Auto enthusiasts can be drawn to a particular vehicle for several reasons. It could be the styling, the power, the handling, or even the chance to fulfill a dream of owning one when you couldn’t earlier in life. But then there’s cars and trucks with history, or a family connection, and the bonds and memories created with these rides can be some powerful ones.

The 1968 Mercury Cougar of Josh Dowies has a sixteen-year history in his family starting when his father bought the car for his mother to drive. “She always wanted to have a little hot rod to cruise around,” said Josh. She passed away back in 2017, and the car sat until 2022, when Josh bought it. “Getting to build this car has been as much for me, as it has been for my mom and in memory of my mom."

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?

It’s been a common sight at Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, and Jordan Boudreaux’s Mustang has also made its mark in the event standings every year.

The turbocharged LS-swapped ride has earned a spot in the top three standings in the 275 Street Race class at the end of each Sick Week, but 2025 will bring a change for the Louisiana-based ride.

Just one day after Doug Cook dropped the news that he owned a 6-second time slip, Sick the Mag heard that another Super Street class competitor had joined the 6-second club. David and Nick Diehl have been working towards getting the 2000 Ford Mustang into not only the 6-second zone, but also wanting to be the first in the sixes in the Super Street class at a drag-and-drive event. This week, they accomplished one of their goals.

The 1987 Volvo wagon of Mikael Borggren became a staple on several drag-and-drive events, first cracking the 6-second mark at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2021. But he started to make his mark in the no-prep world in the last few years, and also captured a trio of Roadkill Nights Small Tire victories.

After successfully completing his second drag-and-drive event at the Redwood Rally in 2023, Ryan Saiki plans to return in just over a week with some updates and ‘adjustments’ to a storied Chevrolet Corvette. This C3 Corvette embarked on its first drag-and-drive last year, and Ryan plans to make the second one just as memorable.

For Alexis Zarate, she’ll embark on her first drag-and-drive, something she’s wanted to do for nearly a decade, at the Edelbrock Sick 66 this October.

The 26 year-old mother of two got her introduction to cars through her father, as well as the ’69 Camaro she currently navigates. “My dad bought the car at age 17, and gave it to me when I was a year old."

After making a solid impression (and several big wheelies) in an 1983 Chevrolet Malibu station wagon during 2022 and 2023, including the 2023 edition of Sick Week, Colin Gee started thinking about a new car build for drag-and-drive duty.

Little did he know that just over a year after he started that build, it would have a blown-up engine, then Colin sold the car, and started on another build just this month!

Buying a proven car that is already built the way you want it, or most of the way that you want it, eliminates the money and time factor in a complete build.

But can you shed the 'previous history' that comes with buying someone else's ride? That recently came to light when Brett LaSala's 'Snot Rocket 2.0' was sold...

One of the great things we’ve witnessed over time about the drag-and-drive community is the majority wants to help fellow enthusiasts get into the game. Todd Fogle, a truck driver with very little experience with cars outside of general maintenance, purchased a 1966 Pontiac Bonneville in 2017, and it started his path to a deeper appreciation of cars, as well as joining the drag-and-drive world.

The father-son team of Steven and A.J. Lloyd recently completed their first drag-and-drive appearance at Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks with the family 1980 Chevy Malibu wagon. Not only are they plotting a second appearance in 2025, but a new ride to do it.

After participating in the first Sick Summer as a co-pilot, Jim Shipley returned to Sick Summer in 2024 for a competitor spot. Wheeling a unique 1988 Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon, would Shipley survive the week?

Although it’s becoming more common to see some familiar rides and names at more than one drag-and-drive event per season, a large majority will choose to participate in different styles of events. And we’re seeing dozens of drag-and-drive competitors putting together solid event results outside of the drag-and-drive event calendar.

Erik Lawson has been drag racing since the age of fifteen, and he even passed the drag racing addiction to his son Cooper, who regular enjoys seat time in his junior dragster. But the Lawson boys also enjoy time racing with some street time mixed in.

Despite making his mark initially the drag-and-drive community with an eye-catching 1995 Geo Tracker he refers to as ‘Project Samsquanch’, Vinnie Barbone couldn’t resist the calling of a model that truly inspired him, a Chevrolet Monza. “Basically, I was born into having an H-Body gene encrypted into my body.”

Despite appearances that things are good on the surface, a racer’s mind can be a hamster wheel of thoughts both good and bad on their next run. In Colin Gee’s case, he started thinking about the 1983 Chevrolet Malibu station wagon he had finished in 2023, and his goals for the future.

There are several proven models and chassis that have been successful over time in drag-and-drive competition. But we also see some unique examples. From station wagons to milk trucks, Triumphs to T-bucket roadsters, we’ve seen a lot. But this could be the only limousine we’ve seen participate in a drag-and-drive.

This week’s submission comes from Wyatt Nejdl, who joined father Doug for the second time on a drag-and-drive at this year’s Sick Summer with their 1988 Ford Mustang.

After years of doing motocross as his hobby, Alex Zastrow decided to take the plunge into not only drag racing, but also into drag-and-drive. Some might consider that a daunting prospect, but with wife Courtney and brother Derek along for the ride, the Zastrows completed their first event at Sick Summer.

As the number of burnout contests increase, it’s not uncommon to find cars and trucks that are built for the sole purpose of creating clouds of smoke and destroying tires. But there’s a few that see street and drag strip use as well, and a unique one plans to make their return to Sick Powerfest a good one.