The quickest pass in the history of the Super Stock category was recorded during version two of the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis over the weekend, and while you may have visions of a small-cube, Pro Stock-style combo in the Modified classes or a turbocharged small block in the Experimental division, your assumption would be mostly incorrect.

Local native Carey Bales, from just down the road in Lebanon, Ind., carded an absolutely incredible 7.923-second lap at 174.39 mph during the time trail session for the Super Stock category on Saturday. And he did it in an ’04 Honda S2000 powered by a Honda F22 (inline-four, 2156cc, SOHC, 16 valves) with a Borg-Warner 80mm turbocharger that competes in the SS/DX (Super Stock/D Experimental) category on a stiff 9.05 index.

Bales had already delivered some indication of what his AEM Electronics-backed machine was capable of during the first go-round at Indy, when he qualified tenth with a -1.045 8.005 in qualifying and class eliminations. Bales was one of just 32 of the 180 Super Stock entries that returned for the postponed event, and with much cooler air temperatures and conditions to work with, Bales laid down the quickest run in the class’ history — exceeding the 7.96 record set by John Clegg in his SS/AM Camaro in Houston earlier this year.

Bales’ Honda features a bolt-in 4-link and a Ford 9-inch rear, along with a full gamut of AEM Electronics products, including a 4-channel wideband, 4-channel EGT, and the EMS Series 2 plug-and-play engine management system.

This wicked little ride runs on 26-inch tires, still sports the 100-percent stock chassis with no backhalf or mini-tub work, no sissy sticks (wheelie bars), no wing, and puts in the neighborhood of 1,100 horsepower to the pavement. It’s not a Super Stocker in the traditional sense, but it’s plenty badass, and it’s the new benchmark for class racing performance.

For more information on AEM Electronics, log on to aemelectronics.com.