One of the Most Decorated Drag Weekers!
Vince Rasch is one of the most decorated Drag Weekers in history! He is also tied for the title of “Most Hot Rod Drag Weeks Competed”!! Vince’s accolades include three First place finishes, one Second place finishes, one Third place and “Several Fastest Pontiac” trophies!! You collect those kinds of accolades when you have attended 14 Hot Rod Drag Weeks!!
Vince is All Pontiac, All The Time!
Vince is a Pontiac nut, having attended each HRDW in his 1969 GTO convertible or ’69 Firebird. He likes his cars how I like my coffee…. Black and Powerful! Both cars are black with each running Pontiac power. The Firebird is the faster of the two. Currently under construction is a Naturally Aspirated, 555 CI engine with 16.5:1 compression built for standing mile events! Chris Uranchio is building the engine to turn more than 8500 rpm with insane cam specs, like “a tick more than 1 inch of intake lift” and dual SV1 carbs! Vince has a goal of 220+ mph at Blytheville in September for the East Coast Timing Association event.
“I was a tourist for HRDW ‘21” Vince said about his trip for last year. He didn’t want to add a roll bar to the GTO convertible, opting to slow down and enjoy the week. The GTO averaged a 14.2 for the week, much slower than the low nine second averages the Firebird has put down. I’m certain the GTO is a blast to drive with it’s 468, th400 and GearVendors Overdrive. Other participants commented about Vince’s tendency to run “just above the speed limit” on the routes for the week! Vince said that the week was nice, but he prefers the faster car for these events.
At the first Hot Rod Drag Week, Vince’s ETs were way off after installing a new Mcleod Clutch in the GTO’s T56. After conversations with other racers and the transmission company, he overnighted a longer shifter to the upcoming track! Once installed, he dropped his ETs from 14s into the 12s!! That is the spirit of drag and drive events!!
“I wish they had started these events 10 years earlier”, Vince said in talking about the friends he has made and the enjoyment he has had over the years. Vince has only missed two years of drag week, 2018 and 2019. And has not committed to 2022. I’m sure, as time draws closer, the itch for the punishment of this event will come calling…. Especially since Drag Week will be somewhere close to the ECTA Blytheville event!!
Drag and Drive creates Life Long Friends
Vince, and many others, have made lifelong friends attending drag and drive events. And, since HRDW has been happening for almost 17 years, there are a lot of people that have chewed the same dirt in the parking lots of hotels, sides of the road, or the gravel of a driveway. Vince met people at the 2005 Drag Week that would be in his 2008 wedding!! They have remained friends all of these years.
Vince’s memory of these events is amazing, and we will be visiting with him periodically for more stories!
The Other Guy
The “other guy” tied with Vince for “Most Hot Rod Drag Weeks Competed” is Tom Hogshead, who has also attended 14 HRDW events!! BUT, Tom takes it to another level by competing in the same car each time!!! If you would like to hear Tom’s story, please let us know with a comment below.
Vince’s Hot Rod Drag Week History
Year Vehicle Average
2005 1969 Pontiac GTO 12.965
2006 1969 Pontiac GTO 12.0093
2007 1969 Pontiac GTO 11.7948
2008 1969 Pontiac GTO 11.6994 Daily Driver Class Win
2009 1969 Pontiac Firebird 10.6739
2010 1969 Pontiac Firebird DNF
2011 1969 Pontiac GTO 15.039
2012 1969 Pontiac Firebird DNF
2013 1969 Pontiac Firebird DNF
2014 1969 Pontiac Firebird 10.3044 Super Street Big Block NA Class Win
2015 1969 Pontiac Firebird 9.9808 Super Street Big Block NA Class Win
2016 1969 Pontiac Firebird 9.5066 Super Street Big Block NA Class Second
2017 1969 Pontiac Firebird 9.572 Super Street Big Block NA Class Third
2021 1969 Pontiac GTO 14.2232