Barracuda Motorsports Racing
Barracuda Magazine Racing Team drivers Don Strouse and Bill English are ready to run! For this season, they are going to be driving mainly in the Outlaw Stock class, a new class of racing started at Bridgeport Speedway in Bridgeport, NJ. The Outlaw Stock class is a variation of the Enduro class, which was created to limit the amount of modifications that could be made to a race car, in order to keep a level playing field and to keep racing costs down. (An article about Enduro class racing appeared in Barracuda issue #4.) The main difference between Enduro and Outlaw Stock is the format of the racing. Two heat races are run to establish the field for the feature, which is a 20 or 25 lap race.
The rules for the class require that the engine you run must have been available in the stock version of the make and model car you are running. Many aftermarket, high-performance add-ons, like aluminum intakes, aluminum heads, headers and Holley carbs are not allowed. No locked rear ends are allowed, either, but postitraction rears are allowed. Tire size is limited to 70 series tires, which causes a lot of roll-overs. The car must also have at least a 104-inch wheelbase and be an American car.
Don Strouse is running the 52 car, which is a 1974 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna. Here are all the vital stats:
#52 Don Strouse
1974 Chevrolet Chevelle Laguna
350 cubic inch engine
4 bolt main
4 bbl 850 cfm quadrajet carburetor
Comp cam
3 speed automatic transmission
8-point roll cage
Bill English is running the 82 car, which has a similar set-up, but with some key differences:
#82 Bill English
1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
350 cubic inch engine
4 bbl 850 cfm quadrajet carburetor
Dart 2 heads
dual exhaust
posi rear
3 speed automatic transmission
12-point roll cage
Both drivers have three years experience racing and they both know that in this class of racing, being able to make it to the end of the race is just as important as going fast.
“Our basic strategy is to get the car back on the trailer under its own power. When you can do that, it’s always a victory,” says Strouse. The drivers are also planning on concentrating more on the set-up of the chassis and messing around with tire composition. “We think we have plenty of horsepower,” says Strouse, “We’re just trying to figure out how to get through the turns without getting off the throttle.”
The team shows promise. In the opening race of this season, Strouse started in 72nd position and had worked his way up to 35th when a caution flag came out in the 41st lap. When he downshifted to slow down, his shift cable melted from the heat of the exhaust and he was done for the night.
SUMMER RACING SEASON UPDATES
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July 5th racing at Bridgeport Speedway – The 52 car of Don Strouse started 14th in heat race #1. With only 5 laps to put the car in the top nine to qualify for the feature – Don had his work cut out for him. Within three laps Don had the car up to eighth, however after making a minor mistake in lap four, Don had to settle for the ninth and final qualifying spot.
The 82 car of Bill English started 14th in heat race #2. Bill also quickly moved up through the field until an electrical problem in his distributor sapped much of his horsepower, causing him to settle for twelfth place in the heat and a spot on the trailer.
The 52 car of Don Strouse started 15th in the 20 lap feature and finished a respectable 11th. We were very pleased with the way the car handled in the turns – the car responded well no matter where we put it on the track. This week we will do a little work to get some additional top end horsepower.
July 26th – Bridgeport Speedway (Outlaw Stock)
The 52 car of Don Strouse took the track for heat race #1. Things did not feel right during the parade laps so Strouse decided to hang back when the green flag flew- hoping just to qualify and get back to the pits for a look see. It turned out to be a good decision as in the second lap of the heat race the drive shaft snapped – causing us to load the car early.
Heat race #2 had Bill English starting 10th. Bill pushed the 82 car just hard enough to qualify 9th and make it to the feature.
“Mr. Excitement” Bill English started 15th in the 20 lap feature – after two separate 360 degree spin outs Bill managed a respectable 16th place finish – and somehow loaded the car without any scratches. This week we will be working on the chassis Strouse noted – we saw some wheel hop in the 82 – likely a problem with the shocks.
August 3rd – Williams Grove Speedway (Enduro 200)
After working all day Saturday and most of Sunday morning to correct a fuel feed problem we loaded the 52 car and made the 2.5 hour journey to Williams Grove. What looked like a field of more than 60 cars was poised and ready to race. With less than a half hour till race time the skies darkened and dumped more than an inch of rain on the track. No rain date has been set.
August 9th – Brideport Speedway (Outlaw Stock)
Cancelled due to rain.
