Jerry and Matt Sweet Recover from Engine Damage in Time to Return to Hot Rod Drag Week in Hopes of Finishing His 7-Second Reign From 2023
The Naturally Aspirated classes have had a good contingent of competitors over the years of drag-and-drive events, with a growing number of them in the single-digit range.
But only two competitors had accomplished a 7-second average before the start of the 2024 season, and the team of Jerry and Matt Sweet are looking to do it for the second time in the same year.
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The colorful 1976 Chevrolet Nova had already secured a class victory at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2022, along with a pair of top three finishes at Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2002 and 2023.
But for Drag Week in 2023, Matthew Sweet rolled to the starting line on day one packing a new engine combination north of 800 cubic inches, putting the Nova into the 7-second zone for the first time in competition.
After clocking a 7.91 on day one, the Sweets were rewarded with an improved 7.84 on day two, but unfortunately, they were out of competition on day three, ending their first chance at a 7-second average and backing up their 2022 class win.
Just four months later, we saw the Nova arrive at Orlando ‘Sick’ World Dragway for the start of this year’s Sick Week. The father and son team didn’t leave anything on the table this time, clocking five runs in the 7.7-second range between 7.721 and 7.752. That gave them a 7.73 average, setting a new record for Sick Week and becoming the third nationally-aspirated racer to hold a 7-second average.
But the Sweets planned to return to Hot Rod Drag Week and finish what they started in 2023, with another week of 7-second runs. Before that, they ventured to US 131 Motorsports Park to take part in a Sick the Magazine Drag-and-Drive Shootout in July.
That shootout took place at the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) Power Festival in July, and resulted in the Nova being sidelined after qualifying with engine woes.
The countdown was now on; could Jerry and Matt get everything repaired in time? Thanks to a Facebook post from Jerry on Saturday September 14th, we had a feeling the Nova would be on the property at National Trail Raceway in Columbus for the start of Hot Rod Drag Week.
“Six weeks ago, we kicked a couple of connecting rods out, broke the crankshaft, bent some rods, windowed the block and destroyed the oil pan,” Jerry stated. “Thanks to the support of my awesome wife, kids, family, friends, suppliers, Chuck Lett of Attack Race Cars for the late nights, Cousin Bruce of B&L Tool, and especially Brian Robbins of Robbins Race Craft and his team / army of talented resources. This thing is back together and ready for Hot Rod Drag Week 2024.”
Doc McEntire, who holds more Naturally Aspirated records and class wins than anyone else, currently holds the Hot Rod Drag Week record in Pro Street Naturally Aspirated for the quickest single run at a 7.89 at 170 mph, as well as the quickest five-day average at an 8.03. Can the Sweet father and son team bring another 7-second performance back to Drag Week?
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Jerry Sweet.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com