> DRAG CHATTER

CHERRY ON TOP

WORD on the street is that serial Drag Challenge competitor Brendan Cherry is up to no good. We’ve seen him campaign both a turbo LS HQ Monaro and a gorgeous boosted big-block HK coupe at DC, but he has liberated the HK of its powertrain and has teamed up with good mate and fellow Drag Challenger Josh Ploeger to build a mega-tough VL Commodore, using most of the HK’S vital organs. A pretty serious rollcage has been made up, along with a tubular front end, and they’ve also gone to a 315 radial, which will place the VL in the Turbosmart Outlaw Blown class.

Now begins the process of transferring the monster 572ci Merlin big-block Chev from the Monaro into the Commodore. Cherry and Josh are running the motor on E85 with water/ methanol injection to negate the need for an intercooler. And if the numbers this combo made in the Monaro are anything to go by, we might see these two joining our seven-second club this year. That’s the plan, anyway.

“We’re thinking it should go 180mph,” Brendan says. “I’ve never been able to put any more then 10psi in the Monaro. We’ll be turning it up and this car is roughly 400kg lighter than the Monaro, with a bigger tyre. I want that red hat!”

SPRAY AND PRAY

DRAG Challenge isn’t all about turbo Ls-swapped Holdens! Marcus Howe’s Falcon has had a tickle-up ahead of Drag Challenge 2018, with the 434ci stroker stomping out a none-too-shabby 450rwkw on the motor, on pump 98 fuel. Then, with the bottle turned on, out popped a very impressive 651.8rwkw, which should get the old girl down the quarter in no time flat. All this from a set-up with a low-rise intake that fits underneath a factory bonnet. Too cool!