Written by Jason Reiss Photography courtesy of GForce Performance Engineering Let's face it, chassis bushings are decidedly unsexy performance parts. They aren't shiny, billet, or covered in a high-visibility hue to catch the eye. Properly performing bushings are mostly out-of-sight, out-of-mind components that aren't even thought about until one or more fails. But according to Jesse Powell an...

There's an inherent badassery that comes with stomping a clutch pedal and banging gears down the drag strip. In NMCA DART NA 10.5 presented by Diamond Pistons competition, many drivers elect to use an automatic transmission, but a select few still prefer the old school method of a stick-shift to get the job done. Prepping and driving a manual in any sort of racing category has its challenges, b...

The NMCA Muscle Car Nationals is proud to announce a 3-year contract with one of the most recognizable names in motorsports Chevrolet Performance. The deal includes Chevrolet Performance sponsored integration of LSX-based categories into the NMCA championship drag racing program, the 15th annual LSX Shootout (World Wide Technology Raceway May 13-16, 2021), the 3rd annual COPO Camaro Shootout (Summ...

American Powertrain has introduced its new Pro-Fit 5-speed system for classic Corvettes featuring the all new TREMEC TKX 5-Speed. The new TKX Pro-Fit kit fits vintage Corvettes like an original GM manual transmission with the correct shift position and tunnel fit. The new TKX features a streamlined case for improved fitment with zero tunnel modifications. American Powertrain modifies the TKX sh...

Fort Wayne, Indiana's Glenn Pushis is more than familiar with making big things happen. He's currently overseeing the construction of a 1.9 billion dollar steel manufacturing facility as part of his day job at Steel Dynamics, and in his personal time, he has accumulated three Chevrolet Performance Stock (CPS) championships across the NMCA and Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series. After a brief f...

The Terminator X Stealth 4500 EFI System from Holley features eight 100 lb/hr fuel injectors capable of supporting up to 1500 horsepower naturally aspirated or 1250 horsepower on forced induction applications. The Terminator X ECU is capable of fuel map self-learning and ignition timing control, improving idle stability, drivability and wide-open throttle horsepower. It is designed to fit with ...

NMCA is hosting NHRA chassis inspector Rich Schreck during NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem at Bradenton Motorsports Park for NHRA/SFI chassis certifications. Racers will be inspected by appointment ONLY! Appointments will be available at Bradenton Motorsports Park on Thursday March 18th from 8am-6pm and Friday March 19th from 8am-1pm. Please contact Rollie Miller at [email protected] or call h...

By Mary Lendzion The United States Motorsports Association has been named the Official Motorsports Advocacy Group of Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. Formed in 2015, the United States Motorsports Association represents the racing industry in local, state and federal matters, and creates connections between members of the racing industry and government officials. It also serves as...

Written by Steve Turner Photography by Kevin DiOssi Running a corporation not only requires passion, persistence, lightning-fast decisions, but the patience to know when to apply full throttle. Eric Gustafson puts those attributes to work on a daily basis as the CEO of Coast Packing Company. His company is a premier supplier of animal fat shortenings in the Western United States, and one of ...

Design Engineering, Inc., a heat and sound management products company, is entering phase two of a long-term, three-phase expansion project that will increase capacity at its headquarters in Avon Lake, Ohio. This expansion will allow DEI to expand our manufacturing, assembly and warehouse capabilities, and grow our R&D department, said Dave Ramirez, vice president of operations. With thi...

NOS CrossHair plate systems are designed with the serious racer in mind and are capable of 350+ horsepower. Based off of the ever popular Double Cross plate systems, the CrossHair takes the time-tested design and improved it for better distribution of fuel and nitrous. That is especially important with the complex intake manifold designs. The CrossHair plate system features double-down nitro...

Mishimoto Quick Release Clamps are now available. Offered in four colors, the clamps provide unique locking system for a trustworthy connection to piping, and they withstand up to a 400 F and 110PSI operating pressure range. They allow for angular, axial and radial movement, while remaining sealed with Viton O-rings. CNC-machined 6061 aluminum weld ferrules arrive ready for fabrication, and ...

