RPM Magazine June 2022

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june 2022 | RPM Magazine

RPM Magazine is a REGISTERED TRADEMARK of Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. RPM Magazine is a worldwide motorsports publication distributed online.

EDITORINCHIEF.............................................................. CHRIS BIRO EDITORRPMMAG.COM V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS..................TRISH BIRO TRISHRPMMAG.COM EVENT MEDIA..................................................EVENTSRPMMAG.COM EVENT SUBSCRIPTIONS COORDINATOR...........SHERRIE WEBER SHERRIERPMMAG.COM ART DIRECTOR............................................................ JIM MCHARG PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTIONS: MARK GODRAGRACING. ORG, GEORGE PICH, MATT WOODS, MATT TROMBLEY, LOUIS FRONKIER, BLAKE FARNAN, JERRY GARRISON, NEIL ZIMBALDI, EDDIE MALONEY, WES TAYLOR, STEVEN TAYLOR, DAVID GATES, AND ANDREW RADIOTIS EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: CHUCK SCOTT, MARK GODRAGRACING.ORG, TIM BIRO, STAN SMITH, JT, GEORGE PICH, JAY MISENER, EDDIE MALONEY, WES TAYLOR, AND SCOTT FORBES TECHNICAL WRITING CONTRIBUTION: CHUCK SCOTT, SHANE TECKLENBURG, TIM BIRO AND JAY MISENER

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CONTACT TRISH BIRO...........................519.752.3705....... TRISHRPMMAG.COM

SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER: CHRIS BIRO EVENTSRPMMAG.COM SPECIAL EVENTS SALES: TRISH BIRO: 5197523705 TRISHRPMMAG.COM SUBSCRIPTIONS/ADDRESS CHANGES: CIRCULATION CIRCULATIONRPMMAG.COM GENERAL INQUIRIES: 519.752.3705 INFORPMMAG.COM

To subscribe to RPM go to www.rpmmag.com or email Trish Biro at trish@rpmmag.com, or call 519752-3705.

The focus of RPM is to bring a diverse mix of high performance street and race automobiles to life within its pages including race cars, muscle cars, hot rods and street legal machines with an emphasis on the “EXTREME,” including fast doorslammer and outlaw forms of drag racing. Not familiar with these types of cars? They are considered to be the top-shelf of the industry and are on the edge with regard to design, performance, and power!

RPM Magazine does not sell its mailing list or share any of the confidential information regarding its subscribers.

RPM Magazine has been a world leader in motorsports publishing for 23 years and has support locations in Ontario, Canada, Alabama, Texas, and Virginia, along with contributing writers and photojournalists worldwide.

If you have a story that may fit within the focus and scope of RPM Magazine’s coverage, please email our Editor In Chief at editor@rpmmag.com. Submission of an article does not guarantee that it will be published.

Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. (RPM) / RPM Magazine IS NOT responsible for errors or omissions in ANY advertisement or article.

Advertisements may be rearranged or altered at the sole discretion of RPM to allow the ad to fit in the space purchased by the advertiser.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY ADVERTISING WHICH WE CONSIDER TO CONTAIN MISLEADING, OFFENSIVE OR FALSE INFORMATION. REPRODUCTION OF ANY INFORMATION HEREIN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.

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Chris Biro Editor’s Page

AED Competition ................. 92

Moroso Performance ........... 22

AFR: Air Flow Research

Moser Engineering ........24,53

.................................. 5,48,89

What’s Old Is New if you haven’t read it yet!

Over the coming months we will be hosting some of our past issues of RPM Magazine in this section. If you haven’t read them yet, they are new to you! If you have, maybe there’s a favourite car/story you want to read again….here they are!

AJE Racing........................... 94 American Racing Headers ... 85

Northern Radiator .............102

Baer Brakes ...................45,68

Parts Pro/Total

BES Racing Engines ............. 16

Truck Centers .....................118

Billet Specialties .................. 24 Bill Mitchell Products ....40,64

Profiler ................................ 86

Burns Stainless .................... 28

PRW-USA ............................ 17

C & S Specialties .................. 41

Race Part Solutions .......10,76

Callies Performance Prod..... 17 Calvert Racing Suspensions ... 43

RAM Clutches ...................... 59

Clearshot Customs.............105

RCD ..................................... 88

Deez Performance ............... 41

RM Racing Lubricants .......... 44 Ross Racing Pistons ..........7,82

E3 Spark Plugs...................104

RPM

ECAM .................................. 96

Magazine ...... 46,49,84,103

Erson Cams.......................... 44

RPM Magazine

GoDragRacing.org .............106 Granatelli Motorsports ........ 67

Subscribe! .....................31,76

GRP Connecting Rods .......... 65

Summit

Harland Sharp ..................... 13

Racing Equip. ....85,108,117

Hitman Hotrods................... 86

T & D Machine ..................... 85

Hughes Performance.............. 7 Ian Hill Racing ...............82,96 Icon Forged Pistons ............. 94

The Supercharger Store ....... 96 Thermo-Tec ......................... 17

Induction Solutions ............. 47

Ti64 ..................................... 84

Jesel .................................... 71

Total Seal Rings ................... 42

Joe Van O............................. 86 JW Racing Transmissions ........ 5 Kinsler Fuel Injection.....13,87

Trailer Alarms.com .............. 23 TREMEC .............................106

LenTech Automatics ......11,97

Trick Flow ................... 15,106

Liberty’s Gears..................... 89

Tuned By Shane T ................ 88

Lokar Performance .............. 97 Lutz Race Cars ..................... 16 Magnaflow.......................... 92

Ultimate Headers ................ 93 VFN Fiberglass Inc. .............. 23

MagnaFuel .......................... 29

Vortech .........................45,87

MAHLE Aftermarket ............ 66

VP Racing Fuels ................... 35

Manton Pushrods ................ 62 Mark Williams ..................... 92 Maxima Racing Oils ................ 2

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Rage Wraps ......................... 24

Canton Racing Products ...... 37

Design Engineering ............. 69

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PBM Products...................... 97

BoulandMotorsUSA.com ..... 84

Derale ................................. 36

KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST IN HARDCORE HORSEPOWER...SUBSCRIBE!

Neal Chance Converters....... 91

Weinle Motorsports ............ 48 World Domination

Metal Products .................... 93

RPM ..................................890

Meziere Enterprises ............. 63

World Products.................... 23

Misener Motorsports ........... 70

ENFORCER-HALF

JW-PERFORMANCE

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2022

Often Imitated, Never Duplicated—For 23 STRAIGHT YEARS RPM Magazine has been the ORIGINAL Voice Of Wild Street Machines and Extreme Drag Cars WORLDWIDE! Don’t Settle For Less! We DELIVER Insane Fast Cars and Bring You NO POLITICS... JUST ACTION! Your ONLY “Real Time” “Real World” Car Mag...PERIOD!

Slow Cat..................................................................

54 Don’t let the name fool you, this twin turbo Mopar is a hardcore hitter!

Red Rocket .................................................................................................... 8

Girl Power ....................................................................................................78

Sharon Thomas turned her $150 barn-find Malibu into a potent ProCharged big tire warrior!

