Grannas Racing Reveals New Stick Shift Class Build

Joel Grannas kept a massive secret sitting in his shop for nearly five years. The man known for wrestling stick-shift imports to world records finally decided it was time to pull the cover off his latest build. After four years of silence, the racing world got its first look at the machine designed to reset the rulebook.

The reveal showcased a car that Grannas admitted was a source of internal conflict. “I have never revealed this car, and I’ve been building this car for like four years now,” Grannas stated. He explained that the process had not been easy. “It’s been a love-hate thing for me,” he confessed. “I actually almost sold the car twice.” But as the project neared completion, the potential performance won him over. It turned out to be a Fox-body Mustang, a chassis synonymous with domestic drag racing. “I’m an import guy,” he clarified. “This car is still 2JZ powered, but it’s a domestic.”

The motivation for the switch came down to simple physics. His current Supra build is a heavyweight in its class, and Grannas expressed frustration with the competition. “These V-8 guys are running double the displacement, and they are lighter too,” Grannas argued. “That just ain’t fair. So I think it is time to level the playing field.” This new build was inspired by an ultralight chassis known as the “Potato Chip,” designed to strip every ounce of unnecessary mass.

Beyond weight, the suspension geometry on his Supra build had always been a headache. “Honestly, my front suspension is the least quality thing on this setup,” Grannas admitted regarding his current record holder. He noted that the Mustang platform offers proven components that solve those geometry issues immediately. When he finally placed the new car on the scales, the number was so low it had to be blurred out for the camera. “Oh my God, guys,” Grannas exclaimed. “That is ridiculous. That is exactly why I built this car right there.”

The new chassis carries the nickname MTQ, or Make Them Quit, signaling his intent to dominate the class. While the Supra ran an impressive 6.63-second elapsed time, it was always fighting against its own weight. This new featherlight platform keeps the legendary 2JZ heart but ditches the heavy steel shell. The stick-shift record board is likely about to see some serious changes.