OUTLAW 10.5
Jimmy Blackmon, from Rockmart, GA, stepped up in the second round of Outlaw 10.5 qualifying and took the number-one position with a 6.94-seconds pass at 193.40 mph in his ’92 Trans Am powered by a twin-turbocharged, 540 c.i. Chevy motor. Blackmon easily handled the ’93 Mustang of Miami’s Jimmy Hall in round one of eliminations, but fell victim to traction trouble in round two against fellow ORSCA regular Bobby Cole.
One of the sharpest-looking cars on the grounds at Orlando Speedworld had to be J.C. Richardson’s 1969 Camaro, which qualified 27th after making the trip down from Sutherland, VA. Richardson cut a great .004 light against eventual race winner Richard Sexton in the first round on raceday, but his 632 c.i. Chevy just didn’t have quite enough to hold Sexton off.
Rick Thornton was the early leader in Outlaw 10.5 qualifying and the 6.96 at 203.25 held up for the number-two spot behind Blackmon. Thornton’s Hurst, TX-based ’65 Vette was still in the running when the race was called off, having dusted off Delaware’s Harry Jarvis and his ’69 Camaro and Floridian Frank Mewshaw.
It says GTO up front, but Richard Sexton’s ride is motivated by a monster 870-cubic-inch motor built by Gene Fulton and based on a big-block Chevy design. After qualifying 6th, Sexton ousted J.C. Richardson’s ’69 Camaro from round one and Chicago racer Jim Robbins in a ’68 Camaro from round two. Sexton’s 6.981-seconds win over Robbins was just five-thousandths quicker than teammate Chuck Ulsch managed against Lawrence Berry and just enough to give him the nod for the rain-shortened event win.
