continue it. I know there’ s a lot of cars coming to the World Series that were getting repaired and updated over the winter. I think we’ ve got some good things for the class going into the future.”
LIL GANGSTAS � One of the rising star classes in drag racing, Lil Gangstas, continued its Winter Series run at the U. S. Street Nationals with another diverse, stacked field that included anyone from Snowbirds winner Tommy Hoskinson to NHRA sportsman standout Randi Lyn Butner. A pair of northern natives met up in the $ 20,000 final round following a long day in the Florida sunshine, with Steph Mallais in his’ 88 Mustang getting the win over Chris Scarlata in his’ 70 Nova.
“ This is crazy to be with the 64 best cars,” said Mallais, who thanked partners All-In-One Auto, FuelTech USA, True North Turbo, and Priority Collision.“ It’ s a tough class. You get no time slips. You don’ t know what you’ re running. You’ ve just got to run it to the line and see who comes out on top. I went three rounds at the Snowbirds, so I’ m up there [ in the points ]. It’ s going to be a really good chase for the finish.”
� GRANTLEY SCHLOSS
PRO 275 � Brisbane, Australia’ s Grantley Schloss continued his winning ways in Pro 275, winning the U. S. Street Nationals for the second straight year in his ProCharged’ 67 Nova. The reigning Radial Outlaws Pro 275 champion qualified third and took out Paul Major, Ernie Damper, and Nick Lacerenza before pairing up with Texan Rick Bailey in the final round. Schloss reacted quicker and led the whole way, winning with a 3.748 at 200.68 to Bailey’ s 3.780 at 198.64.
“ To win one’ s always a stretch, but to go backto-back, it’ s crazy. It’ s a great, great feeling,” said Schloss, who thanked ProCharger, Pro Line Racing, LAT Oils, Ryan Rakestraw at RK Racecraft, Homier Fabrications, Spot On Performance, and his supporters in Australia.“ Qualifying was very tight, and everyone we were up against, we couldn’ t take lightly. The track was definitely the equalizer out there for us today. The radials raced in the heat of the day. Everyone slowed it down and most people got down, and it was all very, very close racing. I’ m just glad to be here.”
� BRIAN SHOOK
LIMITED DRAG RADIAL � Car owner and driver Tommy Youmans rolled into Bradenton with multiple cars in his Tommy Youmans Racing camp, but it was Youmans himself and his turbocharged, Pontiac-powered’ 70 GTO that parked in the winner’ s circle Sunday night. After qualifying No. 8 in Limited Drag Radial, Youmans started out in the 3.90s and ended up in the mid-3.80s by the final round. He defeated Scott Husted, Brandon Carter, Jamie Stanton, and Snowbirds winner Brian Weddle
� RONALD PROCOPIO
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