Behind the big-block is a C4 automatic built by ProTrans Transmissions in Riverside, California, along with a 6,000-stall converter from Munsinger Torque Converters in Chino, California. Grace clicks the gears via a Turbo Action shifter, and when all 675 ponies have been put to the pavement, the Cobra strikes with high-flying launches and consistent high-nine-second quarter-mile times. Her best elapsed time is a 9.69 at 137 mph.
Grace regularly competes in NHRA's Division 2 in the Super Stock GT/EA class, but the Howell Racing team travels quite a bit outside of that division as well. "We usually go out West about three times a year," Grace says. "We go to Sonoma, Vegas, and Pomona, too." The Howells also travel to Englishtown, New Jersey, and they stop at the U.S. Nationals at Indy every year. Luckily, Rusty Hall, an accomplished racer in his '67 Mustang, is a Howell Printing employee, so he stacks the three-car rig with his Pony, along with Grace's and her father's '70 Mustang, and does the majority of the road driving for the team.
While Bill contemplates turning his original '70 Drag Pack Mustang back into a street car and putting his race drivetrain into another chassis, Grace is looking to take a different route. "The coolest thing would be to run Pro Stock, but I may move to Super Stock Modified," she says."I run my dad's car occasionally and have also considered building an EFI Stock Eliminator car."
There's no doubt that whichever path she chooses, we'll be sure to see Grace behind the wheel of one Mustang or another. In addition to her race car, she also owns a '67 Mustang, a '69 428 Drag Pack Mustang, a '94 Cobra, and her most recent acquisition, an '07 Shelby GT500. You never know. There just might be a 5.4-powered Super Stocker somewhere in her future.
Motivation isn't an issue...
Motivation isn't an issue with 473 ci of FMC power. Carolina Machine Engines in Johnston, South Carolina, assembled the big-block bullet, which has propelled this Pony to high-nine-second elapsed times.
Not many people would be happy...
Not many people would be happy running a trick sheetmetal intake with a little 600-cfm carb, but the NHRA rules require the small air/fuel mixing device because that's what came on the engine from the factory.
While it looks somewhat stock...
While it looks somewhat stock to satisfy the rule book, the interior is all business, as evident by the Kirkey lightweight race seats.
Grace smokes the Goodyears...
Grace smokes the Goodyears during the '06 U.S. Nationals.
Grace doesn't look like your...
Grace doesn't look like your average track soldier, but she's a Mustang enthusiast for sure. Some of the horses that have graced her stable include her previous '93 Cobra R race car, a '67 Mustang, a '69 428 CJ Mustang, a '94 Cobra, and an '07 GT500.