Eddyville Raceway Park in Oskaloosa, Iowa, was lit up with excitement on Saturday, July 8th, 2023, as it hosted the annual Musco Lighting Night of Fire event. The night was filled with the electrifying energy of the Ozark Mountain Super Shifters (OMSS) series.
The OMSS, a touring stick shift drag racing series, is renowned for its no-electronics, stick shift-only brand of bracket racing. This group of drag racers that tours the Midwest is known for leaving a trail of long, smoky burnouts and high RPM, wheels-up launches.
The final round of the night was a sight for fans and racers alike, as brothers Marcus and Frank Allen faced off in a showdown, with their father watching from the sidelines. The Allen brothers, hailing from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Papillon, Nebraska, respectively, decided to ditch the dial-ins and bracket race. Instead, they opted for a “heads up” race, where the first to cross the finish line would take home the victory.
Greg Allen, the youngest of the Allen brothers, shared the emotional significance of the moment, “My dad stood right in the middle of the track behind the water box to watch. They both turned up the launch RPM and ran heads up to put on a show. It was a significant moment for our family – very special.”
In the final, Marcus Allen, driving his big block Chevy-powered Liberty 4-Speed-equipped Camaro, posted a stout 6.21-second pass at 109.25 mph. He narrowly edged out his brother, Frank, who clocked in at 6.25-seconds and 109.14 mph in his equally impressive Camaro.
Longtime OMSS racer Jim Klies didn’t leave empty-handed, taking the win in the consolation race. This marked the third points race of the season for OMSS, adding more heat to the competition.
The OMSS series has several more events left in its 2023 season:
– July 15—Cedar Falls, IA—Night of Fire
– July 29—Osborn, MO—US 36 Raceway
– August 5—Humboldt, IA—Humboldt County Dragway
– August 19—Eddyville, IA—World Fuel Altered Nationals
– September 2—Humboldt, IA—Humboldt County Dragway 60th Anniversary Race
– September 9—Havana, IL—Fall Nostalgia Race (Note: Sunday is the official rain date)
– October 14—Cordova, IL–Oktoberfest
This story was originally published on July 10, 2023. 
