Rich Kent's
Top Sportsman Mercury Comet
"Worlds Fastest 72
Mercury Comet"
Vehicle Specifications: 2023 Engine Specifications:
1972 Mercury Comet. 580 ci Big Block Ford aluminum block.
Custom RK Racing SFI 25.4 MS full tube chassis. Bryant 4.500" billet stroker crank.
Coilover, 4-link & wishbone rear suspension. GRP 6.825" ProBillet aluminum rods.
Tubular A-arm & coilover IFS front suspension. Diamond 12:1 forged blower pistons.
7.50 certified SFI 25.4 MS roll cage. Crane solid roller blower cam & lifters.
Braced 3.89 spool Ford 9" third member. Enderle alcohol Birdcatcher fuel injection.
Wilwood disc brakes front & rear. TBS 1471 HiHelix competition blower.
Good Year 16x32-15 slicks. Peterson/Steffs drysump oil system.
Fiberglass nose, doors & deck lid. Vertex OAC magneto ignition.
Stretched 110" wheelbase & 3250 lbs w/driver. Custom RK Racing 2 1/4" zoomie headers.
DRC 1.80 PG trans.
PTC 10" ProMod converter.
Click to see the history & entire car build process: Build Process
The initial engine combination - 645ci, Injected Alcohol & 300hp Nitrous Express kit dyno'd at 1184hp & 1167tq
Check out the dyno pull video: 645 Dyno Pull
With the 300 HP NOS system the car went 8.30s at 160 mph.
Good enough to work out the new car bugs, tune the suspension
and get Christine some seat time. In Sept 2013, Christine made
her license runs at Cordova Dragway Park and got her NHRA
competition license.
Unhappy with the NOS system 2014 brought on all new changes!
Blower Shops 1071 billet blower.
Good Vibrations Motorsports intake manifold,
blower drive and initial tune-up.
Rude Rons 3" blower spacer.
Diamond forged 11.4:1 blower pistons.
Upgraded Enderle 110 pump & hat nozzles.
After some initial tuning the blower combination went consistent 7.80s at the Cordova
IHRA NitroJam Nationals and went to the semi-finals in its Top Sportsman debut!
Won the IHRA NitroJam Nationals Best Engineered award.
Then after a pulley change the car went consistent 7.70s at the US131 IHRA Division 3
ProAm event and again went to the semi-finals! Check out the video: US131 IHRA ProAm
Finished 10th in points in 2014 in IHRA Division 3 Top Sportsman attending just 4 races!!!
Other 2014 accomplishments:
Won the Best Engine award at the Oswego Dragstip Reunion.
Won the Best Appearing award at the Norwalk Halloween Classic.
2015 focused on engine & chassis tuning refinements with blower overdrive increased to 36%.
Included some major progress with chassis, 4-link, WB, tire, converter & fuel system tuning.
2015 accomplishments:
New best ever 7.64 ET @ 180+ mph
Memphis ProAm May 2015
Top Sportsman - Runner Up
Cordova ProAm June 2015
Top Sportsman - Winner
2015 IHRA
Top Sportsman
#3 in Division 3
2015 IHRA
Top Sportsman
#10 in the World
2016 accomplishments:
June 17 NDRL & Hot Rod Heritage Race
Beech Bend, Bowling Green KY
New best ever 7.59 ET @ 180+ mph
#11 Qualifier
Then came the IHRA Nationals in
Grand Bend, Ontario Canada June 24.
Front right coilover collapses under compression
after wheelstand and lifts left rear slick off pavement.
Note butterflies closed...
Right rear slick violently turns car hard left!
Driver attempting to steer & save it....
Track not wide enough & inevitable happens.....
Driver unhurt but car body destroyed!
Check out the video: crash
End of 2016 season!