The 2019 NMRA drag racing season has begun today with a test and tune session for the 25th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout. NMRA Pro 5.0 champion Joe DaSilva, a long time competitor at this event, made the trek from his home in Ontario, Canada, for a little Spring Break Shootout action behind the wheel of his four-eyed, Fox-body Street car. The Mustang is powered by a Coyote 5.0-liter engine and DaSilva is rowing the gears of a G-Force G101A four-speed gear box.
This weekend's weather outlook is spectacular, so come on down as there will be plenty of heads-up and index racing, a huge car show, and more. Spectators can save 20 percent by purchasing tickets online, too! Just click HERE.
Dean Santiago of Spike's Refinishing (at right) is getting a hand from Andrew Kelly (at left) as they prepare to get tech'd in for this weekend's race. This will be the first time on track for Santiago and his '91 Fox-body Mustang, which packs a Bennett Racing 331ci small-block and a hefty 88mm turbocharger. The combo is controlled by a new Big Stuff 3 EFI system, and Santiago hopes to get some clean runs and good data this weekend.
Dave Geisler from Melbourne, Florida, has been competing in QA1 True Street for several years now with his turbocharged, Electric Green '99 Mustang GT. It received some extensive upgrades over the last few days with some late nights put in by him and friends Kurtis Forsberg and Wayne Stewart. Geisler was wrapping up some minor details today and is hoping for high 8s tomorrow as he looks to enter the Hellion Turbo battle class this weekend.
Greg Essen of Deep Gap, North Carolina, usually competes in ARP Open Comp here at the Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout with his Maverick, but this year the NMRA tech department decided to open up the Watson Racing Cobra Jet Showdown to vintage cars, so Essen will be competing in that class with his 1969 Mach 1 Mustang. The pony is powered by a warmed over 428ci Cobra Jet engine, and has delivered mid 11-second time slips. Essen has owned the car for around 30 years, and its last restoration decades ago still looks like it just rolled out of the paint shop.
Dean Santiago of Spike's Refinishing (at right) is getting a hand from Andrew Kelly (at left) as they prepare to get tech'd in for this weekend's race. This will be the first time on track for Santiago and his '91 Fox-body Mustang, which packs a Bennett Racing 331ci small-block and a hefty 88mm turbocharger. The combo is controlled by a new Big Stuff 3 EFI system, and Santiago hopes to get some clean runs and good data this weekend.
Dave Geisler from Melbourne, Florida, has been competing in QA1 True Street for several years now with his turbocharged, Electric Green '99 Mustang GT. It received some extensive upgrades over the last few days with some late nights put in by him and friends Kurtis Forsberg and Wayne Stewart. Geisler was wrapping up some minor details today and is hoping for high 8s tomorrow as he looks to enter the Hellion Turbo battle class this weekend.
Greg Essen of Deep Gap, North Carolina, usually competes in ARP Open Comp here at the Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout with his Maverick, but this year the NMRA tech department decided to open up the Watson Racing Cobra Jet Showdown to vintage cars, so Essen will be competing in that class with his 1969 Mach 1 Mustang. The pony is powered by a warmed over 428ci Cobra Jet engine, and has delivered mid 11-second time slips. Essen has owned the car for around 30 years, and its last restoration decades ago still looks like it just rolled out of the paint shop.