Armen Maghdessian's ’55 Chevy was runner up in the Wild Street class, running a personal best 8.03.

Words by Tim Marshall
Photos by Tim Marshall and Shelly Kingsley

The annual meeting of the Pacific Street Car Association at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was its usual outstanding event with record times turned in this year. Al Jimenez blasted the Extreme Drag Radial class records at 7.504 and 191.10 mph with his ’ 72 turbo Camaro. Clint Hairston set the ET record at 6.284 while almost taking the speed record by putting it all together with an incredible 229.47 mph. Giuseppe Gentile still retains that one 229.57 mph. 

PRO STREET

Twelve of the finest Pro Street cars were on hand at the LVMS Strip and once again that feared 1974 El Camino of the Walker brothers with Randy Walker at the wheel set the pace at a fine 6.339/221.27. Bakersfield native Clint Hairston in the family turbo GTO was right there at a 6.399/224.70 to be the fastest qualifier too. Mr. Consistent, Tim Henry, was #3 at a 6.434/217.70, followed by Arizona’s Kelly Bluebaugh and crew chief Debra Woodard at 6.534 and 217.56 mph.

Alan Bessant’s bright red ’ 67 Camaro followed at 6.956, then Gary Soulages entered Pro Street with his immaculate 2004 Ford Lightning Truck which clocked a career best 7.157/193.63 for #6. Mike Maggio with Mike Bell tuning a brand new engine combination was working out the bugs with at a 7.248/172.23. Mack Moffat was next with his ‘95 Mike’s Transmission Corvette at a 7.424/150.40.

Joe Alsworth in the HWY69 38 Chevy Coupe was next at 7.450/161.27 mph. Tony Marino, driving John Scalpi’s famed ’ 57 Chevy, eased into the show at 7.663/178.14 mph for the #10 spot. The brand new ’ 86 Ford Mustang of Billy Dawood from La Mesa, CA, just got licensed on Friday and then he put the coal black car into the show at 7.722/184.79 mph. Eric DeRoche was the 12th car with his beautiful 2009 GTP.