Here are two cars that will be part of the near 130 car field in the Daily Driver class at Hot Rod Magazine Drag Week 2014. They are wildly different and pretty much sum up the coolness that is daily driver. Before we go much further, let’s talk a little about the “daily driver” class and why it deserves as much of your respect as any other class on what amounts to hot rodding’s version of an untethered space walk. While you can enter virtually anything you want in Daily Driver, it needs to be fast so you actually get to compete in the end of the week bracket race. The quickest you can go in DD is 10.80, which is absolutely hauling ass for a street legal car. Yes, there are Unlimited class cars running deep into the six second territory but the reality is that 10s in a street legal car is bad ass fast and so aren’t low 11s which is where you have to plan on being all week to have a shot at getting in the quick 32 race. Long story short, Daily Driver is full of killer street cars just like the rest of the field, so don’t go thinking it is the realm of guys in stock pickup trucks and other barges. It is also home to the most diversity on Drag Week and the two cars below are proof.

EXAMPLE ONE: A flippin’ 1974 Opel Manta – continue below for details

Car owner Mike Angerer sent us an email with the following info:

It’s a 74 Opel Manta that I bought for $800. It’s currently a rolling shell that weighs #1280 It’s getting a built 5.3/glide and a narrowed 8.8. Once its dialed on the motor its getting a 150 shot to make it even more of a handful. It should weigh about #2500 in full trim w/driver. i’ll be competing in the daily driver class and it should run high 10’s on the motor all day. I’ve attended several drag week events(including the very first one that started at KCIR(RIP) and this will be my 2nd year participating.

EXAMPLE 2: 1954 CHEVY

Car owner Pat Dunnegan sent us the following:

The car is a daily driver with a 502 CI Big Block, and GM 4L80-E transmission, Kugel front end, and Currie rear end. The car was built originally to go Bonneville, which we may try next year on my 70th birthday. The Sachse Rod Shop in Dallas did most of work. Bruce Hilbun of Dallas, long time friend, will be my driver.