Racing takes luck, and skill. But sometimes when lady luck isn’t on your side you just need true grit: the never-say-die attitude, and the drive to see it through to the bitter end; the bloodshot eyes as the sun peeks over the horizon at the conclusion of an all-night thrash – that’s the fighting spirit of a racer.

A roller coaster weekend will often live in the memories of a racer but the ones most fondly remembered are the comeback stories. The valiant fight to the end to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

For Josh Collin and his Coyote-powered 1986 Mercury Marquis, failure was not an option in Limited Street class during Horsepower Fest at Qlispé Raceway Park in Airway Heights, Washington (August 3-4).

The Marquis is powered by a Gen 2 Coyote with a True North 76mm turbo, a set-up capable of around 1,200hp. Power is sent back to the braced Ford 8.8-inch rearend by a TH400, and commanded by a Holley Dominator engine management system. The car features Team Z suspension components both front and rear as well as a pair of long travel Afco shocks up front
with Menscer Motorsports coilovers out back.

After fighting with the car all day Friday they experienced transmission failure and were forced to pull the Marquis’ now blown-up TH400. After an overnight thrash they managed to get the TH400 rebuilt to get back on track for Saturday night’s race. Qualifying last in classes with nothing to lose and everything to gain, Collin and his team pushed on. With a win in Round 1 and a bye run in Round 2, the stage was set for the ultimate comeback. Despite the odds they would pull it off and win their class. With a 5.40 pass down the eighth mile.

Josh said he wants to keep working on it and making it faster and hopes to do some drag and drive events with it. It’s a very consistent car that ran a fastest pass of a 5.39 at 130mph in the eighth mile.