No Gray Matter – A Storied ’86 Mustang Looks to Continue Its Winning Ways on Sick Summer
From drag-and-drive events, to Street Car Takeover, and even the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) and National Mustang Racer Association (NMRA) series True Street and 8.60-index Street Race class, Tim Flanders has done them all in his 1986 Ford Mustang.
And despite a mostly stock appearance, including tail pipes, this Fox Mustang has quite a storied history.
The Mustang has been successful in multiple forms, from a naturally-aspirated ride when winning class at Hot Rod Drag Week, to multiple victories on the boosted path in True Street and the 8.60-index Street Race class.
Tim tasted victory twice on the NMCA / NMRA tour in True Street during 2021, once in Michigan and a second at the NMCA series finale in Indianapolis.
Last year, Tim grabbed a class win in the NMRA’s 8.60-index Street Race class, as well as finishing fourth at his most recent drag-and-drive, the 2022 Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.
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Tim built the Avalanche Gray ’86 Mustang in house at his shop MAF Racing, and after using a couple different engine combinations, including a naturally-aspirated LSX bullet, Tim went back with the blue oval for his current source of horses.
Based on a modern 5-liter Coyote built by fellow Sick Summer competitor Fonzie Novelo, a sleeved gen 3 block wears ported gen 2 cylinder heads with stock gen 1 camshafts, and a Boss intake comprise the basics.
A MAF Racing-built single turbocharger kit based around a Forced inductions 91-millimeter turbo provides the whistle and extra ponies, and a Jon Capizzi-built Turbo 400 with a Circle D converter by Pete Nichols and Gear Vendors Overdrive backs it up.
As he experienced with Sick Week in 2022, Tim would come to play in a competitive Sick Street Race class at Sick Summer Presented by TBM Brakes.
An 8.56 would give him the number two ranking to start the week after day one, but by day three, a near-perfect 8.502 moved him even closer to class leader Cameron Alley.
Tim and Cameron played musical chairs after day four, when Tim laid down a perfect 8.500 pass to jump into the lead by just two-thousandths of-a-second.
Tim ended the week with an 8.52 pass to close out the week with an 8.523 average to just edge out Cameron’s 8.531 average for the class win and the coveted orange Sick helmet.
“I like seeing parts of the country most never see,” said Tim of why he continues to participate in drag-and-drive events. “It’s lots of different race tracks, and racing with the best 8.50 racers in the world. My best friends are from this.”
But Tim reinforced the secret of his success extends past the car, the set-up or the tune-up. “If you don't bring a copilot that is as committed as the driver, it can make it rough,” Tim admitted. “Kody Keller, who I’ve been friends with since 2006-ish rode with me.
I rode with him in 2009 on Drag Week as well. He just runs with what needs to be done, and I don't have to worry that it is done correctly. He can also get by for days on end with little sleep, and can nail the directions down to the .1 of a mile.”
What’s next for Tim? Likely participating in a NMRA 8.60-index Street Race class this season, or just regulating the Mustang to daily duties.
“My 17-year-old drives me to the track in the car,” Tim said. “It’s not uncommon to drive the car 40 miles a day to work for a week straight too.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Tom Flanders.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com