WA drag racer Greg Carter has some plans to stun his opposition this season with a new car hitting the track at Perth Motorplex’s Grand Opening event.
Carter, 54, is a former champion in the Super Sedan category and is hopeful the the Chevy Cobalt he has just imported from the USA will be the equipment he needs to do the job.
The Jerry Bickel-built Cobalt has a massive 667 cube V8 race engine put together by Steve Schmidt underneath the bonnet producing 1435 horsepower.
The package follows the Top Sportsman mould from the USA and should accelerate Carter to well over the 200mph barrier, maybe even in under seven seconds, providing a challenging drive. The top end charge will prove hard to pick for most drivers in Super Sedan.
“It’s quick, but the problem with quick is when it goes wrong that happens quick as well,” he said.
“I’m not a bad driver, but it will be a whole new deal.”
Carter, a home builder by trade, said he has always been interested in cars and when he was asked if he would like to drive a Super Street drag car in 1997 he became hooked.
“I think it was the adrenaline rush that got me, but it is also the comradery that exists among all the people at the track,” he said.
Winning the state championship in 2002/03 was a highlight in the drag racing career of Carter, which he describes as his only hobby.
“Outside of my work and family drag racing is all there is,” he said.
Looking at his new race car for the first time, Carter said it was an emotional experience, having placed a lot of trust in the car and engine builder.
“It was a deal that was all done on trust over the internet and via email,” he said.
“I’d only ever seen pictures of the car and motor. When we opened the container and pulled it out I knew it was going to be a great car but it was even better than what I expected.”
Learning to drive the new beast will take some time, but Carter has set himself some goals. He is eyeing the Westernationals in March, an event that has so far eluded him, to claim a win.
“I’d like to take out the track record for Super Sedan and also the national record,” he said.
“If we can win the Westernationals that would be the icing on the cake.”
Carter’s new Chev debuted on Wednesday where it ran a 7.38 on its first full pass. It will make its competition debut this Saturday at Perth Motorplex.
The below footage of the Cobalt in action was captured by Phil Blondel.