Silver Dollar Showdown

[VRN Stephen]

As the Dyno Day is going on in Peachtree City, GA many racers are currently pulling into the track. One of those teams are the team of Vw Paradise making the long haul from Southern California. The weather is nice and warm with a wonderful breeze just enough to cool the sweat off your brow. Sunday's forecast looks to be 86 degrees with winds up to 5-10mph. Tonight from 5pm-9pm the track is open for test and tune and a round of qualifying for the Pro Stock Class. This evenings cool weather should post some low ET's for the Pro Stock cars and team Vw Paradise and team BRE Top Fuel Dragster.

If the BRE Dragster makes a pass later this evening the crowd is looking to see some 4' header flames from the 90% Nitromethane produced through this wild dragster. We will be providing updates and things progress here at the track. Stay tuned for more information.



3:30pm - Terry Mcmillon in his 1969 beetle is making his debut here today. This car is hand built by terry himself. It currently has 2387cc Auto Craft Case that posts around 6.90's in the 1/8th mile. I will try and do a photo shoot on this car tomorrow morning or later this afternoon so I can have some more information on this car later.


5:00pm - Terry Mcmillon makes a pass and is unable to shift into 2nd gear and aborts the run. This one clean sounding machine. Vw Paradise is prepped and ready to run. Team BRE are making final adjustments. It looks like the Dragsters are waiting a few hours until it reaches nightfall to make their passes. Alan Fore has also arrived in his Vw Notchback and is currently taking photos with Dave Cornpanzer with Ultra Vw Magazine. Many of the attendee's and spectators that participated with the Dyno Day are now arriving and checking out all of the racers making their test and tune runs for tomorrow's race.


6:30pm - Team Vw Paradise makes their first pass. It wasn't your typical Las Vegas style burnout but it was still a smokey one to about the 60ft marker. Kris staged fairly quickly and then the lights came down. The dragster was WIGGLE WAGGLING it's way down the track and posted a 4.474 @ 161.98mph. Halfway through the run the tires were shaking so much you could almost see daylight. It was an awesome run considering he had tire shake.


11:00pm - Well racing ended at 9:00pm and we are all relaxing and kicking back a few right now. I just finished editing some of the video footage from the BRE and Vw Paradise dragsters. You can find the link below for the video footage of both of their runs. BRE only ran to the 60ft and posted a 1.07 60ft time and clicked it soon after. Tomorrows action looks to be a good one with the BRE and Vw Paradise team going head to head.

Vw Paradise Video HERE

BRE Top Fuel Dragster HERE



12:30pm Sunday - The first heads up race between the BRE Top Fuel Dragster and California's own Vw Paradise has taken place. Vw Paradise walks away with the win light on a HoleShot win running a 4.520 @ 152.71mph. The losing BRE Top Fuel Dragster however walks away with low et posting a 4.425 @ 135.31mph. At the top end BRE had a few problems and broke some head bolts. They are in the pits fixing it as we speak. 1st round of Pro Stock has also taken place and current ECPRA Pro Stock Champ Warren Skaggs sit on top of the field running a 6.22.


2:00pm - Vw Paradise makes a solo pass and runs it in the 1/4 mile and posts a 7.07 @ 201.58mph and the crowd goes absolutely NUTS. Vw Paradise also did a classic half track burnout and left with the WHEELS UP at the launch. Warren Skaggs in the Pro Stock Class lowered his #1 qual with a 6.21 @ 109.33mph.


4:00pm - The match race is now over. Vw Paradise takes the win with a 5.70 @ 147.37mph and the BRE Top Fuel Dragster explodes around the 90ft marker. Warren Skaggs takes the Pro Stock win over Alan Fore. Warren ran a 6.20 @ 109.42mph to Alans 6.43 @ 108.55mph.

[VRN Stephen]

On Sunday March 12th, 2005 history was made in Reynolds, Georgia. Keith Bumgarner and Kathy Jacobs with K & L Motorsports and South Eastern Volkswagen Association (SEVWA) brought the first ever match race with the 2 fastest Vw dragsters in the world. The first is from Southern California and is a turbo charged dragster called Paradise Express. Driven by Kris Lauffer this dragster has been tearing up the west coast for years. This dragster was built by the team at Vw Paradise located in San Marcos, California. Kris alongside his brother Jason and father Scott truly have a top notch team and their success speaks for itself. Their competitor is hailing from the east coast located in Southern Florida. This particular dragster is of a totally different nature; it is not turbo charged, it is not naturally aspirated, it does not have nitrous. The Billet Racing Engines (BRE) Dragster is a Top Fuel Dragster fueled by 90% nitro methane and 10% methanol alcohol. Almost everything that you would find on a 7,000 horsepower Top Fuel Dragster in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) you will find on this BRE Top Fuel Dragster, except one thing. This dragster is powered by only 4 cylinders, and still manages to produce 4 foot header flames at the hit of the throttle just like the boys of NHRA do. These two teams have dreamed of match racing many times throughout the years and have even attempted to meet each other halfway across the United States in order to complete this one of a kind match race. On March 12th at the Silver Dollar Raceway that dream came true.

