The Sun Shines Through – Day One of Edelbrock Sick 66 Brings a Wide Variety of Cars, Including Over 2 Dozen Gassers, to Mo-Kan Dragway, and Lamar Swindoll Leads the Pack!
Mother Nature was the only one getting action on a soggy Day Zero on Saturday at Mo-Kan Dragway, and Day One of Edelbrock Sick 66 started with drizzle as well. But by 10:30 a.m., the clouds broke, and the crew at Mo-Kan started to get the track dried out.
With competitors ready for the cackle of the PA to get them to the staging lanes for the first shot at the track just after 1 p.m., a lot of eager participants were hoping for a good first pass to turn in their time slip and hit the road for the nearly 300 miles of travel for Day Two.
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Leading the sheets on Day One is recent Motion Raceworks Sick Summer winner Lamar Swindoll Jr. The nitrous-fed 1966 Chevy Nova scorched the left lane for a 4.87 at 148.50 mph, the lone 4-second pass of the day, putting him atop the ‘Quickest Nitrous’ category as well.
The second spot on the overall quickest list is the 1970 Ford Mustang of Eric Rizner. The 5.35 at 128.17 mph blast not only gave Rizner the second spot overall, but the lead in the ‘Quickest Ford-Lincoln-Mercury’ category.
Dan Dinan grabbed the third quickest run on Day One, as the Pistons In The Pines event winner piloted his ’88 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to a 5.52 at 131.62 mph. That gives Dinan the early lead in the ‘Quickest Small Block’ category.
Sick 66 has a healthy contingent of Gasser entries, and starting in 2025, Sick The Mag added an ‘Outlaw Gasser’ category for the fall ‘one-off’ event, adding a new and unique category to the traditional A/Gasser and B/Gasser.
Leading the A/Gasser at Edelbrock Sick 66 after Day One is Phil Haack, putt his 1955 Chevrolet 210 model through the eighth-mile at 6.231 seconds. 2025 Spirit of the Smokies winner Jay Grabiak is second at 6.37 at 106.16 mph in his ’55 Chevrolet.
Defending B/Gasser champ Matt Donovan is starting his week with a shot across the bow that he wants a second Sick The Mag orange helmet, lighting the scoreboard with a 6.088 at 114.74 mph in his ‘Garbage That Barfed’ 1938 Chevrolet.
The Outlaw Gasser category, allowing for some wiggle room in multiple areas versus the stricter A and B/Gasser categories, has Michael White leading the field with his ‘Still Running’ 1939 Chevrolet, which posted a 6.463 at 108.25 mph pass.
The ‘Quickest Stick Shift’ is held by 3rd-gen Chevrolet Camaro driver Robbie Kellerhals, thanks to the 5.575 at 129.61 mph blast.
The ’29 Ford Model T of Zachary Blausey rolled into Mo-Kan down a cylinder, but the hard charger wasn’t ready to call it quits. He found a spare piston and rod, tore everything apart, and got it all buttoned back up to block a 5.888 at 117.29 mph, enough to command the ‘Quickest Hot Rod’ class.
James Short is atop the ‘Quickest Radial’ category, wheeling his 1998 Chevrolet Camaro to a 5.976 at 123.76 mph for the lead by over half-a-second.
Dean Tepen’s ‘new’ 1964 Chevrolet Nova wagon leads the ‘Naturally Aspirated’ group with a 6.78 at 98.90 mph.
Taylor Lambeth leads the ‘Quickest Chevrolet – GMC’ category, laying down a 5.78 at 125.77 mph to take the top spot, as well as a top ten overall slot for the time being.
Smokies Garage has their rides leading two respective categories, with Mike Clark pushing their 2019 Challenger to a 6.101 at 119.55 mph for the top rung on the ‘Quickest Mopar’ category. Tim Pouw has control of the ‘Quickest Pontiac’ contingent with a 6.832 at 102.44 mph pass from the camp’s 1948 Pontiac Torpedo.
Tom Barkauski did our first edition of Edelbrock Sick 66, and the ’62 Oldsmobile returned to clock the ‘Quickest Olds’ of Day One this time around, a 6.874 at 109.20 mph.
Adam Kary’s 1986 Buick Regal has the ‘Quickest Buick’ after one day with a 7.631 at 91.54 mph.
Larry Haile is the ‘Quickest AMC’ of the event this far, as a 7.703 at 90.45 mph time slip was deliver by his ’65 Rambler.
Robert Freund has brought back the twin-turbo big block-infused 2015 Tesla, and after a shake down run, clocked a 5.918 at 123.05 mph pass, putt Freund atop the ‘Quickest Big category.
The Quickest Diesel belongs to Donavan Meyers, Samuel Farance tops the Quickest 4-cylinder group, while familiar runner Steve McNair leads the Quickest 6-cylinder group with his Cadillac ATS.
Once racing was complete, an estimated 286 miles was next on the competitors, Sick Ward and Sick Spit Show & Shine enthusiasts ‘to-do’ list. After several hours, four checkpoints and some weary travelers, Edelbrock Sick 66 closed the book on Day One.
We’re rolling into Day Two of Edelbrock Sick 66 on September 28th, at Bonne Terre Drag Strip. Gates open for racers at 7 a.m., spectators at 8 a.m. and we should be on track for racing action starting at 9 a.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance to save some coin, or purchase directly at the gate.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com