Leahy is latest Prolite convert
Nick Leahy is a racer’s racer. He made his name in one of the smallest cars in the sport, and got the big boys talking at the Woodhill 100 when he punished his kidneys all the way to a podium, becoming one of the few to push a Challenger that high up the run order. Having done all he could do with the wee VW car, Nick was faced with the question: what next? Another single-seater? Work up through class five – no faster than a Challenger, but with more suspension under it? A mega- dollar class one car perhaps? The answer came with an offer from Kevin Hall – creator of the proposed NZ ProLite class rules – to drive his US- built, Kiwi-adapted Prolite V8. Hard charger Nick was hooked. He tipped it over – gently – at the Hamilton nationals, but he was hooked. The V8 engine suited his flamboyant driving style to a ‘ T’. So after drives of other ProLite- based trucks the decision was made and Nick plonked down a wedge of cash to kick off build number five from Auckland-based fabrication specialists Camco. Though it ’s more expensive, Nick went for the resilience and strength of chromoly steel for his frame. The engine is a 5.7 litre Gen3 LS1 Chevrolet, engineered by the V8 gurus at Marsh Motorsport, assembled by Paul Roper and running a dry sump to keep the oil where it should be. How radical is the spec? Only the block and crank are factory, and the target is 372kWs ( 500 bhp!). Of course making mega power is one thing; it then has to be fed to the ground: to do this, the truck runs an American Monster HD transmission into a Currie nine inch diff. Fox triple bypass shocks are going into the build at all four corners and the steering is a Howe unit – all the best of the US off- road industry. Nick says the build has taken five years because “I’m just a digger driver” but the job will be complete by February 2018. He’s backed by Shane Cullen Contracting, Orang-Otang Tree Trimmers, Camco and Chase Graphics. “This truck is built to win, and I intend to do just that.” Meanwhile, there’s a new American midengined car on the water, set to make its debut in the Polaris New Zealand Offroad Racing Championship at the hands of a very experienced South Island racer. But who? All will be revealed in due course.