This past March the NMCA-Edelbrock Drag Racing Series roared into action at the season opener at Bradenton Motorsports Park (Bradenton, Florida). Our attention was focused on not only the 6-second, 200-mph Pro Street cars but also the nearly dozen different heads-up and index categories. Reports from Florida included a 7-second '69 Camaro in True Street (30-mile drive followed by three consecutive runs without a cool down) to one of our favorite categories, Xtreme Street where the cars run low 8s on true 10.5-inch tires and loosely limited engine combinations. We missed the season opener but jumped on tour at its second event, which took place at Maple Grove Raceway (Reading, Pennsylvania), to catch the action. It was a hot and humid weekend but it didn't seem to slow down the competition as a few competitors reset different class records.
Don and Skip Baskin debuted...
Don and Skip Baskin debuted the team's new '10 Camaro SS, driven by Greg Delaney. We believe it to be the first purpose-built fifth-generation F-body in competition. The Baskin group built it for the high-powered, naturally aspirated Pro Stock class.
We caught up with the wild and crazy True Street ride that ran 7s in Florida and it was built and driven by PSI Motorsports' Frank Soldridge (You can read about it in an upcoming issue as a full feature). Maple Grove Raceway is his home track and the crew had the ProCharger-blown ride tuned up for 7.70s in competition, Soldridge won the class with a 7.84 average. Joe Dunne destroyed the Pro Street record with his '68 Camaro by going 6.19. Dave Beeson and his Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based '77 Camaro posted a jaw-dropping 7.28 performance in Nostalgia Pro Street. He had two tenths on the rest of the field. Beeson and crew chief Kenny Lafferty spent quite a bit of time with the NMCA tech officials but the Camaro was declared legal and his record was made official.
Kevin Parent was boasting...
Kevin Parent was boasting new sponsorship from Dart Machinery and packing a nasty 528ci engine with Dart Big Chief heads, Dart cast intake with a single Pro Systems SV1 carburetor, and a single NOS fogger system. The result was 7.40s and a win over Dave Beeson.
The action was tight and the cars were gorgeous and we plan on hitting a few more NMCA events before the season is over.
Frank Soldridge of PSI Motorsports...
Frank Soldridge of PSI Motorsports laid down the law in True Street with a 7.84 average. The '69 Camaro relies on a big-block Chevy with a ProCharger F3 supercharger.
It looked as if Jamie Stanton...
It looked as if Jamie Stanton was on cruise control with his '02 Camaro SS in the Xtreme Street category. He and partner Jake Holdrege only made minor chassis adjustments to keep the Camaro running in the 8-ohs. Holdrege mostly adjusted the front suspension based on track bite while Stanton kept an eye on the nitrous-gulping 525ci engine from B.E.S.
The runner-up in True Street...
The runner-up in True Street is truly a sleeper. Our jaws dropped open after watching Rich Steinke post a 9-second run each time down the track. The black primered four-door '67 Malibu features a low-buck small-block Chevy with a single turbocharger blowing into a carburetor induction setup. His best run of the weekend was a 9.75 during the first round of eliminations during the True Street bracket race on Sunday. His average in True Street on Saturday was 9.90.
Joe Dunne ran the tables in...
Joe Dunne ran the tables in Pro Street by setting the e.t. record with a scorching 6.19 and also taking the class win over Vinnie Diemieri. Dunne relies on a Pat Musi 865ci engine with four stages of Edelbrock nitrous and an Edelbrock EFI system. The chassis is a Jerry Bickel-built ride with a carbon-fiber body and Dunne backs his massive big-block with a Powerglide transmission.
George Rumore of Kooks Custom...
George Rumore of Kooks Custom Headers has stepped into the Xtreme Street ring with a '79 Camaro. He tapped Dan Neumann Race Cars to build the 25.5 chassis and ladder bar rear suspension. Nelson Competition built a 525ci engine using a Dart block and Dart Pro 1 heads. Rumore was fighting some gremlins but still managed to run in the 8.40s with very little nitrous. We expect 7-second runs from his '79 Camaro once he pours on the nitrous.
Dan Kroll stepped into Xtreme...
Dan Kroll stepped into Xtreme Street for 2010 and he scored a personal best at Maple Grove. The '69 Nova ran 8.15 at 170 mph to qualify fifth and he went to the quarterfinals before losing to Steve Cagle in a tight battle-8.18 to Kroll's 8.19.
If we had to pick a favorite...
If we had to pick a favorite car from the NMCA Maple Grove outing it would've been Lou Sciortino's '69 Camaro in the Super Street 10.5 category. The car is perfect in almost every aspect from the chrome trim to the racy 25.2 back-half chassis, and the powerful Pat Musi 737ci engine under the giant hoodscoop. The car is brand-new and he was using the NMCA to shake it down; he expects to dip into the 6-second zone with ease. It's one of those cars that you have to see in person to fully appreciate, take our word for it though this car is one of the finest 10.5W-style cars you will ever see on track.
Bill Lutz has dazzled 10.5W...
Bill Lutz has dazzled 10.5W fields all over the country but a NMCA Super Street 10.5 win in 2010 has eluded him. Lutz ended that problem in Maple Grove when he lit up the boards with consistent 6.70 performances from his twin-turbocharged, big-block Chevy combination.
It was a long haul for Jeff...
It was a long haul for Jeff Colletta from Walker, Louisiana, but he is a faithful Nostalgia Pro Street competitor with his '00 Camaro. Colletta packs 640 cubes under the hood. The 3,200-pound silver bullet ran 7.50s at 180 mph on one stage of nitrous (courtesy of Monte Smith Performance) using just a .030 nitrous jet limitation, as per class rules.
Andy Warren came all the way...
Andy Warren came all the way from Kentucky and brought his massive '71 Caprice to Maple Grove. The blue heavyweight competes in Nostalgia Muscle Car, an index class (10.00 to 14.50) reserved for certain body styles and foot brake only, no transbrake allowed. Warren runs the 11.00 index and took home the class win over the '70 Mustang driven by Danny Towe. Both racers broke out but Warren took the win light.
One of the more unique engine...
One of the more unique engine combinations on the property belonged to Mike Fratena. Under the hood of his clean '89 Camaro Z28 is a 355ci engine that is pumped up by a Precision 76mm turbo with a blow-through carburetor setup. Fratena competes in the restrictive Street Radial class, where the rules keep the competitors in check and the times are in the high 8s. Fratena won the event on a holeshot, 8.79 to Brad Schehr's quicker but losing 8.77. Fratena also set high mph of the category with a 160 mph blast.
Nostalgia Super Stock brought...
Nostalgia Super Stock brought out 17 entries and some exceptional nostalgic iron. It is one of NMCA's most popular categories due to the uniqueness and tight racing. Stephanie Dimino operates out of the Black Horse Auto Body group and while she qualified last (based on how close you get to your index), her '67 Chevelle was a consistent 9.50s player. These cars represent the ultra-cool '60's era A/FX and Super Stock-style rides.
Don Baskin fielded two entries...
Don Baskin fielded two entries in the Pro Stock category with his son Skip and Greg Delaney handling the driving chores. The passionate drag racer jumped behind the wheel of his '67 Chevy II and entered Mean Street, a naturally aspirated heads-up class that runs in the 9.90-10.20 range. Baskin qualified at the top of the ladder (9.98 at 130 mph) and won the event, 10.04 over Alan Von Ahnen's 10.11 at 131 mph performance.