Mike Finnegan Thrashes to Bring Blasphemi to Sick Week for the First Time in 2025!
“There are just two weeks until the Sick Week event, the next drag-and-drive we’re going to compete in here on Finnegan’s Garage, and I have some problems.”
This is how Mike Finnegan, the host of the popular Finnegan’s Garage YouTube channel and recently concluded Roadkill show, started his most recent video upload. The urgency to get his 1955 Chevrolet packing a supercharged HEMI engine, appropriately named ‘Blasphemi’, completed and ready for Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive is apparent, but peppered with humor and a little sarcasm.
THE SUPER BOWL of drag-and-drive events - Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive - is just around the corner!! It combines winter temps with great tracks (and traction), to deliver some amazing performances and an exciting experience! Four tracks, two states, over 800 miles, and five days of beautiful views and quick runs! For more details and how to purchase advance spectator tickets or a Sick Ward entry, CLICK HERE!
Finnegan has had a love-hate relationship with the ‘55 Chevy and drag-and-drive events, and although not uncommon to some participants, Finnegan has experienced a variety of reasons for not completing the event.
After failing to complete his first attempt of Hot Rod Drag Week in 2017, Finnegan bounced back by completing the 2018 and 2019 editions of Hot Rod Drag Week, finishing second in the A/Gas class, and then winning the 2019 event in the same category.
After not competing in 2020 or 2021, Finnegan and Tony Angelo returned to Drag Week in 2022 looking for their second class win, but engine issues would end their chances on day one. Finnegan had planned to return in 2023, but issues leading up to Drag Week made him pull the plug before tech-in day.
“Although so many people shit on it because it breaks a lot, what some don’t notice is it never breaks the same way,” said Finnegan. “So, for me, it becomes a ‘what if I try this’ and try something new.”
In 2024, Finnegan participated in a pair of drag-and-drive events, getting his start with a top five finish in the stick shift class at Midwest Drags. Although Blasphemi survived to the end, the car suffered some damage to the front end, leading Finnegan to make a big change from the solid axle that had sat under the car since he first rolled the ’55 Chevy out of Jim Meyer Racing on one of their gasser chassis in 2012.
“For me, the front suspension change was about safety,” Finnegan said. “It wasn’t about making it quicker.” Converting back to an a-arm suspension got the car a lot of eyeballs at Hot Rod Drag Week, but Finnegan backed it up with a trio of 8.70 runs to give him a solid shot at another top two finish. But it was derailed after day four at Milan Dragway.
After battling a water pump, overheating, and even valvetrain issues, Finnegan and Angelo looked to be on the path of finishing their first Drag Week since 2019, but Michigan would signal the end of their ride.
“I shouldn’t have made my last pass at Milan on Thursday when the car was misfiring,” said Finnegan. “The idea we didn’t finish pisses me off, and I want to finish things at Sick Week.”
Even though the engine was out of the car and headed back to Harrell Engine and Dyno in the weeks following Drag Week, Finnegan found himself without an engine with a couple weeks before Sick Week.
But with just over a week to go, the engine is ready, the blower has been refreshed, and Finnegan has dropped a few videos on his efforts to get ready for Sick Week, where he’ll be joined by not only Joe Cole, but David Newbern for the ride in the ’55 Chevy.
Check out Finnegan’s latest update below, in which he details the changes he plans to employ on Sick Week:
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Mike Finnegan.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com