Written by Mary Lendzion
The moment Bruce Lang beheld the beautiful 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S 340 back in 1985, he had to have it.
So he bought it and began working on its interior and exterior, and when he wanted to turn his focus to work for a while, he carefully put the car in storage.
Several years later, in 2016, he got his hands on an engine for the car, upgraded the car’s suspension and began competing in the 12.00 index in NMCA Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock.
Lang has been having the time of his life in the car, which is now set up for the 9.50 index in NMCA Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock with a 470 cubic-inch Mopar engine built by Lang and Russ Berens after machine work by W&W Machine. It is backed by a Chrysler 727 transmission maintained by Russ Berens with parts purchased from Rick Allison of A&A Transmission.
“It has been quite a ride,” said Lang.
The Wisconsin resident set a goal for himself at the beginning of the 2022 race season, and then headed to the NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holbrook Racing Engines in March at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida. After qualifying in the ninth spot with a 9.53 on a 9.50 index in his Barracuda, he won the first round of eliminations with 9.51 when his opponent went red, and the second round of eliminations with another 9.51. He dipped under his index with 9.47 but still won as his opponent went red in the semifinal round of eliminations, and he later raced to the runner-up finish with a 9.57 against Doug Duell in the final round of eliminations.
Lang went on to qualify in the fifth spot with a 9.508 on a 9.50 index, which shows just how tightly racers in the category have to have their combinations dialed in, at the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by MAHLE Motorsport in April at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina. He won the first through third rounds of eliminations with a 9.52, 9.58 and 9.53 before exiting with a breakout time of 9.49 in the semifinal round of eliminations.
Getting closer to the middle of the race season, Lang qualified in the fifteenth spot with a 9.77 on a 9.75 at the NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing presented by Fuelab in May at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois, and lost in the first round of eliminations with a 9.78.
“You have the ups and downs, and you just need to take what is given and go for it,” said Lang, who then qualified in the ninth spot with a 9.77 on a 9.75 at the Arrington Performance NMRA/NMCA Power Festival presented by TorqStorm Superchargers in July at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan, and won the first and second rounds of eliminations with 9.76 and 9.78. When rain rolled in at that race, the decision was made to finish it at the NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Magazine in August at Summit Motorsports Park in Ohio, and Lang landed a runner-up finish with a 9.77 against Doug Duell in the final round of the rain-delayed eliminations. As part of the actual Ohio race, he qualified in the fourteenth spot with an 9.78 on a 9.75, won first round, a double breakout, with a 9.71, won second round, another double breakout, with a 9.74, and his weekend came to a close with a loss in the third round of eliminations after a bit of trouble on the starting line.
“In the Nostalgia Super Stock class, the competition is unbelievable,” said Lang. “The competition makes everyone better. The amazing part is all the support you get from your competitors.”
Lang was sitting pretty in points toward the end of the race season, and qualified in the sixth spot with a 9.503 on a 9.50 at the final race of 2022, the NMCA World Street Finals presented by Chevrolet Performance in September at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana. He lost in the first round of eliminations, with a 9.52 on a 9.50, after a close race against Shaun Johnston, but he had already accumulated enough points to achieve the 2022 NMCA Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock championship.
“A lot of good things happened this season,” said Lang, who also earned a second-place finish in Fastest Street Car Super Stock in his other Barracuda. “Everyone pitches in to help everyone, and then you have to race them. What a roller coaster ride. It is also a dream come true, and I would like to thank the NMCA for putting together this opportunity to compete, Red Line Oil for sponsoring the series, Quick Fuel Technology for being our class sponsor, all of the numerous sponsors for the series, my fellow competitors, my business B&K Trucking, all our employees, family, friends and Russ Berens for talking me into getting back into racing. A special thanks to my wife, Deb, who keeps it all together for us, and to my mom and dad, for giving me the drive to accomplish great things. Without all of these people, I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
The NMCA looks forward to celebrating Lang and his fellow champions at the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals Awards Ceremony, held during the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, Dec. 9, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center.
Please watch for upcoming stories about each of our champions on NMCADigital.com and RacePagesDigital.com as well as in Fastest Street Car magazine.
The moment Bruce Lang beheld the beautiful 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S 340 back in 1985, he had to have it.
