150 Photos: Southeast Gassers Association Brings Period Correct Gassers Back to the Drag Strip

Drop the Hammer

The Southeast Gassers Association is sweeping the nation (or at least part of it) with cars that are built to 1967 NHRA gas class rules. These cars are insane, with high-winding, naturally aspirated horsepower, disguised as a 1960s power plant, backed by four-speed manual transmissions. Of course, modern tires and safety equipment are allowed in the series, but the rules package is extremely strict to preserve the true definition of a gasser and put on an awesome show. With ten races in seven states for the 2017 season, the series is drawing huge crowds and showing why the 1960s were the heyday of drag racing. The most recent clash came at Knoxville Dragstrip, located in Maynardville, Tennessee, and it drew 60 period correct gassers and thousands of spectators to watch the action.

The racing is split up into three classes, A/Gas, C/Gas and D/Gas, divided the way NHRA gas coupes and sedans were separated in 1967: the car’s cubic inch to weight ratio. A/Gas must weigh six pounds per cubic inch, C/Gas must weigh eight pounds per cubic inch and D/Gas must weigh ten pounds per cubic inch. So far, this has been a foolproof way to split up the Southeast Gassers series, and it makes for awesome side-by-side racing. The elapsed times are not shown, in an effort to give it an old school vibe and keep everyone guessing. The no-time tactic worked, as the crowds stayed glued to the stands until the final round of eliminations were complete. The anticipation was high for those final rounds after a long, hot day of gasser racing, but we’ll admit that we were sad to see the event draw to a close.

Todd Oden took the D/Gas victory in his 1958 Chevy called “Double XX” and traveled back to Leeds, Alabama with a big smile on his face after beating Doug Capps’ Mustang. As the crowd cheered for the heavy Chevy’s D/Gas victory, the C/Gas cars were warming the tires right behind them. Jared Bailey won the C/Gas category in a deadly consistent 1941 Studebaker coupe called “Hit Man”, while Michigan-native Rusty Sampsel in the “Bad Banana” 1955 Chevy gave it his best effort. Finally, the A/Gas cars rolled into the beams, with an intense crowd waiting for the drivers to bring up the rpm and drop the clutch for a side-by-side, Ford vs. Chevy battle. Jimmy Finley in the “Snake Bite” Mustang used all 427 cubic inches of Ford horsepower to outrun Chris Dunn in the small block-powered “Boogie Man” Chevy II. The sights and sounds of the Southeast Gassers race at Knoxville Dragstrip will be a lasting memory for thousands of spectators, and you can bet we’ll be dreaming of 10,000-rpm launches, dry hops and back-up girls for years to come.

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