Can Mike Finnegan, Joe Cole and David Newbern Survive Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive 2025 – Watch 5 Days, 900 Miles and Lots of Gear Jamming Action!
As a project he built from the ground up starting in 2012, Mike Finnegan might not have foreshadowed his 1955 Chevrolet could be a race car, let alone a drag and drive ride. The car that employs an old-school HEMI powerplant, thus the name ‘Blasphemi’ from the engine swap, got its first use to do a 2,600-mile road trip from California to North Carolina for the start of Hot Rod Power Tour.
But just a few years later, Finnegan made the choice to jump from pit reporter and drag and drive enthusiast to competitor, and for his 2025 adventure on Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, he brings us along for a 5-part breakdown on YouTube.
Sick’s second event - Sick On The Green - is May 29th-31st at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Kentucky. We’re bringing 9 classes to the party, including STICK SHIFT, the popular LIL GANGSTA’S class with $10K on the line and our new SICK STREET CAR CHALLENGE class with $32,000 up for grabs!! It all takes place on the last week in May in Bowling Green, Kentucky! For more details on Sick On The Green, including discounted advance tickets and entries, and details on over $60K in payouts, CLICK HERE!
Although he also has a 1961 Cadillac Coupe DeVille project, as well as a 2018 Lexus LC500 build in the works that will both likely see drag and drive action, Finnegan said he felt like he was turning the corner with his ’55 Chevrolet after a pair of events in 2024. Even though he didn’t complete his final event of 2024, Hot Rod Drag Week, he had the drive to start 2025 on a mission.
“I shouldn’t have made my last pass at Milan on Thursday when the car was misfiring,” said Finnegan about the fatal run on Hot Rod Drag Week. “The idea we didn’t finish pisses me off, and I want to finish things at Sick Week.”
So, the engine was plucked from the frame rails and sent to Harrell Engine and Dyno shortly following Drag Week to figure out answers and get it prepped for a Sick Week appearance, Finnegan’s second one, but his first with the 1955 Chevrolet.
To change things up, Finnegan added a third seat to the car, as for the first time, he would have two people join him on the Sick Week trip: Joe Cole and David Newbern. Per what seems to be the norm, a late thrash got the car buttoned up just in time for Sick Week to compete in the Gasser class.
Watch all five days in order below:
Day One - South Georgia Motorsports Park:
Day Two - Bradenton Motorsports Park:
Day Three - Orlando Speed World Dragway:
Day Four - Gainesville Raceway:
Day Five (Final Day) - South Georgia Motorsports Park:
Did you miss out on the ‘Super Bowl of Drag and Drive events’ - Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, or our new Sick At The Rock Presented by Motion Raceworks event? Click our event graphic below to hit our event page and the details to join us for an event in 2025!
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Mike Finnegan and David Newbern.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com