BACK TO YOUR ROOTS

TIM LAIDLER'S TWIN-CARB, HOLDEN V8-POWERED CALAIS WAS ONE OF JUST TWO ROOTS-BLOWN MACHINES TO TAKE ON DRAG CHALLENGE 2024

- KIAN HEAGNEY

WE'VE become accustomed to seeing the lanes at Street Machine Drag Challenge packed with new-age LS engines, Barras, turbos and high-end ECU packages. So, when Tim Laidler's VL Calais fronted up to DC 2024, it was a refreshing throwback to the glory days of blown, analogue drag racing monsters.

Instead of an LS, you'll find a stroker 383cube Holden V8. There ain't no turbos either; the plastic is instead topped by a 6/71 blower, which relies on a pair of Holley 750 doublepumpers as opposed to fandangled EFI.