DragRacingOnline.com SPORT TUNER SHOWDOWN RESULTS -- 5/10/2005

WINNER: Brad Gross, St. Louis, MO, 1999 231 Grand Prix, 0.245, 12.892, 107.08 mph

RUNNER-UP: Chris Carlson, St. Charles, MO, 1992 122 Civic, 0.086, 14.748, 98.03 mph

Brad Gross (shown) earned his first DRO Sport Tuner Showdown title and experienced a dream event in the process; the St. Louis Club Grand Prix member (http://www.stlclubgp.com) was the number one qualifier, set Low ET and Top Speed, ran career-best numbers and won the event. Gross' 231-cubic inch Pontiac also became the first six-cylinder, Front-Wheel-Drive champion in the program. For the second consecutive week, however, an alternate was called to race for the DRO trophies. When the second and third qualifiers, Ross Randall's Mitsubishi Evolution (13.68/102), and Albert Jennings' '04 Neon SRT (14.06/98), failed to report for the final round, fourth qualifier Chris Carlson's '92 Civic (14.19/99.10) was sent to the line to face the black Grand Prix.

Gross' 12.933/107.56 best put Carlson at a distinct horsepower disadvantage; the Honda pilot knew a great reaction time was imperative, but a redlight by eighty-six thousandths of a second was followed by tire spin which slowed the first-ever Honda finalist to a 14.74 at 98 mph. Gross, meanwhile, stayed safe on the 'Tree and cruised to an ever quicker 12.89 at 107.08 for the win. "I ran in the twelves for the first time, got a sixty-foot time under two seconds for the first time, and won an event for the first time," recalled Gross while accepting the winner's trophy. "Everything just finally worked out for once!"

Carl's 4WD SUPER TRUCK SHOWDOWN RESULTS--5/10/2005

WINNER: James Johnson, Granite City, IL, 1989 350 S-10, 0.336, 12.795, 104.72 mph

RUNNER-UP: Hal Marshall, Collinsville, IL, 1986 350 S-10, -0.091, 12.346, 109.23 mph

The first event in the new SuperTruck Showdown featured a wide variety of machinery, including everything from 14-second diesels to Hemi-powered Dodges, but it was a pair of lightweight V8-powered Chevy pickups which ran for the first title. Hal Johnson's all-white S-10 from Collinsville, IL, had been the quickest truck at the last two events and was once again the leader at 12.313/111.41 with Mike Clyde's slick green 383-Chevy powered S-10 second at 13.06/104. Near the end of qualifying, however, James Johnson rolled to the line in his canary-yellow S-10 and earned a spot in the final with a 12.841/104.36.

It was Marshall's race to lose, but a redlight by almost a tenth of a second handed the win to Johnson's 12.79 effort. "I really didn't think I stood a chance in the final", said Johnson, "but when I saw the redlight I was pretty surprised".

SCSS STREET CAR SHOOTOUT RESULTS -- 5/3/2005

WINNER: Brian Grote, St. Peters, MO, 2001 427 Camaro, 0.126, 9.817, 138.06 mph

RUNNER-UP: Dan Shipley, Marthasville, MO, 1991 334 Mustang, 2.099, 9.906, 145.27 mph