| Words
and photos by David Anderson
10/15/04
 After
a heart-breaking loss last year to Team
North in the North vs. South $50,000 Big
Dog challenge, the pooch is back safely
in the hands of the southerners. Looking
to avenge last year's loss to the northerners,
Team South led by Todd Tutterow was loaded
for bear, with 22 cars trying to qualify
for the coveted eight spots on the team.
Team North, led by Pat Musi, was confident
and decided to bring only eight cars for
the challenge. One didn’t show up
and a car from the South was “loaned”
to the North team.
For the benefit
of those readers that have never heard
of the “Big Dog Shootout,”
it was the brain-child of a promoter at
a gem of an eighth mile facility nestled
in the heart of central North Carolina
called Piedmont Dragway.
“Big Daddy”
Bob Harris had a Thursday night test and
tune every week and then started a fun
‘n’ grudge night at the request
of some racers who wanted to race heads
up. It soon took on an identity of its
own and a failed attempt to move it to
Saturdays prompted them to decide not
to mess with success and keep it on Thursday
night. Soon the moniker “Big Dog
Shootout” was added and this was
the humble beginning of something that
would grow beyond anyone’s wildest
expectations.
 The
race format is simple. Heads up, “street
legal” cars with a rules package
similar to the now defunct NMCA (utilizing
DOT labeled tires). Crowds began to grow
(the average Thursday night show now draws
anywhere between 3,500 and 6,000 spectators)
and the cars continually get faster.
The broad appeal
of the show is that on a the first Thursday
of each month the racers are competing
for a $3,000 first place purse with a
total payout of over $14,000! Where else
can you race on a Thursday night for that
kind of money? The race is run with an
almost “round robin” format
where there is a scant 45 minutes between
rounds with test-n-tune cars filling the
time in-between. The first of two qualifying
rounds is at 6:30 and the fans are usually
exiting the track around 9:30 p.m. Three
rounds of heads-up racing for a huge purse
in just three hours and home in time for
the 11:00 news—all for a mere $15.00!
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