Staging
Lanes
CHECKING OUT
Rob “the Gangster” Valden lets off the transbrake button and holds on for dear life as the Andrew Alepa-owned
2016 Chevy Corvette launches off the starting line during the Radial Tire Racing Association event in late March
en route to the then-quickest-and-fastest 3.856-second, 212.26mph pass in the history of the class (1.05 sixtyfoot, 2.67 three-thirty). “We know the car will go in the 3.70s,” says Valden. “We think we can do it the next time
out. We made some changes on the wing, too, that have helped with stability on the top end. We didn’t have
enough wickerbill and it was actually getting pretty loose out there. It’s made a night and day difference driving
the car, so we feel good about stepping on it some more.” Powered a Pro Line Racing Engine’s 548ci outlaw Hemi
with twin Precision Turbo 102mm units, there is no telling how much performance is still left in the combination.
Photograph by Chris Graves
North Star Dragway | Denton, Texas | Saturday, March 26, 2016
14 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
Issue 109