(Words and photos by Doug Gregory) – There are two non-straight-axle cars in my coverage of SAM at this event. That’s just how it is so you can accept it, get over it, get in a huff about it or whatever. So there.
Basically the rulebook for SAM is pretty short and there are three main requirements to run with them:
- It has to have a straight axle.
- It should have doors (T-buckets can squeeze by).
- Have fun.
They run on an index system in .25 increments to keep it from being a checkbook race and early round close match-ups. Other rules include things like no EFI allowed, no modern engines, basic safety requirements, etc.
I followed Mikey Brown’s build of ‘The Six Offender’ on social media and was eager to see it in person. It’s powered by a healthy Chevy six/PG combination and looks amazing in the sunlight. Yes it is a straight axle car and it does have doors and Mikey is definitely there to have fun. His plans are to drive the wheels off of it every change he gets.
Last year Al Morgan bought ringleader Tony McConnell’s ‘Falcon Around’ and transformed it into a safer and much-quicker machine. While it was Tony’s it was plenty entertaining in its own right pulling the wheels high on every launch, but it had some sketchy attributes.
Bryan Figg stepped up his game in the Dirty Bird Falcon and has that thing pounding the ground a whole lot quicker. I am pretty sure I saw a 5.7x pass which puts it in the top 3 or so quickest cars of the bunch. I’m hoping for a grudge race next year between it and Josh Embry’s ‘Honest Abe’ Henry J. I think it’ll be a really good matchup with neither seeming to have a real edge over the other.
Look out for the next and last gallery covering this Straight-Axle Mafia at US60 Dragway event…!