This big inch big block Fox Body gulps enough nitrous to knock out a small town!

The Black Queen ...............................................................................32

Coyote Mach ..................................................................................... 100

This stock, class legal Mach 1 runs in the 9s, with no power adder!

This wicked jet black nitroused Colorado is certainly no princess!

Read COMPLETE ISSUES OF RPM MAG online at www.rpmmag.com 6

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+

CUSTOM IN STOCK PISTONS ROSS RACING PISTONS HALF

TRUSTED BY THE FASTEST RACERS, ELITE ENGINE BUILDERS AND HIGHEST HORSEPOWER MACHINES ON THE PLANET, FOR OVER 40 YEARS!

WWW.ROSSPISTONS.COM | 310.536.0100 SALES@ROSSPISTONS.COM ONLINE

FACEBOOK.COM/ROSSPISTONS @ROSSPISTONS

HUGHES PERFORMANCE HALF

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Story: George Pich Photos: Jerry Garrison

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IAN HILL RACE PARTS 2

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Travers Scott helps build custom homes by day, but his side gig has everything to do with horsepower!

T

he humble Californian got an early start as a young boy watching his uncle Baja racing.

“He had a ’28 Ford truck that was in the magazines and was modifying Baja bugs and dune buggies and always took the time to involve me,” Travers remembered. As he grew up his appreciation of cars grew as well. His best friend’s dad had a ’67 Camaro, and

being typical car-crazy teens, when his buddy’s dad was out of town, they would regularly disconnect the odometer, throw some slicks on it, load the backseat up with three or four people and go look for races around town. Travers continued to enjoy cars, but ventured into most anything with an internal combustion engine; getting his first car (a 1968 Camaro) at 16 and

LENTECH 6TH

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slamme

to the w

then desert racing motorcycles and even jet boats!

He installed a 250-shot of nitrous oxide on his first jet boat and that would firmly set the hook for his love of nitrous, and he’s been dedicated to it ever since. By 25, he had built a mid-9-second Camaro drag car, but after12

wards would take almost 20 years away from racing to raise a family.

As his kids grew and went off in their own directions, Travers knew he wanted to get back in the driver’s seat of something fast. Since he still had the Camaro, he and his buddy Johnny made

june 2022 | RPM Magazine

ed

weeds

KINSLER HALF

....courtesy of a full Willie Rells chromoly chassis. The Coupe is an original steel body and quarters with fiberglass doors, trunk and nose. Body and paint was done by SoCal Paint.

HARLAND SHARP

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The 565 big block towers above the hood line of the custom onepiece front end. Having the liftoff front provides easy access to the engine and nitrous systems.

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Put the Hammer Down.

You don’t cut corners or accept compromises.

Use the best parts, like Trick Flow GenX® 255 square port cylinder heads that can significantly increase the performance of your GM LS-powered car.

Highlights include LS3-shaped CNC Competition Ported runners, CNC-profiled combustion chambers, 12° valve angles, coolant holes that work with all LS head gaskets and engine blocks, and your choice of standard or 6-bolt mounting patterns—all engineered, machined, assembled, durability tested, and dyno proven in the USA to help your car stay ahead of the pack.

Dyno Results

Airflow Results

GenX 255 Square Port

GenX 255 Square Port

Lift Value

Intake Flow CFM

Exhaust Flow CFM

.100"

71

59

.200"

146

113

.300"

231

171

.400"

294

215

.500"

334

240

.600"

363

252

.700"

382

258

TRICKFLOW FULL

Test Engine: GM 6.2L LS3 short block with 10.43:1 compression, Trick Flow GenX® 255 square port cylinder heads (TFS-3261T002-C01), Trick Flow Track Max® hydraulic roller cam (TFS-32603001), stock L92 intake with 90mm throttle body, Kooks headers with 17⁄8" primaries, and dual exhaust with 3" Flowmaster mufflers.

Tests conducted at 28" of water (pressure).

Bore size: 4.065"; exhaust with 2" pipe.

Your Recipe for GM LS Performance!

New heads are just one component of the horsepower recipe. To make it complete, you’re going to need some more ingredients.

Track Max® Camshafts Give your GM LS an even bigger power boost with a Track Max camshaft. Available in several hydraulic roller designs up to 230°/238° duration and .625"/.625" of lift, they are dyno proven to produce significant power increases over the entire RPM range.

Active Fuel Management and Variable Valve Timing Delete Kits The problem: most performance camshafts don’t work on engines equipped with AFM or VVT. The solution? Ditch them with these delete kits! They include everything to completely remove AFM and VVT the right way so your engine will make the power you expect with no hiccups.

Cylinder Head Bolt Kits Keep combustion where it belongs! These high-quality cylinder head bolt kits provide consistent clamping force. The bolts are made from premium quality alloy steel with cold-formed heads and rolled threads. The kit contains all the bolts you need to install a pair of heads.

TrickFlow.com 1-330-630-1555

2207RPCT

Some parts are not legal for sale or use on any pollution-controlled motor vehicles.

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It was simply a work of art...

T R AV E R S S C O T T

BES RACING ENGINES

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a list for a new motor build but soon realized it would rip the Camaro apart. “It was going to cost too much to make the Camaro safe and I made the decision that I needed a new chassis.”

During his visits to the machine shop, Travers often noticed a new build

on the rack covered in dust. It sat there for 10 years or so and he always had an interest. One day he mentioned something to one of the workers who ended up talking to the owner about it, and as it turns out, the chassis was one of the last Willie Rells chassis to

The 565-inch big block Chevy sports an aluminum block and heads and is topped by twin Holley 1050 carbs.

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nothing to hide here

The fun continues with 3 Induction Solutions nitrous systems; two direct port and one Punisher plenum system.

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be built. “It was simply a work of art,” Travers explained. “And because I was one of the only people that showed genuine interest in the car and didn’t try to beat the owner up over the price, he decided to sell it to me.” Rells was local to Travers and one of the country’s top chassis builders that, with some of his innovative designs, helped set standards that the NHRA still uses to this day.

“Unfortunately though, I am a Chevy guy and it had a Mustang body, but because the work was so exquisite I looked past it being a Mustang and actually started to develop a spot in my heart for it,” Travers added with a chuckle.

But make no mistake, the Mustang would be powered by a big block Chevy on nitrous…lots of nitrous!

Five months later, after working day and night, the Mustang was ready to go. After a few “systems check” runs up and down the street it was loaded up to hit the track where Travers made his

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A top-shelf Willie Rells chassis is complemented by meticulous tin work throughout the interior.

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first 1/8th-mile run for licensing; a 5.08 at 132MPH. “It was such an amazing feeling!” he exclaimed. Today, the Mustang runs deep into the 4-second range clocking a best of 4.38 at 162MPH with a 1.02 60-foot time and is known to be a solid

contender in heads-up and no-time drags.

