The stock-appearing Stage...
The stock-appearing Stage 3 engine that sits underneath the RoushCharger still sports 281 ci, but it has been upgraded with a Cobra crank and some other beefy internals like Wiseco slugs and 4340 steel rods. The engine is now running a FAST management system with individual MSD coils being triggered for precise combustion. Some say it's all in the name of science, but we think it's all in the name of speed. You can't argue with 430 rwhp and a best of 10.45 at 127 mph.
The top half of the 281-incher is where things get interesting. Using Roush's own CNC-ported PI castings, the heads are optimized with a set of custom-ground Comp Cams camshafts, with matching Comp springs wrapped around stainless valves in the stock diameter. The crowning jewel is the RoushCharger positive-displacement supercharger that pumps 7 pounds of intercooled boost into those hungry intake manifold runners. To dial everything in, a FAST engine-management system is used, and a set of MSD coil packs are individually fired for the utmost in reliability and repeatability. Bolted to the other side of the heads are Hedman 151/48-inch long-tube headers that run wide open to the atmosphere. These components generate 430 hp at the wheels through an automatic tranny. On the strip, the hammer is dropped to the tune of 10.45 elapsed times at 127 mph. Just in case you were wondering, that's with a 1.409 60-foot time and a single click at half track to activate the Hughes two-speed with its 5,500-stall converter.
"My husband, Dale, and I have competed in a time/speed race called The Great Race, which is a trans-continental event that runs about 4,000 miles," Susan says. "We compete in a '39 two-door Deluxe Ford convertible called 'Georgetta,' and we've won one championship and tied for Grand Champion once.
Meaty 28.5X10.5 Mickey Thompsons...
Meaty 28.5X10.5 Mickey Thompsons sit on 10-inch Weld Aluma-Stars, but upon closer inspection, you can see that they sit a bit differently than usual. That's because there's now a narrowed 9-inch rear sitting on a pair of ladder bars. So far, it's a combination that has been effective enough for low-1.40-second short times. Wilwood brakes all around bring the fun to a safe and secure end.
"The opportunity to drag race came about in the fall of 2005 when Roush Performance Parts rented [Milan Dragway] for testing. We took some cars out there, and it was the first time I had ever gone down a dragstrip in my life. I did it a handful of times, and my father, who is a hard-core, old-school drag racer, was excited about seeing his products back at the strip. Don Bowles, a good friend of my father, was getting back into drag racing as well, and he offered his rig to haul the cars around. It's been Dale's dream to drag race, and I thought I could be a test driver to help drive these cars and put them through their paces to see what works and what doesn't. It didn't take long before it was real competition. I first raced in a street car-an '03 Jack Roush Classic-then in my current car." Currently, she is Fourth in championship points.
Susan's attraction to drag racing revolves around the family aspect of the sport. "What excites me most about this program and drag racing is that I can do it with my family, and I can set an example for my daughter, Josie Rose, in an environment like I grew up in," she says.
As you can see, not every engineering mule goes into that great big scrapyard in the sky. Like all the cars that sit in the Roush Automotive Collection, the Roush team recognizes the significance of every one that has been pivotal in either the company's performance parts or NASCAR racing business. As a result, nothing is left behind or forgotten. The next time you see this two-toned terror sitting at the back of the museum or at the track, just remember how much work this car has gone through and how it continues to impact the Mustang world.
 |  Susan uses this transbrake...  Susan uses this transbrake button with adjustable shims to fine-tune her reaction times. |  |
 A 12-point cage envelops the...  A 12-point cage envelops the interior cabin, while only the essentials hang out here. A single race seat and center-mounted control panel pretty much spell out the intentions of this ride. Connected to that TCI shifter is a Hughes two-speed transmission that lets that Auto Meter tach read 5,500 rpm when that accelerator is matted with the transbrake on. | | |