Still Stock Style Suspension: 83-Year Old Kinzer Runs 6.59, 239 MPH


When we asked 83-year old Willard Kinzer back in August if they’d turn loose the  twin-turbo Mustang formerly driven and maintained by David Wolfe, the humble businessman from Allen, Kentucky was rather modest in his response.

But at the Fuelab NMCA World Street Finals at the Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis over the weekend, Kinzer and tuner Patrick Barnhill send modesty right out the window as they unleashed the capabilities of the iconic Mustang that a little less than year ago pounded out mind-boggling quarter mile numbers under the control of Wolfe.

Kinzer, who set the national speed record in Super Street 10.5W in Bowling Green on a set of Drag Radials, opened qualifying with an impressive 6.75 at 227.42 MPH and concluded qualifying with with an even quicker 6.68 at an unreal 234.53 MPH. Kinzer surpassed his qualifying effort by a small margin in round one of eliminations with a 6.671 at even faster 236.88 MPH, but in round two, Barnhill and the gang let it all hang out with a 6.592 at a blistering 239.91 MPH that bettered the all-time best pass set by Mike Murillo by more than two-hundredths of a second.

This was all accomplished, mind you, with a stock style suspension race car on 29×10.5 tires without wheelie bars alongside other cars in the class with backhalved chassis with 33×10.5W’s and wheelie bars. The engine combination has also been altered from Wolfe’s record-setting 6.57 last fall with twin 88mm turbos on racing gas, as compared to the 91’s on methanol as Wolfe had prepared.

We’ve seen some impressive performance in the sport of drag racing this season, but what Kinzer and Barnhill accomplished in Indianapolis this weekend was a performance for the ages and one that won’t be forgotten any time soon.

About the author

Andrew Wolf

Andrew has been involved in motorsports from a very young age. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010.
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