The Rells chassis is a full chromoly tube chassis with fabricated staggered front suspension and custom 4-link/coilover out back that hangs a Fab 9 housing with 4.30 gears and gun-drilled

PUMPS R E T A W ELEC TRIC MOROSOOW6TH ER! ORSEP

lu RO yP TATE S for Eas

MOROSO PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS

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sin Ho u

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ing

FREE UP H

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WWW.MOROSO.COM

Except for the Racepak dash, most of the electronics are neatly fixed to the passenger side firewall area.

WORLD PRODUCTS

VFN CARD

TRAILER ALARMS CARD

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Travers Scott’s 1985 Mustang Body & Paint:

Was there a special reason to build this car?

Glass Steel body tub with Hairy Glass front end, doors and trunk. Paint by SO Cal.

Chassis Modifications: Willie Rells full chromoly tube chassis certified to 6.0.

Suspension: Staggered front with Strange Pro Mod shocks, 4 link with Penske coilovers on the rear.

Engine: 565 inch big block Chevy. Brodix hipped block 9.8 deck, 55 millimeter cam tunnel. Callies Magnum crank, GRP aluminum rods, Diamond Racing pistons, Clevite bearings and Total Seal rings. Reher Morrison 12° Raptor 2 heads with T&D rockers, Manton pushrods, Victory valves, PAC springs and retainers. Meziere water pump, Product Engineering vacuum pump and ATI balancer. HRE aluminum intake manifold with two Holley 1050 dominators. Magnafuel 500 pump.

Power Adder: Two Induction Solutions direct port systems and a Punisher plenum system.

Transmission: BTE transmission with Sonnax Internals. PTC two piece converter, Bonnifante billet flexplate, aluminum driveshaft. TCI shifter.

Rear Differential: Fab 9 housing with big ring gear 4.30 ratio and Strange gun-drilled 40 spline axles.

Tires & Wheels: Rears are Bogart beadlocks with Mickey Thompson 32x14x15 tires.

I built this car to pursue my passion and to take on a hobby. I can appreciate how challenging drag racing is, it takes a miserable amount of work to get subtle changes and I love it!

How long did it take to build the car?

It took five months to get it going and I have owned it six years now and have constantly made upgrades.

Thanks To: I am so blessed to be surrounded by people that I love and respect. Johnny Motorhead is a huge reason for the cars consistency and reliable power. Gary Burk, you are amazing and I appreciate you so much for the passion and the help with everything. These two guys are my team and without them there would be no team. TB Metalworx, I can’t thank you enough for letting me mob to your shop and your exquisite freestyle fab work with the endless hours of fabrication you’ve done for me and have helped me with. Papenhausen Construction, thank you for your sponsorship and understanding of how idiotic drag racers are and bearing with me ALL the times I leave early.

RPM Machine, thank you for all the trick components that you put out and give me the bro deals.Thank you compound Restorations. Thank you Maxima Racing Oils, Jim at O’Reilly and Marty at Plex Products. Thank you to my wife Becky for putting up with my compulsive exhausting compassion for the sport and letting me embrace my hobby. Thank you to Barona, Irwindale, Bakersfield and Sacramento dragstrips, and any others that I am missing on the West Coast. This is a dying sport and we need to stick together to keep it alive! Thanks also to Chuck at Performance Transmission for rebuilding a reliable race transmission and Jimmy Brown for his support.

Interior & Electronics: MSD 600 individual coil pack ignition, Grid, Racepak, Leash stage controller, Davis profiler.

ET & MPH: 4.38 at 162MPH in the 1/8th. 1.02 60 ft. 2.89 125.

RAGE WRAPS CARD

MOSER CARD

moserengineering.com

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RPM TARGET MARKET

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this

rocket launcheshard 26

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40 spline axles. The body is an original Mustang steel tub and quarters with Hairy glass front end, doors and trunk lid, and the car definitely takes advantage of the weight portion of the “how to go quicker and faster” equation.

The 565-inch BBC started with a Brodix hipped 9.8 deck block with 55 millimeter cam tunnel. A 28

june 2022 | RPM Magazine

forged Callies Magnum crank spins GRP aluminum rods with Clevite bearings pinned to custom nitrous application Diamond pistons with Total Seal rings.

Reher Morrison 12° Raptor 2 heads were studded in place and are equipped with Victory valves, PAC springs and retainers, T&D rockers, and Manton pushrods.

An HRE aluminum

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A custom staggered strut suspension with rack and pinion steering were used up front while a 4-link/coilover setup hangs a Fab 9 housing packed with 4.30 gears, a spool and 40 spline axles out back.

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intake is capped with twin 1050 Holley Dominators fed by a MagnaFuel 500 pump. The icing on this already high power cake is, of course, nitrous! For the extra hit Travers relies on three systems of Induction solutions juice; two direct port systems and a Punisher plenum system.

Backing the heavy duty big block is a heavy duty transmission from BTE built with Sonnax Internals that’s mated to a PTC two-piece converter, billet flexplate and custom aluminum driveshaft.

The quality of the chassis is evident inside the Mustang as you’re greeted by a maze of chromoly bars and topshelf tin work. There’s zero remnants of an original Mustang here, just stuff to get from point A to B in a hurry.

A TCI shifter, fire suppression system and slew of passenger side firewall-mounted electronics are most notable along with the sizeable rear wheeltubs that house the 32x14 Mickey Thompson slicks.

When it comes to drag racing and winning and losing, Travers has a solid perspective he takes along with him in life and racing; “This is a humbling sport and you’re probably going to lose a lot more than you win. We have had a lot of awesome memories. Winning against JJ Da Boss and taking some of that TV money was pretty good, but every day I get up and have friends and family around me is a win for me. I expect to lose a lot more and win a few more. I have so much respect for anyone racing at all levels. I enjoy lining

up against cars of higher caliber and a better skill set. To the racing family and racing fans, thank you for letting me be a part of it, thank you to all the promoters who gave us racing on the West Coast and thank you to all the photographers who showcase and display my passion and hobby. We’re about maxed out with the car but have a little bit more to get out of it and we’ll probably stay at this level.

One thing’s for certain though, when you line up against the Red Rocket you better be nervous…and that’s a fact!”

RACETRONIX HALF

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Race fever had its grips on Ray Rubio long before he began racing at age 19

P

uerto Rico is a hotbed for drag racing, not to mention a hot rod community rich in history and culture.

During Rey’s childhood he would watch his family race some fast cars at both Salinas and Carolina Speedway in Puerto Rico and in 1999, Rey built a wicked small block powered Camaro of his own that ran deep into the 9-second zone on a small shot of nitrous oxide.

He campaigned that car for the better part of 4 years, improving his skill both on and off the track. Afterwards, it was time to start a family and Rey decided to sell that car and focus on his lifelong dreams of opening his own business.

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Story and Photos:

Eddie Maloney

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It’s quite the challenge keeping a jet-black vehicle looking so good. However, our confidence was high when we found out Rey owned a body shop.

