Freak on a Leash – Aiming for Eights with An All-Wheel-Drive Street Legal Honda
Contrary to what some might believe, imports are welcomed at drag-and-drive events. In fact, Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive and Sick Summer Presented by TBM Brakes offer a class for vehicles with less than eight cylinders (as well as all diesels), the Sick Week Freaks class.
One of the competitors that’s started making some serious noise in the class is Rob Courtney. In what can be easily dismissed by some as a basic 1995 Honda Civic coupe, Rob has put together two great drag-and-drive event showings in 2023, including a recent win in the Sick Week Freaks class, as well as picking up the 4-cylinder Sick Week Freaks title.
But we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves, as there’s a lot more to the recent results. Rob’s Civic has been one of those purchases you hang onto, and it got upgrades here and there.
“It has been my silly street car for years and I haven’t raced it in a long time,” Rob said. “I did some index racing back when it was at World Cup, and the car was front wheel drive with a good bit less power.”
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Rob has a ton of experience behind his efforts. Getting into drag racing since he held a license, Rob has held down jobs with race teams in the NHRA Import and Nopi series, then transitioned to working on one of the quickest stick shift rides in the country.
And all this work helped Rob see his future plans for the unique all-wheel-drive stick shift Civic.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of Hot Rod Drag Week,” Rob said. “Thought to myself that I want to stop watching and go do that.”
“I love drag racing, but I’m kind of over class racing after all these years,” he continued. “With drag-and-drive, I don’t care if I’m competitive or not. I do it for the adventure.
I don’t want a dedicated to anything car. This gives me the ability to go make passes and drive all around our beautiful country.”
Knowing a drag-and-drive would demand a balance of power, reliability and safety, Rob did a bunch of upgrades and updates to the Civic to get ready for his first drag-and-drive competition at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2022.
A 4-cylinder K20A2 engine based on a stock block with a stock crankshaft, Manley h beam rods, Arias HD pistons makes up the foundation. A Moroso pan holds the oil in place, while a stock K20a2 cylinder head sits atop, featuring Supertech springs and retainers, Brian Crower all motor stage 2 cams, and Inline pro head studs.
A 2006 Civic Si intake manifold combines with a K20A2 stock throttle body to receive the additional air from the Precision Gen 2 68/70-millimeter T4 flange turbocharger, and the entire package is controlled by a Haltech 1500.
A 6-speed CR-V manual transmission with Ppg synchronized 1-4 gears, a Custom steel driveshaft, a Hub city all-wheel-drive kit and a Competition clutch twin disc model get the power to Mickey Thompson 24.5-inch diameter x 8-inch width tires on all four corners.
Wilwood brakes and a Stroud parachute clamp down on speeds after the repeated 150+mph blasts.
The interior features an 8.50-legal spec roll cage built by Rob, and he didn’t skimp on making the interior useful for the street, including radio, heat and power windows. Rob even slathered the car with a new black paint job over the all-steel exterior skeleton.
So how did that first drag-and-drive go at Hot Rod Drag Week? “I showed up by myself with no clue how rough this is, and quickly (found out) your day can go south,” said Rob. “I got to Indy (day 2, first day on the road) after towing a trailer with the car the first time. They are calling me to the lanes and I’m mid changeover from street to race. Bust my butt to get in the lanes only to break the transmission 40 feet out. Welcome to drag and drive Rob.”
Some might’ve thrown in the towel, but Rob was determined to see the week through. “A few hours later, a dumped-out trailer, one filthy Rob, and I have the transmission rebuilt, ready to get back on the road,” he admitted.
“I took my 20 second pass, and it was the hardest pass I ever earned.” Rob finished the week with a 12.53 average, but a 9.39 at 157 mph pass on the final hinted at what could come at his next drag-and-drive appearance.
That next appearance would be the 2023 edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, and although Rob placed third behind defending champion Tony Niemczyk and Ben Neal, a 9.33 average from the Honda got the attention of quite a few people.
When Rob appeared at Sick Summer Presented by TBM Brakes, he was considered among the favorites to win.
An opening 9.11 at 159 mph shot at Cordova Dragway set the tone for the week, and the all-wheel-drive Civic returned to Cordova four days later to fire off a 9.10 at 161 mph, his best pass of the week, and secure the win with a 9.20 average.
“I’m currently living my goals,” said Rob. “I want to enjoy these events with this great community. I’d like to improve my average at every event. I never anticipated winning an event or getting an orange helmet (class winner’s helmet), so that means the world to me.”
Rob will return to Hot Rod Drag Week later this year to “test myself and this poor car,” and odds are he will continue to turn heads and live out his goals. “Plus I like hearing David Freiburger and Brian Lohnes go nuts (announcing) about the back half.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Motion Raceworks and Rob Courtney.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com