After Wheeling Wife’s 8-Second Trans Am in 2023, Chuck Stefanski Set Sights on Quicker Times with New Drag-and-Drive Ride for 2024
As one part of Big 3 Racing group that participated at the 2023 edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, Chuck Stefanski was joined by Bob Hess Jr. and Rick Trunkett.
The lone participant in a non-Mopar-powered ride, Chuck wheeled his wife’s 1998 Pontiac Trans Am in the Dial-Your-Own category, clocking a best of 8.70 at 157 mph on day two in route to an 8.77 average. He also got to enjoy the week with Bob and Rick, who took their rides to several 7-second passes.
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Chuck also participated in the Sick the Magazine Sick Shootout at the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) event in August at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.
He once again slid behind the wheel of his wife’s Trans Am, earning the runner-up spot to fellow Trans Am running Kyle Bemount.
Although the Trans Am has been a solid piece, Chuck has a different ride in the works for the 2024 season: a Pontiac Lemans station wagon he calls Plan B.
“We build anything American V8 and V10 rear wheel drive at B3R,” said Chuck. “We built our cars as fast street cars, and the other local guys kept saying they were not street cars. How better to prove that they are than a drag and drive?”
After completing his first one at this year’s Sick Week, it got Chuck the motivation to bring Plan B to the game. “I did one and got hooked,” he said. “That's why I am building my 6.50 certified Pontiac Lemans wagon with 4 seats for 2024.”
For motivation, Chuck decided to go with a blown big block Chevrolet for quick elapsed times. RPM Engine & Machine Limited did the machine work, and Bob at B3R assembled the engine in house. Starting with a World Products Merlin block, a Winberg crankshaft, MGP aluminum rods and Wiseco pistons fill the voids. A pair of Trick Flow cylinder heads, a BTR camshaft, Manton pushrods and BAM lifters complete the long block, and a crank-driven F3 ProCharger takes its place up front.
Chuck plans to debut the wagon at next year’s Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Chuck Stefanski.
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