Boost-Friendly Air Results in First 7-Second Pass for Matt Lamphier’s Miata

Florida has plenty of advantages over some other states, but the main one for racers is that Florida tracks usually stay open almost year-round. It’s not uncommon in some states “off-season” to find NHRA professional teams making the trip to test at Gainesville Raceway, Bradenton Motorsports Park, and Orlando Speed World Dragway and Orlando will also serve at the starting and ending point for Sick Week 2023 presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive. With a recent cold front passing through the state, drag-and-drive competitor Matt Lamphier made a Friday night trip to Orlando Speed World Dragway looking for a new personal-best pass.

Lamphier, who captured the hotly-contested 235 Outlaw Street Race class at Sick Week one year ago, has been battling his 1992 Mazda Miata known as “The Turtle” looking for a 7-second pass. The 5.3-liter LS swapped Mazda with a single Bullseye 92-millimeter turbocharger had powered the pocket rocket to a best of 8.16 at 168 mph last year, and Lamphier was on track to better those numbers during the recent Christmas Tree Race at Bradenton Motorsports Park before boost cut in round two ended his night.

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Fast forward to January 6th, and with cool temperatures and the corrected Density Altitude reading 600 feet below sea level, Lamphier sat in the Orlando Speed World Dragway staging lanes, hoping for his first 7-second pass. An abundance of regular street-tired cars and a rapidly cooling surface made traction a little difficult on his first two passes of the night. But Lamphier made the necessary changes, and when Orlando Speed World Dragway re-prepped the surface, Lamphier was at the ready for his third attempt of the night. On a single run, Lamphier launched hard, but the IRS suspension hung on for a 1.22 60 foot time. The eight-mile checked in at 5.09 at 140 mph, and Lamphier finished the run with a 7.89 at 173 mph, all new personal best numbers.

“We had insane weather, which helped,” said Lamphier. “But there’s much more left I think. But I need to upgrade the drivetrain before going crazy.” Lamphier will now focus on his tried-and-true strategy for previous drag-and-drive events, by going over the car thoroughly to prepare to defend his title at next month’s Sick Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.

Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Matt Lamphier and KWS Images.