After Breakage Halted Its Last Two Drag-and-Drive Outings, Can This Monte Carlo Return to 8-Second Glory and Complete Sick Week?
Statistics have shown that on average, about 20 percent of participants in a drag-and-drive unfortunately fail to finish an event. Whether it be early in the event or just before staging for the final day, it’s something that can haunt your mind until the next opportunity to complete an event.
For Trent Santos, his first drag-and-drive appearance was a success. But following a pair of Did-Not-Finish (DNF) results, he looks to the 2024 edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive later this month to change his luck.
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“At the inaugural Street-n-Yeet in 2022, I finished and placed mid pack in the Limited class,” Trent said. “Sick Week 2023 I broke on day 2 at Bradenton Motorsports Park, shearing five teeth off the ring gear in the Moser 12 bolt rear-end.” To rectify the problem, Trent made the switch to a TRZ Motorsports 9-inch rear end, and made his next drag-and-drive appearance at Southeast Street-N-Yeet in November 2023.
“At the Street-N-Yeet event, I hurt the transmission on the very first day and wasn’t able to get it repaired in time,” Trent admitted. Now with a better and stronger built Turbo 400 3-speed transmission, Trent comes into Sick Week hoping to break his streak of damage. “I’m just hoping the 5.3-liter makes it just one more event,” he said. “I don’t want to go to three events with breaking major parts.”
The 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo relies on a 5.3-liter LS powerplant with a single 91-millimeter Work turbocharger, and with past mid 8-second performances, Trent said “knowing when not to push that up arrow” is his biggest challenge.
“It’s easy to get caught up in running a personal-best or a little faster to maybe win your class, but my number two goal is to always just finish. Number one is having fun, and sometimes that ‘greed’ can get the best of you.”
A resident of Orlando, Trent gets to enjoy racing in local test and tunes nearly all year long in the Monte Carlo nicknamed ‘Oh Sherrie.’ But he’s looking forward to participating in Sick Week, with good friend Nick Swoboda in the passenger seat, in the 275 Street Race class.
“I get to drive my ‘street car’ with my friends and family and do race car things,” Trent said when asked about why he enjoys drag-and-drive events. “The company that you’re with, plus willingness of strangers to help other strangers that are in need.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Trent Santos.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com