A convertible might be the last car you’d expect to see at the top of the standings in a grueling drag-and-drive event, but that’s exactly where Devin Vanderhoof plans to be. The South Carolina native is bringing his 1993 Ford Mustang, known as the world’s quickest convertible, to Motion Raceworks Sick Summer with one mission: to finally win the whole thing. Vanderhoof’s Mustang is a serious contender. It is capable of blasting down the quarter-mile in just over six seconds at more than 230 mph.

He’s come close to victory before, finishing second overall at Sick Week earlier this year and also grabbing the runner-up spot at Sick Summer in 2023. This year, with his team driver Josh Davis, he’s back for another shot. “The first year Sick Summer was held, we thought we would check it out, and I had more fun than I have had for a long time at a race event,” Vanderhoof explained. He praised the passionate fans and the small-town Midwest atmosphere, recalling a moment when “a kid at a stop sign handing out water bottles to everybody. I was like, are you kidding me?'”

Campaigning the world’s fastest convertible isn’t without its unique problems. “We have to put a new top on it every year because it stretches so bad with the speed,” Vanderhoof joked. The team has also struggled with the side windows, recently switching to Lexan panels latched directly to the chassis to add stability and save weight.

Coming into Sick Summer, the team is better prepared than ever. They’ve tested at other events on hot tracks to gain experience and have made key adjustments since their last outing.

“We’ve made some chassis changes and a stator change since Sick Week,” Vanderhoof said, hoping a looser torque converter will help the car perform better on the demanding surfaces. His goal is to beat his personal best drag-and-drive average of 6.577 seconds.

With a history of being just one spot away from the top, Devin Vanderhoof’s mission at Sick Summer is clear. He’s aiming to overcome the challenges of his unique build and finally take home the overall win he’s been chasing.