DeFlorian Sets IHRA Pro Stock Speed Record At 226 MPH

Missouri native John DeFlorian made IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock history during the San Antonio Nationals presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports in Texas over the weekend when he recorded the fastest speed in history at 226.70 MPH.

DeFlorian, driving his Black Diamond Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, obliterated the existing speed record of 223.95 MPH that had stood since the fall of 2008, in the final round in front of a capacity crowd at the San Antonio Raceway. But not only did DeFlorian rewrite the record books with the historic pass, but he also parlayed the performance into his first career IHRA Pro Stock victory, defeating Cary Goforth that very final round, 6.22 to 6.29. 

Goforth himself had initially appeared to have made some history in the opening round of eliminations when he recorded a stunning 6.189 elapsed time on a competition single, and although the run stood at the discretion of IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series officials, a reported sub-.900 sixty foot time indicated to the team that it was indeed a fault of the timing system that delivered the unreal numbers on the scoreboard. Gofroth had been the No. 1 qualifier a day earlier with his 6.30.

DeFlorian has had one of the quickest mountain motor cars in recent years on the eighth-mile, having recorded a 4.01 best previously.

The IHRA’s Mountain Motor cars are purely naturally-aspirated and are limited to a maximum of 830 cubic inches. That’s 226 MPH with no nitrous oxide and no boost. And the best part? These racers are only just getting a handle on quarter-mile racing again.