DERALE.COM TECH SUPPORT: 323-266-3850

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The American dream is real, and Rey was bound to achieve it, so while raising his family and still dreaming about the future, he decided to uproot his family and move to Florida. After moving to Kissimmee, in 2006, Rey opened his first business, Rujams Services of Florida. With being so close to Orlando Speedworld, the thought of racing never left his mind and as he worked hard to build a business he was able to continue to stay close to the sport he loved while prioritizing his family and business interests.

“I wanted to return to racing really bad, but I decided to take a different approach knowing my 3 sons were also eager to race. I decided I wanted to build them a race car before I got back into one. We started that journey in 2016 when my oldest son Oscar and I decided to buy a 1983 Toyota Starlet and power it with a Mitsubishi Starium engine.

After about a year of building up the chassis and suspension I was able to see my first son drive down the track. After some time, he was able to race faster than I ever did with an 8.13 @ 164 mph,” said Rubio.

CANTON RACING

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In true Pro Street fashion, Rey chose to keep the Colorado as factory appearing as possible. Factory door panels, dash, power windows, and all functioning street equipment.

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That Starlet is currently being equipped with a 13b Rotary engine and Rey and Oscar hope to run much faster in the not so distant future.

It was after Oscar raced the Starlet that Rey’s other sons, Rayan and Josthien, looked at dad and said, “hey, we want to race too!”

Rey purchased two Honda Civics, a 1992 Hatchback for Rayan which is powered by a K24 Turbo engine and the one for Josthien, a 1997 Coupe that is also a K24 (naturally aspirated). “While having all my sons racing made me very proud, the stress level was intense.

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ProStreet

When all 4 doors are open and the interior is being shown people are blown away by how factory it is, not to mention the quality of the race parts install. The truck can still seat 4 comfortable or 5 with the removal of a few bottles etc.

BILL MITCHELL 1 6TH

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The Colorado features a full chromoly roll cage, currently certified to 7.50. Rey plans to upgrade a few bars for a full 6.0 certification soon.

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The Colorado is powered by a Pat Musi built 732 cubic inch big block Chevy complete with 2-stages of nitrous.

TOTAL SEAL

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a monstrous power plant lurks beneath that elegantly styled hood!

My youngest Josthien, had never even driven a car with a manual transmission before! I was nervous yet supported and taught him the ins and outs of driving a stick. Once he got proficient, we allowed him to go a little bit faster each time out.”

Rey enjoyed building three race cars with his boys, but now it was time to get himself back into racing. He had been attending

T EASY WEIGH T CHANGE OU

some of Orlando Speedworld’s premier events and although he wanted to compete in all of them, he set his sights on racing in the coveted World Street Nationals and a number of the Sport Compact/Import races Orlando had to offer. While he had the imports covered with his sons racing, he wanted to have something else to compete at the World Street Nationals.

BALLAST BOX

Completely portable, place exactly where you need the extra weight.

Made with 11 gauge steel for strength MIG welded at all seams for durability CALVERT Lid held in place with four locking flange fasteners for easy weight change outs Holds 100+ pounds of lead/ballast under the locked lid Shipped raw, ready to personalize

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2022

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The Colorado is currently running a fairly mild (very mild for a Musi engine) 2-stage fogger system with plans for more as progress continues.

ERSON CAMS

RM RACING 6TH

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may 2022 | RPM Magazine june

He learned that his longtime family friend in Puerto Rico, Jose Juarez, was selling his 2007 Pro Street Chevrolet Colorado. “Jose was the original owner and builder of the truck, and I just knew I had to have it!” After buying the truck from Jose, Rey shipped it from Puerto Rico to his shop in Kissimmee, Florida and started doing a few cosmetic

RPM UP CLOSE

touches to the paint and body, but, since he owns a body shop, he thought why not just paint the whole truck. The truck maintains its original body except for the cowl hood and is now finished in a black base with a PPG clear high-gloss completed by none other than Rey’s own company, RJ Bodyshop.

BAER 6TH

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RPM MAGAZINE FULL PAGE TARGET MARKET RPM POWER FULL

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MAHLE HALF

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Rey Rubio Matos’ Nitroused 2007 Chevy Colorado Body & Paint: Chevy Colorado factory full size Pickup Truck body. Fender flares molded and painted. Painted black base with a PPG clear high-gloss by RJ Bodyshop.

Chassis Modifications: Chassis was built to be a complete road legal race car. Square tubing in frame with a 7.50 certified full Roll-cage.

Suspension: Front is Strange Struts and rear is 4-link/coilover with braced 9-inch rearend.

Engine: Pat Musi 732 cubic inch big block.

Induction & Fuel Delivery: Twin Holley Dominator carburetors.

Power Adder: Two nitrous systems, first kit is 350hp second is 400hp.

Transmission: Turbo 400 with trans brake.

Interior: Custom OEM appearing dash cluster with RPM and MPH, Oil pressure, Fuel Pressure and Water temp gauges.

Two Kirkey aluminum seats with covers, each has its own 5-point safety harness.

Quick-release steering wheel.

ET & MPH: 1/8th-mile: 5.21@133 (One system of nitrous) ¼-mile: 8.93@120 (No nitrous and shutting off early)

Special Thanks: To Jose Juarez of course for building the truck and keeping it in such amazing condition for so many years before giving me the opportunity to purchase it. My crew at RJ Bodyshop for doing such an amazing job at giving the truck some love and bringing the paint and body to another level. My sons Oscar, Rayan, & Josthien, and my wife Maricelis for supporting me in the purchase and maintenance of the truck. Finally, my close friend Jomar Gomez for being able to drive this beautiful machine down the track for the first time.

Brakes: Wilwood Brakes all around.

WEINLE MOTORSPORTS 6TH

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AFR CARD

After seeing how everything turned out (Rey credits his team at RJ Bodyshop), Rubio fittingly gave the Colorado the name “The Black Queen”. And a queen she is, sporting a completely street legal trim in addition to power windows, doors, moon roof, a factory dashboard, door panels and all functioning street equipment. It is registered and insured in the state of Florida,

we can safely say however, that the Pat Musi nitrous fed 732 cubic inch big block Chevy backed by a turbo 400 transmission did not come from the factory.

The 7.50-legal chassis includes frame reinforcement and an extensive roll cage.

Suspension wise, aftermarket Strange struts were used up front and out back a 4-link/coilover setup suspends a fabricated 9-inch.

RPM POWER 6TH

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he Chevy Malibu belongs to a longWorld list of models on at the GenRey’s Colorado debuted at the famed 2021 Street Nationals Orlando Speedworld Dragway in the Heavy Street class. some mechanical eralWith Motors platform issues they takreen care of for 2022, the truck will see bottom 7-second quarter-mile hits. ferred to as the G-Body.

Like the Fox Body Mustang from Ford, the architecture has a solid straight-line potential, albeit a bit on the heavy side. Produced as a “family car”, the two-door models have similar dimensions, and suspension configurations as a Mustang and the drag racing community gravitated towards them for strip use, making them a hot commodity these days.

Carlton Thornton grew up around his father Wayne’s 1970 Chevy Nova; “It was a stock 307 with 4.56 gears and posi. I think it only ran 16s, but did the best burnouts!” Thornton said with a smile.

