News Article

6/24/10 Jauernig Returns to the Top at GIR

July 1, 2010
Sam Martin

The Tuesday Night Shootout Series at Gateway International Raceway was again delayed to Thursday, this time due to high temperatures on Tuesday. Darryl Jauernig took home the trophy in the Street Car Shootout, while Ed Biggs picked up the trophy in the Big St. Charles Motorsports Quick Street Bike Shootout. Capturing victory in the Showdown classes were Dan Harris in the Sport Tuner division and Ray Arthur in the Super Truck class.

Quicktime Motorsports Photo by Bret Kepner, BretKepnerPhotos.com

At the top of the qualifying list was a new name on Thursday night, Phillip Reichardt. The Festus, Mo. native qualified his ’67 Chevrolet Camaro at the top of the qualifying chart with an 8.40-second pass at 162 mph. In what may have been the most anticipated run of the night, Reichardt took on Jauernig in the first round of eliminations.

Jauernig was the underdog on the qualifying sheet, but he had yet to complete a “full pull” during qualifying. In eliminations Jauernig poured the coals to the Mustang, but it was all for nothing as Reichardt immediately began bellowing smoke from the tires. Jauernig again lifted at the top end of the track, but still managed an 8.39 at 154 mph. Tim Mallicoat Jr. defeated Eric Luig also in the first round of eliminations.

Ray Arthur Photo by Bret Kepner, BretKepnerPhotos.com

In the final round it was Jauernig and Mallicoat Jr. two of the most competitive drivers in the SCS. After the pair completed their burnouts and staged their cars something nobody expected happened. Jauernig was the first car off of the starting line. Mallicoat was quickly giving chase, but it was soon apparent that the difference would not be made up. Jauernig took the win with an 8.36-second elapsed time at 162 mph. Mallicoat trailed with an 8.56 at 156 mph.

With carnage still on the team’s no. one bike QuickTime Motorsports only brought one of the now famous red turbocharged Hayabusas. Biggs rode it to the top of the qualifying sheet with a 7.95 at 181 mph. Biggs matched up against GIR regular, Brandon Burgett.

Dan Harris Photo by Bret Kepner, BretKepnerPhotos.com

Burgett left first as Biggs was sure not to red light, but Biggs had the power to chase down Burgett at the top end of the track to take the win. On the opposite side of the ladder it was a single as Keith Bobo broke, giving John Chant a single pass. Chant still made a full throttle run to a career best 8.56 second pass at 166 mph.

In the final round the race ended on the starting line as Chant turned on the red light. Chant quickly went into a wheel stand and had to ease the power down on his Hayabusa. Biggs kept the throttle pinned and went on to his quickest pass of the day a 7.79 second pass.

The kings of the Super Truck Showdown lined up for the runoff on Thursday night. Ray Arthur and his “S-10 Revenge” Chevrolet faced off against Andy Rhodes ’82 Chevrolet S-10. Rhodes was off of the starting line first in his show quality S-10, but the small block powered beast of Arthur quickly passed him to take the win with a 9.37-second elapsed time.

The Sport Tuner Showdown saw a return of Harris’ “SixBangStang” to line up against the ’69 VW Beetle of Robert Baldwin of Glen Carbon, Ill. Baldwin’s Beetle struggled during the qualifying sessions, but the crew continued to work feverishly on the car to get it prepared for the runoff.

When the yellows flashed it was Harris off of the starting line first. Harris was on a great pass and the young driver from St. Louis was looking for his first 11 second pass. When the Scoreboard lit up it was agony for Harris with a 12.008 elapsed time. The run netted Harris another win in the Sport Tuner class, while Baldwin laid down his best pass of the evening a 12.31 at 109 mph.