OUTLAW FUEL ALTERED ASSOCIATION
JODY AUSTIN
A four-race season in the Good Vibrations Motorsports OFAA Championship series presented by Lone Star Forklift ended with a season championship for Jody Austin . The start of the group ’ s 24th season was delayed until May , but once the pipes were lit it was business as usual for the always entertaining series competing in the Southwest .
Austin and the “ BushWhacker ” team kicked off the season with a win at Xtreme Raceway Park , followed by a second consecutive victory at Mo-Kan Dragway in Missouri . Austin ’ s win streak ended in the semifinals at the third stop on tour , Ardmore Dragway ’ s Hot Rod Reunion .
The series returned to Xtreme Raceway Park for the two-day Championship Finals event in mid-September . Coming into competition , only 16 points separated No . 1 Austin from No . 3 Raymond Jones , with Aaron Morrow comfortably in second within striking distance . With two rounds of qualifying on tap for Friday night , the pressure was on , but by the end of the night , things would look a lot different for Morrow and Jones .
Morrow ’ s troubles started right off the bat with engine troubles on his first pass , which prevented him from making the call for the second session , losing those valuable points and qualifying a disappointing 10th in the 12-car field . For Jones , it was worse , as on his first pass the car went into tire shake and suddenly shot across the centerline , simultaneously shooting the left-side rear slick out from under the car , sending it wildly down the track with sparks flying into the night ’ s sky .
Jones walked away under his own power and was uninjured in the wild incident , but his efforts at the Championship Finals were over . Morrow and team led by car owner Terry Darby thrashed to get their engine repaired for eliminations on
Saturday , but odds were stacked against them at this point . Despite a strong effort , Morrow ’ s troubles continued with major engine damage in his winning semifinal match .
Meanwhile , Austin had clinched the title by winning his first-round pairing over Rick Lewelling , then defeated Donny McSwain in the semis to move into the finals against the “ Magic Dragon ” owned by Jody ’ s father Raymond Austin and driven by Mark Billington . Billington went on to win , as Austin ’ s car went up in immediate tire smoke at the hit of the throttle .
“ It was a great year for team ‘ BushWhacker ’ as we attended six races , went to four finals , set career-best numbers and never burned a piston or even a bearing all year ,” says Austin , who also won the “ A ” field at the World Fuel Altered Nationals in Eddyville , Iowa , in August . “ I must thank my wife of 43 years , Susan , for her support in our racing program . Steve Prince , my crew chief . Patrick Nixon , the car chief . Last but not least , Donnie Lawrence and Steve and Colton Coursey . Without this team , this wouldn ’ t be possible . I ’ d also like to thank all the sponsors and fans who support the Outlaw Fuel Altereds and World Fuel Altered Nationals . We ’ ve got big plans for next year and will be ready to go with one goal in mind : winning !” – CHRIS GRAVES DI
PHOTO : CHRIS GRAVES
104 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 164