Lucky for Carlton, his dad moved on to a 1979 Malibu (the car they now call “Death Row”) and frequently attended street nights at a local drag strip. At first, the Malibu took its share of losses,

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The entire truck is show quality including the interior which, as we said, retained much of the factory equipment except for gauges and controls relating to racing, and the seats being replaced by lightweight race buckets.

But make no mistake, the passenger seat gets used as this big inch nitrous brawler is every bit a street machine!

In November of 2021 Rey’s dream of competing at the World Street Nationals came true. He hired veteran driver Jomar Gomes to take the wheel and entered The Black Queen in the Heavy Street category. Jomar made a few easy runs on the truck since it was its first time out, but they qualified firmly in the field. Unfortunately, in round 1 of eliminations, they had some mechanical issues and couldn’t make a complete pass. Rest assured, The Black Queen will be back in action soon and should see easy low 7-second passes this year!

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Story & Photos: Eddie Maloney

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Don’t be fooled by the name, this twin turbo Mopar is a hardcore hitter!

The name Challenger was first given to the Dodge Coronet released in 1959. The car was a special edition called Dodge Silver Challenger, and it didn’t exactly look like a typical muscle car. As a matter of fact, the era of muscle cars hadn’t even started yet, but it was just around the corner.

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The Challenger keeps nearly all the integrity of its factory appearance. One major upgrade was the lightweight doors with Lexan windows and cool six-pack style scoop hood.

The front-end on the Challenger is iconic and easily separates it from other vehicles. Mopar is kept this slick intimidating look throughout all 3 generations. Inlets for the twins have been cut into the front valance which is a dead giveaway when you see the car from the front.

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Ford, Chrysler and GM were coming up with the ideas that would change the automotive world in just the next couple of years, and those trends would continue through our modern day muscle car production. And the name Challenger, it seems, would somehow make its way back into Mopar’s lineup, only this time it would take on a whole new iconic identity.

With the demand for more stylish 2-door cars with more power growing each day, it was game-on for the Big 3, and soon we would see an amazing lineup of affordable high horse cars cruising the streets; Camaros, Barracudas, Mustangs, GTOs, Coronets and Chevelles to name just a few. Dodge would step-up with bigger power engines like the 340 small block and the 383 and 440 big block platforms, and of course, the game changer, the Hemi. By 1969, the industry was hitting the pinnacle of the horsepower wars between the 3 major American automobile producers and this prompted Dodge to start developing the first Challenger, falling under the “E-Body” platform.

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By 1970, we saw a lineup of seriously high horsepower cars roll off the showroom floors including the Chevelle LS-6, Boss Mustangs, and the Hemi Challenger.

The Dodge Challenger is now in its third and what Chrysler claims, its final generation. The first generation spanned from the model years 1970-1974 with vehicles being produced in both Los Angeles, California and Hamtramck, Michigan. The least popular second generation made in Japan ran from Model years 1978-1983, and the current lineup has been rolling out of the Brampton, Ontario, Canada plant since 2008.

Guillermo Suarez was born and raised in Cuba, a kid with big dreams and aspirations in life.

He also loved cool cars and knew one day he would be successful enough to have a few of his own.

“I was born and raised in Santa Clara, Cuba, left my country and migrated to the United States in 2008.

A far cry from a mean, lean racing machine, the Challenger’s 1959 namesake was more fat than muscle.

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Yep... it’s gutted... ...And for good reason. Typically the first objective with these Mopars is to lighten them up - even just a bit - since they tip the scales at over 4,000lbs fresh off the production line. It’s all business inside this cockpit with the massive Holley EFI dash taking center stage. The need for cooling the charged air is evident in the interior and trunk area of the Challenger – the cooler the air, the more potential power.

MANTON 6TH

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MEZIERE

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Guillermo would purchase his first Hellcat in 2018

I faced numerous challenges once I arrived, but the language barrier is one of the most common among immigrants.” Guillermo managed to learn the English language and put himself through Physical Therapy school while working in a cafeteria as a dishwasher. With sights set on eventually operating his own business, upon graduation he was able to land a more sought after position in a doctor’s office where he would gain the type of real world experience he would need to pursue

his American dream. By 2014 he opened his own business and is a successful entrepreneur, who still loves fast cars!

In 2012 he bought his first toy, a Lancer Evolution (EVO), and began tinkering with it right away. Evo’s were quick right out of the box, but Guillermo got nearly 800HP out of his before it all was said and done. Fast forward to 2018, and Guillermo would purchase his first Challenger Hellcat.

GRANATELLI

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BAER 2

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He became good friends with Mario from Gearhead Fabrications in West Palm Beach and the two immediately discussed how to make it faster.

They started by adding a few bolt-ons and took it to the track.

The HellCat saw mid to low 9-second passes at nearly 150 mph, however Guillermo would

sell it to buy a Blue 2020 Charger Hellcat. The Charger is a bit heavier than the Challenger, but the Gearhead crew had Guillermo flying in no time, turning 8.80s at over 160 miles per hour.

While happy with the Charger, it still wasn’t fast enough, and Suarez wanted more, so he set out to find another Challenger.

DESIGN ENGINEERING 6TH TOM’S UPHOLSTERY

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misener

A very clean and simple yet powerful stroked 4 This combination backed by the twin turbocharg 70

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415ofHEMI cubes

MISENER 6TH

415 cubic inch HEMI engine rides under the hood. gers produces well over 1400 reliable horsepower. www.rpmmag.com

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“The first time I laid eyes on my current car was 2 years ago at a track rental in Palm Beach,” he said. “It caught my attention instantly; the car was built, and I knew it had tremendous potential. Not long after that Mario from Gearhead told me the owner was selling it and I just couldn’t resist, so I did my due diligence and bought it.”

For the most part, Guillermo’s 2010 Challenger T/A looks like a factory Challeneger, but there’s more to it than that, much more. While the car does maintain all its functioning street equipment, that is about where the similarities end, it is however fully registered and insured for street driving if the urge arises.

Although it has been beefed up with aftermarket parts, the Challenger still utilizes its factory located IRS. Thanks to a set a Menscer Motorsports shocks, the power is easily transferred to the Mickey Thompson 275 60 R15 ET Street Radial Pros.

Guillermo Suarez Twin Turbo 2010 Dodge Challenger T/A Body and Paint: Factory OEM, with addition of composite hood with 6-pack style scoop.

Suspension: Factory IRS with Menscer Motorsports shocks and AAD Track Pack arms.

Engine: 415 cubic inch HEMI, HHP aluminum block, Callies crank and rods, Diamond pistons, Comp Cam. Thitek ported heads.

Induction & Fuel Delivery: Holley EFI Sniper. 1700 cc injectors.

Power Adder: Twin 76mm Boost Lab turbochargers.

Brakes: Wilwood brakes.

Tires & wheels: Weld wheels, Mickey Thompson tires.

Interior: Simpson 5-point harness, MPI steering wheel, Kirkey aluminum drag seat.

