Josh Reich Partners Up on New Drag-and-Drive Truck Build – Sights Set on Sevens and a 2025 Debut
After putting together a Chevrolet Colorado a couple years back, Josh Reich made himself a little more well known in 2024.
The single turbo pick-up scored a win and a top five finish from a pair of drag-and-drive events, and although some might have expected Reich to continue to refine the Colorado for 2025, he’s changing direction with a new build and new goals.
We pack 200+ pages of awesomeness into each issue of Sick the Magazine, including event coverage, features, guest columns and MUCH MORE! Get the official magazine of drag-and-drive: CLICK HERE to subscribe!
“My good friend Rodney Geist was building it for himself to show off his fabrication skills, and promote his business,” said Reich of the new S-10 build. “Rod isn't a drag racer, or one to do a drag-and-drive, so we decided to partner up.”
The second-generation extended cab Chevrolet S-10 pick-up features a ton of bars to get Reich safely and legally into the seven-second range, but packs enough OE features to open his options up on classes.
“I'm not set on a class yet,” said Reich. “We kept about 12 inches of the stock frame rail where the control arm goes, and it's on leaf springs. So we might be able to compete in several different classes.”
The truck will get the driveline from Reich’s Colorado, a Texas Speed and Performance built 408 cubic inch LS engine combination with a Turbo 400 transmission behind it.
However, in addition to losing some serious weight, Reich and Geist will make an upgrade to the driveline. “I had the little Forced Performance 85-millimeter turbocharger maxed out at 1100 horsepower,” said Reich. “So we upgraded to a Forced Performance 98-millimeter turbo.”
Although the chassis and cage are complete, there’s still a ton of work to do to the new truck. “We need to finish mocking up little stuff, like gas tank, water box, and puke tank,” Reich said. “Then we will disassemble it and paint it. I'll do all the performance work and tuning since I have a dyno, and it will promote my business Flareside Performance.”
Right now, Reich and Geist have a goal of having the truck completed and tested to participate in Rocky Mountain Race Week (RMRW) Mega Week, with hopes of shaking it down at the Circuit in April 2025.
“The Circuit, Mega Week, and King Of The Open Road will be our drag-and-drives next year,” said Reich. “We competed in 1320 Video’s Roll Racing Invitational this year, and I hope to do that next year along with the Ice Cream Cruise too.”
After winning the RMRW 2.0 Rowdy Radial class this year with a 5.78 average, and following it up with a 5.72 average at Edelbrock Sick 66 for a top five finish, Reich is setting some quicker goals for the new build.
“I would like to complete a drag-and-drive with a seven-second average,” Reich said. “I think that's doable with this platform.” What’s happening with the Colorado’s rolling chassis? “It will get sold,” said Reich, and he already has a couple interested parties, including another RMRW competitor looking to step their game to the next level.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Josh Reich.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com