There’s a lot of interesting stuff happening at Englishtown this weekend for the NHRA Summernationals. For starters, Ricky Gadson will be riding in NHRA pro stock bike for the first time in a long time, Billy Glidden will make his debut as the shoe of the Precision Turbochargers Camaro pro mod, and perhaps most interestingly, Charlie Westcott Jr. will make his debut in the realm of NHRA pro stock in front of what promises to be a big crowd at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. This is one of the coolest stories of the year and the reason is that this is a guy who wanted to take on a challenge and he did. He may not win on Sunday but showing up is an epic victory that certainly blows us away.
To recap, Westcott bought the late Jim Cunningham’s pro stock car and all of the stuff that came with it. He then purchased most or all of the remaining Ford Racing inventory of pro stock blocks, heads, and parts that they had. It has been a multi-year process, slowed by the electronic fuel injection conversion that forced him to redo the nose of the car and of course work on the engine combo.
Westcott has tested the car and it has run in the 6.70s. While that may seem pretty unspectacular with other competitors running in the 6.50s, you have to remember that this is a literal one or two man band on this car. This is an old school approach to a very new school drag racing class a the pro level. We mean “new school” in the tractor trailer, lots of help, and big sponsor way. A brilliant engineer who manufacturers his own line of engine parts and builds customer engines, Westcott is not showing up to Englishtown with the expectation of resetting records, outrunning, the seemingly unstoppable KB team, or knocking your stocks off with huge numbers. He needs data and seat time and he’s about to get it. We’re thinking that the crowd is going to approve.
Westcott’s career includes multiple victories in the Mopar Hemi Challenge and assorted shootouts, a 2003 US Nationals win in Competition Eliminator, and multiple runner up finishes. We admire the hell out of the guy for doing what he has done and all the work that has gone into the car and his program.
Go get ’em Charlie!
Indeed, go get ’em Charlie.
Can’t imagine the money/dedication/knowledge/perseverance it takes to do that.
Hey Ford, how ’bout helpin’ a brother out?
As I have a weird phobia concerning giant hood scoops or air boxes (I honestly don’t know where that came from Herr Doktor Freud) I am glad to see cars I can watch instead of being terrified by them. That’s what EFI does – but how do they get the vast amounts of air to the injectors without them?
By the way for once I’m not joking…
There is a large duct that runs from the area under the grill to the throttle body. It is supplied by K &N and all teams have to run the same one.
Browse around the web a little and you should be able to see some photos of them.
This is a good place to start his program.
Last week, only 14 pro stock cars were in Epping NH with a bump of 6.68
Good luck charlie!
really hope he qualifies-would be a good story–how about a little guy interview FOX–(work it Brian)
Glad to see another manufacturer in the mix. I’m a Chevy guy but tired of seeing Camaros.