EDELBROCK SICK SMOKIES
Luke Cryer
Fifty Gassers and a couple hundred more of their street car friends came together for an adventure unlike any other at Edelbrock Sick Smokies, held October 12 to 19 through Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. A week of perfect weather along spectacular routes, sprinkled with some of the Southeast’ s most character-filled dragstrips, made for an event that will be long remembered.
The chaos kicked off at Rocket City Dragway in Huntsville, Alabama. The tech line was bursting with fresh blood, thanks to the dozens of Gassers trying drag-and-drive for the first time. Spanning Southeast Gassers Association veterans to barely-running machines made just for the event, there was something special right about the mix right from the start. The event had a special focus on the Gassers, with competitors getting early entry( very helpful,
considering the event sold out in under a minute six months prior) as well as a special run group to let them show off for the crowd.
Sick’ s“ one-off” event format was used for Edelbrock Sick Smokes, with the famed orange helmets on offer for the winners of A / Gas, B / Gas, Outlaw Gas( catching anything with a Gasser spirit), and Overall( for the non-Gassers).
Day one saw impressive runs across the board. Fan-favorite Mike Finnegan clocked a personal best of 5.418 to lead A / Gas in the“ Blasphemi”’ 55 Chevy, while Matt Donovan’ s’ 38 Chevy Coupe“ Garbage That Barfed” topped B / Gas with a 6.275 run. Randy Quay put his hand up for Outlaw Gas, hitting a 6.283 in his turbocharged’ 57 Chevy known as“ Bad and Bougie.”
Nick Cryer went No. 1 in Overall with a flying 4.692 from his twin-turbocharged’ 33 Ford Coupe, well ahead of Lamar Swindoll’ s second-placed 5.109.
162 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 197