Any observer at the track can see that both the muscle car and sports car races at Drag City are almost exclusively “vintage affairs.” But what would happen if someone brought a “modern” car to the track? Modern, that is, to our current track year of 1985…
My quick intro on this, the latest creation from our friends at Road Race Replicas, brings us to this black beauty, just added to the fleet late last week! Delivered on an original Aurora T-Jet chassis which was quickly repurposed for a future “Road Crew” project, this was remounted on a battle-tested and high performing Ultra G and fitted with Vincent “Fuchs” wheels and tires. Due to being out of racing numbers and forced to double-up, I went with my most hated number for one compelling reason: I had a set of awesome RRR decals in white outlined in silver, which I thought would look killer on a black car with silver trim. I daresay I was right, and once the number was down, the Lore took shape…
Named after an album and a track by hypersexual Chicago techno-industrial band My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, “Thirteen Above The Night” is brought to Drag City from LA by Christopher “The Doc” Chan, the native son of a family from South Korea, who was born in Pasadena with high octane fuel in his veins! A gearhead from infancy, Chan always knew he wanted to race cars, but was unable to do so until his satisfied his parent’s insistence on getting a “real job,” which he dutifully did, graduating from UCLA medical school with honors and starting a career specializing in helping car wreck victims-and particularly racing drivers-recover from injuries sustained in the line of duty. His passion for cars led him away from the bright lights/big city to Wardglenn Emergency right next door to Drag City Raceway, where his skill and reputation made him the director of the trauma unit. Such a man is a true racing hero who knows the risks of this hobby, and thus he outfitted his brand new Pantera GT5 with racing harnesses and Recarro seats, and brakes improved over even the impressive factory originals.
Lightened where possible, including the addition of plexi side glass and the removal of the AC, power windows, and other “boulevard” equipment, this Modena-built muscle car is now truly a creature of the track, and is qualifying for the upcoming sports car event that will close out the summer season! Drivers of high-falutin’ multi-cam exotics, beware what happens when Italian style and engineering meets American muscle!
Wow, while not “vintage” she is era correct. With those awesome wheels and black paint, it looks like quiet the predator prowling the carnivorous tracks of Drag City!