ET & MPH: 7.45-1/4 mile, 4.70- 1/8 mile.

Thanks To: Gearhead Fabrications Eliany Humpierre

Transmission: TH 400 transmission with FTI torque converter.

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Follow this tubocharged Hemi Challenger from burnout to launch.

It used to be that a solid 7-second quarter mile car would have big tires, a complicated race-only suspension system and it would leave the line violently, then maybe need some serious maintenance between rounds. Not so today as cars like this represent the new breed of quick street-style drag car. Guillermo traditionally races at 3 tracks in Florida; West Palm Beach, Bradenton, and Orlando Speedworld.

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While the car has been lightened a bit with the removal of the factory interior and side windows, it’s still a monster since the factory weight was a tick over 4,000 pounds. The 2010 model year, while a solid foundation to build on, did not have the factory upgrades of the later model Hellcat editions. It is an excellent candidate for a from-scratch build for the right person though, so while it is still street legal, Guillermo has it built for one main reason, to go fast on the drag strip!

The heart and soul of this Challenger is the 415 cubic inch Hemi engine complemented by the twin 76mm Boostlab turbochargers.

The Hemi features an all-aluminum block from HHP. A Callies crankshaft

doubt was soon put to rest after checking into things a bit further.

Power is transferred through a built Turbo 400 transmission and the car rides on, believe it or not, a beefed up version of the factory independent suspension equipped with Menscer Motorsports shocks.

“Slow Cat” is the nickname for Guillermo’s Challenger.

Guillermo has been to He also keeps it fully street legal for those seldom cruises numerous events with this around the Tampa area. car, and it just keeps gospins Callies rods and Dia- on the high-rise intake ing faster. Thus far it’s run mond piston, while a Comp and the engine mounting a best of 4.70 to the 1/8th cam controls the valvetrain. plate. And if you didn’t you and a 7.45 at over 175mph Thitek ported heads were would think it was busi- in the ¼ mile. And with a used and Holley EFI con- ness as usual as the work few tweaks and upgrades, trols the package through was meticulously done to Suarez expects the Chaltheir Sniper system and maintain a neat, clean, al- lenger can hit the very low 1700cc fuel injectors. Mods most factory look. In fact, 7-second zone. So don’t let under the hood are plen- while looking under the the license plate fool you, ty, but you wouldn’t know hood at first glance we this Slow Cat is anything it unless you recognized found ourselves thinking, but! the near vertical runners turbos…what turbos? Our

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I can’t remember a time that I didn’t love cars SHARON THOMAS

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haron Thomas grew up around horsepower and racing. She would often watch her brother run his dragster when she decided to drive her new 2010 Synergy Camaro to the track to meet him one weekend.

“Once I got to the track he convinced me to just make a pass to see what the little V6 Camaro would run.

I did… and I was hooked. it was slow but fun!” From that point on she was back every weekend racing in the trophy and footbrake class and by sea-

son’s end she decided that she needed a “real” race car, so she found her first 1978 Malibu. With a 355 and a few mods, Sharon was hitting the track once again, but found that she was fixing the car after most outings and when a broken axle off the line end-

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ed with a guardrail tap, she made the decision to sell it in favor of building her barn-find Malibu that had been sitting in the garage since 2003. It needed a complete restoration and build, but it would end up being exactly

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what she wanted.

The car was actually started by Sharon’s brother Larry Wadeking and her uncle Frank Sorgea in his garage, and after her uncle passed away they wanted to finish it as a way of keeping

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PARTS PRO FULL 1

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his love of cars alive. By 2012 the Malibur was complete, running a naturally aspirated 540 and Sharon was anxious to test it out. She entered a local event hosted by SCSN promoters Mel and Heather Roth and with a little convincing entered the car in Radial vs. World. “That is when it all really started!” Sharon exclaimed. “We were greatly out powered by all the other cars, but I didn’t care. I was racing against some of the baddest race cars on the planet. At that point I knew exactly want I wanted to do and that the bank account was going to be crying.” Every winter meant upgrades and little gains each racing season for Thomas.

The latest iteration of Sharon Thomas’ Malibu is the handy work of Matheis Race Cars. A trick tube chassis was integrated into the factory front frame section and a 4-link coilover setup was fabricated out back. The result is a low slung G-Body ready to handle any track Sharon can throw at it.

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The Malibu was an original piece bought for just $150.

The original body tub remains intact with various composite panels installed to shave the big bodied Bowtie down to a reasonable fighting weight.

PROFILER CARD

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HITMAN CARD

JOE VAN CARD

RPM CARD

VORTECH CARD

KINSLER CARD

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This was the barn find on the trailer to its new home. For 150-bucks and a set of mud tires, Sharon Thomas bought herself a wild racecar, sort of…at least it would be one day.

SHANE T

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“There was just no giving up now, so in 2017 the 540 grew into a 555 nitrous combination that lead to an 8th place finish in Midwest Pro Mod series Radial vs. World class.” The nitrous combination would net a best of 4.95 at 141.34 in the 1/8th at 3000lbs.

A mishap in 2019 meant that the Malibu would undergo a total rebuild once again, this time with the aim of making the car lighter and safer with work being completed under the skillful hands at Matheis Race Cars. And since the car

was under the knife, why not make a bit more horsepower to complement the new, safer, lighter chassis, right? After sitting out 2019 and 2020 for the rebuild, Sharon would return to action in the Malibu now sitting lower and leaner and equipped with that 555 big block sporting a shiny new ProCharger F3 centrifugal supercharger!

The trick Matheis chassis was created around the factory front frame sections – if you look close enough you can see them cut and extended with tubing – but from there back the chassis is pretty much completely custom with dual rails and extensive bars inside and rearward a custom 4-link with Afco coilovers suspends a fabricated 9-inch rearend.

The original Malibu body

[Top] Sharon with her 555 nitrous big block Mailbu when it was first completed and more recently after a complete overhaul in 2019 and 2020 covering everything from chassis to that bold big new power adder hangin’ around up front.

LIBERTY’S CARD

RM RACING DOUBLE NEAL CHANCE CARD

RPM CARD

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A 555cu.in. big block resides between the rails of the Malibu. That monster ProCharger F3 139 pumps air into an Accufab throttle body and a Holley EFI Dominator system is in control the package.

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Sharon Thomas’ 1978 Big Block Malibu Chassis & suspension: Matheis tube chassis using stock type front frame section with tubular upper and lower control arms, Afco shocks and rack and pinion steering. Custom 4-link rear with Afco coilovers.

Body & Paint: Factory body tub with composite parts. Body/Paint by Eric Luig and Kullin Schoeffel at Cruncheez Collision Center.

Engine: 555 Big Block Chevy with Brodix BB3 cylinder heads by Slick Rick Racing Heads. Molnar 4.25 crank & 6.385 rods, CP-Carrillo custom pistons, T&D rockers, Cam Motion custom camshaft, King bearings.

Induction: Accufab throttle body.

Power Adder: F3 139 ProCharger supercharger.

Electronics: Holley EFI Dominator system.

