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The racing world never rests. Technology moves fast, with advancements in engine design, transmissions, electronics, and of course horsepower. For VMP Performance, this means keeping up with the latest trends and developing parts to stay ahead of the pack. Our Gen3 TVS supercharger has enthusiasts talking, and in just a few months, fans will see our latest project come to life. Rebecca Starkey plans to hit the track in her newly built 2015 Mustang. It is sure to impress with stunning looks and over 1,200 horsepower.
The team has had amazing success drag racing and competing in half-mile racing with Rebecca’s previous Mustangs. But now Rebecca will take the plunge into the cut-throat world of radial racing.
“I’m planning to run Ultra Street/Ultimate Street races,” said Rebecca. “We wanted to get into radial racing because it’s a really good place for our blowers to shine. TRZ built a great chassis and we’re building a Coyote-based engine with our VMP Gen3 2.65 L TVS supercharger. It will have the potential to make the same power as other cars in the class, about 1,200-1,400 horsepower. And they run 4.70s or 4.80s average at 145 mph,” she added.
The project began with a teardown of a 2015 Mustang that included stripping out all unnecessary weight. Rebecca spent many nights in the shop cutting, grinding, and preparing the body. TRZ Motorsports of Kissimmee, Florida fabricated a SFI- and NHRA-approved 25.3 rollcage, which is legal to 6.50 at 3,600 lbs. TRZ also developed a Ford 9-inch with a swap kit for the S550. It will soon be available to the public.
“One of the benefits of this new Mustang will be a lighter weight,” added Rebecca. “Our target is 3,050 lbs. with me in the car. The 2011 we currently run is about 400 lb. heavier,” she stated. “TRZ did the cage, and we did a lot of prep to lighten the car, such as removing the secondary firewall and welding holes to make it look decent. We also did some bodywork and fitted Anderson Composites carbon fiber body panels to the car.
“I’ll continue to run my 2011 GT in NMRA and other events that have True-Street style classes. This old car is a great way to show off our capabilities for building really fast streetcars. It’ll run 8.0 at 166 mph, but the new car should be a bit quicker. I hope to run 4.90 in the eighth-mile and then we’ll step it up and get more competitive as we go along.”
In addition to the VMP Gen3 TVS supercharged Coyote, the all-new VMP machine will feature Pro Fabrication forward-facing headers, a Proformance TH400 3-speed transmission, full race suspension featuring Menscer Motorsports shocks and struts, and it will grip the track with radial tires. Look for Rebecca to make her debut early in 2019 and stay tuned for updates as we get close to hitting the track.