Today, the NMCA Tech Committee updated the Factory Super Cars class rules with the clarification on windows for all combinations. The 2021 NMCA class rules can be found here: https://www.nmcadigital.com/2021-class-rules-payouts/  

By Mary Lendzion Kurt Anderson is known for many things. He's cool, calm and collected, he's friendly off-track and formidable on-track, he's skilled and savvy and he had already earned championships in Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series LME Street King in 2017 and 2018 before committing to chasing another championship in 2020. With his Camaro back home in snowy Wisconsin, Anderson ...

Strange Engineering continues to evolve its products to meet the demands of today's racers by offering lower control arm brackets with multiple mounting locations as standard equipment on GM housings. The newly-designed bracket allows for lower control arm adjustment to manipulate pinion angle, increase traction and improve overall performance in street and drag racing applications. The bracket...

By Mary Lendzion Soon after buying his Camaro in 2007, David Rickey began adding bolt-on parts to beef it up. Then, he began racing at tracks near his home in Ohio, as well as in the Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series. He is as competitive as they come in Proform Rumble, and after capturing a championship in the category in 2018 and 2019, he poised himself to power to a third championshi...

Fitting a Gen 3 Hemi in between the fenders of a classic car or truck engine bay designed for a much smaller powerplant can be tricky. Earl's new Hellcat supercharger intake manifold helps gain back valuable under-hood real estate by creating almost two inches of extra firewall clearance for the factory Hellcat supercharger. The manifold is machined from billet aluminum and utilize universal -1...

Dart's small-block Ford Iron Eagle blocks are designed to work with the stock components, but are now much more than a stock replacement. The new Dart SBF block has been designed from the ground up for hardcore racing. These new blocks are cast from premium high strength iron with extra thick cylinder walls and decks. The main webs are beefed up and fitted with steel 4-bolt main caps. All the r...

By Mary Lendzion When Jeff Heintz began competing in the Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series several years ago, he was behind the wheel of two different cars. One of them was his 2009 Cadillac CTS-V, and the other was his wife Christy's 2003 Corvette Z06, and he was holding his own in the series LME Street King category and in NMCA TorqStorm Superchargers True Street. But during that ...

Things can happen in an instant in the pits, meaning pit crews can never be too safe. DEI's Pit Crew Safety Kit includes vision, hearing and arm protection for professional mechanics, pit crew members and do-it-yourselfers. Kits include protective eyewear, ear plugs and Kevlar sleeving, all in one package and at an affordable price. Safety is the most important thing, which is why DEI is pr...

By Mary Lendzion Brian Keep raced a handful of hot rods before climbing into the Camaro he campaigns now several years ago. And, the Floridian who is eternally focused on winning has been exceptional in NMCA Edelbrock Xtreme Street in the car featuring a small-block Chevrolet engine which Hameetman Racing Engines machined and he assembled and paired with a ProCharger F-1A-91, RPM Transmissio...

Mopar enthusiasts can make a statement under the hoods of their cars with the latest Omega-Mopar Emblem Dress-Up Kits presented by Proform. Available in both chrome and signature Black Crinkle finishes, the kits come with everything needed to pop the hood and look good after cruising. Made from high quality pre-polished steel, the kits are available for both small-block (LA) and big-block (B/RB...

Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio is proud to announce that Evan Bader has been named Track Manager. Bader began working part-time at the famed family-owned facility when he was ten years old, and transitioned to full-time upon graduating in 2016 with a degree in Sport Management and Public Relations from Ohio Northern, where he also was a goalie for the university's soccer team. He h...

By Mary Lendzion Already an eight-time champion in NMCA Detroit Truetrac Nostalgia Muscle at the beginning of 2020, Andy Warren wanted to become a nine-time champion in the category by the end of the year. His chances were good, as he's as competitive as they come in his Caprice. The Kentuckian qualified in the tenth spot with a 10.03 on a 10.00 index in his car packing a small-block Chev...

By Mary Lendzion Ronnie Hackelton is fresh off a remarkable race season in NMCA Chevrolet Performance Stock presented by Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center competition. He ran to a runner-up finish at the NMRA/NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Force Engineering in August at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan, set an elapsed-time record with a 10.37 which still stands and secu...

