Shawn Barber's photo album (click to see pictures)
Shawn Is from Elsberry Missouri, born in 1972 and has been around motor sports most of his life. Shawn went Drag racing with his brothers, and around the farm in a cj 5, at age 13, started sharpening his driving skills. Shawn got into Truck Pulling with a 2 wheel drive 500 cu. in. injected engine. He then moved up to Outlaws with a 526 cu. in. Hemi and enjoyed pulling for the next couple of years.
In 1992, Shawn took his 1977 Ford f250 with a 400M to Bowling Green, MO. to run with the Missouri Mud Racers and he was now on his way in the mud. He built a 514 for his truck and added 39.5 boggers before selling it and stepping up to the rail classes. It was a rolling chassis, all it needed was a motor. Shawn put in an injected 427 with NOS and raced with GUMBO for the next couple of years. It was fun to drive and easy on parts.
Shawn’s need for speed grew as he watched the Open Class, so in September of 2002 he ordered a Power Pro chassis and started building. With the 427 out of his rail he changed pistons and rods and added an 8/71 blower. The car ran well, but after 2 years of racing the car with XMRO, GUMBO, Peat Monster, Overlanders, and National Events with NMRO (and leaning on it harder with every pass) the engine let go. A 555 went in, the blower got bigger and it ran faster. He was now competitive at the National level. After some detonation, and a broken rod. Shawn sat out the rest of that season.
Shawn had a pretty good idea what he needed for a power plant and started on it. He built a New Century 540 and came out stronger than ever. He won in Charleston, MS in 2008. Shawn holds the 125ft GUMBO track record at 1.730 and the 200ft class record at the Badlands in South Haven, KS. Shawn is looking forward to the new season and hopes to win a few more races.
