 Wheels-up performances like...  Wheels-up performances like this one from Eustis, Florida's Seth Keck were quite common at the 2003 Spring Break Shootout. |
 Jason Ardon's cherry red '92...  Jason Ardon's cherry red '92 notchback found its way to the number-three spot in qualifying, and then defeated Chris Patchen in round one of competition. Ardon runs a 359-cube motor that inhales nitrous oxide courtesy of the Wilson Pro Flow injection. |
 Cordele, Georgia's Spurgeon...  Cordele, Georgia's Spurgeon Adkins has put his Stang on the bumper plenty of times, but these days, it seems the pony is dialed-in for a milder launch. No matter, the number-four qualifier trailered Mike Stefani in the first round to advance him to the Georgia raindate. |
Slicks and rain don't make a great combination for optimum dragstrip performance, but when the track was dry, the 2003 Spring Break Shootout participants put some rubber down and some ultra-fast elapsed times.
For 2003, Pro50.com, otherwise known as Pro-50.com shifters, gears, knobs, etc., sponsored the class by putting up $2,500 for prize money. In addition, Crane Cams tossed in over $2,400 worth of components, Cervini's Auto Designs donated a fiberglass hood, K&N Filters threw in some filters and GT Effect supplied one of its fiberglass cowl panels as a prize.
In order to win, one needed mega power as number-one qualifier Brian Goss posted a scorching 8.253 pass at 172 mph, and runner-up Jason Rhoden was hot on his tail with an 8.26 run. Three other guys would help Goss and Rhoden set the pace by running in the mid to high 8s. Eight 9-second cars and 14 others running 12s or better filled up the 28-car field, making this one of the quickest Spring Break Shootouts ever.
Although there was no limit on power adders, these fantastic times were achieved with a maximum 10.5-inches of tire, and a 3,000-pound minimum weight for each vehicle. Every car had to be registered and insured for the street too, so you couldn't exactly get a hacked up car to qualify. Turbochargers seem to be coming on strong with the Mustang crowd and this class was no exception as the top two cars both sported hair dryers. Jason Ardon and Ronnie Wilson, however, were both in the hunt though with their nitrous-guzzling quarter horses.
With all of this hot action on the track, it was a shame that everyone had to dodge frequent rain showers. As it tuned out, only one round of eliminations was run before the event was postponed due to the inclement weather.
Round one saw 13 of the top 14 cars advance to round two, but rain showers put an early end to the Fun Ford season opener. Be sure to check back as the heads-up classes, including the Spring Break Shootout, will be completed at the next Fun Ford event in Commerce, Georgia, and we'll have all the insane results right here in MM&FF.
| 2003 Pro-50.com Spring Break Shootout Qualifying Results |
|---|
| Q-MPH | ET |
| 1. Brian Goss | 8.253 | 172.36 |
| 2. Robert Rhoden | 8.260 | 171.69 |
| 3. Jason Ardon | 8.725 | 156.25 |
| 4. Spurgeon Adkins | 8.743 | 157.78 |
| 5. Ronnie Wilson | 8.748 | 157.45 |
| 6. Gina Munden | 9.076 | 147.97 |
| 7. John Hewlett | 9.276 | 143.72 |
| 8. Matthew M. Hamby | 9.457 | 137.23 |
| 9. Brad Heuwagen | 9.642 | 139.77 |
| 10. Demetrius Koutsis | 9.666 | 137.42 |
| 11. Frank Inturrisi | 9.774 | 137.53 |
| 12. Greg Paulson | 9.819 | 111.46 |
| 13. Mike Allen | 9.860 | 140.27 |
| 14. Christina Eldert | 10.078 | 139.16 |
| 15. Scott Pennington | 10.512 | 130.28 |
| 16. Steve Avant | 10.557 | 130.83 |
| 17. Chris Patchen | 10.964 | 122.63 |
| 18. Mike Stefani | 11.081 | 124.15 |
| 19. Charles Manchester | 11.257 | 122.64 |
