After a number of years holding down the fort in Pro Street and Pro Modified with their tried-and-true small-block engine combination, the Hairston family finally made the move to a big-block earlier this season with an all-new bullet from Elite Motorsports (where driver Clint Hairston’s brother Jake is an engine specialist), and after months of tweaking here and there, put it all together in a near-dominating performance at the Street Car Super Nationals in Las Vegas.
The Hairston’s were already a threat week in and week out with their small-block, but when they announced during the summer they’d be moving to a 526 cubic-inch mill built by the same wizards behind Pro Stock champion Erica Enders’ machine, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before they jumped up to the head of the pack. They’ve since been laying down competitive numbers left and right, while sneaking up on the true potential of their new bullet.
Prior to the Street Car Super Nationals, Clint, family patriarch Jim, and the crew put a Quick Drive transbrake system in their bright orange, PerTronix-backed GTO, behind the M&M torque converter and air-shifted Lenco transmission. They are reportedly one of just three turbo teams using such a setup. Whether that helped them find the sweet spot in their combination or other factors were at work, the team came out like gangbusters in Las Vegas, qualifying second in the Pro Mod field with a killer 5.840 at 252.66 mph. Clint then mowed through the field, going another 5.84 in round one and a 6.16 in round two unopposed, before the team turned up the wick for low elapsed time of the event at 5.759-seconds and 253.71 mph to bounce Troy Coughlin Jr. in the semifinals. Then, in true bracket car fashion, he ran an identical 5.759 in the final round to drive away from Kevin Fiscus for the win (he also recorded top speed of the race at 255.24 in the final).