Bill Armstrong

“Quick Henry”
1966 Ford Fairlane

Rocky Mountain Race Week Wins: 1

Summit Midwest Drags Wins: 1

Street Car Takeover Wins: 1

Rocky Mountain Race Week Finishes: 7

Drag Week Finishes: 2

Driver Name Bill Armstrong
Location Colorado
Year / Make / Model 66 Ford Fairlane 500
Best E/T & MPH 8.70 @ 165
Race Weight 3,775 lbs.
Powerplant SBF 427 Dart Based Windsor
Trick Flow Hi-Port 240’s ported by TEA
Trick Flow EFI Intake Manifold
Hydraulic Roller by Mark @ Comp
Johnson Lifters
Full Crower Valvetrain
Garrett Twin 62 mm turbos by Turbos Direct
Fuel System: Aeromotive Brushless Eliminator Pump
-10 feed and return
Flexfuel Sensor
Fuel Rails are no longer bolted to the intake manifold which reduced fuel temps by 45 degrees.
Pressurized Fuel Tank to increase the boiling point of the fuel.
Transmission T56 Magnum with GForce Faceplated Gearset
Tilton fluid pump
Shifter Red Roberts Short Throw Shifter
Clutch RAM Pro Street Twin Sintered by Cale @ Black Magic Clutches
Rear End Ford 9″ W/ Spool Stock Housing w/ Back Brace
Mark Williams 35 Spline Hi-Torque Axles
3.70 Gears
Rear Suspension Calvert Split Mono Leafsprings
Caltracs (Uses the bottom hole)
Menscer Shocks
Front Suspension Mustang 2 Front End from Rod & Custom Motorsports
Manual Rack
Menscer Shocks
Wheels & Tires Rear:
RC Components 15×10
28×10.5 Hoosier Stiff Wall
Front:
RC Components 17×4
Mickey Thompson Bias Ply 17 4.5
Launch Strategy Burnout:

  1. Start in second gear
  2. Rev to 5,000 to 6,000 rpm
  3. Count 5 seconds and roll out

Starting Line:

  1. Fully Stage
  2. Clutch Pedal Down
  3. Throttle Down
  4. Clutch Switch runs the 2-step and The BangShift Billy
  5. Release clutch for launch
Clutch Slipping Devices The BangShift Billy
What is the secret to stick shift drag racing? Preventing breakage! Attrition is the biggest killer. The clutch can’t destroy everything behind it. Get a clutch slipping device or a slipper clutch. Or just slip it with your foot. Valvetrain and fuel system are the biggest killers for drag-n-drive events.
Notes I bought the car when I was 17 in  1990. Was an automatic for a long time. Got tired of carrying a purse so I switched to stick to do drag week 2013.
Rocky Mountain Race Week Wins: 1 (’18)
Rocky Mountain Race Week Finishes: 7 (’16, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20, ’20, ’21, ’21)
Drag Week Finishes: 2 (’13, ’14)
Summit Midwest Drags Wins: 1 (’21)
Street Car Takeover Wins: 1 (’21)
Driver Name

Bill Armstrong

Location

Colorado

Year / Make / Model

66 Ford Fairlane 500

Best E/T & MPH

8.70 @ 165

Race Weight

3,775 lbs.

Powerplant

SBF 427 Dart Based Windsor
Trick Flow Hi-Port 240’s ported by TEA
Trick Flow EFI Intake Manifold
Hydraulic Roller by Mark @ Comp
Johnson Lifters
Full Crower Valvetrain
Garrett Twin 62 mm turbos by Turbos Direct

Fuel System:

Aeromotive Brushless Eliminator Pump
-10 feed and return
Flexfuel Sensor
Fuel Rails are no longer bolted to the intake manifold which reduced fuel temps by 45 degrees.
Pressurized Fuel Tank to increase the boiling point of the fuel.

Transmission

T56 Magnum with GForce Faceplated Gearset
Tilton fluid pump

Shifter

Red Roberts Short Throw Shifter

Clutch

RAM Pro Street Twin Sintered by Cale @ Black Magic Clutches

Rear End

Ford 9″ W/ Spool Stock Housing w/ Back Brace
Mark Williams 35 Spline Hi-Torque Axles
3.70 Gears

Rear Suspension

Calvert Split Mono Leafsprings
Caltracs (Uses the bottom hole)
Menscer Shocks

Front Suspension

Mustang 2 Front End from Rod & Custom Motorsports
Manual Rack
Menscer Shocks

Wheels & Tires

Rear:
RC Components 15×10
28×10.5 Hoosier Stiff Wall
Front:
RC Components 17×4
Mickey Thompson Bias Ply 17 4.5

Launch Strategy
Burnout:

  1. Start in second gear
  2. Rev to 5,000 to 6,000 rpm
  3. Count 5 seconds and roll out

Starting Line:

  1. Fully Stage
  2. Clutch Pedal Down
  3. Throttle Down
  4. Clutch Switch runs the 2-step and The BangShift Billy
  5. Release clutch for launch
Clutch Slipping Devices

The BangShift Billy

What is the secret to stick shift drag racing?

Preventing breakage! Attrition is the biggest killer. The clutch can’t destroy everything behind it. Get a clutch slipping device or a slipper clutch. Or just slip it with your foot. Valvetrain and fuel system are the biggest killers for drag-n-drive events.

Notes

“I bought the car when I was 17 in 1990. It was an automatic for a long time. I got tired of carrying a purse so I switched to stick to do drag week 2013.”

Rocky Mountain Race Week Wins: 1 (’18)
Rocky Mountain Race Week Finishes: 7 (’16, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20, ’20, ’21, ’21)
Drag Week Finishes: 2 (’13, ’14)
Summit Midwest Drags Wins: 1 (’21)
Street Car Takeover Wins: 1 (’21)