While the 12.176 "bump spot" was the second quickest in SCSS history, no less than thirty-eight drivers ran quicker than 13.00 seconds. Mark Brokaw's '87 Grand National Regal clocked the best six-cylinder performances at 12.46/113.92 with Kenny Baer's '90 300ZX close behind at 12.71/109.09. Hal Marshall's Collinsville, Illinois, white '86 350 S-10 pickup was again the quickest truck with a 12.04/110.54 best, followed by Mark Corneglio's 2003 Ford Lightning at 12.62/105.94.

On Tuesday, May 10th, Gateway International Raceway will add yet another division to the Tuesday night SCSS series. Longtime NHRA sportsman standout Carl Huels will back the Carl's FOUR WHEEL DRIVE & PERFORMANCE CENTER Truck Showdown in which the two quickest trucks in qualifying will race for trophies at the conclusion of each event. Carl's FOUR WHEEL DRIVE & PERFORMANCE CENTER is located in Bartelso, IL, (618) 765-2199).

DragRacingOnline.com SPORT TUNER SHOWDOWN RESULTS -- 5/3/2005

WINNER: Patrick Jacobsmeyer, St. Louis, MO, 1991 122 Talon, 0.359, 12.104, 115.30 mph

RUNNER-UP: Ryan Godfrey, Creve Coeur, MO, 2000 231 Grand Prix, 0.295, 13.924, 99.24 mph

Although he lost the April 19th final round, Patrick Jacobsmeyer can now claim three wins and one runner-up in the 2005 DragRacingOnline.com Sport Tuner Showdown Series. Other than a missed shift on his first qualifying pass, Jacobsmeyer's biggest problem during the event was finding somebody to race against in the final round.

The white Talon from the Gateway DSM Club, (http://www.gatewaydsm.org), ran as quick as 12.16/114.07 during the qualifying period, but its closest opponent was more than one and half seconds behind. When the final round was called, almost nobody responded. The top six qualifiers behind Jacobsmeyer, including Talic Fihout's '04 Accord (13.72/104), Ryan Mowry's '02 Subaru WRX (13.82/96), Kent Spann's slick '00 Grand Prix (13.86/98), Robert Jennich's '04 Neon SRT-4 (13.92/104), Rick Lotspcich's '88 CRX (13.92/99), and Nick Blatt's '90 Talon (13.92/102), were nowhere to be seen for the trophy dash.

That left Ryan Godfrey's unique Daytona 500 Pace Car edition 2000 Grand Prix as the next available alternate, and the West County racer was ready for the challenge despite best of 14.03/100.94. Godfrey's tenth-of-a-second holeshot was deceiving, however; Jacobsmeyer had no reason to push the 'Tree in pursuit of a third title. Godfrey's 13.92/99 was an improvement but was no match for the four-cylinder's 12.10 at over 115 mph.

"I was really hoping for the elevens tonight," Jacobsmeyer, who holds the SCSS 4-Cylinder Track Record at 12.05, lamented. "I never did get a sixty-foot ET under 1.80 all night, and that would've been the difference between a 12.1 and an 11.9." At this early point in 2005, Jacobsmeyer has already tied Daryl Jauernig's season record of four final round appearances!

SHOOTOUT RESULTS -- 4/19/2005

WINNER: Brian Grote, St. Peters, MO, 2001 427 Camaro, 0.015, 10.603, 128.11 mph

RUNNER-Up: Laurence Bass, Lebanon, IL, 1988 306 Mustang, -0.027, 10.949, 130.57 mph