Luke Nieuwhof Derek Putnam Luke Nieuwhof Derek Putnam

SICK WEEK 2025 PRESENTED BY GEAR VENDORS OVERDRIVE RETURNS TO FRDM+

THE Super Bowl of Drag-and-Drive, Sick Week 2025 Presented By Gear Vendors Overdrive, will once again be broadcast around the world by FRDMplus, reaching hundreds of thousands of automotive enthusiasts.

Established by YouTuber Cleetus McFarland in 2020, FRDM+ has set itself apart with high quality live streams from a variety of events, with a team who continue to push the boundaries of vision and sound. And for Sick The Magazine publisher and event promoter Tom Bailey, linking up with FRDM+ for the first time at last year's Sick Week made perfect sense.

Joining the regular watchers of FRDM+ will be thousands of Sick The Magazine subscribers, who receive a free month of FRDM+ as a benefit of their subscription. The offer is also open to anyone who plans on subscribing to Sick The Magazine before Sick Week. Even better, any new subscription is eligible for entries for the Sick 1969 Camaro Pace Car Giveaway.

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Rising From the Ashes – After a Fire Claimed His 8-Second Pick-up, David Cedoz BUILT aN UPDATED VERSION for His Return to Sick Week

After a period where cars were more about the styling and add-ons versus performance, the tables slowly started to turn in the 1980s, where multiple vehicles started to emerge from their smog handcuffed shackles. Trucks also started to get a boost in these times, including the 1990s Chevrolet SS and Ford Lightning pick-ups, and for David Cedoz, the Chevy truck would become a part of his life for 34 years.

David got his first taste of the OBS Chevy pick-up when his father picked up a brand new 1990 SS model, and after his father enjoyed it for ten years, David purchased it to tow his Bass boat for tournament fishing. It would see daily driver orders, and eventually a bump in power for more fun on the street and 8-second runs on the track.

David lost that truck to a fire in 2023, but managed to put a new one together in under 8 months! Can it back-up the glory runs the first jet black pick-up produced in 2023 at Sick Week?

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Luke Nieuwhof Derek Putnam Luke Nieuwhof Derek Putnam

The Fight for Five-Seconds at Sick Week 2025

A five-second stage has been set for Sick Week 2025 Presented By Gear Vendors Overdrive, with a brutal assortment of street legal machines preparing for what may be the quickest and fastest drag-and-drive event in history.

Ever since Tom Bailey’s historic 5.99 run at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2019, drag-and-drive fans have been waiting for a repeat of the feat. It seemed for a period that interest in the Unlimited class and its road-going Pro Mods had waned, but an explosion of new rides has put high expectations on Sick Week 2025 Presented By Gear Vendors Overdrive (January 27 - February 1).

The combination of excellent VP Racing track preparation and sea-level weather conditions will provide the ideal environment for quick times at the event voted as USA Today's Best Motorsports Race for 2024 and Drag Illustrated's Event of the Year in 2023.

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

The Fresh ’56 Bel Air – This Twin-Turbo Chevy Will Make Its First Drag-and-Drive Appearance at Sick Week 2025!

Now, this is a story about how the life of Will Fair got flipped upside down by cars, motorcycles and multiple forms of racing, and his latest chapter with a Chevrolet Bel Air.

It’s an interesting tale with street racing, drag racing and dirt track racing, before getting this classic Chevrolet ready for his first drag-and-drive event at this year’s Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.

Along with best friend and co-pilot Dean Leppo, they brought this ’56 to completion in one year. “This car was pretty much a Facebook Marketplace build, except for the transmission. So we will see how it all holds together; fingers crossed.”

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Supercharged Swap – Darin Hendricks Takes a ’93 Mustang Cobra from a Championship Race Car to Drag-and-Drive Ready for Sick Week!

As trends come and go, one thing that’s shown staying power is the drag racing world and the history behind it. As each year rolls by, the history of racing, as well as the cars that participated as part of it, become talking points at more benchracing sessions and staging lane gatherings. It’s just cool to see cars with history come back into focus once again, and for Darin Hendricks, he’s ready to write the next chapter of a storied history for this Ford Mustang Cobra.

