Milestones in drag racing come in all forms. We have seen dragsters do stuff over the years, we have seen funny cars break speed records, but one of the things we have not seen a lot of in recent years are records centered around nitro burins variants of production engines. The Chrysler is the all-conquering nitro burning engine platform of all time.
Can’t deny that, but we can celebrate the fact that others out there are doing things that hard way. Guys like Eric Larson and Mike Garblik who campaign the Pontiac powered Boss Bird nitro funny car. Yes, we said Pontiac powered.
Last year at the Ames Performance Pontiac Nationals, the fellows laid down the nastiest run they have ever recorded with a 5.87/250mph shot that places them into the record books as not only the fastest Pontiac in drag racing history but the first to run 250mph!
The engine is a wild, billet version of the famed Ram Air V plant that Pontiac had developed as its muscle car era doomsday weapon. The body was made by using a former Arnie Beswick Firebird as a plug! This is too cool and there’s lots more below.
Here’s the note we got from Eric Larson –
The team of Eric Larson and Mike Garblik ran exhibition laps in the Boss Bird Trans Am nitro funny car at the Ames Performance Pontiac Nationals this past weekend.
The best lap was 5.87 @ 250.37 mph….the first Pontiac-engined car to break the 250 mph barrier. In doing so, the team collected the $500 bounty offered by the FastestPontiacsEver website for the first real Pontiac to go 250 mph.
The engine features custom billet heads designed by Eric; based on the legendary Ram Air V valve layout, as well as a solid aluminum block manufactured by AllPontiac. Nitro tuning calls are made by long-time nitro expert Jerry Newman.
Body was made by VFN; using one of Arnie Beswick’s original bodies as a plug and then incorporating a few modern tweaks such as stretching the mold to the current standard 125” wheelbase.
Infinitely more fun/interesting than watching homogeneous teardrops race to 1000 ft.
How about a stock engined/bodied f/c class?
I know, I know
Somewhere on the net is a very cool photo of Arnie Beswick in his Firebird FC running off the end of Oswego with the laundry out and hauling ass through a cornfield. There’s now a very expensive house in an equally expensive subdivision where the photo was shot.
10 times cooler than any new funny car. Definitely impressive.
I think that car might have been for sale recently? Tried to find it on the Pontiac forum with no luck.
Here is a link to the car up for sale earlier this year.
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showthread.php?838091&p=6111618#post6111618
The car was for sale early this year…
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showthread.php?838091&p=6111618#post6111618