Class Ceiling
Recapping the Dirty South No Prep drag racing series event at San Antonio Raceway
By Tery Red (Crew Chief for Mr. Mad /RigTech Motorsports)
Jun 11, 2018, 6:27 am
The Dirty South No Prep Racing Series San Antonio is the largest event in the USA of its kind.
Not to worry SportsMap is in the house!
This is a crazy event. No prep? Talk about hubris, machismo, bravado!!! No glue? No tractors to evenly administer the adhesive?
Seriously, this event entails no track preparation, which is usually how the cars hook up for a smooth pass and to win rounds. The better prepared the track is, the better traction racers have, the faster your pass may be. It is definitely safer, to be sure. Also of note is the meticulous detail given to ensure safety for driver and fan alike.
However, this event in my words is The Robin Hood of Street Racing. The idea was built as a novel way to knock out the high rollers in the Sportsman Racing World. The establishment of this class was a long awaited venue to give the small fry the upper hand.
To give you an idea of how insane this is, we asked mult -champion , King of the track, veteran racer A.D. Rigmaiden to try out this No Prep Series in the SportsMap Black Camaro.
He quickly realized what No Prep really means as he swayed to and fro as the Camaro was wicked not just off the starting line, but shimmied all the way down the track . He says he felt as though he were in a Funny Car! "This event definitely requires practice and mental readjustment," A.D . said.
Keep in mind that Matt Hagan , two-time NHRA Funny Car Champion was none too happy after the NHRA changed the track prep solution. He stated that there's a lot less grip, everyone's smoking the tires and blowing up. Fast Jack Beckman, Antron Brown, and J.R. Todd have also mentioned their concerns about this change.
Please understand. The NHRA did not discontinue track preparation, they changed the solution from 75% track compound 25 % alcohol, to 65 % track compound to 35 % alcohol. This seemingly simple readjustment has some of the pros troubled. Yet other arenas of racers seem to be thriving with No Track Prep.
Now to the point, there are infamous racers who are legendary because of their mastery of the slick, non-stick asphalt jungle. Mike Murillo (& Mustang LaFawnduh), John Doe , Kayla Morton- Hamilton and Chris "Boosted "Hamilton, (another amazing husband &wife team).
And of course the John Force of Street Outlaws, "Birdman." Yes. James "Birdman" Finny. Just to name a few.
There were also veteran racers of the side by side like Ray Curly Top with a sweet 67 Nova, Mr Don with his cool Blue El Camino (Driven by D.D.) who came to get their feet wet in this No Prep event.
They are the Guardians of The No Prep Galaxy. Their Social Media status is why they pack the stands. These are the ones who put in the work. They eat, sleep and breathe the mechanics of the beast, the strategy of the track . They are major gear heads. They are the guy/girl next door who always gave you a jump, clued you in on the miss in your engine, and changed that tire for you when you were stranded on the side of the road.
Could it be possible that the pros could learn a thing or two from the No Prep Series ? Only Time will reveal.
The Winners:
Big Tire: Birdman
Most Honorable Mention: Mr. Mad made it to the semi-finals in Curly Tops sweet 67 Nova. Not bad for your first rodeo A.D.!
Check out Dirty South No Prep on Facebook for complete results.
Click here for rare footage of Birdman vs Mr. Mad.
One of the main areas of improvement for the Texans this season, has been the running game with the addition of Joe Mixon.
Mixon rushed for 100 yards or more in 5 of his first 6 games with the team. But unfortunately for Houston, Mixon hasn't been nearly as effective recently.
When looking at his recent numbers, Mixon has failed to rush for more than 46 yards in 3 of his last 5 games. Posting only 26 rushing yards against Miami on Sunday.
With this in mind, is the state of Houston's run game a major concern, especially when the playoffs begin?
Don't miss the video above as ESPN Houston's Joel Blank and special guest Barry Laminack share their thoughts.