The Ford modular V8 engine family debuted to the world with a lot of controversy, but it quickly matured and, thanks to the power-enhancing magic of boost, it now powers Mustangs of various generations to neck-snapping speeds and elapsed times (E/Ts) at the dragstrip. The performance success of these engines and their large following led to the creation of the Mod Nationals in 2013. This annual overhead-cam drag race battle royale is an event exclusively for modular-powered Fords. Read More “8-Second Action at 2021 Mod Nationals TREMEC Modular True Street Drag Race”
Category: TREMEC Life
Ten Questions with NMRA-NMCA Co-Founder Steve Wolcott
The National Mustang Racing Association (NMRA) and National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) are two of the best-known drag racing series in the U.S. Born from the 1990s boom in Mustang performance, the NMRA was created to meet the rapidly growing need for a drag racing series exclusively dedicated to late-model Mustangs and other Ford-family makes. As the NMRA’s popularity and success surged, ProMedia took over the existing NMCA racing series in 2005 to become an NMRA sister series running similar format as the NMRA but open to muscle cars from all brands. Read More “Ten Questions with NMRA-NMCA Co-Founder Steve Wolcott”
Bob Meyer’s TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout Winning 1984 Turbo Mercury Capri RS
Story and Photos by Evan J Smith
Ever-humble Bob Myers has been a staple on the stick-shift street-car scene. He regularly competes in events like NMRA’s QA1 True Street, local bracket racing and 6.50 index. But unlike most racers who rely on a big V8 for power, Bob has stayed true to a beloved 2.3-liter Ford four-cylinder that motivates his 1984 Mercury Capri RS. Read More “Bob Meyer’s TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout Winning 1984 Turbo Mercury Capri RS”
Four-Cylinder Mercury Capri Wins the Last TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout of 2021
Story and Photos by Evan J. Smith
It took many years and a lot testing and tuning, but Bob Myers of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, finally captured his first TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout championship with his turbo 1984 Mercury Capri. It happened during a wild weekend of drag racing – and weather – at the 2021 Holley NMRA World Finals & Holley Ford Festival at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was held from September 30-October 3. It was the final TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout of the season, and it was far from typical. Read More “Four-Cylinder Mercury Capri Wins the Last TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout of 2021”
TREMEC to Display at 2021 SEMA Show
The SEMA Show is back for 2021, and for the first time ever TREMEC, along with partner Skip Barber Racing, will be an official exhibitor! The 2021 SEMA Show will take place November 2-5 in Las Vegas.
“With the launch of the new TREMEC TKX 5-speed and the continued popularity of our other 5- and 6-speed manual transmissions, we felt the time was right for TREMEC to become an official exhibitor at the SEMA Show,” explains TREMEC’s Mike Kidd.
It’s impossible to walk through the SEMA Show and not see a dazzling array of TREMEC-equipped vehicles on display in the exhibitors’ booths as well as the show spaces outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. Also on display at the SEMA Show is a growing array of aftermarket parts to aid the installation of TREMEC transmissions in classic cars, trucks and other vehicles.
TREMEC will have two displays at SEMA. The indoor display (booth number 20036) will be located in the central hall. The outdoor display will feature the TREMEC events trailer with cutaway transmission displays. It will be found in the Silver Lot in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center, across from the Ford outdoor displays.
Also in the TREMEC booth will be partner Skip Barber Racing. Skip Barber Racing has long been involved with SEMA and the SEMA Show. As a special attraction for attendees this year, Skip Barber Racing will give SEMA attendees the opportunity to win a free one-day racing school session. Simply stop by the TREMEC booth to sign up with your name and contact info to enter for a chance to win.
“We’re excited to be attending the 2021 SEMA Show after its absence in 2020. SEMA is one of the greatest venues in the industry to grow existing relationships and build new ones,” says Dan DeMonte, Chief Marketing Officer of Skip Barber Racing. “Being at the SEMA Show allows us a great chance to expand people’s awareness of our school and how it is for more than just professional race drivers. We have a multitude of programs/schools to help anyone from teenage drivers wanting to learn how to drive the right way, to experienced drivers who want to hone their skills or just want to experience something new. We also have specialized packages for groups and corporate events that create a whole new method of team building while also improving driving skills. Many of us like to pretend we’re racers behind the wheel. This is the chance to actually feel what it’s like to be on a race course with no speed limits and feel the rush of adrenaline that comes from it. And for anyone attending the 2021 SEMA Show, all they have to do is stop by the TREMEC booth and sign up for a chance to enter to win a free one-day school pass.”
The 2021 SEMA Show a trade-show for automotive professionals. However, on Friday, November 5, it is open for anyone who purchases a ticket to enter. Tickets for this public day can be purchased in advance for $60, or day-of at the convention center for $90. Find all the show info at https://www.semashow.com/.
