Wet and Wild: Super Chevy Show Martin, Michigan

Yes, it took a while for the track to dry. And, yes, the show field was a little squishy underfoot, but to the loyal participants of the Super Chevy Show at Martin, Michigan's US 131 Dragway, it wasn't an unfamiliar scenario.

It seems like the last few times the SCS has blown into Martin, so to has a string of summertime thunderstorms. Nevertheless, attendance was strong from car show participants, spectators and, especially, the drag racers.

We suspect Martin's recent track and facilities re-do has much to do with the SCS' continuing popularity--no longer to car show participants have to bump down a duty entrance road. It's all paved now and believe us, if you haven't been to Martin for a few years because of the old set-up, try it again in '05--you won't even recognize the place!

The swap meet was probably the best we've at Martin and the car show had one the best collections of high-caliber cars we've seen in a long time, but we have to give it up to the racers. From the local bracket heroes to the Chicago Outlaws, as well as the outrageous Nitro Coupes and jet cars, wheels-in-the-air racing is non-stop.

Well, it did stop a couple times when one of the Outlaws' tire-bouncing launches sent him into a brush with the retaining wall and one of the Nitro Coupes got a little singed at the top end of the track, but those were minor diversions in otherwise clean weekend of heads-up racing.

But perhaps the crowd favorite was local hot shoe Mike Tafil, whose home base was literally just up the road a few minutes from the track. He piloted a thundering '85 Monte Carlo that packed an alcohol-sipping, injected 509. The big-block was pumped up with two 76-series turbos, which Tafil says gives the combination nearly 1,700 hp at 18 pounds of boost. With a long, funny car-style rear wing to keep the tail end from lifting the aerodynamically challenged Monte off the ground, Tafil's best e.t. in the car is a blistering 7.40! We couldn't help but give the car one of our Editor's Choice awards.

There were equally stunning cars in the show field, including Tim Roberts's gorgeous Pro Engineered '67 Vette and Brian Cornish's understated Pro Touring-style '69 Camaro. Both cars garnered more than one trophy for their owners over the weekend.

But, as in the last couple of years at Martin, black clouds threatened in the early afternoon and made good on those threats by mid-afternoon. The rain may have brought the Martin SCS to an earlier end, but it was hard to dampen the enthusiasm from one of the Super Chevy Show's oldest and most popular stops.

Here's to hoping the '05 event will be a little drier. See you there!

Drag Car Editor's Choice recipient Duke Lopez poses with his 427-powered '64 Corvette.	Gary Rentsman, from Greenville, MI, took home one of our Editor's Choice awards for Drag Cars. His gorgeous, blown, 502-powered '64 Nova runs 8s.	Another of our Editor's Choice Drag Car awards went to Dennis O'Conner and his '63 Chevy II, which is powered by a healthy 502 crate engine.
Josh Henline brought his '78 Malibu up from Rossford, OH. With a 385 small-block, a Holley blower and a shot of nitrous, the Malibu runs 9.80s. We gave one of our Editor's Choice awards.	The engine compartment of Mike Tafil's '85 Monte Carlo SS looks like the pipe fitter's dream. Beneath that plumbing lies an electronically injected 509 rat motor, fed by two 76-series turbos and burning alcohol. The system is good for about 1,700 horses at 18 pounds of boost. The car runs in the mid-7s!	Tremec Transmissions sponsors the SCS Car Show Series and gave away one of their coveted T-56 transmissions at Martin.
Pro Engineered awards of the event went to Tim Roberts, of Kalamazoo, MI, and his stunning '67 Corvette.	The Tomasino team preps their '69 Camaro Nitro Coupe for battle. The car qualified at 6.59 and better than 208 mph.	Canadian racer Bruce Boland's '53 Corvette is one of the best looking Nitro Coupes on the SCS circuit. He qualified with a 6.75 e.t. at 211 mph.
If you're looking for iron, don't venture under the Brodix tent--it's all-alloy there.	Brian Cornish's slick '69 Camaro grabbed more than a few awards at Martin. The Pro-Touring RS has tons of subtle details. Check out those later-model mirrors, for example, which look right at home on the first-gen F-car.	Interestingly, almost every car in the Tremec-sponsored Gold Class at Martin was a Chevelle SS. Go figure.
Chevy produced 3,675 RPO Z11 Indy Pace Car replicas in 1969, and they grab our attention whenever we see one.	Editor's Choice Car Show--Saturday	Other awards--Saturday
John and Angie Gleason's, Grand Rapids, MI-based '68 Camaro RS is a stunner. Besides is smooth look, it's powered by an LS1 engine that's backed by a 4L60-E automatic and a 3.73-geared 10-bolt rearend.	When it wasn't raining, participants soaked up whatever sunlight they could.	No, there are no bowties on these vehicles, but they're pretty darn cool looking nonetheless.
The Corvette showing was strong. Check out the blue 454 car in the foreground the red-and-white Pace Car clone next to it.	The Martin show field was well stocked, if a little soggy.	John Shrewsbury's fantastic, flamed, Pontiac, IL-based '66 Chevy II is a regular sight at Midwest Super Chevy Shows. Attending the SCS is the best way for us editors to find feature cars for the magazine.
Though not a huge contingent, trucks nevertheless made a healthy showing at Martin. These clean classics were the best of the bunch.	The threat of wet weather didn't deter the racers. The staging lanes were packed all weekend.	The wheels-up antics of the Chicago Outlaws pleased everyone in the stands.
Tim Oros, aka "Mr. Wondeful," wrinkles the rear hides on his '69 Camaro--one of the crowd-pleasing, wheels-yanking Chicago Outlaws.	Winners--Sunday	Winners--Sunday
Winners--Sunday