Burnout competition heats up before storm

Cathy Spaulding, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·2 min read

Jun. 13—FORT GIBSON — David McCullough had to replace his tires midway through Fort Gibson's Burnout competition Friday night.

It was the second set of tires he had to replace, he said, adding the tread was about to pop on one and "the tread just went to pieces" on the other.

That didn't stop the Muskogee contestant from gunning his 1966 Chevy C10 pickup in the Burnout's second round.

The burnout drew 20 contestants, Fort Gibson Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amber Hunt said. Three competed in a loud pipes competition.

McCullough said Friday marked the third time he competed in the burnout, but he didn't do too well in the past. He said he expected to do better Friday.

"I fixed a few of the problems, so it should be a lot better," McCullough said.

Red and blue smoke came from behind Bixby entrant Doug King's car. He ordered them from a place in Australia that custom makes burnout cars. One tire had red tints, the other had blue tints.

"I've been in a few competitions last year, I'm just burning off what's left of them now," King said, adding that he won a few burnouts a few years ago with another car.

However top burnout honors went to Austin Moses of Muskogee with a Chevy Silverado. Tabitha Banks of Muskogee took second with a 1977 Ford Supercab.

Dust blew in from the north and storm clouds began to gather toward the end of the Burnout's first round.

The Loud Pipes competition came down to which vehicle makes the most noise: A Chevy Silverado, a Harley Davidson motorcycle, or a rickety old 1953 Ford F100 adorned with skeletons.

"Who would love to have those as a neighbor at 3 a.m," emcee Cliff Casteel said.

The old Ford, owned and designed by Benny Davis of Fort Gibson, placed first in the Loud Pipes.

Spectators lined Lone Oak and sat on two sets of bleachers to watch the competition. Hunt said town administrator James Walters arranged for the competition to be relocated there from Ross Street. It paid off, Hunt said.

"Look at that crowd," she said. "James Walters has been working on this set-up for about two years now, and he couldn't have been happier with how people are all spread out. "

The smokin' competition ended before storm clouds came in Friday night, prompting the chamber to postpone that Saturday's Historic Car Show to a later date.