The Southeast Gassers Association prides itself with authenticity and a healthy dose of “wow” factor, thanks to a fraternity of like-minded drag racers who battle it out on eighth-mile dragstrips all year long. The racing organization features a championship points series for all six classes, which include A/Gas, B/Gas, C/Gas, H/Gas, A/FX, and Super Stock. Each class has a very strict set of rules to keep the playing field even, while another aspect of the rules focuses on the appearance of the car. The bottom line is that every Southeast Gassers Association race car has a manual transmission, no matter what class it competes in. This, in itself, is enough to draw a crowd, but when you consider the outrageous horsepower these racers are squeezing out of old-school small- and big-block Chevys, it makes for an exhilarating experience, even as a spectator.
We were on hand to photograph the Southeast Gassers Association action at the 2025 Ram Clutches Nationals at Knoxville Dragway. There are plenty of Chevy combinations within each of the classes. You’ll see Tri-Five Chevys, Chevelles, Novas, and there is a flat black 1958 Chevy that gets everyone’s attention. It belongs to Todd Oden of Birmingham, Alabama, and this hefty hot rod runs in the C/Gas class, which requires the cars weigh 10 lb/ci. Todd has had a rough start to the 2025 season and had a long day of wrenching to put his “Double XX” Chevrolet in the winner’s circle. The runner-up in C/Gas was Ernie Smith in the “Saturday Night Special” Nova.
In B/Gas, it was a battle of two Novas. Ken Rainwater put the power to the ground in his bright red Nova, while Ted McKee struggled with clutch issues with his spare engine setup. Either way, it was a head-to-head final round, and another Chevy took home the victory. The top dogs of the Southeast Gassers Association come from the A/Gas category, as these cars weigh 6 lb/ci and make big-time horsepower. It was another all-Chevy final round as Leslie Horne’s 1955 Chevy called “Chick Magnet” outran the USA-1 Chevelle of Chase Howard.
If wheels-up, gear banging, high revving action is something you enjoy, then check out southeastgassers.com to find a race near you. There are videos all over the Internet from this racing series, but you must see it in person to get the full experience. This event series is packed with action, so check out some of our highlights from the 2025 Ram Clutch Nationals at Knoxville Dragway.
