WINDSOR - FOX TELLS ALL 

This year we decided early on that we would vacation in Washington state and planned our travel routes so that we would end up at Seattle International Raceway for the Northwest Ford National Drag event on June 25th and 26th.

     We left our home in Apple Valley, California and drove west eleven miles to State Highway 395. We traveled north to Kennewick, Washington to visit a cousin. After arriving in Kennewick and then traveling throughout the state, we had already driven 1800 miles in our 5 liter equipped '88 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe in complete comfort. Our Turbocoupes are optioned with ride control suspension, air conditioning, cruise control, electric seats, premium sound system, full mufflers and catalytic converters and tail pipes, etc.

     When we arrived at the track I proceeded to remove everything from the trunk that had not already been left at the motel. After being completely awestruck by the beautiful racing facility and the surrounding pine trees, I started making preparations to compete with the best competitors in the area. I dropped the air pressure in my Dunlop 245/50/16 radials from 32 pounds to 15 to help in the traction department. I added a can of octane boost just for insurance to prevent unwanted detonation in my daily driver. After teching in I put on my helmet and pulled into the staging lanes feeling a little nervous about the likes of the competition I'd seen that I would be racing. After no burnout; hey, these tires were brand new before starting this vacation I pulled up and staged at this track for the first time in my life. I cut a good light but spun the tires bad coming out of the gate to run a 13.22 at 109.4 MPH. Feeling somewhat disappointed, I pulled back to our spot in the pits south of the staging lanes. I knew I was going to have to come out with less rpm's and baby this 3,700 pound car on those street tires!

I  decided to let another pound of air out of the rear tires remembering that my best previous runs were with 14 pounds of air on tap. After about 30 minutes of cool down time, I headed back to give it another shot; concentrating on my 60 foot time. This time I came out at 1900 rpm and the heavy car launched fairly well. It pulled through all the gears (it's a 5 speed manual car) and ran 13. 10 at 112.7 MPH. Satisfied but realizing that a car like this doesn't get any respect unless it runs 12's; I decided to throw out the mini spare tire since I had a full 22 gallons of gas in the tank for good measure anyhow.

I let the car cool down for about an hour and told myself this next run I was going to give it my best shot. After letting the clutch go and dragging the four wheel disc brakes nearly to the staging beams; I took a deep breath and staged shallow and waited for the third yellow and let the clutch go! It hooked good and pulled so hard in the first two gears, I knew this had to be my best run. Sure enough! I pulled up to the E.T. ticket booth and was greeted with a smile from a young woman who handed me my time slip. "Nice run," she said. Well, now a 12.90 at 112.8 MPH is quite respectable for any American touring car of this size. And I have to tell you I am justifiably proud of my Ford!!

     I suppose you are wondering right now just what kind of five liter is this? Well, it's your basic stock block, stock cam, 5.0 from a Wrecked '90, Mustang, with power steering, air conditioning and JBA unequal length shorty headers mated to a factory stock Mustang catalytic converter and Dyno Max mufflers. I have iron GT-40 heads worked over quite a bit, topped off with a GT-40 induction package and 65mm throttle body. The SN89 paxton supercharger that was on my other car bolted on to this mild mannered little engine with the help of a 77mm Pro-M mass air meter set up for the 30 lb. injectors. The MSD boost retard allows variations in pump gas while driving on the street and saves money on octane boost. This combination obviously works well and brings in 24 miles per gallon highway cruise conditions with 3.73 rear gears and my world class T-5 trans with a .63 5th gear ratio.

     Now I felt confident that I had my launching technique down but wished my traction lock was working better after noting my 2.2 second 60 foot time. This car would go 12.50's all day long on small slicks and a tightly repacked traction lock in the good Northwest air. After spending the rest of the day walking around, I headed back to the old T-Bird to pump up the tires and pack everything back in the big trunk and head back to the motel.

     After a good night's rest, we returned to the track with reservation that the weather would hold up. There were more people on hand Sunday, probably due in part to the jet cars and monster truck exhibitions planned later in the race schedule. We unloaded the trunk and spare tire and let the air down n to 14 pounds. I thought I should make one run Sunday before eliminations began in my bracket (12.01-14.50). The T-Bird ran 12.93 at 112 MPH and while this was definitely confidence inspiring, the trailered cars competing in my bracket gave me reason for concern. I let the car cool thoroughly with the hood up in the 74 degree weather, listening intently to the PA speaker to be called to the staging lanes for eliminations. I wasted no time when the word was passed and was about the 5th car back in the line up in lane four. Immediately, a nice looking Fairlane with a big block, C6 and slicks pulled up to my left. The driver got out donned in a fire suit and I noticed the car had a full cage roll bar, line lock and one driver's seat, no interior; basically your full tilt purpose built trailered drag car!! I looked at my wife, Jeannine and said, "We're finished." After driving 1,800 miles to get to this point, I had to draw a competitor like this the very first round! How could I get so lucky?! My wife reminded me we came to have fun and suggested that as far as luck was concerned, I had the same chance of winning.