Now, the fact this is a real deal 1993 Ford Mustang Cobra, one of 5100 originally built for the model year (including the rare Cobra R models). But despite its collectability, Darin was anything but gentle with it. “It has spent most of its life as a race car,” said Darin. But after almost two decades as a race ride, Darin is ready for the next chapter - drag-and-drive action with a supercharged combination under the hood, and a 5-speed manual transmission!

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Sick Week Kick Starts a 2025 Drag-and-Drive Season - 30 Events on the Calendar

After a 2024 season with a record number of drag-and-drive events, the 2025 season is just a couple weeks away from rumbling to life. Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive is the first of thirty drag-and-drive events we currently know of for 2024, and there is no doubt more will be added as the year progresses.

With long-standing events like Hot Rod Drag Week back for the 20th anniversary, and Rocky Mountain Race Week celebrating its tenth year, several events returned for another year, including Redwood Rally, Miles of Mayhem, One Guy’s Garage Drag Weekend, and Southeast Street N’ Yeet.

We also saw some new events on the extensive list in 2024, as Drop the Hammer, Olympic Drag-and-Drive, and Big Sky Race Week were just a couple that pushed the number of drag-and-drive events scheduled in 2024 to 40 total. A couple did get canceled or postponed due to weather or poor registration numbers.

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A Change of Heart - This Twin-Turbo Tesla Ditched the EV for Gasoline and Big Tires to Take on Sick Week!

Even though some of the EV models that have come out in recent years have made for some quick times, there’s a clear divide from most enthusiasts about whether they like them or not.

But in the case in this Tesla, enthusiasts get the mix of the modern EV styling combined with horsepower fueled by E-85 instead of batteries. And for 2025, owner Greg Ward and builder Chris Doane are hoping to take it to the street and track.

After participating on the 2024 edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in Sick Ward, Greg and Chris are wanting to add the on-track element to things this time around. “We want to run as many events as possible, including Sick Week,” said Chris. “It is a great way to enjoy racing without having to chase that win. You can choose to be competitive or just enjoy the ride.”

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Twice As Nice – This 8-Second Sleeper Nova Gets a Second Turbo in Preparation for the Street Race Class at Sick Week 2025

Although some may recognize this 1972 Chevrolet Nova as a regular participant on Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, its performance still catches a lot of people off guard. The ‘plain brown wrapper’ appearance, complete with hub caps instead of flashy wheels, doesn’t give the appearance of 8-second potential. And for 2025, the Boosted By Rhino and Jimmy Rinehart-tuned Nova will kick the performance up another level in time for Sick Week 2025.

After three successful drag-and-drive events and pushing the single turbo set-up to its max, Jimmy and Drew discussed the next step for this year’s Sick Week. “The goal was to get that 8 second pass. I think we're about at the limit of the (single) turbo.”

For 2025, a new pair of turbochargers will feed the Texas Speed 5.3-liter short block, going through an air-to-water intercooler.

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Not Your Dad’s Six Shooter – This Firebird Pays Tribute to Its Original Engine, With a Turbocharged Twist

Although not as heavily produced as its Chevrolet counterpart the Camaro in the early years, the Pontiac Firebird had some intriguing options, including the 250 cubic inch 6 cylinder engine with a 4 barrel carburetor in 1967 through 1969. And although this Firebird didn’t come into Derrick Sanders life as a 6-cylinder version, he will enter his first drag-and-drive event with it carrying the same numbers of cylinders.

After building the Firebird into a clean cruiser over a couple decades, Derrick’s dad passed in 2016, leaving the Firebird to him. “I let the car sit basically the entire time since he passed, until this past summer. I told my wife I wanted to do something with the car so we could enjoy it as a family, and not just let it sit in the corner of the shop.”

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From Podcaster to Participant, Cooper Bogetti Will Return to Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2025 with 2JZ-Powered Camaro

For a little over two years, Cooper Bogetti has been bringing a wide variety of guests on his ‘Bogetti Studios’ YouTube channel podcast. Cooper’s blend of car and racing guests on his podcasts, combined with racing updates between his two YouTube channels, has garnered a solid base of subscribers.

