Mike Ashley was the top qualifier from the AMS team with a 4.027 pass, but it was only good enough for 5th overall on Saturday. That night he lost a close race against Jason Scruggs in round one. "I got spanked, but that's okay," he said, "because he's the best out here." The sentiments may have been turned around by the end of the event, though, as Ashley and his 1967 Shelby left with low e.t. of the meet and a new track record at 3.979 seconds.

SCRUGGS' RUN SCRUBBED

A 3.98 qualifying effort at more than 188 mph by Jason Scruggs was disallowed after race officials determined that Scruggs, one of the three voted-in Outlaw team members, must race the first car he sent down the track.

Scruggs previously made a low four-second pass early in the session with his blown small-block Chevy-powered '63 'Vette, then made the three-second run in his newer hemi-powered Corvette. "I thought that since I was guaranteed a spot [on the team] I could qualify both, then withdraw one for racing," Scruggs explained. "I wasn't trying to take away a place from anyone, that's for sure."

As a longtime outlaw Pro Mod performer with many track records to his name, Jason Scruggs was one of the favorites at Dragstock. Scruggs was accompanied at the event by his engine-building father Mitchell, as well as wife Alice and three-month-old daughter Carli.

No matter, Scruggs said he knew the small-block car was better and proved it with a 3.990 at 180.48 mph win over Mike Ashley (4.022/182.01) in the first-round of the Quick 8 race. He fell in the second round, however, to eventual race winner John Lynam.