The weekend's event started with a test and tune session on Saturday evening. Many of the bracket racers and spectators for Sunday's event were already on hand to witness the Paradise Express and BRE Top Fuel Dragster make their test runs in the evening lights. Paradise Express was up first for his solo pass and clicked it off at the 1/8th mile and posted a 4.474 @ 161.98mph. Kris could have easily posted a 4.20 pass in the cool evening air but unfortunately at half track the dragster got out of the groove and Kris was fighting traction for the remaining portion of the run. A few hours later the BRE Dragster was in the staging lanes and the spectators were lined up at the fences at the start of this monster engine. The sound and feel of this nitro methane dragster made you think you were at a NHRA National Event with Tony Schumacher doing a 100 foot burnout. Driven by Roger Tanenbaum the BRE Team only decided to make a run to the 60 foot marker to see how the track was holding up. As a crowd of photographers lined the wall and hundreds of spectators watching in anticipation, Roger hit the throttle and took off like a rocket. In just 60 feet and in one second the BRE Dragster let everyone within 20 miles know that he had the baddest hot rod in town as he shook the ground and had 4 foot header flames burning nitro methane and methanol alcohol.

Both teams packed up for the evening and began to enjoy their evening over some food and for some, a relaxing beverage or two. On early Sunday morning the Silver Dollar Raceway was lined with cars, trucks, trailers, and most of all people. By 12:00pm over a thousand spectators were in the gates and standing at the fence as the Vw Paradise team and the BRE team staged their dragsters in the burnout box. With both dragsters doing side by side burnouts the ground was shaking, the crowd was cheering, and for some that were in the vicinity of the BRE Dragster their eyes were watering due to the nitro methane fumes coming from the exhaust. Kris staged first and Roger slowly moved his way into the staging beams. In less then 5 seconds history was made, Kris was out of the gate first with a .239 reaction time to Rogers .482 reaction time. Kris never looked back but he surely heard Roger coming, Kris took the win with a 4.520 @ 152.71mph and Roger posted a 4.425 @ 135.31mph. Team BRE was unable to make it to the 2nd run due to parts breakage and Team Vw Paradise ran a solo pass and posted a 4.630 @ 158.13mph in the 1/8th mile and a 7.073 @ 201.58mph in the ¼ mile. The third and final session both teams turned up the wick and went for broke. Vw Paradise smoked soon after they left the line and Team BRE was on a run until around 90 feet out; the engine gave and a huge fire ball was trailing the dragster as parts scattered in the left lane and Kris was driving through the wreckage. Kris got out of the throttle and coasted to a 5.70 @ 147.37mph. The first ever match up lived up to its expectations and the spectators would surely love to see more in the near future.

In the Pro Stock Class (3) cars made the trip to Georgia. Warren Skaggs from West Virginia, Alan Fore from South Carolina, and with the long haul David Delaney from Texas. Warren qualified #1 posting a 6.21 @ 109.33mph. Alan Fore qualified #2 and David Delaney had engine problems on his first qualifying pass and was unable to return. In the finals Warren Skaggs took the win with a 6.20 @ 109.42mph over Alan's 6.43 @ 108.55mph. In the Super Pro Class Mike Gagnier from Troutman, North Carolina took the win over Oscar Verdsjo-Batista. Mike dialed in a 7.10 and ran a 7.195 @ 88.77mph against Oscars dial in of 7.28 and ran a 7.418 @ 91.30mph. Mike Gagnier starts off the 2006 season with the SEVWA Points lead for the Super Pro Class. In the Pro Category the reigning champion Mel Shealy started off the 2006 season right where he left off in 2005, in winners circle and with the points lead. Mel was paired up against Larry Tucker in the finals with Larry dialing in a 8.69 and ran a 8.895 @ 74.46mph to Mels dial in of 7.94 and posting a 8.058 @ 73.58mph. Mel hasn't missed a beat since the 2005 season and looks to become the two time champion in the Pro Category. 2005 champion Tim Strickland looked to take the win in the Sportsman Category but a red-light start in the 2nd round took him out and Johnie Walker from Asheboro, NC took the win over Jim Skelton out of Georgia. Johnie dialed in a 10.55 and ran a 10.599 @ 61.28mph over Jims 9.95 dial in and posting a 10.192 @ 64.97mph.

In the Vintage Performance sponsored Street Car Challenge Showdown Mike Marchese took the overall win posting 3 consistent runs in the 12 second barrier. His 1966 beetle powered by a 2332cc weighed in at 1875lbs with the car and driver. His first run posted a 12.750, his second run was a 12.785, and his third and final run was a 12.908. Mike won the showdown on his overall average of 12.814. With over 13 entrée's in this first Vintage Performance Street Car Challenge this class was a success. K & L Motorsports looks to bring this class out again later this year. Stay tuned to www.sevwa.com for more information.

As the sun was setting and all the spectators left the track all that was left were Team BRE and Team Vw Paradise. As everyone got together to reminisce over the days activities both teams were presented with plaques from Keith and Kathy from K & L Motorsports to thank them for their participation in Silver Dollar Showdown and making history for their first ever match race. The next race for the South Eastern Volkswagen Association (SEVWA) will be at Farmington Motorsports Park on April 2nd.





Saturday's Vw Photos

Saturday's Test N Tune Photos (non Vw)

Sunday's Vw Photos

Paradise Solo Pass Saturday(VIDEO)

BRE Solo Pass Saturday (VIDEO)

BRE vs Paradise #1(VIDEO)

BRE vs Paradise #2(VIDEO)

Pro Stocks Qual #1(VIDEO)

More video and DVD information coming soon.