The 2014 season for Paul Gibbs and the Cuda Beast is starting to take shape, anchored by six races in a new promod series Paul envisioned and has brought to fruition, called Scenic City Thunder. The "Scenic City of the Southland" is a nickname for Chattanooga, Tenn., and the racing will take place at the strip run by the Brainerd Optimist Club of Chattanooga. It's Paul's home track, less than two hours from his home in Mineral Bluff, Ga. "It's like a dream come true to race locally," Paul said.
The track, which is just over the state line in Georgia, has been operated by the club since the late 1960s, first as a quarter mile. It was refurbished last year with a new surface and guardrails. Paul said the improvements led him to start pursuing the track to host a promod series. He said promods have raced there before, but not in a while. The last race there Paul remembers (he was sidelined with back problems and didn't enter) had David Elsberry beating Bil Clanton. He said the promod track record is 4.15, which should fall quickly.
The structure of the series, Paul said, is as follows: Quick 8 format, paying $3,000 to win, $1,500 for runnerup, $750 for quarterfinals, and $500 to qualify. If there are at least six cars that don't qualify, they can run in a consolation race for $1,000, winner take all. The races will be held the fourth weekend of the month, starting in April and ending in September. The track will open Friday for parking and testing, with all qualifying and racing on Saturday. Paul said the racing will unfold in two-hour intervals: three rounds of qualifying -- 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., first round at 5 p.m., second round at 7 p.m., and finals around 9 p.m. The three rounds of qualifying should give Saturday arrivers at least a couple of shots at making the field, and shooting for a 9 p.m. final would get everyone loaded up and headed back home at a decent hour.
The big distinction for this series, and what Paul says will be a big part of its appeal, is a ban on screw blowers. Paul said this will give teams without sponsors or deep pockets a much better shot at winning. Scenic City Thunder is in a good position to fill a void created when a no-screws series in the Carolinas ended its run last year.
The Beast is ready to go, set up for a late-December race in Florida that didn't work out. Paul said he has one valve in the engine he wants to replace, but that's it. The Beast's first definite appearance will be the Scenic City opener April 25-26, but there is a no-screws race in the Carolinas in March that is a possibility.
It's shaping up to be an interesting year. The race fliers should be ready soon.
