When Kansas' Mike Crow (69 lawndart/Moparts) showed up for Drag Week 2006 with his beautiful stick shifted small block 73 Barracuda, the ten second machine grabbed everyone's attention, and narrowly missed winning the Street Race Small Block NA class by four hundredths in average, despite having Brian Rock's GTO covered by three mph. Crow and the stunning E-body would place 4th in class in 2007, then reel off three straight class victories in 2008, 2009, and 2010, earning Mike the nickname "The Legend" an the Rallye Red beast a Hot Rod magazine cover shot! Despite the fact that the restoration quality Barracuda had improved to a best of 10.36-131.6 over the years, and was always a Drag Week favorite, she was Mike's baby, and he decided a new, more purpose built Mopar was needed for Drag Week. He debuted his 69 Dart in 2012 to a third place finish and a best of 10.10-135.
Round 1 In 2013, Mike and his Dart seemed poised to claim another SB/NA victory, but Jeff Sias showed up with a clean, maroon fox body coupe with a stick stifted 427 small block Ford. They were within hundredths of each other four of the five days, banging gears and making fans at each track with their high rpm antics. Mike's undoing was on Wednesday at St. Louis, where the Dart ran a tenth slow, and Jeff's Mustang uncorked a 9.96-135.5 which was over a tenth quicker than anything he had put down all week. The video below highlights Mike's week, with a side by side run against Jeff's Mustang at the end.
The 2014 re-match never materialized, as Jeff was unable to return, while Mike's Dart hit a deer on the drive, and was out. Mike has repaired the Dart, and upgraded to an aluminum Ritter block under his W-9 top end, but has yet to return for another Drag Week.
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