     The Fairlane hadn't dialed yet and it became clear to me he had been waiting for me to dial-in first. I watched him get in his car; suddenly it hit me, he had purposely picked me to match up with due to the stock looking appearance of our plain white car. Probably the only inkling that something worthy might be under our hood were Paxton decals above the rear tire quarter panels of the big touring coupe. I looked over at the helmet donned driver in the Fairlane and as his eyes met mine, I grinned sheepishly and looked away. I never looked at him again. Jeannine watched the wife or girlfriend of the Fairlane dial in and then change their dial-in twice before he reached the bleach box. The Fairlane's side window showed a dial-in of 12.41 as he brought on the first pre-stage light. I crept our big Ford up and my pre-stage light came on and I immediately got my second (staged light). He staged and then went the tree. I was out and he was right with me and slightly pulling away after the 1,000 foot mark to beat me. I could only hope he broke out, I thought. I grabbed my time slip and the girl put a single dot on my windshield and immediately I knew that somehow I had won. A quick check of the time slip told the story. The Fairlane had red lighted by .06 seconds. Whew!! I was relieved and then immediately ecstatic. The Fairlane closely followed me back to the pits and drove his beautiful car right back on the trailer. I had beat him! Maybe I psyched him out?! I had won and had to immediately return to the staging lanes for the next round.

     People came over to our T-Bird wanting to find out what I was running. I told them a stock block 302. 1 opened the hood and people would just stare, as if to see something exotic. After waiting for some time, it was announced over the PA to clear the staging lanes for the exhibition jet cars. So I pulled the T-Bird up to our little pile of stuff on the tarmac that marked our place in the pits. After all the hoopla, we were called back to the staging lanes when I drew a 70's Torino on slicks. I didn't have time to check it out as the line was moving up quickly. I repeated the earlier burnout procedure and went to the line. The tree flashed and off I went. The car pulled good all the way and it appeared as though I just edged the Torino out at the 1320 ft. mark. I hoped I hadn't broken out. I went to the booth to get my time slip and another dot was put on my windshield. I did it again! The car ran a 13 flat and 110 MPH. I pulled past the edge of the bleachers to hear a small group of people rooting for me as I made the sharp left hand turn to the pits. That made me feel pretty good! These Washington people are really nice, I thought.

     By the time I pulled up to the front of the staging lanes, I was looking over at a 428 Super Cobra Jet. With as much confidence as I could garner, I pulled up to the burnout area. I heated the tires up even more than before and pulled to the line, wishing that I could of had a chance for some cool down time. The lights flashed and I dropped the clutch with 1900 rpm showing on the tach. The T-Bird leaped out and then bogged so hard I thought it had stalled. The 428 was gone and I just couldn't catch him. With a 60 foot time of 2.6 and my opponent showing a trap time of two one/hundredth's slower than his dial, I knew it would have been all over with anyhow. Somewhat disappointed, I thought about how I had driven a street car 1,800 miles to get there and then simply let air out of the rear tires to compete with some very formidable opponents. I had nothing to be ashamed of! With great pride in my accomplishments and perseverance, I pulled the big car up to give her a rest and watch the remainder of the racing. I was damned proud, I thought!

     This story almost sounds like fiction. But I have the time slips to back it up and the memory of the best vacation I've had in many years. I know in my heart that no car competing that day could have done all of the things as well as our T-Bird did overall. When you consider it traveled over 2,900 miles in eleven days on this trip with excellent drivability and mileage; through cats and mufflers, on street tires!! I've never owned a big block, but I'm certainly proud of my little Ford engine. You don't have to have a full blown race car to win and have fun. I feel like my car's a real winner and I drive it nearly every day! The Paxton gives me the best of both worlds, 1960's big block performance, smog legal and without having to stop at every gas station along the way!

   This great story comes to us from Ed Marsh of Windsor - Fox Performance Engineering. Check out the Windsor‑Fox ad and give them a call if you want to go fast. Please support our advertisers.    www.windsor-fox.com