Decades before he began his most recent project car, Ohio resident Dave Fiscus bought a Buick Grand National from his mother, while he was a teenager. That car was the start of a successful drag racing career for the man, and the inspiration for his new X275 big-boost Buick. My mom street raced my old Grand National some, and when I bought it, she had two wheels in the trunk with slicks mount...

By Mary Lendzion As an ambitious and aggressive competitor, Leonard Long spends a lot of time thinking about ways to make his car and his combination even more competitive. He is thorough and thoughtful as he covers all of the bases, and it works wonders for him as he has won races and set records in NMCA Dart NA 10.5 presented by Diamond Pistons. As eager as ever, Long, who...

Today, the NMCA Tech Committee finalized all championship class rules and they are now available online. Classes with final rules posted include the following: 1. General Regulations 2. Points 3. Xtreme Pro Mod 4. Factory Super Cars 5. Street Outlaw 6. Xtreme Street 7. N/A 10.5 8. Nitrous Pro Street 9. Chevrolet Performance Stock Pending rule clarification on new ECM part# permitted w...

David Reese, the legendary man behind the monster builds from his Reese Brother Race Cars chassis shop, has proven time and time again that he's on top of the world when it comes to small-tire, radial racing. Now, he's decided to expand his prowess to conquer big-tire Pro Mod, too. Located in Temple, Georgia, Reese Brothers Race Cars has been building cars for years. A recent build, J.R. Gray's...

By Mary Lendzion As difficult as it is to believe, Dan Caissie only dished out $600 for the Mustang he has so competitively been campaigning. He captured a championship in NHRA Sportsman ranks in 2015, and has collected wins in Bracket categories at tracks near, and not so near, his home in Connecticut. He has even held his own when he has tackled NMCA TorqueStorm Supercharg...

Today, the NMCA Tech Committee released updated preliminary rules in the following classes today: 1. General Regulations Addressed multiple entries in index classes. 2. Nitrous Pro Street Billet Cylinder Head rule updates. 3. Factory Super Cars - Clarified the 2020-21 Dodge//Hemi combination. The 2021 NMCA Preliminary Class Rules can be found here: https://www.nmcadigital.com/2021-clas...

Dual rear brake kits have been become a familiar sight in the pits. Turbo-powered door-slammers can benefit from the extra clamping force as turbos are spooled up on the starting line, while sportsman cars and dragsters can have a second pair of calipers for additional braking or as a back-up brake system. Strange Engineering offers a full line of Pro Race Rear Dual Brake kits for all of the po...

The all-new 959 cubic inch monster from Pat Musi Racing Engines didn't take long to show its potential. The latest nitrous engine had an immediate and impressive showing at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, with both Lizzy Musi and Dean Marinis running 3.61-seconds during the race. It came after a few adjustments, including a new 12.6-inch deck height and new cylinder heads, but the results are ex...

By Mary Lendzion Soon after earning the NMCA Holley EFI Factory Super Cars championship in 2019, Bill Skillman cited how close the competition was in the category. He knows that any of his fellow drivers are capable of winning at any time, and that he, too, has to be capable of winning at any time. So when he set his sights on backing up his championship in 2020, he made sur...

McLeod expands its frictions and steels kits with the addition of the 2020 Chevrolet Mid-Engine Corvette C8 application. Each kit contains high performance frictions and steels for the TR-9080 DCT 8-speed. The kits are available to order now and are expected to ship in January. The TR-9080 transmission is an eight-speed Wet Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) that was manufactured and developed b...

By Mary Lendzion Andy Warren was racking up wins in his Caprice in NMCA Detroit Truetrac Nostalgia Muscle when Scott Libersher invited him to climb into the cockpit of his COPO Camaro for Coan Stock/Super Stock Combo competition in 2019. The Kentucky-based driver didn't have to think about it for long before accepting Libersher's offer, and in no time, he was as competitive in the ...

The NMCA Muscle Car Nationals is proud to welcome RYNO Classifieds to the popular sanctioning body as the Official Classifieds for 2021. The two companies complement each other by putting the motorsport-specialized RYNO Classifieds in front of thousands of racers and enthusiasts during live events and also offering significant reach across several digital and social media platforms as well as a le...