Transmission & Converter: Transmission Specialties Powerglide with PTC converter.

Rear differential: Strange Fabricated 9-inch.

Tires & Wheels: 29.5 x 10.5 Mickey Thompsons on Champion dual beadlocks.

Interior: Holley Dash, Precision Performance Shifter, Stroud fire suppression system, dual chutes and launchers, belts and net, RE Racing electronics.

Best ET & MPH: It’s a big tire no time grudge car which means we can’t divulge that information! We’ve been testing the blower combination to date. It did run 4.95 @ 141.34 when car was at 3000# with the 555 nitrous combination.

Thanks To: I have so many wonderful people to thank: My Mother Irene and Father Oren Wadeking, my brother Larry Wadeking, Uncle Frank Sorgea, my husband Perry Thomas, Eric Luig Crew Chief for the countless hours of hard work over the years, Haylee Bardol for always cheering me on, Matt Polewski, Steve “Eye Candy” Woods for comic relief, Mark Ziers, South County Dave Reich my mentor, Rob, Tina, Nick and Trent Matheis at Matheis Race Cars, Reid Sanders, Scott Lowery, Matt Bell and Redline Motorsports, Kullin Schoeffel and Cruncheez Collision Center, Jr and Shawn Smith and Jr’s Auto Repair and Tire Center, Greg Cullin at Transmissions To Go, Stroud Safety, TRZ Motorsports, Mel and Heather Roth with PSCA and SCSN, Slick Rick Racing Heads, Jeannette DesJardnis and Car Chixs, Procharger, Holley EFI, PTC, Afco Shocks, Strange Engineering, Mickey Thompson, Precision Performance Products, Brodix, Accufab, Atomizer Racing Injectors, Good Vibrations Motorsports, Molnar, CP-Carillo, Cam Motion, King Bearings and I am sure there are others I cannot think of at the moment.

MAGNAFLOW CARD

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tub and quarters remain, however, composite parts have been added including the removable front clip, doors, hood and trunk lid. Bodywork, along with the eye-catching purple paint work is credited to Eric Luig and Kullin Schoeffel at Cruncheez Collision Center. “My favorite thing about my car is the color,” Sharon added. “Purple was my mother’s favorite color and although she never saw me race the

car, I know she is with me each and every pass now.”

A Molnar 4.25 crank with 6.385 rods and CP-Carrillo custom boostspec pistons swing inside the 555 big block. A Cam Motion custom camshaft of top secret specs was used and Slick Rick Racing Heads re-worked a set of Brodix BB3 oval port heads with T&D rockers for the now boosted mill.

AED CARD

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AJE CARD

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ICON CARD

TRICKFLOW CARD

It’s all race inside the Malibu That monster ProCharger pumps air into an Accufab throttle body and a Holley EFI Dominator system is in control of the situation.

A Transmission Specialties Glide with Dedenbear case and PTC converter send power rearward.

It’s all race inside the Malibu and the Holley EFI dash is the only “gauge” needed to relay vital signs to Sharon and her team before, during and after a run. The maze of bars inside the car is like a carefully fit puzzle and custom tinwork is mixed with carbon fiber panels and rear wheeltubs.

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IAN HILL SUPERCHARGER CARD

ECAM

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A Matheis Race Cars chassis keeps Sharon safe while strapped into the Malibu. Wiring is laid out on the right side firewall and along the top of the dash which is hidden under the composite dash panel when installed. A Racepak display relays her the car’s vitals, and the fire suppression system and parachute handles are within easy reach to her right.

LENTECH CARD

PBM Performance Engine

LOKAR

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Wiring is meticulously laid out behind the composite dash panel.

While the Malibu has come a very long way over the past 10 years or so, Sharon’s favorite story is still of the day they found it. “It was in a barn covered with an inch of dirt, no front clip, no doors, just the factory frame roof, quarters and trunk lid, but I had to have it. So $150, a set of old mud tires

and a handshake later it was loaded up and headed home with us. But the greatest experience with the car itself has to be that I have raced alongside some of my mentors and idols in the sport; people like Scott Lowery, Mark “Woody” Woodruff, Tim Slavens, Big Daddy Dewayne Mills, and Mark Mickie who has probably the most recognized Malibu in racing.”

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Randy Soper can pinpoint the very day that his love for cars started He was just 5 years old. “While playing in my grandparents’ front yard one day I heard a strange sound coming from down the road. It was loud then quiet, loud then quiet again. Suddenly it was loud again with a squealing sound and it was getting closer. In no time at all I saw this gold color car with a black top and black stripe around the back of it racing down the road at a high rate of speed. As it went down the road, I lost sight of it but could still hear it.

Suddenly, I heard squealing tires and it came back again going very fast past my grandparents’ house.

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It slowed and once again I heard it coming down the road but this time, nearly at idle. It pulled in the driveway and I remember wondering who its crazy driver was? Unexpectedly, my dad stepped out of the car. It was at that point my love of cars began. At the time I did not know what the car was, but I knew it was cool. A few years later I found out it was, 1969 Dodge Charger RT/SE 440 with 727 automatic he purchased for $800,” Randy recalled with a smile.

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I believe the bright Yellow is the best part of the car because it stands out among the other cars. Plus, starting out the new season with the 28” tires on the back was different from the other cars...

RANDY SOPER

A total of 763 screaming yellow Mach Ones were produced in 2004 with the majority of them built with manual transmissions. www.rpmmag.com

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Race front seats and a rear seat delete help bring weight down. Randy also uses an RJS 5-point safety harness, Grant steering wheel, RacePak IQ3 dash and Spaghetti Menders switch panel and wiring.

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Fast forward almost a decade and Soper was already getting some seat time, “At 14 I started driving my mom’s ’76 Nova with a 3 speed on the tree,” he added.

Not too long afterwards he bought his first car, a 1972 Chevelle with 350ci and automatic as a daily driver and race car on the weekends.

Racing was on the street to start with and would

later move to the local drag strip. “As funny as it sounds, back in 1990 it was the fastest car at my high school running 13.90’s with a small carburetor, aluminum intake, headers, shift kit and 4.56 gears.”

In 1992 Randy moved on from the Chevelle to a 1989 Mustang GT with a 5 speed. I mean, who didn’t have a Mustang 5.0 at some point?

Team Z Motorsports fabricated the cage and installed the subframe connectors. The chassis carries an 8.50 certification.

• Made from Hyper-Flex™ performance polyurethane.

• For cars, trucks, hot rods, and competition vehicles.

• Patented safety interlock design is safer and more durable than O.E.M. mounts.

• Resistant to oils, coolants, and road contaminants.

• Elastic enough to absorb vibrations for street yet strong enough to handle extreme racing conditions.

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The Coyote Stock class is exactly how it sounds. An OEM Sealed Coyote Crate Engine: Part # M-6007-M50S (GEN1) M-6007-M50SA (GEN2) or M-6007-M50SB (GEN3) are the only engines permitted in NMRA Coyote Stock. Randy is running the GEN 3 version.

