Unfinished Business: Brooks Fleharty Brings Radical Stick-Shift Mustang to Edelbrock Sick 66
Brooks Fleharty isn’t coming to Edelbrock Sick 66 to simply make the trip; he’s arriving with a vendetta.
In 2024, Fleharty and his team were sitting third overall at the first Sick 66 in their ’86 Ford Mustang, when a parts failure in Amarillo brought their event to an abrupt end. This time around, the Mustang is back with a proven combination, a new approach to getting down the road, and some serious goals.
Route 66 is calling - and you need to answer in time to join us for Edelbrock Sick 66, September 26th - October 3rd, 2026! Seven days of drag racing, six days of cruising Route 66, unlimited memories await. You in? CLICK HERE for details on Sick 66!
Under the hood is a 427 cubic inch Windsor built around a Dart block. It’s filled with forged internals, and a massive 98-millimeter turbo provides the extra atmosphere. The combination has already produced a 5.47 at 133 mph time slip, and Fleharty says it is capable of making as much as 1,700 horsepower when the situation calls for it.
The real change, however, is behind the engine. For Edelbrock Sick 66, Fleharty is taking on his first drag-and-drive with a third pedal on the driver’s side, pairing the 427 with a Tremec TKX five-speed manual transmission and a 3.50 rear gear. That creates an interesting challenge for a car that has already proven it can run hard.
“We’ve proven the chassis has what it takes,” Fleharty said. “We were pushing through our trans and converter in 2024. But now with the manual trans, we will be able to go just as fast without leaning on the car as hard.”
The 2026 goal is ambitious: Fleharty wants to establish a world-record time for a stock TKX transmission-equipped car, with his sights set on a 5.2-second average or better throughout Edelbrock Sick 66.
The team has a solid tune-up and plenty of data from the Mustang's previous outings, giving them a baseline to work from as the week progresses. “It’ll only get better each day,” Fleharty said.
The Mustang is also purpose-built for the unique demands of drag and drive competition. Out back, custom dual fuel tanks from Juggernaut Fab use dry breaks, allowing the team to swap between them in just minutes. The car carries a 7.50 SFI-certified chassis, giving Fleharty the safety margin required for the speeds he intends to run.
And he won't be tackling Edelbrock Sick 66 alone. Crew chief Justin Beckley will be along for the ride, having helped build and race the Mustang for years, and playing a major role in getting the combination dialed in. A dozen friends are also signed up to race and cruise with Fleharty throughout the week.
After coming so close in 2024, the motivation is pretty simple: Finish what they started.
If the Mustang can combine its proven 5-second performance with the durability of the new manual transmission combination, Fleharty could be one of the cars to watch when Edelbrock Sick 66 gets underway. The power is there. The chassis is proven. Now it's time to see whether the TKX can survive the ride.
Edelbrock Sick 66 will be at Mo-Kan Dragway, Bonne Terre Drag Strip and Midstate Dragway from September 26th to October 3rd, 2026. Get your spectator tickets online now and save $5, kids 12 and under are free! For more event information head to www.sickthemagazine.com/sick-66.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Brooks Fleharty.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com