Halsey prepares for San Antonio

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Halsey reflects on Farmington, prepares for San Antonio

(3-29-2008) STREET, MD – Back home at his northeastern Maryland residence, Jim Halsey reflects on his visit to the Tar Heel state, where he won an event that won't be soon forgotten. In what is becoming the most publicized 1/8 mile final round in recent memory, Halsey, along with local star "Tricky" Rickie Smith put on a side by side 3 second show at Farmington Dragway while competing in the original heads-up doorslammers club, Don Plemmon's Quick 8 Racers Association.

Take all the collective memories during his 2-day stay at the Mocksville, NC facility and Jim Halsey is no different than most everyone else in attendance, confessing that the final run of the night is what burns in his mind most vividly. Halsey lit up the night with flaming headers, and an eye-opening elapsed time of 3.95 @ 188mph, to Smith's runner-up time of 3.97 @ 186mph. As the parachutes fell limp in the shut down area, Halsey climbed out of his race car and exchanged pleasantries with Rickie Smith, a multiple champion of the Quick-8 series. "That must have been one heck of a show", Smith commented to Halsey, as the two shook hands and chatted about the run. For the fans who saw it unfold before their eyes, "Heck of a show" only scratches the surface.

The final run of the night, widely regarded as the first all-3 second final round in the history of nitrous doorslammers, was at the very least, the most stunning display of carbureted horsepower ever witnessed at Farmington. It would be unimaginable for many to realize that Halsey was actually trying to run quicker, but that is exactly the case. "That track was dynamite and we were trying to run even quicker, but we were a little soft in the clutch", commented Halsey. Quick to praise Don Plemmons for a first class show, Halsey confirmed his desire to return, and even hopes to attend the next Farmington Quick-8 if his schedule allows it.

Halsey, who took delivery of his current race car, a Tim McAmis-built 1968 Camaro in the spring of 2007, is one of just a handful of nitrous racers who is still willing to mix it up with the blower entries of Pro Modified's founding sanctioning body, IHRA. "I can't speak for the other guys, but I honestly feel like I've gained some ground on the blowers", says Halsey. "It's hard to tell for sure since I haven't competed against a blown car this year, but I've definitely stepped up my program", added Halsey.

Halsey and crew will travel to San Antonio, TX in less than two weeks to compete in the IHRA Amalie Oil Texas Nationals. The event will be run on an 1/8 mile format, of which Halsey has experienced recent success at Farmington, as well as a victorious finish in ADRL's season opener earlier this month. With IHRA's National Event opener on a fast approach, Halsey declares that he's going into San Antonio with an open mind, and leaving the same way. "After Rockingham we should be able to make a call", says Halsey. "If I'm running 6.0's and the blower cars are clocking 5.80's, I don't think I'll be running the entire IHRA circuit", commented Halsey.

No stranger to the IHRA winner's circle, Halsey is one of very few Pro Mod racers in recent years to put a nitrous car in the winner's circle when he drove his first McAmis Camaro to a national event win in Edmonton, ALB Canada in 2005. Impressive as his recent performance is, Halsey's current Camaro could stand to shed a conservative 80 pounds and still be legal within IHRA's minimum weight rule. If competitive against his blown opposition, Halsey intends to compete for the IHRA Pro Modified World Championship in 2008. In addition to IHRA sanctioned events, Halsey also plans a full circuit assault within the ranks of ADRL, as well as select Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod and Plemmons Quick 8 events.

Jim Halsey wishes to thank:

Cathy Crouse
Eric Davis
Allen Lay
Richard Crouse
Gene Fulton
Tim McAmis
Patrick and Constance Smith

Story and photos by Van Abernethy