From the Sidelines at Sick Week to Redemption at Sick Summer, Bryant Goldstone’s AMC Javelin is Getting Quite a Workout in 2023
From a small-tire 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle to his current 1973 AMC Javelin, Bryant Goldstone has been involved in the drag-and-drive community for thirteen years.
He’s been through his share of rough roads and broken parts, but a harrowing crash at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2021 had some questioning if the AMC would return to fight once again. “Rebuilding the Javelin after Hot Rod Drag Week took 51 weeks,” said Goldstone. “It needed a complete front half, and the whole body was changed except the rockers, windshield posts and firewall.”
Despite all that work, the AMC was ready in time to make its first drag-and-drive appearance of 2022 at Hot Rod Drag Week, and Goldstone picked up right where he left off in the Ultimate Iron class, picking up his fifth class victory with a 6.94 average.
Just over five months later, the Javelin appeared at Orlando ‘Sick’ World Dragway in Florida for the start of the 2023 Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, as Goldstone looked to make his mark at another big event.
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The Javelin, already a record holder in the Hot Rod Drag Week class with a 6.85 average, looked to be among the favorites to challenge for the win in Unlimited Iron at Sick Week.
Through two days of competition, Goldstone and Steve Morris were separated by less than two hundredths of-a-second in their mid-6-second averages, with Morris holding a slight lead at the top of the class. But day three at South Georgia Motorsports Park would signal the curtain call.
“The boost controller malfunctioned and tried to leave on 26 pounds of boost,” said Goldstone. That in turn broke the Gear Vendors Overdrive unit, overshooting the rev limiter and busting a lifter in half, ending Goldstone’s week earlier than expected.
A little over three months later, Goldstone had made the necessary repairs to roll into Cordova, Illinois for the inaugural Sick Summer Presented by TBM Brakes. The Javelin would once again look to tackle the Unlimited Iron class, and from day one, Goldstone was in full control.
Opening the five-day event with the quickest run of the day for all competitors, Goldstone produced a 6.68 at 217 mph at Cordova Dragway to lead his class. He stayed in the 6-second range at Great Lakes Dragaway on day three with a 6.77 at 211 mph, then had to navigate a tricky surface at Tri-State Raceway for an early shut off 7.40 at just 166 mph pass on day four.
Returning back to Cordova Dragway, Goldstone wrapped up the week with the best run of the entire week, a 6.67 at 218 mph. But as soon as Goldstone cleared the finish line, the front end ripped from the chassis, sending Goldstone on a wild ride that he was able to maintain control of. “The front clip is a total loss,” said Goldstone.
That final run gave Goldstone an average of 6.88, giving him not only the Unlimited Iron class win, but also the Quickest Overall top spot.
This marks only the third time in drag-and-drive history that the overall quickest elapsed time average would come from an entry not in the top class.
With Goldstone battling through issues at two different drag and drive events already this year, some might think he would take the rest of the year to fix up the Javelin before embarking on a 2024 campaign. But Goldstone is already hard at work once again.
“Norm’s Fiberglass is making a mold for a one piece (front end) with a removable hood out of carbon,” Goldstone said. “Hopefully it will be ready for Sick Powerfest in Detroit; if not, Drag Week.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine.
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