GRIFFIN STEINFELD

movie , hopefully we cross paths someday . Well , I went out to one of the No Mercy races a few years ago just to spectate and hang out . Sure enough , the car was there . I walked up to the team and introduced myself . That ’ s how that started a few years ago , and here I am racing in the Bumblebee RVW twin-turbo car .”

Steinfeld made his first passes in the car last fall during a test session at Carolina Dragway . The plan was merely to get him up to speed in the car , as it was quite a step up from his twin-turbo ’ 56 Chevy truck that ’ s been as quick as 4.60s at 167 MPH in the eighth mile .

“ The first run I just wanted to go 200 feet or whatever just to get my feet wet with letting go

of the button and doing that program inside the car ,” Steinfeld says . “ It ’ s totally different than my truck and any other car I ’ ve been in , with a Liberty and that style transmission .”

While he didn ’ t get to make a full pass at the test session , he did get a learning experience that has him ready to make more laps .

“ I was a little bummed out to be honest right when it happened because I wanted to make a full pass ,” Steinfeld admits . “ I ’ ve never been 200 mph and I wanted to go 200 mph that day , but after calming down and understanding what had happened , I realized that had taught me way more than the car just making a clean A-to-B pass .”

Parts issues plagued Steinfeld ’ s qualifying experience at Lights Out 13 , so he didn ’ t get to hit that 200-mph goal . But he ’ s determined

to get back in a race car , possibly one capable of going far faster than 200 . He has a desire to race in the NHRA world , including Pro Mod , or maybe even Top Alcohol Dragster or Top Fuel . He recently had the opportunity to warm up Antron Brown ’ s Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals , and he ’ s eager to do much more than just sit in the seat for a warmup .

“ Good things have been happening with myself and NHRA ,” Steinfeld says . “ I really hope to be in a rail soon , whether it ’ s Top Alcohol or Top Fuel or anything like that . I just want to stay on their radar and keep doing good things . Racing in RVW for the first time this weekend is a good stepping stone in teaching my brain and my body what to do at those speeds and what it feels like . DI

26 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 175