Drag Racing Action

Images Dave Kommel and John Charbonneau

After a postponement due to inclement weather, the 2025 edition of the Spell Paving Services Funny Car Chaos Classic presented by Vertex Roofers at the Texas Motorplex was held a few weeks later than the original date.

The change in dates didn’t seem to affect the car count or the fans showing up as full fields of floppers were on hand to battle it out in four separate fields.

After over three dozen cars made qualifying passes, the fields were set. The two top fields, A and B were heads up with C and D going off an index that was established from their qualifying times to make the racing as fair and equitable as possible.

Leading the Rodak’s Custom Roasted Coffee “A” field was part time NHRA driver John Hale from Midlothian TX with a 3.681 in the “Saye It Loud” Dodge. A tick behind Hale was Colorado racer Bill Bernard in the Mile High Crankshaft Mustang and Shayne Lawson in the “Man O War” Mustang was third at a 3.71. Holding down the quick “A” bump was Shawn Murphy from Milsap TX at a 3.814 in the “Hillbilly”.

As usual at the FCC, first round didn’t go to script as both Hale and Bernard were out of competition a little faster than they would have liked. Hale appeared to be on a winning run, but the errant Dodge crossed the centerline in what would have been a victory. Bernard lost to Oklahoma racer Brian Lewis’ “Grumpy” car with a mid five second run.

Lewis kept it up in R2 beating the “Hillbilly” car of Murphy and Lawson moved on with a win over Kirk Williams in a monster matchup. Lawson got the better light and won on a holeshot 3.711 to the better 3.70 of Williams.

Lawson ended up taking a solo run for the title as Lewis’s car had mechanical issues keeping the car from staging.

The Alkydigger “B” field, led by McKailen Haddock in the Concord Supply Inc Mustang was just as competitive as the “A” field with all but one car in the three second range during qualifying.

In round one the bump car of David Hill got around crowd favorite Ronny Young in the “Blue Max” Ford and Haddock put Colin Thomas on the trailer.

Haddock’s weekend came to an end in the semis as Hill put a huge holeshot on the Texas driver winning with a 3.805 to the much better 3.776 of Haddock.

The other semi final race had Texas racer Mike Irwin in the “Strange Behavior” Mustang defeating a red lighting Bob Alberty Jr in the “Thunderin Okie” Mustang setting up the final between Hill and Irwin.

In a close final Hill got the better light with a 0.031 to Irwin’s 0.081 but Irwin had the power in the “Strange Behavior” car and passed him for a 3.804 win to the 3.912 of Hill.

 

In the Wulff Pumps “C” field, after qualifying was over, the index for the eight cars was a quick 3.95. Jade Cook driving the team Nemesis car showed everyone the way to the winner’s circle running a string of low four second runs to take the field.

In the finals it was Cook up against Tony Arcuri in the “Firefighter” nostalgia Funny Car. Arcuri took a gamble on the tree and left 0.018 too soon giving Cook the win.

Finally the “D” field was won by long time racer Todd Simpson driving Mitch King’s “Bone Shaker” Pontiac. The Ponder Texas driver defeated the Justin Herbst driven “Executioner” Firebird with a 3.943 to Herbst’s 4.411.

If the four fields of Funny Car weren’t enough, Chaos president Chris Graves also had two fields of Nitro Chaos cars on hand to thrill the fans. Nitro Chaos, made up of Fuel Altereds and front motored dragsters has simple rules and rule #1 is you gotta run Nitro, and lots of it.

Taking the title in the McKinney Corp “A” field was Jake Sanders in “Menace” Top Fuel dragster owned by Dennis Mitchell. Jake, son of long time nostalgia driver Mark Sanders, defeated the “Showtime” AA/FA of Donnie Massey.

Sanders raced to a 3.710 win over the troubled mid six second run of Massey.

Sanders ‘win at the Texas Motorplex made drag racing history as it was the first time a father and son have both won a Chaos event as back in 2017 Mark Sanders won the “A” class in Funny Car in the “Mr Explosive” car.

The CP Carrillo “B” Chaos field was won by Jim Gilliland driving the “Psycho Too” AA/FA owned by Dale Wilkens. In the finals it was the AA/FA of Chuck Loftin the other lane and the race was one of the best of the night. Both drivers had similar reaction times and it was Gilliland nipping Loftin, 4.096 to a close 4.104.  

Also running at the Chaos were the Texas Drag Racing Association. The association  features a variety of cars from dragster to gassers and altereds. Three classes were competing during the Chaos

Winning the Presley Insurance Group NE3 class was Jerry Bowman in his purple altered over the ’55 Chevy of Nick Mears.

TDRA NE2 sponsored by John Ferry’s Aluminum Head Repair went to the altered of Adam Carson over Keith Darrow

Alkydigger Outlaw 460 went to Wes Baker over Dave Crow

“It was a long week for the CHAOS, but with the support of the racers and the hard work from the Texas Motorplex staff the racing on Saturday was some of the best we’ve ever seen,” Chaos president promoter Chris Graves said.  “There were several career best numbers and first time winners and we are just thankful that we were able to finally kick off the 2025 Funny Car Chaos and DMP Awnings Nitro Chaos seasons!”

 

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