| 20. Mario Gutierrez | 11.386 | 118.79 |
| 21. Seth Keck | 11.717 | 114.12 |
| 22. Sherry Gonyon | 11.931 | 109.95 |
| 23. Sam Brickey | 12.253 | 71.61 |
| 24. Darryl Buckner | 12.546 | 110.90 |
| 25. Dennis Kelly Jr. | 12.768 | 110.74 |
| 26. Dean Lazzaro | 12.815 | 110.40 |
| 27. Richard Wellman | 13.024 | 92.04 |
| 28. Michael Debrabant | 14.002 | 93.74 |
 Mario Gutierrez, a native...  Mario Gutierrez, a native of Miami, Florida, qualified with a respectable 11.38 run, but having to face Gina Munden and her 9-oh elapsed times proved to be too much for the slick black notchback. |  Ronnie Wilson had his ultra-clean...  Ronnie Wilson had his ultra-clean and bright green Mustang prepared for battle this weekend. |  The nitrous-injected 347 stroker...  The nitrous-injected 347 stroker posted high 8-second elapsed times, which were more than enough to send Miami's Charles Manchester packing after round-one action. |
 Gina Munden piloted this Florida...  Gina Munden piloted this Florida Orange '88 Mustang to a 9.07 qualifying e.t., and the power from the Pro Fogger nitrous system propelled her past Mario Gutierrez in the first round. |  Gina's husband Lance turns...  Gina's husband Lance turns the wrenches on this Fort Lauderdale-based Stang while she gets to have all the fun on the track. The couple had a brand new engine in the Stang and limited it to a 150 hp shot of nitrous for their qualifying run. |  Hailing from Lehigh Acres,...  Hailing from Lehigh Acres, Florda, Brian Goss was the man to beat, as he qualified number one with an 8.25 run at 172 mph. The Lethal Injection Racing '87 coupe makes monstrous power with a Pro Turbo 98mm hair dryer and 327-cubic-inches of Ford fury. In round one, he defeated Slidell, Lousiana's Scott Pennington with a blistering 8.50 pass. |
 The Tampa Bay Motorsports...  The Tampa Bay Motorsports entry of Frank Inturrisi made quick work of Dennis Kelly Jr. Kelly's supercharged silver GT was outgunned, running a 12.79 to Inturrisi's 9.66 performance. MM&FF picked the black and red GT for the Editor's Choice award, which garnered him the Cervini's fiberglass hood prize. |  Hanging the wheels out to...  Hanging the wheels out to dry is Amherst, Ohio's Mike Allen. His super-clean GT was powered by a Livernois Motorsport 347 stroker and a Vortech YS-trim supercharger, which allowed him to qualify mid pack with a 9.86 pass. Allen also proceeded to round two after defeating Richard Wellman with a 10.43 to a losing 14 flat. |  Scotrod Pennington competed...  Scotrod Pennington competed in the Spring Break Shootout while his Street Outlaw ride completes its chassis updating. In Orlando, he was at the helm of Kenny Gibbs' '93 Cobra, which sported a nitrous-sniffing 404-inch motor. |
 Two other female racers mixed...  Two other female racers mixed it up with the guys at the Spring Break Shootout. Sherry Gonyon and Christina Eldert both had new short-blocks on their twin turbocharged rides. |  Sherry's ride sports 347 cubic-inches...  Sherry's ride sports 347 cubic-inches of Windsor power, while Jake LaMotta's SVO, which Christina drives, features a LaMotta's Performance-tuned 4.6-liter, four-cam engine |  John Hewlett's 408-powered...  John Hewlett's 408-powered pony slid past Seth Keck's yellow GT in round one with an 11.63 to 11.77 victory. |
 Florida normally gets a daily...  Florida normally gets a daily dose of afternoon showers, and Orlando Speedworld's quarter-mile was not able to recover in time to finish the race. Therefore you'll have to come back or come to Commerce, Georgia, to see who is the fastest gun as the Spring Break Shootout continues in the Peach State. | | |