Join the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout at the 2021 NMRA World Finals
As the 2021 NMRA All-Ford World Finals and Ford Festival approaches, it’s time to get ready for last TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout of the year! The stage is set for the best manual transmission racing as participants in the True Street class face off for the title. The World Finals will be held at Beech Bend Raceway Park from September 30-October 3 at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
For those unfamiliar with the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout, it’s a special event held within the NMRA True Street class at select NMRA events during the year. The quickest eight manual transmission–equipped car – based on their True Street average –run against one another on the last day of the World Finals. Only H-pattern-shifted manual transmissions are allowed in the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout competition; air-shifted and Lenco-style gearboxes are prohibited.
“We’re excited to have the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout as part of the season-ending NMRA World Finals again this year,” said Steve Wolcott, co-founder of the NMRA. “The True Street class is NMRA’s most popular racing segment, with the highest number of entries at every NMRA race. The TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout adds another dynamic to the class, giving stick-shift enthusiasts an extra chance to test their mettle and gear-shifting acumen. This special class has been a perfect partnership with TREMEC and is sure to be another must-see competition at Bowling Green.”
True Street entrants go through tech inspection on the Saturday of the event weekend to verify street-legality. Next, they do a 30-mile cruise to further verify street-capabilities. Any vehicle that fails to complete the cruise is disqualified. After returning to the track, participants park in the staging lanes for a 30-minute cooldown. Tire pressures can be adjusted and nitrous bottles turned on, but no other work is allowed (including ECU tuning). Hoods must remain closed. After the cooldown, each vehicle takes three runs down the track to build an average e.t. for ranking. You can read the complete rules on the NMRA website.
The eight fastest racers (and two alternates) who will compete in the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout are announced that evening at the Racer Appreciation Party hosted at the TREMEC trailer or at a location near the track. Vehicles are then staged, and eliminations are run at normal intervals with the other NMRA classes.
“After the racing excitement we had at the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout at the NMRA event in Norwalk, Ohio, in June, we can’t wait to see the stick-shift vehicles that qualify for the Bowling Green Shootout,” said TREMEC’s Mike Kidd. “Every TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout has a variety of competitors. Just because someone has the lowest average e.t., even an 8-second one, it doesn’t mean they’re going to win. Everyone has a shot to take home the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout title.”
Speaking of prizes, the winner of the TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout wins a McLeod Racing RXT twin-disc clutch setup, valued at $1,300, and a $500 Holley gift certificate, while the runner-up receives a $500 McLeod product certificate. All eight participants receive a swag bag full of goodies and a TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout jacket. The winner also gets featured in a story on the TREMEC blog.
Skip Barber Racing School and TREMEC Work Together to Improve Driver Education
When the Skip Barber Racing School needed to upgrade the transmissions in their Mustang GTs and 1967 Camaro school cars, they wanted TREMEC manual transmissions! These cars get hammered from students learning fast-driving techniques, so the school wanted to upgrade the transmissions for durability and precise shifting. The outcome was a partnership that provides the Skip Barber Racing School with the quality performance transmissions they need, and students of all ages get first-hand experience with TREMEC transmissions. Read More “Skip Barber Racing School and TREMEC Work Together to Improve Driver Education”
10 Affordable Cars and Trucks Begging for a TREMEC Transmission
We all would love to own a classic Camaro, Mustang, Chevelle, Charger, Challenger, Nova, Fairlane or anything cool from the muscle car era. But unless you’ve been living in an Ozark Mountains cave for the last 10 years, you know the price of classic Detroit iron has skyrocketed, and these cars are no longer affordable for most people. A rusted-out 1966 or 1967 fastback Mustang that should be $1,00 is now close to $10,000. Read More “10 Affordable Cars and Trucks Begging for a TREMEC Transmission”
Jeff McCool Wins his Second TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout in Norwalk, Ohio
Story and Photos by Evan J. Smith
As his name implies, Jeff McCool was cool in Norwalk, Ohio, as he rowed his manual-transmission–equipped 1981 Coyote-swapped Ford Mustang to his second TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout win at the NMRA Ford Performance Nationals June 10-13 at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. Read More “Jeff McCool Wins his Second TREMEC Stick Shift Shootout in Norwalk, Ohio”
Restoration: The Good, The Bad, The Out of Budget
Restoring a car takes time, money, effort, and patience. You need to know how to restore cars properly if you want to tackle this kind of project. Although it may be hard to ignore a classic vehicle that is for sale, you will want to weigh all possibilities before you wave your checkbook around. Read More “Restoration: The Good, The Bad, The Out of Budget”