After Troubles In 2023, This Twin Turbo S-10 Returns to Sick Week In Search of Consistent Single-Digit Runs
Chris Rizor’s Sick Week experience could be viewed as two tales in the same book. The Michigan resident had never done a drag-and-drive before embarking on a winter drive south to participate in the first Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2022.
He returned in 2023 to once again test the truck versus the drag-and-drive elements, and in just over a week, Chris and his wife Joan will return to Florida to participate in Sick Week.
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Getting a new pair of turbochargers and a roll cage upgrade before the 2022 edition of Sick Week, the 1997 Chevrolet S-10 ran the Pro Dial-Your-Own class, and Chris completed his first drag-and-drive with a 10.17 average.
The following year, Chris and Joan returned to Florida with the truck sporting some new upgrades from Motion Raceworks in the form of a rear wing, parachute and steering wheel, but the truck revealed new troubles as soon as the week started.
“We thought we were done when we hurt the motor in testing on tech day,” said Chris. “Found what we needed to fix it, and got it running just in time to make to staging lanes Monday.”
After clicking off a 10.33 at 132 mph, Chris and Joan got on the road from Orlando ‘Sick’ World Dragway to Bradenton Motorsports Park, but found their problems weren’t in their rear-view mirror.
“Caught truck on fire at the first check point,” Chris admitted. “Luckily, spectators and other racers helped get it out, avoiding major damage.” But then they encountered transmission problems before they got to Bradenton Motorsports Park.
“We limped it within 15 miles of the track, ended up dragging it 10 miles with our quad at 3 am until traffic made us stop,” said Chris. Jacob Davis from Sally's Speed Shop volunteered his 1967 El Camino to tow strap him the final five miles to Bradenton, which ended their week.
One year later, Chris and Joan are ready to try their luck once again. For competition this time, the S-10 is sporting a LS-swapped 6-liter engine that’s been de-stroked and fed by those twin-turbos. Holley EFI controls the functions, and the 9-second powerplant is backed with a 4L80E 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission.
A drag racer since he got his license at age 16, Chris hopes to redeem himself and “finish while actually running to potential,” he said. Chris will also compete in the Heads-up Hustle event later this year.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Motion Raceworks and Chris Rizor.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com