This Actual Rocket Scientist is Counting Down to a Turbocharged Mustang of Her Own!
The growing popularity of drag-and-drive events have steered many an enthusiast to change or amend their existing or future builds to allow for participation. For Kate Folmar, all it took was her first drag-and-drive experience to make a lasting impression, and thus make her Mustang build expand its possible uses.
Despite lack of sleep and some last-minute thrashing, Kate Folmar and Houston McClain were all smiles rolling through Sunday’s tech line.
Coming from a family where her father was a champion in racing front-engine dragsters as well as fuel altereds, and one of Kate’s brothers was into Mustangs, it seemed Kate was destined to get into the car hobby. After owning five Mustangs, including a black 1995 GT that would be her first car to go down the race track, Kate purchased a blue 1991 GT as a birthday gift to herself just over four years ago.
That car ultimately led her to Orlando Speed World Dragway in November of 2020 for the World Street Nationals, and a first date with Houston McClain. “He had a blue Mustang, and I had a blue Mustang,” Kate said. “Seemed like a good starting point!”
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After a year of racing with Houston and spending time at his shop McClain Motorsports, Kate decided to take the next step in the build of her Mustang, trading the car’s street car purpose for new life as a heads-up grudge car, as well as possible Ultra Street class racing.
Folmar and McClain gutted the car, ordered a Moore Race Chassis & Fabrication cage that will cert to 25.2 SFI-specs, and got Samuel Young to weld the cage structure in place. Meanwhile, Kate updated the front end with a new tubular front section, Racecraft Inc. spindles and Strange brakes. A narrowed and braced 8.8-inch rear from Rollins Automotive Speed & Custom will get the ponies to a set of Race Star wheels, and a full suspension from UPR Products will round up the undercarriage, with struts and shocks from KellTrac.
With Kate’s current and past work on space rockets, the build picked up the name “Rocket Science.” And with the Mustang getting closer to becoming a rolling chassis, Kate and Houston embarked on their first drag-and-drive at the 2023 Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive. Houston’s car completed the week in the Street Race 275 class, and now both are thinking about the potential future for Kate’s build as a drag-and-drive contender.
Houston McClain and Kate Folmar pose in front of the Orlando ‘Sick’ World Dragway tower after completing Sick Week 2023.
“We were planning to run a Predator or Coyote-based Ford modular engine from TKM with a single turbocharger, likely on methanol,” said Kate. “With the FuelTech FT600 we will run, we can alter the plans a bit and have two tune-ups for fueling on a drag-and-drive.” They will install a rear fuel tank for pump gas, while a smaller tank will go up front for the methanol. “We can throw a couple check valves in, and be good to go,” she said. “Since we’re still in the initial build phase, we decided we can make the car fit a few different avenues.” She hopes to have the car completed for the 2024 season.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Kate Folmar, Sick the Magazine and the author.