NA 10.5 Racer David Theisen Ready To Tackle NMCA World Street Finals

After a fine fourth place finish in NMCA Boninfante Racing NA 10.5 points last year, David Theisen was raring to return to the race track in 2017 to try to climb even further up in points, but first, he wanted to be sure his powerplant would be as potent as possible.

So the Michigan-based driver delivered his 611 cubic-inch engine that’s based on a steel Dart block to his engine-builder, Chris Uratchko of Uratchko Racing Engines, also in Michigan, where it was finessed and freshened before being topped with his SR20 heads by Slick Rick Racing Heads and Marcella Manifolds intake.

After the present was wrapped up, Theisen opened it and soon after headed to the third race on the 2017 NMCA tour, the 16th Annual QuickFuel Technology NMCA Bluegrass Nationals in May at Beech Bend Raceway in Kentucky, where he qualified seventh with an 8.47 while still dialing in the combination and chassis of his 1969 Firebird.

Ready for the 12th Annual Nitto NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing in July at Route 66 Raceway in Illinois, and armed with an upgraded Proformance Racing Transmissions-built Turbo 400, he set the pace in qualifying — for the first time in the category — with a 7.91, and advanced all the way to the final, where he was forced to lift and watch Leonard Long and his 1995 Mustang take the win with an 8.09.

“The NMCA has some of the best naturally aspirated drivers, and it felt great to qualify in the first spot in the category,” said Theisen. “We had been working on the combination as well as the car’s ladderbar and shocks, and it really seems to have helped.”

After changing the rear gears under his car which features a 25.5 cage updated by Jim Filipowski, Ford nine-inch also done by Filipowski and AFCO suspension components massaged by Mark Menscer, he popped off an even quicker 7.89 — a personal best in the category — to lead qualifying for the second race in a row at the 16th Annual Honeywell Garrett NMCA All-American Nationals in August at Summit Motorsports Park in Ohio, and reversed the tables on Leonard Long by winning the event with a 7.96 while Long was forced to lift.

“I was really happy about qualifying in the top spot again and winning,” said Theisen. “I attribute that to all of the people who help me, including my wife, Anna, my parents, Virginia and John, Big Steve Mastalier, Kevin Wright and Ron Virga.”

With plenty of fuel left for his fire, Theisen, whose goal is to finish in the top three in NMCA Boninfante Racing NA 10.5 points, is preparing for the final NMCA event of the season, the 16th Annual SDPC Raceshop NMCA World Street Finals, Sept. 21-24 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Indiana. He’s also preparing for the final Aeroquip Friday Night Heads-Up event of the season at Milan Dragway in Michigan, where he has run a best of 7.73 with less weight in the car than he runs with NMCA, and is currently in third place in points.

The highly anticipated 16th Annual SDPC Raceshop NMCA World Street Finals will feature live feed by SpeedVideo. Click HERE to view the live feed offered via presenting sponsor Edelbrock and additional sponsors FAST, SCAT Crankshafts, COMP Cams, E3 Spark PlugsMaxfire Ignition, ProCharger, Moser Engineering, Late Model Engines, Flex-a-Lite, Scoggin Dickey Parts Center, Royal Purple and Callies Crankshafts.

About the author

Mary Lendzion

Formerly a writer at the Detroit Free Press, Mary Lendzion writes for Power Automedia, NMCA and NMRA, is the director of media and public relations for Summit Motorsports Park and is happiest in the driver’s seat of her Mustang.
Read My Articles

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