2010  was another record breaking year for Surrey Muscle, in fact every club record that had previously been set was smashed to pieces. The culprit was a little ol’ 67 Chevy Nova owned and raced by clubmember Craig McManus. Ladies and Gentleman would you believe we now have a club car running in the 8’s. It wasn’t long ago when the 9’s were a dream but the 8’s really is the stuff of dreams except for the fact that it is now a reality. As for those records;

QUICKEST 60ft: 1.27 secs

FASTEST ON THE MOTOR: 9.65secs@140mph

FASTEST TO THE EIGTH: 5.5 secs@125mph

QUICKEST ET and MPH: 8.77secs@154mph

That’s impressive performance but believe me it didn’t come easy or cheap. I remember when Craig first brought the rolling shell of a Nova down to our clubmeet on the back of a trailer some 4 years ago now. Most of us thought he was mad back then as he already had a consistent 9 sec ride in the form of an 83 Camaro, but Craig was not satisfied. What he wanted was a proper classic musclecar shape and he reckoned the modern gen Camaro was so consistent and uneventfull that it became boring! What he did not know then was how much trouble he was heading for with the Nova. Thousands were spent on parts and chassis work carried out by Geoff Hauser but the Nova wouldn’t run straight, and parts were breaking everywhere, transmission casings, propshafts and suspension pieces. Eventually the main man John Webster found the problem, a twisted Chassis so all the previous work and effort had been a complete waste of time. Craig was now at the point of no return, but at least now it was in Websters hands, and what good hands they proved to be for now the car runs as straight as an arrow even if the front end is reaching for the skies most of the time. By now Craig was so far in he decided to cap it all off by installing a 800hp NYES 555ci engine and Bingo! It all came together for 2010 and those record breaking times. All that remains is for Craig to get the car road legal in true Surrey Muscle tradition which he intends to do very soon. An 8 second streetcar, now that really is something to behold.

So our previous record holder Mad Dog Dave Nugent and his  69 Charger were relegated to 2nd but all was not lost as Dave won King of Street at the MoparEuronationals. During that weekend, and knowing that Craig was breathing down his neck Dave then attempted to inject a 500hp shot of Nitrous into the engine which resulted in blowing the transmission to pieces, but you can be sure Dave will be back this year and if it all holds together could run close to the 8s himself, having already run 9.3 @145mph. To cap a great weekend we went on to defeat Taz Racing in our annual match race for charity. Not so lucky was the legendary

Mr Roger Luty in his yellow 442, he was plagued by a misfire all season. Nick Woods was also disappointed with the performance of his brand new 572ci, 800hp Muscle Motors engine that could only propel his 70 Roadrunner to mid 10’s. Still, Dr Luty has promised to sort it for this year so the 9’s could beckon.

Mad Dog also went on tour to the “King of Europe” event in Germany along with our 2009 Powertour winner Dave Arnold in his 78 Trans Am and cousin Richard Nugent. They didn’t win anything, unable to get any traction from the old concrete airstrip, but by all accounts they had a great time and really put Surrey Muscle on the map.

Another notable racer last year was member Bryn Thomas who came second in the Outlaw Street Series in his 68 Pontiac GTO. He lost out to winner Andy Murton by only 5 points and is now kicking himself for missing the first race and by default that first place. Oh well he has another chance to shine this year. Even I won something last year, The Midsummer BBQ and Burnout competition, although being pulled over by the Old Bill during the first burnout and almost sideswiping a refuse truck during the second may have swung it for me! I have also been writing Feature Stories for the revamped “American Car” magazine, well every penny helps in keeping the Olds on the road. Our affair has been going for 22 years now, I purchased the car back in Feb 1989, and Surrey Muscle now enters its 17th year. Looking back the Olds was running 14 sec quarters then which I thought was well fast, and if anyone back then had said that one day we would have cars in the 9’s I would have laughed. Now we have one in the 8’s I am hysterical!

So, last year may just have been our best year yet, but then I say that every year so who knows what’s round the corner, or should I say at the end of the quartermile. See you there!

Paul Dodd, President, Surrey Muscle.