EFI wizard Brian Macy, who owns and operates Horsepower Connection and The EFI Store, made his long-awaited competition debut in Outlaw Pro Modified at the Street Car Super Nationals last weekend in Las Vegas behind the wheel of the twin-turbocharged 1941 Willys owned by drag racing icons Walt and Bucky Austin.
Macy, who first revealed the project late last year, has been working with the Austins to prepare the car known as “Black Betty” over the last several months, and after making initial shakedown runs at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California, rolled into The Strip ready to unveil the all-new combination to the world. Macy carded a 7.80-second, 187 mph best during qualifying, and then put it all together on his last pass of the weekend opposite of eventual race winner Troy Coughlin in round one, going a weekend-best 7.07 at 200 mph in a losing effort. That run was just the fourth full pass since the car was completed.
“After our initial shakedown pass at Bakersfield, we’ve fought some chassis setup [issues] after we added some more power,” said Macy. “The team is happy with our 7.07 run, knowing there is plenty more power left in it and it will go a lot faster.”
The Willys, built by RH Race Cars in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, is powered by a 522 cubic-inch Alan Johnson 481X mill built by Walt Austin Racing in Washington state. A set of 91mm Precision turbos paired with twin 60mm Turbosmart wastegates with position sensors deliver the boost, and an MSD Mag 44 provides the spark. Macy has the car set up with a Holley EFI setup running three sets of injectors (two sets of Siemens Deka injectors and one set of PTE 550’s).
The Holley ECU controls fuel, timing to the magneto, the rev limit, boost control, and 90 percent of the data-logging functions. A Racepak V300SD unit and UDX dash provide the live and post-run data for review. A Davis Technologies Profiler Wheel Speed Management box works to control traction and transmission functions. Macy and the EFI Store team completed all of the wiring, ECU setup, and data-logging installation.
A three-speed Rossler transmission and a Neal Chance bolt-together converter transfer the power through a PST carbon fiber driveshaft to an 11-inch Mark Williams modular rear end housing. The Willys is equipped with Kenetic/Penske shocks to help plant the power through the big Hoosier meats.
Longtime followers of the sport will certainly need no introduction to the Austin family and brothers, Walt and Bucky. Walt helped guide son Pat Austin, one of the most decorated drag racers of all-time, to four NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car championships and a host of Top Fuel victories as a team owner. Bucky, for his part, was one of the staunchest Top Alcohol Funny Car racers west of the Mississippi for the better part of two decades as a driver. Bucky has competed in the NHRA Funny Car and Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car categories, and remains a team owner in the nostalgia ranks.
With the trio of Macy and the Austins (and crew members Heather Macy, Lee and Mary Baltzell, and Gabe Salazar) who have umpteen championships to their credit as drivers, crews chiefs, and team owners, along with the support of a number of top manufacturers, there should be little doubt that “Black Betty” will be a formidable challenger in the months to come.