From Ready and Testing to Fire and Thrashing, Chris Merry and the Diehl Brothers Scramble to Get Ready for Sick Summer
From winning at no-prep to surviving multiple drag-and-drive events, Nick and David Diehl have become a staple on both Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive and Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks.
Not content to have just one LS-swapped turbocharged Ford Mustang, they have two: the orange 2001 Mustang you’ve likely seen at both Sick events, and a blue 1994 model as well. But with Nick calling the tune-up shots and filling the co-pilot role for David, that left the Diehl’s 1994 Mustang on the sidelines.
Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks is just around the corner: June 9th-14th!! It’s the drag-and-drive you need to start your summer right: 350 cars, 4 different race tracks, awesome checkpoints, and over 600 miles of street driving! Click here for all the details!
Thankfully, Chris Merry jumped behind the wheel on Hot Rod Drag Week last year, and both Mustangs completed the week. “Nick had sent me a text to ask if I’d be interested in taking their blue Mustang,” said Chris. “Since I was already signed up and had a ticket to go, I gladly accepted.”
Chris completed his first drag-and-drive event behind the wheel, averaging 8.55 over the week to finish third in the Street Race Small Block Power-Adder class.
That same blue Mustang became the weapon of choice for an April no-prep event at Edgewater Sports Park, and after a busy day in two different classes, David Diehl wheeled the car to a win in True Street and a runner-up in Lil Gangster.
The plans were uncertain for the blue Mustang’s next date, as Chris had planned to debut his revamped Pontiac G8 at Sick Summer. But as most competitors know, things can change, and the blue Mustang was pressed into service.
On the final day of May at US 131 Motorsports Park, the Diehls rolled both Mustangs out to test for the upcoming Sick Summer. That test turned a bit hot for Merry, as the ’94 Mustang belched fire as Chris turned off the track after completing a pass.
“Shout out to Samuel Peterson and the US 131 Motorsports Park team for helping get the fire out,” Chris said. “They definitely saved me from having to fix more than I had to. Luckily, I practice getting in and out of the car for scenarios like this. Definitely could have been worse! We believe what happened was the transmission fluid came out of the expansion tank and got on the header. I don’t know why it waited to catch fire as soon as I exited the track, but blessed that it happened the way it did.”
For the flames to be above the roof, the damage thankfully was contained enough to allow the car to be running as of last night at 11 p.m. The Mustang needed a new windshield, and Chris will join the Diehls tonight to get the car re-assembled on body panels, and then a new windshield tomorrow at Chris’ shop. “We’ll be ready,” said Chris. “Nothing we’re not used to.”
The best way to start a fun-filled summer is Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks! 6 days, 4 tracks, over 600 miles, and one hell of a road trip! See the 6-second 200-mph rides of Alex Taylor, Bryant Goldstone, Cleetus McFarland, Nick Taylor, and over 300 more street cars and trucks, as they travel the roads and battle on the drag strips, of the Midwest.
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Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Chris Merry and Nick Diehl.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com