So he bought it and began working on its interior and exterior, and when he wanted to turn his focus to work for a while, he carefully put the car in storage.
Several years later, in 2016, he got his hands on an engine for the car, upgraded the car’s suspension and began competing in the 12.00 index in NMCA Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock.
Lang has been having the time of his life in the car, which is now set up for the 9.50 index in NMCA Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock with a 470 cubic-inch Mopar engine built by Lang and Russ Berens after machine work by W&W Machine. It is backed by a Chrysler 727 transmission maintained by Russ Berens with parts purchased from Rick Allison of A&A Transmission.
“It has been quite a ride,” said Lang.
The Wisconsin resident set a goal for himself at the beginning of the 2022 race season, and then headed to the NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem presented by Holbrook Racing Engines in March at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida. After qualifying in the ninth spot with a 9.53 on a 9.50 index in his Barracuda, he won the first round of eliminations with 9.51 when his opponent went red, and the second round of eliminations with another 9.51. He dipped under his index with 9.47 but still won as his opponent went red in the semifinal round of eliminations, and he later raced to the runner-up finish with a 9.57 against Doug Duell in the final round of eliminations.
Lang went on to qualify in the fifth spot with a 9.508 on a 9.50 index, which shows just how tightly racers in the category have to have their combinations dialed in, at the Scoggin Dickey Parts Center NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by MAHLE Motorsport in April at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina. He won the first through third rounds of eliminations with a 9.52, 9.58 and 9.53 before exiting with a breakout time of 9.49 in the semifinal round of eliminations.
Getting closer to the middle of the race season, Lang qualified in the fifteenth spot with a 9.77 on a 9.75 at the NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing presented by Fuelab in May at World Wide Technology Raceway in Illinois, and lost in the first round of eliminations with a 9.78.
“You have the ups and downs, and you just need to take what is given and go for it,” said Lang, who then qualified in the ninth spot with a 9.77 on a 9.75 at the Arrington Performance NMRA/NMCA Power Festival presented by TorqStorm Superchargers in July at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan, and won the first and second rounds of eliminations with 9.76 and 9.78. When rain rolled in at that race, the decision was made to finish it at the NMCA All-American Nationals presented by Sick the Magazine in August at Summit Motorsports Park in Ohio, and Lang landed a runner-up finish with a 9.77 against Doug Duell in the final round of the rain-delayed eliminations. As part of the actual Ohio race, he qualified in the fourteenth spot with an 9.78 on a 9.75, won first round, a double breakout, with a 9.71, won second round, another double breakout, with a 9.74, and his weekend came to a close with a loss in the third round of eliminations after a bit of trouble on the starting line.
“In the Nostalgia Super Stock class, the competition is unbelievable,” said Lang. “The competition makes everyone better. The amazing part is all the support you get from your competitors.”
Lang was sitting pretty in points toward the end of the race season, and qualified in the sixth spot with a 9.503 on a 9.50 at the final race of 2022, the NMCA World Street Finals presented by Chevrolet Performance in September at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana. He lost in the first round of eliminations, with a 9.52 on a 9.50, after a close race against Shaun Johnston, but he had already accumulated enough points to achieve the 2022 NMCA Quick Fuel Technology Nostalgia Super Stock championship.
“A lot of good things happened this season,” said Lang, who also earned a second-place finish in Fastest Street Car Super Stock in his other Barracuda. “Everyone pitches in to help everyone, and then you have to race them. What a roller coaster ride. It is also a dream come true, and I would like to thank the NMCA for putting together this opportunity to compete, Red Line Oil for sponsoring the series, Quick Fuel Technology for being our class sponsor, all of the numerous sponsors for the series, my fellow competitors, my business B&K Trucking, all our employees, family, friends and Russ Berens for talking me into getting back into racing. A special thanks to my wife, Deb, who keeps it all together for us, and to my mom and dad, for giving me the drive to accomplish great things. Without all of these people, I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
The NMCA looks forward to celebrating Lang and his fellow champions at the Red Line Oil NMCA Muscle Car Nationals Awards Ceremony, held during the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, Dec. 9, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center.
Please watch for upcoming stories about each of our champions on NMCADigital.com and RacePagesDigital.com as well as in Fastest Street Car magazine.