Leaving things stock isn’t something that drag racers are good at. Just about every car you see at the track has been modified and upgraded to go just a little bit faster. Indiana native Braden Grayless has been modifying anything he’s owned from cars to sport bikes all his life to go a little quicker and a little faster. His 2006 twin-turbo GTO has an impressive list of parts, and he’s gunning for the IRS (independent rear suspension) GTO record in his boosted Goat.

The intentions of leaving the GTO stock didn’t last long for Grayless. Soon after he purchased the Pontiac it was upgraded with a set of heads, a cam, and a little shot of nitrous for good measure. For most people, that would have added plenty of pep to the step of their ride, but a friendly race changed that for Grayless.

“At the 2012 LSX Shootout I was racing a good friend in the true street class. I got walked from start to finish by his bolt-on F-body. That day I swore I’d never be beaten again by a bolt on F-body,” Grayless explains.

After that race, the GTO went through a massive transformation with the addition of a 402 cubic-inch motor, an F1-R ProCharger, and a TH400 transmission. That new combination pushed the GTO deep into the nine-second range, but Grayless wasn’t yet satisifed. He called up LME and they outfitted the GTO with a 427 cubic-inch mill that put the car in the mid nine-second zone. But even that wasn’t enough for Grayless — it was time to go big or go home.

Grayless contacted Little John Motorsports to spec out a pair of turbochargers to match his combination, and then reached out to Stephen at Rock Solid Motorsports to address the car’s other needs. The goal that Grayless laid out was simple: smash the IRS GTO record in 2017.

To achieve the record, Grayless added a pair of 76 mm Precision 7675 turbos to the LME-built engine. Rock Solid Motorsports added the custom turbo system that uses Precision wategates and blow-off valves. Keeping the boosted air cool is a Rock Solid Motorsports custom air-to-water intercooler. Backing the motor will be a Kinslow Performance-prepared TH400 transmission and a Driveshaft Shop 8.8 IRS conversion. Pro Tree Race Cars finished the chassis work out with one of their custom roll cages.

Now that the car is nearly complete Grayless is ready to get it to the track and see what it will run. “We’re shooting to get this car in the high sevens to low eight-second range. It’s going to be tricky since I live on the edge and run on a 26-inch radial.”