Written by Ainsley Jacobs
After watching the NMRA G-Force Racing Transmissions Coyote Stock class for years and wishing he could run in its ranks, NMRA Richmond Gear Factory Stock newcomer Aaron Worstell is ready to make the move up.
A bracket racer since his teenage years, Worstell had success within the NHRA, but decided around 2013 to change course and go heads-up racing instead. Thanks to help from his friend and two-time Factory Stock champion, Shane Stymiest at S & B Motorsports, the Missouri resident located a 1992 Ford Mustang GT in Pennsylvania and was able to get it ready in time to run at the Arrington Performance NMRA/NMCA Power Festival presented by Force Engineering in Martin, Michigan, in July of 2021.
There, at US 131 Motorsports Park, Worstell qualified eighth with a 10.853 at 123.52mph hit and went out in the first round of eliminations despite a very close finish.
After, he headed to Jacob Lamb’s Factory Hot Rod race in Kentucky in August and had a great time with his NMRA family outside of the typical environment. Next, a runner up finish at another local event helped bolster Worstell’s confidence before he finished up his 2021 NMRA season at the Whipple Superchargers NMRA All-Ford World Finals presented by Competition Clutch & Holley Intergalactic Ford Festival in October at Kentucky’s Beech Bend Raceway Park.
For his last event of the year, Worstell qualified eighth, but improved to 10.465 at 128.07 mph-a new class legal personal best for him, although he’s run a low-10-second pass elsewhere.
“We figured some things out with the car and picked up half a second,” noted Worstell of the changes he made to his Fox body’s suspension, pinion angles, shock settings, and weight distribution. “We also got a lot of data through the Racepak and were able to get the Ace Racing clutch dialed in.”
Still hoping for his first round win in NMRA competition, Worstell originally planned on hitting the Factory Stock category again in 2022 with Stymiest still tuning the sealed Gen 2 Coyote engine before moving to Coyote Stock in 2023. However, as they so often do, plans changed.
“A deal fell into my lap that I couldn’t pass up. I wanted to do some engine work to the Gen 2 but after pricing it all out, I realized I would be money ahead if I went and did the Gen 3 instead,” shared Worstell. Stymiest located an engine and a mutual friend offered to purchase Worstell’s Gen 2, so it seemed that the stars had aligned to help him arrive in Coyote Stock sooner than expected.
Stymiest will be handling the engine swap at his shop in Pennsylvania towards the end of December, and although the engine will be a major upgrade from Worstell’s previous combination, many of his components, such as the G-Force Racing Transmissions four-speed manual G-101A gearbox, Ace clutch, Viking rear shocks, Strange Engineering front shocks, and Strange brakes all the way around, will stay the same.
The old roll cage, however, will be scrapped and updated with a new one built by Matheis Race Cars to be legal for NMRA Coyote Stock. Similarly, the 8.8 rearend will be upgraded to a new 9-inch unit so as to give the racer more gear options when Grant Scott at GS Performance sets it all up.
“I’m planning to run the full 2022 schedule in Coyote Stock, it’s a dream come true to be able to race with those guys and get more seat time,” Worstell added. He’s excited to get going, but knows he may still have to make a few more changes, such as his first gear ratio, to truly be ready. “Thanks to my family for all of their support. My grandpa started this passion and still helps out, and so do my mom and dad. Thanks also to Dan Helmsing and Schicker Auto Group. Dan goes to every race with us and is definitely my biggest fan!”
Still hoping for his first round win in NMRA competition, Worstell originally planned on hitting the Factory Stock category again in 2022 with Stymiest still tuning the sealed Gen 2 Coyote engine before moving to Coyote Stock in 2023. However, as they so often do, plans changed.
“A deal fell into my lap that I couldn’t pass up. I wanted to do some engine work to the Gen 2 but after pricing it all out, I realized I would be money ahead if I went and did the Gen 3 instead,” shared Worstell. Stymiest located an engine and a mutual friend offered to purchase Worstell’s Gen 2, so it seemed that the stars had aligned to help him arrive in Coyote Stock sooner than expected.
Stymiest will be handling the engine swap at his shop in Pennsylvania towards the end of December, and although the engine will be a major upgrade from Worstell’s previous combination, many of his components, such as the G-Force Racing Transmissions four-speed manual G-101A gearbox, Ace clutch, Viking rear shocks, Strange Engineering front shocks, and Strange brakes all the way around, will stay the same.
The old roll cage, however, will be scrapped and updated with a new one built by Matheis Race Cars to be legal for NMRA Coyote Stock. Similarly, the 8.8 rearend will be upgraded to a new 9-inch unit so as to give the racer more gear options when Grant Scott at GS Performance sets it all up.
“I’m planning to run the full 2022 schedule in Coyote Stock, it’s a dream come true to be able to race with those guys and get more seat time,” Worstell added. He’s excited to get going, but knows he may still have to make a few more changes, such as his first gear ratio, to truly be ready. “Thanks to my family for all of their support. My grandpa started this passion and still helps out, and so do my mom and dad. Thanks also to Dan Helmsing and Schicker Auto Group. Dan goes to every race with us and is definitely my biggest fan!”