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Randy Soper’s 2004 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Coyote Stock Class Drag Car Body and Paint: 2004 Ford Mustang Mach 1, Screaming Yellow, H.O. Fibertrends hood. Optic Armor windshield.

Chassis Modifications: Team Z Motorsports 8.50 cage & subframe connectors

Suspension: All Team Z Motorsports suspension components, Strange front struts, and rear shocks.

Engine: Sealed stock Gen3 Coyote engine with ATI balancer, Kooks Headers, X-pipe and Flowmaster Outlaw Mufflers.

Induction & Fuel Delivery: Stock Gen3 intake and throttle body, JLT Performance CAI, stock fuel rails with Aeromotive fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator and filter.

Power Adder: All natural!

Transmission: GForce 101A 4 speed manual, Long Shifter, Quick Time bellhousing, ACT clutch.

Rear: Team Z Motorsports lightweight 9” housing, Mark Williams axles, 3 member and Richmond 4.xx gears.

Brakes: TBM Brakes all around

Tires & Wheels: M/T 26” ET Drag fronts, M/T 28/10.5-15 ET Drag Slicks, 2 sets of wheels. Weld Racing wheels and RC Components wheels.

Interior: Kirky front seats and rear seat delete. RJS 5-point safety harness. Grant steering wheels. RacePak IQ3 dash. Spaghetti Menders switch panel and wiring.

ET & MPH:

Thanks To: I’d like to thank my girl and crew chief Toni M. Harbin. She makes sure I have everything I need from our tech card, entry tickets, hotels booked, food, beer (for the after racing social time) and my safety gear. She also checks tire pressure pushes the car to the lanes with the 4-wheeler and stages me at the starting line.

My family and friends for making the long trips to help and support me.

Tim Donathen at Donathen Racing who has been there every step of the way from the build to track support at every race since the beginning.

My Team Timmy teammates for lending a helping hand when needed. Kevin McMullin, Chad Stephens, Tim Donathen. This group of guys are helpful, knowledgeable, resourceful, and together we’ve all been successful and have had lots of fun.

Dave Born of Ford Performance for supporting the whole Coyote Stock class.Walking the pits, stagging lanes, getting to know the drivers and listening to and taking concerns back to Ford.

All the other Coyote Stock racers who have helped and shared their knowledge when I’ve had questions or need a spare part. This is the greatest group of racers who all support each other at every race. This is the best class to race in in my opinion.

Team Z motorsports for their continued support from the start. Your quality parts and expertise are what makes you the best in the business. “Built for racers by racers”!!

Driven Racing Oil and Bill Alexander for coming aboard this year with our oil and lubrication needs. Trust the science.

269 Motorsports from our hometown for the support and always sharing our accomplishments on your page.

GForce Racing Transmissions and Paul Long for always making sure the trans is in tip top shape. Paul is always the man when you have any questions or issues.

Thank you everyone, none of this would be possible without your help and support.

Personal best et 9.68 best mph 141.77

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This one was the first of 6 Mustangs Randy owned and in 2002 he purchased a yellow Mustang GT. “I built this car to run Pure Street in the NMRA and I called it ‘The Outlaw’.”

Soper would race it in Pure Street from ’03 to ’06 and then returned to street racing and local track fun, eventually selling it, which is something he had regretted until the Mach 1 came along. Admittedly, since he didn’t make every event, his time racing in Pure Street was for the enjoyment of running in a structured class and to take away as much knowledge as possible from the experience, something that would come in handy a few years down the road.

The next step was a 2007 Shelby GT500 that Randy would take from a bone stock midtwelve-second car to a 9.96 at 140MPH with simple bolt-on parts and learning how to drive it. Then, in 2016 Randy’s brother Jeff called him about a co-worker’s Screaming Yellow ’04 Mach

If this pic doesn’t put a smile on your face, we don’t know what will!

One thing NMRA Coyote Stockers are known for ...giant wheelies!

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Randy kicked off the season with a victory at the 28th Annual NMRA Spring Break Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park

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A build fulfilled

Randy built the beautiful Mach 1 and then it sat for a year while he wondered what he was going to do with it. He ended up finding the perfect fit in the Coyote Stock class where he has made some serious noise.

1 that was up for sale.

“I had to take a look at it, and the next day I drove it home,” Randy said.

The Mach 1 was all stock except the exhaust with 37k on the odometer and he drove the car just a handful of times before taking it apart. The next stop for the Mach was Team Z Motorsports where an 8.50 certified cage and through-floor subframe connectors were installed. When the car returned home, Randy treated it to a silver paint job on the cage and yellow finish underneath to match the shiny side, and also installed all Team Z Motorsports suspension. The question now was what exactly was he going to do with the car? It sat for a year, then, something hit him; “I was talking to my friend Clair Stewart and he was telling me about the Coyote Stock class he was racing in. That’s all it took, Clair introduced me to Tim Donathen at Donathen Racing and 112

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in late 2018 I took the car to Tim’s to help me finish the build. With Tim living 2.5 hours south of me I would go down on the weekends to work on the car, and 8 months later we had a brand-new Coyote Stock class car.”

Finishing the Mustang just the week before the NMRA event at Route 66 in Joliet in 2019, and with zero dyno or shakedown passes, Randy and his crew headed straight to the race. Right off the trailer he ran a 10.86 and after finally getting some test passes in during the event to learn the car, try

and dial it in and correct a few driver mistakes, Randy would squeak into the field, qualifying 15th in a 16 car lineup. After making just a suspension adjustment, they were headed back to the lanes for the first round of eliminations. “We had no expectations here,” explained Soper. “We just wanted to make a clean pass against the 2 qualifier, number who just happened to be my friend Clair Stewart. The car responded off the line with a huge wheelie, my first experience every

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The use of 28-inches tall by 10.6-inche wide or smaller bias-ply slicks is mandated for all Coyote Stock competitors.

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I would have to say my most memorable experience was when we debuted the car at Route 66 in Joliet 2019. It was a rough start with not having any testing time prior to the race, so making it to the semifinals was an amazing and humbling experience.

RANDY SOPER

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with wheelies, and we won the round, and ended up going to the semifinals in our first race! And then backed that up by going to the semis again in our second event!”

In 2020 Randy finished 5th in points during the Pandemic stricken season and for 2021 he laid down the 2nd fastest pass of the year in Bradenton with a 9.68 at 138mph and set the mph record in St. Louis with 141.77 mph.

After making it to the semifinals in

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Bradenton, the finals in St. Louis and the finals in Norwalk, Randy and his team finished 3rd in points for the year!

2022 started off with a bang for Soper, taking out some serious competition at Bradenton Motorsports Park. He cut consistent lights while his Mach performed flawlessly, and at the end of the day Randy parked his Stang in the winner circle at the season opener! This may just be the year

for the championship for Randy Soper and his team.

No matter how you slice it, building a 9-second small tire car with most of its original equipment intact is tough enough, but doing it with stringent class rules that demand a basically stock engine and no power adder is a testament to the hard work and ingenuity that class racers put into their programs to win races.

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