Gainesville, Florida is home to the Gatornationals and is the point where the end to Sick Week 2023 starts to come into focus. Those that are still in the running have to make power plays if they are going to stay at the top of their classes, the overall winner is still a heavy competition, and there are 78 racers who have had to wave the white flag and bow out, including Cleetus McFarland, who was last seen hanging around the “Mullet” El Camino as the oil puddled underneath the engine block. With time running out and a need to make things happen, the racers who remained got to work straight away.
The battle in the Unlimited class and the overall top spot for Sick Week 2023 is still being contested by the Swedes. Michael Westberg’s Chevrolet S-10 threw down the gauntlet with a 6.45-second blast at 216 MPH, which was enough for him to pack up to make the drive to Orlando. By comparison, Stefan Gustafsson wasn’t having a good day. Every time the Corvette launched, it was a mess: first it was tire shake, then he nearly swapped lanes within the first 100 feet. On his third lap, even after toning down the Corvette’s violent launching program, he still got the tires to jiggle a bit, but he powered through it and laid down a 6.56@223 MPH, his best trap-speed ever.
JoAnna Lacobelli and her husband Bryan had made it through Sick Week with no issues until some tuning problems on her 2018 Mustang bubbled up to the surface. Luckily, those were sorted and they are continuing on.Cole Reynolds
Unlimited Iron is now a class for Alex Taylor to lose. Bryant Goldstone’s AMC Javelin was a threat, but he retired out with driveshaft issues and Jason Sack, the next in line, was out as well. But Alex found herself sweating – after easy six-second passes, the ’55 Chevy started to play up with timing issues. Tina Pierce and her Nova are now in the second-place position.
Brett LaSala might be sitting in the catbird seat in Modified, but that didn’t come without a bit of an issue. His “Snot Rocket 2.0” Mustang received a protest. In Modified, cars aren’t allowed to have a one-piece front clip, meaning hood, fenders, front bumper, grille, headlights, etcetera. LaSala countered by claiming that the hood is an individual item, and was threatening to take a reciprocating saw to the fenders to create a four-piece front end if meant that his car wasn’t moved to the Unlimited class. After discussion, LaSala was permitted to remain in the Modified class.
Michael Westberg holds onto the #1 spot going into the final day of Sick Week. His S-10 has been cranking out mid-six second E.Ts with ease while staying a half-step ahead of Stefan Gustafsson’s Corvette, who is looming large in second place.Cole Reynolds
Two major battles are building up in preparation for Day Five. In Street Race 275, current leader William Lujan’s 1990 Mustang is leading Jordan Boudreaux’s 2002 Mustang by a mere thousandth of a second (8.54250 to 8.54380, respectively) and in Sick Street Race, Aaron Shaffer’s 1998 Camaro SS is being chased hard by Dustin Trance’s 2005 Mustang (8.51050 to 8.52030, respectively). There’s one more drive to make and one more race that will determine Sick Week winners. We’ll see you back in Orlando!
Day Four Class Leaders:
- Unlimited: Michael Westberg, 1991 Chevrolet S-10, 6.471@213.91
- Unlimited Iron: Alex Taylor, 1955 Chevrolet 210, 6.959@206.69
- Modified: Brett LaSala, 2012 Ford Mustang, 6.759@231.62
- Pro Street: Clark Rosenstengal, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, 7.358@193.77
- Super Street: Eric Yost, 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 7.441@186.84
- Stick Shift: Richard Guido, 1965 Pontiac GTO, 8.830@160.42
- Naturally Aspirated: James “Doc” McEntire, 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 7.829@161.61
- Rowdy Radials (1/8th Mile): Jordan Tuck, 1993 Ford Mustang, 4.630@167.10
- Sick Week Freaks: Tony Niemczyk, 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse, 8.752@155.30
- Hot Rods vs. Beetles: Larry West, 1941 Willys, 9.988@133.00
- Street Race 275: William Lujan, 1990 Ford Mustang, 8.542@160.57
- Sick Street Race: Aaron Shaffer, 1998 Chevrolet Camaro SS, 8.510@163.83
- Pro DYO: Nick Weigand, 1976 Pontiac Trans Am, 8.588@159.60
- DYO: Jon Moore, 2011 Ford Crown Victoria, 10.146@128.82
- Challenge: Robert Sharp, 2019 Dodge Charger, 10.768@120.82