugliotta said. “Robert and Steven asked me to drive, so here I am.” Gugliotta qualified the unusual looking Pontiac in the No. 25 spot with a best pass of 7.387, 194.21. As for a possible future in the street car ranks, Gugliotta said with tongue firmly planted in cheek, “yeah, we’ll see about that!”
S Charles Carpenter, driver of a 1955 Chevrolet that is arguably the most recognizable “shoebox” in the sport of drag racing, is taking a busman’s holiday here in central Florida this weekend. It’s not a true vacation by any stretch of the imagination, though, as Carpenter explained. “We’re here with Steve Paulauskis and the WFO Racing team this weekend,” he said. “They run a 2004 Cavalier in the Pacific Street Car Association, and they’re the current point leader in their class. The car has been running real well this year – it ran 6.41 at 218 at Las Vegas in 4,500-feet of air, so it can run. They’ve done real well, and Steve’s a good driver. “I’ve sold Steve a couple of engines,” said Carpenter.” In fact, they have the engine that ran 6.22 in my car at Martin, Michigan, earlier this season. It’s a good piece, and it gives these guys great potential. “My son Michael and I came here to help them out this weekend, and we’ve been having a big time. It’s been kind of a relaxing weekend but also a stressful one in some ways. We’ve got to watch a lot more racing then we normally do at the IHRA events. “I wouldn’t mind trying this type of racing,” said Carpenter when asked what he thought of the brand of competition on display this weekend. “We’ve never run weight in our car like this, but we’re learning stuff out here. We’ve got to kind of cover all our options because you can never tell. With the way the nitrous deal is going in IHRA this is looking better every day.”
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
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SATURDAY TOP QUALIFIERS
Steve King - Super Pro Street
Tim Lynch - Outlaw 10.5
Mike Keenan - Radial Tires
Bill Lutz - Heavy Street
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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK
Shufflin’ Off – The Real World Street Nationals always draw the
who’s who of fast doorslammer drag racing to sunny Florida. Most come
for the racing action, and others come for the weather, but one guy in
particular was there for both reasons.
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SATURDAY
An overnight rain soaked the environs of Orlando Speed World Dragway, but breaking clouds and brightening skies indicate that it’s full steam ahead for day two of the 14th annual Real World Street Nationals. Once track drying is completed, the second qualifying sessions for Heavy Street and Radial Tires will get under way. Competitors in Super Pro Street and Outlaw 10.5 had their second shot at their respective 32-car fields last night, but the late hour forced postponement of the other two categories. In last night’s second session, there were no changes in the Super Pro Street rankings, with Tony Gillig holding on to the top spot, followed by Annette Summer, Steve Paulauskis, Kevin McCurdy, and Ed Thornton. There were, however, some significant changes among the top five racers in Outlaw 10.5. The top three names on the list remained the same, but all three improved upon their initial results. No. 1 was Tim Lynch, who went from 7.005, 209.49 to 6.934, 212. Second-seeded Steve Kirk Jr., improved from 7.069, 202.88 to 6.938, 208.57, while Chuck Ulsch also bettered his first run and held on to the No. 3 spot, going from 7.076, 202.24, to 7.001, 190.59. The fourth and fifth spots did changed hands, however, with Jeff Naiser displacing Charlie Dolbin, and Todd Moyer moving up at the expense of Rick Thornton.
