This ’66 GTO Looks to Do First Drag-and-Drive at Hot Rod Drag Week 20th Anniversary Event
It’s never too late to join the drag-and-drive community, and with over 35 events currently scheduled in 2024, there are a multitude of ways.
Even thousands of people who watch online on various live streams and support the events are important. For Tod Hoffmann, he will step into his first drag-and-drive event this year with an iconic muscle car at a well-known event.
Interesting in attending Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks as a spectator or in Sick Ward? Purchase your tickets online before April 30th, 2024 (including the Summit Racing Sick Ward Presented By PEAK Performance), and one lucky spectator will have the opportunity to drive away in this Pontiac Fiero!
For Tod, enjoying his 1966 Pontiac GTO is something he’s done for a while. From cruises to drag racing, auto cross events to car shows, the red ’66 muscle car has tackled them all.
“Cars are built to be driven,” he said. “Trailering them to events isn’t fun.” This mentality is what got him to look into drag-and-drive events, and for his first one, Tod will take part in the twentieth hosting of Hot Rod Drag Week.
To make exercising the GTO a bit more fun, Tod employs a 455 cubic inch Pontiac engine with some choice upgrades.
Featuring a 11:1 compression, a solid roller camshaft and CNC-ported Kauffman cylinder heads, the Pontiac is topped with Holley EFI and backed with a TKX 5-speed manual transmission and a Strange Engineering 9-inch rear end.
Although the GTO features plenty of upgrades, they are fit under the stock hood, and modern Weld Racing aluminum wheels are painted black and fitted with factory-style hub caps to keep the car stealthy.
Todd plans to run the GTO in the popular Street Machine eliminator is class. “I don’t have a roll cage, so I’m limited to 11.50,” he said of the intended plans. “The car has run 11.70 at 122 mph, so 11.50s should be no problem.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Tod Hoffmann.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com