Ready to go Nitro Coupe racing?

  At the Super Chevy Show, the Nitro Coupes are the kings of the track. Everybody races to the fence or the bleachers when they run and are awed by the incredible performances. The Nitro Coupes are very sleek and fast looking and even look fast sitting still. Even though they are crowd favorites, most of us never imagine ourselves behind the wheel of one of these monsters going 240 miles per hour down the track.

  That is why I was so surprised when my friend Bobby called me up to tell me that he had just purchased a nitro coupe. He had found a gorgeous Camaro and bought it less engine.  It was an incredible car and had all the good stuff, chromoly cage, tube chassis, fiberglass body, Currie Rearend, big wing, it really had it all. My buddy dropped a big block Chevy in the car and got ready to make some passes in it before he got the big Nitro motor. He thought a few eight second passes might help him get ready for the six second motor. Friends encouraged him and lent a hand when needed.

  But trouble was waiting around the corner. First, the headers didn’t fit and a new set was needed. The funny car cage was hard to get in and out of and the car was built for a different sized driver. My friend, Bobby was never really comfortable in the car, but still he got the car ready and headed for the track.

  The first pass was a nice and easy one, resulting in a nine second time slip without really trying. The car went straight, but the brakes felt soft and didn’t stop very well. On the second pass Bobby left soft again, but the car felt so good he got into the throttle at half track and laid on the gas. The scoreboard showed a nice low eight second pass, but Bobby was in trouble in the shutdown area. First, he tried the brakes but they were no help and the car speed toward the sand trap. Next, he tried the chute but it was too late. Bobby’s new car hit the sand hard and flipped on to its roof.

  Bobby and his car are fine, but we all learned a valuable lesson that day. Maybe the Nitro Coupes aren’t for everybody. Sometimes, we need to look at our own cars and appreciate them for the fun we get out of them. Whether it’s a 9, 10, 11 second car or slower, we can have a great time at all of the Super Chevy Shows.

  I love my nine second Currie rearends sponsored 1966 Nova SS, but when the Nitro coupes are called to the lanes you will find me at the starting line pressed against the glass.

Scott “Lucky” Hudson is a Drag racer and host of Speed Scene Live TV. Watch a free Drag Racing TV show on your own computer anytime just by going to www.speedsceneracing.com.