By Mary Lendzion

Photos courtesy of Doug Duell

 

Fans and fellow racers can count on Doug Duell to have some of the coolest cars on the property when he pulls into an NMCA event, and they are also some of the most competitive cars.

 

For Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock competition, Duell drives his famous 1964 Fury Wagon powered by a 572 cubic-inch Indy Wedge engine, and he is usually dialed in for the 9.25 index. He earned a win in the category at the NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holbrook Racing Engines at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida in March, and is currently holding down fourth-place in points.

 

For Fastest Street Car Magazine Stock Eliminator, Duell pilots his 1969 Barracuda packing a 440 Wedge engine, and he is usually dialed in for the 10.25 index. He has gone rounds at events, and is currently holding steady in sixth-place in points.

 

Duell also has a blue Barracuda that he had out once this year, though he doesn’t anticipate having it out again. What fans and fellow racers will see, however, in addition to his 1964 Fury Wagon and 1969 Barracuda, is the bright yellow 2015 Drag Pak Challenger Duell purchased about a month ago.

 

“A friend of mine was looking at it and when he decided not to buy it, and my engine-builder, Jeff Taylor of Jeff Taylor Performance, told me that I should take a look at it and consider buying it,” said Duell. “So I did take a look it, and then I did buy it, from Jeg Coughlin, who raced in NHRA Stock before letting Jeff race it in NHRA Stock and Super Stock for the past few years. I know I already have three race cars, but I also know that this is a proven race car, and that was one of the things that made me pull the trigger on it.”

 

The 2015 Drag Pak Challenger came with a 392 cubic-inch Gen III Hemi by Jeff Taylor paired with an 727 TorqueFlite, and Duell said they are fresh and race-ready.

 

“Mat Wright, who maintains my cars, is in the process of putting different seats in the car so that it fits me better,” said Duell. “Mat is also moving some switches around, and we took all of the lettering off of the car and will come up with a new name for it.”

 

Duell hopes to test the car, which should clock high 8.90s, for the first time next week, possibly at Ohio Valley Dragway in Kentucky, before debuting it in NMCA Fastest Street Car Magazine Super Stock and NHRA Super Stock.

 

“I had the first new 2010 Challenger in NHRA Stock, and I kind of wanted a Super Stocker that was faster than my blue Barracuda, and this 2015 Drag Pak Challenger fits the bill,” said Duell. “The logistics of getting a third car to all of the races is a challenge, so I’m not sure which races I’ll have this car at, but I’m really looking forward to racing it.”

 

Duell has circled on his calendar the final three NMCA events on this year’s tour, including the Arrington Performance NMRA/NMCA Power Festival presented by TorqStorm, July 21-24 at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan, the NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Mag, Aug. 25-28 at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio and the NMCA World Street Finals presented by Chevrolet Performance, Sept. 22-25 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana.