Drag Illustrated Issue 127, November 2017 | Page 34
Dirt
‘The Grinch’ Going Class Racing
W
hile many racers have gone
from class racing to the no-time/
grudge racing world, it is rare to
see an extremely successful team
in the ‘clocks off ’ world make the swap. But for
Nick Chapman, owner of “The Grinch,” this is
exactly what he is doing.
For those who are not familiar with the popular
small-tire Fox body Mustang, Chapman fielded
the entry with many of his friends, including
Trevor Peterson, who was tabbed with driving
duties. One of the more popular no-time shoot-
out categories is the 26” outlaw program where
entrants are able to run on a 26” wide tire and
must retain factory wheelbase and factory front
suspension configuration. The rest is up to them
– horsepower, power adder, weight, and rear sus-
pension. The Grinch was an instant fan favorite
due to its “rough” exterior appearance and strong
performances over the past few seasons with the
big block, nitrous oxide-assisted powerplant un-
der the hood.
Chapman, an underrated tuner in his own right,
has been under the wing of many well-known
professionals like Mark Menscer from Menscer
Motorsports and Tony Bischoff at BES Racing En-
gines. While many of the N/T racers have pushed
the limits of a rulebook, The Grinch stuck with
a tried and true stock suspension configuration
with assistance from Tin Soldier Race Cars and
Menscer Motorsports.
In a candid interview
with the colorful yet
modest car owner, we
learned a lot about the
combination and the
goal for the Wisconsin-
based team in 2018.
“We are extremely
excited to try MX235
after years of watching
the class grow and con-
templating the move
with our car,” Chap-
man said. “No Time has
treated us very well, but
we are looking forward
to trying our hand at the
class and getting into
something different in addition to the occasional
return to our roots.”
The Grinch looks to have “all systems go” to-
wards a full 2018 campaign in MX235 with their
BES Racing Engines-powered Ford Mustang,
topped off with a Fas t Lane Nitrous Racing Sys-
tem. Automatic Transmission Design and Neal
Chance Racing Converters back the horsepower
with a strong drivetrain to propel the horsepower
to the ground through the narrow 26”-wide tires.
Grant’s Service Performance, Authentic Automo-
tive and Squirts Customs have a strong presence
on the machine that has been a front runner over
the past few seasons.
“Coming from a world with very narrow restric-
tions, we are having to make a number of changes
to be legal for MX235,” Chapman pointed out.
“When we built the car originally, we wanted to
build the majority of the car to class specs in case
of this move, but it’s been hard to stay class legal
and contend this past season. The biggest factor
for us will be the improved racing conditions and
getting a weight package setup for the car quickly
because we’re coming to run towards the front
from the first race we enter – no reason to not
dive in head first!”
Chapman, Peterson and the entire team plan to
make their MX235 debut at the Holley EFI Out-
law Street Car Reunion V at Beech Bend Raceway
Park in April 2018. With a fully capable driver, a
binder full of data on 26” tires and a host of big
names and companies involved with this car, The
Grinch may ruin the party for a number of racers
eyeing the MX235 category in 2018.
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34 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
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Issue 127
Grudge racers Peterson, Chapman making leap to MX235
By Tyler Crossnoe