A Drag-And-Drive Veteran Looks to Clean Up at Sick Summer in a Turbocharged Fairmont
Most enthusiasts and racers can remember the day or action that led them to diving into the hobby. For Keith Fenstad, it was fellow Ford and turbo enthusiast Jason Doisher. “I met Jason on (Hot Rod) Power Tour in 2016, and watched him do Drag Week later that year on the live feed,” Keith admitted. “Watching this, I had to try myself the next year, and did my first drag-and-drive in the Fall of 2017.
To tackle that first drag-and-drive, Keith employed this 1978 Ford Fairmont. Interestingly, the car was originally owned and built in Texas by a gentleman who grew up and was good friends with Jason Doisher. “They both had quite a bit of time in the car back in their very early days of racing in the early 2000s,” said Keith. The Fairmont was featured in Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords magazine in 2003, and later in Car Craft magazine in 2005.
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Keith took the small block Ford-powered Fairmont to the 2017 Hot Rod Drag Week, entered the Street Racer Small Block Power Adder class, and completed his first drag-and-drive with a 10.07 average. By the time 2022 had rolled around, Keith had added two more Drag Weeks and two more Rocky Mountain Race Weeks to his check list, completing all four. His best finish was the 2021 edition of Race Week 2.0, claiming the second spot in the Rowdy Radial class behind Andy Cook’s GTO.
Looking for one spot higher in the ladder, Keith attended the 2022 edition of Sick Week, entered the Fairmont in the 235 Outlaw Street Race class, and averaged 8.533, finishing second behind Matt Lamphier by just .004 of-a-second.
Keith entered Hot Rod Drag Week later in that year, his fourth one, hoping to emerge on top. “I’ve had no real mechanical issues with drag-and-drive events to this point other than regular maintenance,” said Keith. “That luck changed with Drag Week. I had issues with the brakes. Fixed that, but on day two chewed up the converter bolts and flex plate. Fought through that, and a broken spark plug took out a cylinder on day three. I limped home with my first DNF (did not finish).”
To get the Fairmont Keith calls “Simple Green” prepared for an appearance at this year’s Sick Summer Presented by TBM Brakes, the Ford sports a 355 cubic inch small block Ford engine, built on an aftermarket block with Air Flow Research cylinder heads. A CSU blow-through carburetor getting the pressurized air from an 88-millimeter Borg Warner SXE billet wheel turbocharger. After one too many issues with an old C4, Keith installed a Powerglide transmission with a Circle D Specialties converter. A built 8.8-inch rear end housing 3.08 gears caps off the driveline, and Keith gathers data with a Holley standalone dash and Leash co2 boost control.
“I’m looking for redemption this year,” said Keith. “I’m one of the last old school carburetor guys running with a blow though 302-based Ford.” “I’m taking my 18-year-old daughter this go around,” Keith admitted. “I’m not sure if she realizes what she’s in for!”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Motion Raceworks and Keith Fenstad.
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