Now, Cooper will jump back into the drag-and-drive game after taking a year off, and at this year’s Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, he’ll doing it with a ride that’s never seen drag-and-drive action before; a 2JZ-powered Camaro that recently saw seven-second passes during the Christmas Tree Drags!

“That means that in the next two-ish weeks, we’re going to have to get this here vehicle, that sees basically zero street miles, into streetable condition.” Can Cooper make the necessary changes to the Camaro, survive over 900 miles, and still clock solid times to be competitive in whatever class he chooses to participate in?

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive Testing, VIP Tech and a NEW BONUS for 2025

Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive is THIS MONTH, with Day Zero scheduled for Monday, January 27th, 2025! We’ve learned a lot since the first Sick Week in 2022, and for the 2025 edition, we adding some bonus features!

It’s no secret that some competitors will thrash up to the last minute, and with the chance for up to 400 rides to show up for the start of Sick Week, the tech and testing day can get busy! Thanks to our host track, South Georgia Motorsports Park and their staff, Sick Week will have two additional days of testing available before Day Zero! On Saturday, January 25th, and Sunday, January 26th, SGMP will open their gates for Sick Week competitors, crew and spectators to enjoy two full days of pre-event testing!

Plus we’ve got information on VIP Tech and a new BONUS feature for 2025!

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This Godzilla-Powered Wagon Takes Aim at 7-Second Passes and the Heavy Metal Class for the 2025 Edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive

After a solid year that started with a top five finish in the competitive 275 Street Race class at Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, Kevin Schweizer also participated in a couple events with the National Muscle Car Association and National Mustang Racers Association. Running the True Street class with his 1980 Mercury station wagon, Kevin picked up multiple victories, and for 2025, he’s ready to turn up the power.

Knowing the wagon has more potential on tap than the 8.50-second roll cage limit he used for most of the 2024 season, Kevin made the decision to upgrade the roll cage to 25.5-spec. This would make the wagon legal down to 7.50-second elapsed times, but Kevin wanted to retain room for four. “The rear seat isn’t that bad actually. My chassis guy even tacked welded the bar and tried it to make sure we had room.”

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Nick Rinehart Takes Aim at 6-Second Time Slips with New Drag-and-Drive Build for Sick Week 2025

Although the drag-and-drive calendar can get a little thin on events in the fall, the popular Street-N-Yeet brings out a good contingent of competitors each November. At this year’s event, Nick Rinehart debuted a brand-new ride to the drag-and-drive world, a 1967 Chevrolet Nova, signaling his return to racing after sixteen years away from the sport.

For those that might recognize Nick’s name, it’s because one of his past racing exploits involved the National Muscle Car Association with a 1972 Nova in the early 2000s in heads-up competition. Now, he’s ready to drive into the drag-and-drive world.

“My goal from day one has always been to drag-and-drive this car, before it even had the popularity that it has today. I did class racing, and wanted to have a new challenge, and I think I’m up for it.”

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

Inspiration Leads to a Clean Drag-and-Drive Cutlass Build That Debuted at PRI – The 6-Second Potential Ride Will Compete at Sick Week

It’s not uncommon to hear stories from enthusiasts and racing competitors on drawing inspiration from their parents, their friends, and even fellow enthusiasts on why they choose to participate in car activities.

The inspiration for this fresh drag-and-drive build of Steve Haefner came from another Oldsmobile Cutlass, one that had attendees at the Performance and Racing Industry (PRI) show doing a double take.

“I can’t lie; VP Racing’s Jason Rueckert car is what made me choose the G-body, and specifically the Oldsmobile,” said Haefner. Although the general stance, color and twin-turbo power are very close, Haefner’s ride has a few noticeable differences, including a drag-and-drive focus.

