The 2016 Central States Superchargers season kicked off at Ozark Raceway Park in Rogersville, Missouri where fifteen blown hot rods packed the pits ready to entertain the crowd. This marks the fourth consecutive race season for this mid-west based group of outlaws fielding blown altereds and front engine dragsters burning both alcohol and nitromethane. Under hot and humid conditions and with track temperatures flirting with the 140 degree mark, it was time to bring these machines to life for the first of two qualifying rounds.

                After two sessions, Anthony Whitfield's "Mighty Mouse" led the pack with a 4.22 at 153 mph. Whitfield and company are sporting a new nitro burning small block Chevy combination between the frame rails, which produced some stellar header flames throughout the evening. Don Wilcox's "Show Me Thunder" clicked off a 4.610 at 151 mph to qualify second and Bill Seals "Sudden Debt" scored the third position with a 4.613 at 150 mph. Shelby Stepanek made her CSS series debut in the "Thunderstruck" altered from Nebraska, becoming the second female participant in series history. With eleven cars remaining, the field was set for the opening round of eliminations where the quickest four winners would advance to the semis.

Anthony Whitfield

FINAL QUALIFYING ORDER:

1. Anthony Whitfield - 4.21

2. Don Wilcox - 4.610

3. Bill Seals - 4.613

4. Howard Knowles - 4.664

5. Adam Smith - 4.666

6. Russell Ballew - 4.74

7. John Tappan - 5.07

8. Lee Loveall - 5.21

9. Shelby Stepanek - 5.29

10. Daniel Butherus - 5.44 (Broke)

11. Dave Gallegos - 5.45 (Broke)

12. John Umlauf - 5.66 (Broke)

13. Cory Holcomb - 6.95

14. Tom Butherus - 18.67

15. Sean Belt - No Time

Howard Knowles

Shelby Stepanek

                The beautiful new entry from crew chief Dale "Lurch" Wilkens and driver Howard Knowles, a nitro burner branded "Psycho Therapy", was out first against Shelby Stepanek. Knowles had engine problems after the burnout and was forced to shutoff, while Stepanek cruised to a winning 6.57. Russell Ballew in the "Ballew Thunder" blown slingshot dragster lined up with Tom Butherus' "Rude Rat" as Ballew's 5.00 at 136 took the win over Butherus' 7.97. John Tappan's Texas based "Time Warp" altered and Don Wilcox brought their altereds to the line as eliminations continued. Wilcox took a huge starting line advantage, but had issues down track and Tappan's 5.05 at 123 mph took the win over a 6.04.

Don Wilcox

John Tappan

                Bill Seals fired up next set to take on Lee Loveall who was making his CSS debut. Seals took the advantage off the line and never trailed, taking the round win with a nice 4.59 at 147 to Loveall's 5.06 at 134 mph. Anthony Whitfield benefitted from the bye run in the opening round and blasted to low elapsed time of the round with a 4.39 at 139 mph. In the final pair, Adam Smith's "Adam Bomb" blown front engine dragster rolled out alongside Texan Cory Holcomb. Smith was off the line first and posted a winning 4.72 at 147 mph to Holcomb's close 4.90 at 133 mph. Whitfield, Ballew, Smith and Seals were moving onto the semis.