FTI Performance has expanded its product line with the introduction of Gen 3 XPM billet bolt together torque converters. The line is revolutionary to the converter market as each piece is interchangeable to make it self-tunable. With multiple options for various components, FTI gives the customer the ability to change their converter to fit their personal combination. Each component of the FTI ...

By Mary Lendzion While Vince Khoury had been competing in Dart NA 10.5 presented by Diamond Pistons, he made the move to ARP Nitrous Pro Street late last year, and has been on a mission ever since. He set the pace in qualifying with a 4.50 and went to the Aerospace Components Winner's Circle with a 4.56 at the first NMCA event of 2020, the 18th Annual NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holb...

Interview by Mary Lendzion Photos by Mary Lendzion and FSC Staff Steve Matukas was fascinated by four-wheelers when he was growing up in Southern California. While riding his Suzuki 250 and Banshee on sand dunes around his family's home, he wanted to know what made them fast, and how he could make them even faster. That passion for power propelled when he started going to tracks ...

By Mary Lendzion The NMCA Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock category has some of the coolest cars in the country, and some of the most competitive racers in the country. Among them is Brent Wheeler, who routinely records good reaction times and consistently runs close to, or right on, his index in his 1966 Coronet. The Georgia-based driver who came to the category in 2014 has held ...

MAHLE Motorsport is now offering the LSX Combo PowerPak for LS-style heads available as a Dish, Dome or Flat Top. The LSX Combo PowerPak is a new 20cc forged piston kit designed with universal fit valve pockets for LS1/2/5, LS7 or LS3/92-style heads. Whether users are building an LS street engine or an all-out race engine, this adds a new level of power and performance, as well as versatility f...

By Mary Lendzion Eric Gustafson is prepared to give it everything he has at each and every event, and just as prepared is his Gary Naughton Race Cars-built Coast Packing Company Camaro powered by a Noonan Race Engineering Hemi, ProCharger, Liberty's four-speed, Neal Chance converter and Quick Drive converter drive, and rolling on Precision Racing Suspension and Hoosier tires. The VP Racing L...

By Mary Lendzion Photos courtesy of HPJ Performance HPJ Performance has grown. The successful performance shop which was located at 11 North 48th Street in Belleville, Illinois is now located about ten miles away at 34 Empire Drive in Belleville, Illinois. The inspiration for the move from the previous location with 4,800 square feet to the new location with 15,000 square f...

Written By Steve Baur Photography by Eddie Maloney Four the last 4 years, Albuquerque, New Mexico's John Urist has whittled away at his S550 Mustang and turbocharged Coyote powerplant, and his efforts were recently well rewarded when he drove to the winner's circle at the 2020 Street Car Super Nationals at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For Urist, whose Hellion Turbo company is ar...

QA1 is excited to announce the launch of its new limited lifetime warranty program. Offered on many of the most popular shock lines, the limited lifetime warranty can be applied to shocks purchased on or after 9/1/2020. A leader in shocks and performance products for nearly 30 years, QA1 has always had a commitment to quality. This new limited lifetime warranty is a way to further assure custom...

Strange Engineering's proven line of billet aluminum main caps improve strength for 8.8 Ford, GM 10 bolt, GM 12 bolt and Dana 60 housings. As horsepower increases, factory caps will deflect, which leads to premature wear of the gear and bearings, and ultimately resulting in failure. The Strange Engineering billet caps are made from 2024-T351 aluminum and provide increased rigidity and strength...

Written by Ainsley Jacobs Photography by Kevin DiOssi Racing with friends is great. Racing with family is fantastic. But, racing with friends who are also family brings the experience to a whole new level and that's exactly what the duo of Riste Pancevski and Tony Petrovski are doing with their notorious, naturally aspirated Fox Mustang. Growing up in Michigan near Detroit, Pancevski met hi...

By Mary Lendzion Photos courtesy of Chuck Watson Jr. Whenever Chuck Watson Jr. straps into his Mustang Cobra Jet and soars down track in NMCA Holley EFI Factory Super Cars, he's showcasing what he and Watson Racing are capable of. And, that's a lot. But for the 2021 race season, he will be behind the wheel of Jim Betz's Mustang Cobra Jet, which Watson Racing in Brownstown Township, M...