Can the World's Quickest Naturally-Aspirated Street Car Go Even Quicker in 2024?
Although the majority of the quicker rides on most drag-and-drive events utilizer a power adder, there are plenty of competitors that choose the air and fuel alone method to create power and run some pretty impressive times.
One of these competitors is Ed Ensor, and although he’s been around drag-and-drive events for a while, his performance over the last year has put him squarely in the bull’s eye for drag-and-drive N/A runners.
Win the ultimate burnout vehicle / a pretty cool Aussie Ute! Click here for details to win Sick the Magazine’s Ute!
Although he’s all about the naturally-aspirated way of doing things now, Ensor’s first participation in the drag-and-drive world featured a power adder.
Co-piloting with Mike Thomas in a ’91 S-10, the duo would capture the Hot Rod Drag Week Pro Street Power Adder class victory in 2007 with an 8.56 average.
Ensor would also jump in as co-pilot on many of Curt Johnson’s drag-and-drive efforts. Johnson, who has collected an insane eleven class titles in the history of Hot Rod Drag Week, did so at many of them with a wheelstanding 1991 Ford Mustang, posting several 8-second passes in small tire Super Street and Street Race naturally-aspirated classes.
Ensor got behind the wheel in 2011 at Hot Rod Drag Week, as he tried his hand in a blue 1989 Mustang in the Modified Power Adder class. The Mustang returned an 8.61 average, good enough for third place.
Ten years later, Ensor returned with a Super Street Big Block Naturally Aspirated ride, a ’93 Mustang, and a best pass of 8.39 at 168 mph on day one led to an 8.51 and his first class victory.
By 2021, James ‘Doc’ McEntire had a firm grip on leading the charge in the naturally aspirated world, clocking multiple 7-second passes and holding the record with his ‘See Red’ 1968 Chevrolet Camaro.
But at the first Sick Summer Presented by TBM Brakes last year, Ensor was ready to let the world know there was a new sheriff in town.
His 1985 Ford Mustang commanded immediate attention, when on day one Ensor lit the scoreboard with a 7.49 at 182 mph, the quickest and fastest naturally aspirated pass in drag-and-drive history.
Ensor would continue to improve that mark to a 7.46 at 184 mph on day three, completed the week with a 7.53 average, and set the new record as well as winning the Naturally Aspirated class.
Does the Mustang have more left? Ensor and co-pilot Jimmy Lopez put in some testing work last month, and from two separate test session, the Mustang delivered a 7.12 at 188 mph with a 1.05 60 foot, backed up by a 7.121 at 188 mph as well.
Could we see the naturally aspirated drag-and-drive record dropped even further in 2024?
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Motion Raceworks, Eddie Ensor.