Cool Canadian 'Cudas!

While the “Great White North” may be better known for its skilled hockey players and mild mannered citizens, Canada’s drag racing scene is also a thriving entity. Within the very popular Fast Street Car racing genre, two Canadian Mopar® drivers are making waves.

Words: Bruce Biegler

From the far West, in the shadows of the scenic Rocky Mountains, Edmonton, Alberta’s Dean Branham has an innovative experiment going, racing his totally unique 1969 Barracuda. In his fourth year with the project, Branham has so far dabbled with natural aspiration and a Pro Charger, however his machine will soon morph again to feature a 547 cid Mopar engine equipped with turbochargers. With that engine program, his car will produce an estimated 2,000+ horsepower.

“At first the plan was to run a Pro Charger because it would be a bit easier to tune and would also fit more easily into the front end of a ’69 Barracuda,” Branham revealed. “But lately after working with a lot of people, including Dave Koffel, we’ve decided to stretch the front end and run twin turbochargers beginning in 2009.”

The car has run some very low 7-second elapsed times and over 185 mph in its current configuration; however, Branham is looking for “sixes” and over 200 mph. “Our car is very unique on the circuit,” he added. “The reality is that because there is nobody around racing a car like this it’s pretty well uncharted waters. We are required to develop all of our own information, so there is a constant learning curve.”

Branham’s machine will ultimately race within the enormously popular Outlaw 10.5 Super Street class category and may also see some Top Sportsman class action.

Branham’s family history with Mopar drag racing is a deep running one. He is a second generation driver, son to legendary Western Canadian Mopar Super Stock racer Al Branham who in conjunction with Jim Ronaghan raced a series of very famous Mopar Super Stockers during the 1970s (the Old Trapper cars).

Branham’s Western Canadian drag racing efforts are being mirrored some 2,000 miles away in Eastern Canada by Toronto area racer John Carinci. Carinci, too, has elected to campaign an equally innovative machine within the Super Street 10.5 category, a 1970 model Barracuda.

Carinci’s Barracuda has also been evolutionary. After first hitting drag strips back in 2004 as a 500 cid HEMI®-powered EZ Street classed car, the Barracuda has seen a number of upgrades all of which have contributed to progressively faster performances. “Back in 2005 we were the first Canadian car to run in the 7-seconds zone in our class,” Carinci revealed. “Eventually the car got so fast that we were penalized to the point we had to change classes. So we evolved it into a Super Street 10.5 race car, and in 2006 we became the very first Canadian car in that class to run in the 6-seconds zone.”

Carinci, who is also a long time Mopar brand proponent, admits that his car is also a rarity for the class.

“For me this class is really about representing the body style,” he added. “But we also take a lot of pride with the fact the car runs bracket like 6.8 secs elapsed times.” John affirmed that the evolution of his Barracuda is continuing. Current plans for the off-season of 2008–09 are to lighten the car down to 2,800 lbs and build an even more powerful 650 cid HEMI engine, which will feature three stages of nitrous oxide injection.

“Our new HEMI engine is not quite ready for competition,” he added. “Our plans are to begin testing it early next season.”

John’s drag racing program is primarily a family affair involving his wife Teresa and sons James and Justin. Toronto’s Steve Lazzaro, who races his own turbocharged car in Super Street 10.5, is a valued race team associate.