Will Colin Gee and His Twin-Turbo Malibu Wagon Be Competitive in Rowdy Radial?
A little over two weeks ago we reported on Steve Groenink and his 1973 Toyota Celica making the trip from Canada to participate in the 2023 Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.
Another Canadian making the trip to Sick Week is Colin Gee, as after being the co-pilot in Steve’s Toyota on Miles of Mayhem 2021, Colin has jumped into drag-and-drive events as a competitor.
After experiencing Miles of Mayhem in 2021, Colin plotted a course of action for his own drag-and-drive ride, a 1983 Chevrolet Malibu wagon.
Starting with the popular 5.3-liter LS, Colin swapped out the stock rods and pistons for better ones, and topped the short block with a pair of Trick Flow cylinder heads. Twin-turbochargers provide better atmosphere than standard breathing alone, and Colin tunes everything with a Holley EFI system.
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Colin took on Canada’s Miles of Mayhem drag-and-drive event in 2022, finishing first overall as well as tops in the Small Tire 275 class. He’ll start 2023 on Sick Week in the competitive Rowdy Radial class.
“The friends, different type of cars, and the test to see how well your setup is versus what you think it is,” is what drives Colin to participate in drag-and-drive events. What is making him make the long haul to Sick Week? “The most well known drag and drive racers in a single event,” he says. “The scenery, the tracks, and the weather for this part of the season. Especially coming from Canada.”
What’s the biggest challenge for Colin at Sick Week? “The tire change to run the Rowdy Radial class,” Colin admits. “It’ll be the first time we’ll be running on these tires.” “But my biggest strength is willing to go the extra extent to fix, repair and continue to finish the week.”
- Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Colin Gee.