Rocky Mountain Race Week Promoter Matt Frost Returns to Drag Week - But For The Last Time?
It seems like so long ago that Matthew Frost was a competitor on a drag-and-drive event.
The owner and driver of the ‘Hulk’ 1967 Chevrolet Nova last did Hot Rod Drag Week in 2014, and the upcoming 2023 edition of the event marks the first time Matt will be back behind the wheel at a drag-and-drive event in seven years.
“I’m nervous; It’s been a while since I’ve done this, and the jitters are there,” said Matt. “I thought I got all the right stuff, watching everyone do this at Rocky Mountain Race Week. The loading and unloading of trailers, the drives, the racing.
“I think I have everything, but I’m guessing I’m missing something. I feel a little weight on my shoulders because I know people will be watching.”
The last time Matt got to experience the thrill of his Nova on a drag-and-drive was 2015, the year he started Rocky Mountain Race Week.
“We did the entire week without issues,” said Matt. “Then we changed things up on the engine combination, started doing No Prep Kings and the Nova hasn’t made it back to a drag-and-drive since.”
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Completing Rocky Mountain Race Week may have eased the pain of not completing Hot Rod Drag Week just a year previous, as Matt made it through four days with a best pass of 7.83 at 176 mph before problems sidelined him with one day to go. Then with the trading of hats from competitor to promoter, it’s taken Matt a while to find his way back.
It can also be because in addition to putting on a pair of successful events each year, Matt feels the pressure because of less opportunities to be a racer.
“The last three times we’ve tried to do this, we’ve come up short of the finish line,” he said. “We need to make it happen, and I feel like we have a good hot rod under us.”
“It’s been four years since we crashed the car while testing for No Prep Kings, and in putting the car back together and going to a different engine, it took longer than expected,” Matt said of the delays that held him and June back from attending another drag-and-drive.
They had goals of making it to the inaugural Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive event, but the cards didn’t fall in their favor.
“We worked right up until we knew we had to leave to make the drive, and we just couldn’t get it done in time,” said Matt.
Then came King of The Open Road, and the car was together and ready for the task. Or so they thought.
“We were making test drives and the oil pressure kept dropping,” said Matt. “We found metal in the pan, and found a piece of metal went through the pump.”
That led to discovering more issues, which ultimately meant tearing the engine completely apart.
“We tried to get things ready for Sick Week this year,” Matt said. “The machine shop found out the engine had way too much clearance on certain items. We decided to not rush things, and get it fixed correctly, which meant missing Sick Week for the second time.”
Now, with everything ready for a return shot at Hot Rod Drag Week, Matt is preparing for what could be the Nova’s final time at a drag-and-drive.
“I love doing this stuff, but the reality is trying to put together and do Rocky Mountain Race Week takes a lot of time,” he said. “It doesn’t leave me a lot of time to be a participant on a drag-and-drive. I hate to see a car of this level just sitting. I’m not 100-percent sure this will be the last one and I’ll sell it, but I’ve been thinking about it a good bit.”
If the Nova does get a ‘for sale’ sign, not to worry, as Matt and June still have a few rides in the garage.
“I have a ’57 Chevy gasser I inherited this year, June’s ’63 Nova and my ’32 Ford coupe. We have other rides, just not to the level of my Nova. They will be easier to maintain, get in and drive.”
With all that in his head, Matt has some goals in mind for next week’s adventure.
“First off is can we make it to the end?” said Matt. “If you can do that, you can go home with your head held high. I’d like to be in the six-second range; that’s my secondary goal. If we can accomplish both of those, I feel like we’ve done everything we’ve set out to do.”
Can he stay focused on that task knowing Rocky Mountain Race Week is just days after Hot Rod Drag Week ends?
“I’m working both angles right now,” said Matt. “I’ve got Drag Week coming, and then Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0 right behind it. It’s a challenge, and it’s been seven years since I’ve done a drag-and-drive as a driver. As much as I’m thinking about as a promoter, I’m trying to shut that off for a week and enjoy being a competitor again.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Matthew Frost and Motion Raceworks.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com