Alex Taylor’s ’55 Chevy Blows Its Doors Off On 212 MPH Blast in Testing
After a few years behind the wheel of her 1955 Chevrolet, Alex Taylor had started to turn the corner in 2023 with some great performances and a class win at Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive. But an unusual incident in testing yesterday will turn up the pressure for Alex and crew to make the next two events on her calendar.
Alex is slated to appear at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway, where she will participate in an 8-car field of the quickest real street cars as part of the inaugural PEAK Street Car Shootout. Alex will also compete at Sick Summer Presented by TBM Brakes, looking to back up her Unlimited Iron class win from Sick Week and stay atop the ‘Drag-N-Drive’ World Championship points battle.
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With those two events coming up soon, Alex and her family, plus Nick Taylor, took the ’55 Chevrolet testing at Tulsa Raceway Park. Despite a handful of 6-second passes from Sick Week, including a best of 6.90 at 206.45 mph on day two, the team knew the car had more potential.
Alex had run a personal best of 210 mph earlier in the day with no issues. “We were really figuring the car out and making great progress,” Alex said. “We were making chassis adjustments, and until the last pass, the car has been going a little left.” After a minor tweak, a new best of 212.45 mph hits the scoreboards, but Alex had no time to celebrate.
“On that final run, the car went straight, and I was like ‘heck yeah, that’s a good pass,’ Alex admitted. “And then as I was going through the traps, it was BAM.” The windshield had broken apart, which in turn triggered the doors ripping apart and the back glass exiting the car. “We think the windshield caved in, and pressurized the interior, causing the doors to come apart and the back glass to blow out.”
Alex kept her cool, getting the chutes out and getting the car stopped without issue. “When I was trying to get the car stopped and shut off, it was weird because of all the wind coming through the car, and the windshield pieces in my lap,” she said.
Thankfully, Alex has her face shield down, avoiding further injury. “I remember some pieces of the windshield hitting the helmet, so I was grateful to have it down,” Alex exclaimed. “I owe that to Chad Reynolds, who constantly reminded me to put the shield down when I started racing, even when my Camaro wasn’t as fast.”
After not even a full day to inspect the damage and figure out replacement options, Alex is confident she will be ready in two weeks’ time. “The car just looks a lot worse than it really is,” she said. “We built the doors as a combination of fiberglass and carbon fiber. It’s not that they are irreplaceable, it’s the time frame. We’ll likely borrow some doors and paint them, and then build another set for later.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Dennis Taylor.
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