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It’s hot, hot, hot, and the air temperature is up there, too! If it’s October and we’re in Orlando, then we’re at the biggest and baddest outlaw street car race on the planet. The 14th annual Real World Street Nationals at Orlando Speed World Dragway kicked off at high noon Friday, and some impressive numbers have already been posted. Unfortunately, the first of two planned qualifying sessions was delayed for well over an hour after Eddie Timal, of Toronto, Ontario, got out of shape while on a single run. His 10.5 ’74 Pontiac GTO went air born before rolling, flipping, and landing on the far side of the guard wall. Timal jumped out of the car and gave a thumbs-up to the crowd, but his car was heavily damaged. There were 59 cars attempting to qualify for the 32-car Super Pro Street field, and after the first session on Friday IHRA Pro Stock regular Tony Gillig led the way. Gillig, who finished runner-up in the IHRA championship chase this season, paced his mountain motor-powered 2004 Ford Mustang to a pass of 6.548-seconds at 215.10 mph to claim the provisional top spot. Annette Summer, who qualified No. 1 at last year’s version of the Real World Street Nationals, held the position again for most of the session until Gillig made his pass. Summer, who has her turbo-powered ’57 Chevy here in Orlando this weekend, is currently in the No. 2 slot on the strength of a 6.577, 218.71 effort. Rounding out the top-five are Steve Paulauskis (6.690, 211.41), Kevin McCurdy (6.694, 212.41), and Ed Thornton (6.710, 213.77). 66 Outlaw 10.5 racers jammed the staging lanes for today’s first qualifying session, and since more than half of them will be going home early or watching from the stands after the 32-car field is set, the competition is understandably fierce. As has been the case so many times in the recent past, two heavy hitters from Georgia dominated the action. Tim Lynch took the top spot with a pass of 7.005-seconds at 209.49 mph. Right on his heels was Steve Kirk Jr., who ran through with a mark of 7.069, 202.88 for the No. 2 position. The third, fourth, and fifth runners were Chuck Ulsch (7.076, 202.24), Charlie Doblin (7.156, 197.06), and Rick Thornton (7.158, 195.35). The biggest turnout of the weekend has been in the Radial Tires class, with 83 entrants lining up to do battle. Some impressive performances were turned in by the top runners, with Paul Major clicking off the best of the best, a class-leading 7.788, 185.56. He was followed by Mike Keenan (7.813, 190.71), Victor Spires (8.004, 177.09), Tim Murray (8.028, 174.52), and Dave Buckley (8.043, 175.60). The fourth class of competition here in Orlando is Heavy Street, and there are 60 cars in the pits. Leading the way after the first session is veteran doorslammer competitor Monty Berney, who put his California-based, all-steel, supercharged ’55 Chevy in the No. 1 spot with a solid 7.401, 191.32 blast. The No. 2 man was Bill Lutz, who took the position with an effort of 7.520, 193.29. They were followed in the order by Sam Gottier (7.577, 180.43), Heath Johnston (7.631, 186.18), and John Schroeder (7.666, 180.79).
Top five after first session of Super Pro Street:
Tony Gillig, 6.548, 215.10 Annette Summer, 6.577, 218.71 Steve Paulauskis, 6.690, 211.41 Kevin McCurdy, 6694, 212.41 Ed Thornton, 6.10, 213.77
Top five after first session of Outlaw 10.5:
Tim Lynch, 7.005, 209.49 Steve Kirk Jr., 7.069, 202.88 Chuck Ulsch, 7.076, 202.24 Charlie Doblin, 7.156, 197.06 Rick Thornton, 7.158, 195.35
Top five after first session of Radial Tires:
Paul Major, 7.788, 185.56 Mike Keenan, 7.813, 190.71 Victor Spires, 8.004, 177.09 Tim Murray, 8.028, 174.52 Dave Buckley, 8.043, 175.60
Top five after the first session of Heavy Street:
Monty Berney, 7.401, 191.32 Bill Lutz, 7.520, 193.29 Sam Gottier, 7.577, 180.43 Heath Johnston, 7.631, 186.18 John Schroeder, 7.666, 180.79 a d v e r t i s e m e n t
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Eddie Timal had a bad day during the Friday's qualifying for the
Orlando World Street Nationals. Torco's CompetitionPlus.com
photographer Kelly Pelrine captured the Toronto-based 10.5 Tire driver
and his mishap. He was uninjured.
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Three For All – There are turbocharged cars in abundance here in
Orlando this weekend, but three of the coolest are the 2001 Mustang of
John Gullett, the 1986 Thunderbird of Erica Ortiz, and the 2004 Escort
wheeled by Dan Parker. 
Change of scenery – A week ago Tony Gillig was in North
Carolina, slugging it out for the IHRA Pro Stock championship. After
leading the points for most of the season, Gillig lost his bid for the
crown to Pete Berner on the final weekend of the season.
