GUIDED MISSILE

THIS PRO MOD ’67 MUSTANG PULLS MORE THAN 3G OFF THE STARTING LINE AND CAN RUN THE EIGHTH-MILE IN 3.66 SECONDS.

- Evan Smith & John McGann

What’s it like to make a pass in a really fast race car? Aaron Wells, owner of this Pro Mod 1967 Mustang, gave us one of the most succinct descriptions we’ve heard in a while. Running in the Mid-West Pro Mod Racing Association, his supercharged Mustang has run a best time of 3.66 seconds at 209.75 mph in the eighth-mile.

“Before each run, my dad and my friend Travis Cannon check the track to make the final decisions on the tune. When the car fires, I put it in high gear, roll through the water, and nail it. It’s a rolling burnout; I don’t use a line lock. At the end of the burnout, I go to neutral and hit the transbrake to engage reverse. I hold the reverse handle all the way through the backup. We adjust the wheelie bars, my dad will have me lined up, and just before I pre-stage, we spray deicer on the injector hat. The air moving around the throttle blades can cause ice to build up, which I can feel in the pedal because it sticks, and that’s bad. With the throttle free, it will idle nicely around 2,200 rpm.

“Next, I flip a toggle switch that drops the Liberty in low gear. I can feel when that happens. I pre-stage, then inch forward with the hand brake. Once I’m staged, I hit the transbrake button and floor the throttle. The moment I see yellow, it’s go time, and I send it. It’s that simple,” he says.