Watch Big Chief Run 4.033 In Memphis – Quickest/Fastest Full Bodied Pontiac Ever?


Watch Big Chief Run 4.033 In Memphis –  Quickest/Fastest Full Bodied Pontiac Ever?

We have to give major props to Big Chief for his amazing 4.022/186mph charge which was made at the Outlaw Street Car Reunion III at Memphis last weekend. The run is astoundingly quick for anything to be making on radials but especially so when you figure that this is a conventionally headed Pontiac engine. This is not a 481X, a massive “small block” like some guys are running, or even a modern LSx style deal. Nope, this is hardcore Pontiac stuff with Edelbrock heads and as much boost as it can swallow. The car made some impressive runs at South Georgia Motorsports Park at Lights Out 7 but this 4.03 is really something and may indicate that a three second radial pass may be in the cards for the machine. THAT would be another amazing headline.

So that’s the good news. The bad news is that claims of this being the quickest and fastest Pontiac door slammer in the country with Pontiac power are a bit misleading. While we would agree that this car is quicker to the eighth then anything Pontiac powered with doors in the country, we’d have to stop there. Rodney Butler has driven his 482ci turbocharged Pontiac ‘slammer to elapsed times in the 6.20s with speeds over 228mph. Removing the doors we have Steve Dale that has gone 6.11/228 in his Pontiac powered funny car, and the all out Pontiac record? That belongs to the dragster of Jeff Kauffman who has gone 5.966/239 with his screw blown, Pontiac powered dragster.

None of this is designed to take a whiz in Chief’s Cheerios but rather to make sure that the performances of other hardcore, hard running Pontiac enthusiast drag racers don’t get swept under the rug unnecessarily. The fact remains that as a turbo car, if Chief can run 4.03 in the eighth, we’re thinking that there could be a 5-second pass in that car and the all out Pontiac performance mark may be in reach. We also know that the back half of the race track is there the majority of the bad stuff happens and while it is only a few football fields, who knows what the results would be if the hammer stayed down past the eighth?!

Press play to watch Big Chief run 4.033 in Memphis –


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7 thoughts on “Watch Big Chief Run 4.033 In Memphis – Quickest/Fastest Full Bodied Pontiac Ever?

  1. Unkle Bob

    Calling a pro-mod a full-bodied door slammer is pretty misleading. Chief would probably agree.

  2. Kcx1882

    Carbon fiber body, tube chassis, stickers for headlights. Check, check and check. If they want that title let em have it. By the way, I have the fastest car in my neighborhood on a Tuesday night between 2 and 3 am. Geezx why does everyone need a record….it’s like they need a participation trophy. Even though the crow mod beat 2.0. 2.0 made a beer run right after that. I think that’s cooler.

  3. Richard

    Main bearings are taking a beating. It’s time to step up to a billet block. Four atmospheres through this engine at 482 inches. Insane.

  4. Kevin Swaney

    Great article! We agree, there are many things that can happen after the 1/8th mile! No disrespect to the performance or what has been done. We keep track of the fastest . Pontiacs . ever on our website. We have been doing this for over 10 years now and it is a great way to keep track of Pontiac performance. Our records show that Rodney Butler is currently the fastest . Pontiac . doorslammer! Bill Mellott’s Pro Mod ’65 GTO has also run some stellar 1/8 mile times but he has been unable to finish it off at the top end.

    We have invited Chief to attend our annual Pontiac drag race, The Pontiac US Nationals. This is where you will find the Elite 10 members (The 10 fastest Pontiacs in the world) mixing it up in the Elite 10 Heads Up Shootout. What better way to lay claim to the fastest . Pontiac . ever than to take out all of the competition head to head? Unfortunately, we have not heard back from him….We would love to have him at the event!

    More info on the fPe Heads Up Shootout can be found here: http://www.pontiacusnationals.com/fastest-pontiacs-ever-heads-up-shootout/

    Pontiacs RULE!!

  5. Danny Nelson Racecraft

    Funny, I know of one Jason Harris, That had the same body, Go 3.7? 2 years ago at Memphis.

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