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A Fresh Look and New Goals for ‘Sick Seconds 2.0’ – We Look Back at the ’69 Camaro That Made Drag-and-Drive History, as Bailey Preps for 2025

Hot Rod Magazine’s Fastest Street Car Shootout in 1992 was the first event to point the spotlight at dual purposes cars that could survive the street, as well as lay down impressive numbers on the track. Over a decade later, drag-and-drive got its start at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2005, taking a page from that iconic 1992 event and expanding on it.

Looking back at history can give us a clearer picture of what the future may hold, and that ideal plays into the most recent update on Tom Bailey’s ‘Sick Seconds 2.0’ ’69 Camaro, as Bailey will debut it with the fresh look at this week’s Performance & Racing Industry (PRI) show in Indianapolis, Indiana in the Gear Vendors Overdrive booth.

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Setting the Pace – This Real-Deal ’69 Camaro Indy Pace Car Is Sick the Magazine’s Newest Giveaway Vehicle – Get Entries for the Camaro and the Nash for the Next 5 Days!!

We’ve only got six days left before our current vehicle giveaway, the 1952 Nash wagon, which comes to an end on Sunday, December 15th 2024. Packing a fresh 396 cubic inch small block Chevy, with an extra 150 horsepower of nitrous onboard, the Nash could be your ticket to 9-second time slips!

But, in the spirit of the holiday season, we can’t wait any longer to show off our next giveaway car, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Indy Pace Car! And for the next six days, you can double your chances to win one of our cars!

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Is Bryant Goldstone Retiring the AMC Javelin and Going Unlimited? New Drag-and-Drive Ride for 2025 Will Be Revealed at PRI Show This Week!

He may have gotten his start in drag-and-drive with a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, but the black and red AMC Javelin of Bryant Goldstone has become a well known ride. Based on its percentage of events completed, class wins, and records broken and set, Goldstone has set the bar for the Unlimited Iron class.

But this week will bring the reveal of a new ride for Goldstone in 2025, as he takes aim on quicker times, and the Unlimited class.

What could Goldstone’s new ride be? The Performance & Racing Industry show in Indy will give us the first look at the new ride in the XS Power booth.

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

After Engine Problems at the 2023 and 2024 Editions of Sick Week, Matt and Meg Lamphier Look to Rebound for Sick Week 2025

As one of the participants that’s attended every year of Sick Week presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, Matt Lamphier has experienced the highs and lows of a drag-and-drive event. He won the hotly-contested 235 Outlaw Street Race class at Sick Week in 2022, but had the reversal of fortune the last two years of Sick Week. But Matt and his wife / co-pilot Meg have a plan for 2025 to return to winning ways.

One year after scoring a coveted Sick the Magazine class-winning orange helmet, Matt and the LS-swapped 1992 Mazda Miata known as “The Turtle” had the engine lock up less than an hour from his day two destination – Bradenton Motorsports Park. Last year he exploded an engine.

Can Matt and Meg find the magic from their 2022 Sick Week and collect a second helmet in 2025?

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Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam Derek Putnam

‘Roadkill’ Show Hits the End of the Road – News That the Thirteenth Season of the Popular Show with Freiburger and Finnegan Will Be the Last

“This is the show where we play with cars, and you point and laugh. We call it Roadkill.” Those words were stated by David Freiburger in Episode 1 of the popular MotorTrend show ‘Roadkill’ which hit YouTube in early 2012. 

Nearly thirteen years and thirteen seasons after that first show was recorded, Mike Finnegan broke the news on Reddit that ‘Roadkill’ will not record a fourteenth season.

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Driven Racing Oil Joins Sick The Magazine for 2024, and the Drag-and-Drive Community Returns the Favor With Data to Expand on Their Product Line-up

Getting Driven Racing Oil to join Sick the Mag for our 2024 event season was more than just a sponsorship; it was a chance for Driven to get feedback and possibly develop new oils.

“When we got together with Tom Bailey, it was because we saw the drag-and-drive segment exploding,” said Bill Alexander of Driven Racing Oil. “The demands of these rides can be different than any other market we’ve seen, and we wanted to get first-hand data and feedback from competitors to use in our analysis.”

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