Episode 161: Paul Sakalas, Havlik’s Countdown & a Loaded Results Weekend
🎙️ GUESTS
Paul Sakalas – Summit Racing / On All Cylinders
Brian & Jesse Havlik – Havlik’s Fastest Street Car Shootout
🔧 TALKING SHOP: PAUL SAKALAS
Senior content marketing strategist at Summit Racing, runs On All Cylinders
Grew up holding the flashlight for his dad’s daily-driven ’72 Corvette
First car: Chevy Celebrity Eurosport wagon (2.8L V6)
Landed his Summit job through his own Nissan Sentra SE-R forum posts
Current project cars: ’72 Corvette, Jeep CJ-5, Nissan SE-R, vintage 1970s Hondas
“The internet can smell a phony.”
🏁 COUNTDOWN TO CORDOVA: HAVLIK’S FASTEST STREET CAR SHOOTOUT Aug 6-8 | Cordova Dragway | 3rd year running
Thu 8/6: Gates 8AM, tech to 5PM, Red Line ride-along drawing 3PM, photo shoot ~7:30PM, live band + free pizza after
Fri 8/7: Final tech to noon, test-and-tune 10AM-4PM, drag-and-drive cruise departs 10AM, Pro Street Elite car show, qualifying begins ~6PM
Sat 8/8: Semis/finals 6-10PM — all classes including NA Shootout & Outlaw
Classes: Fastest Street Car (Big/Small Tire, no index) • Drag-and-drive shootout • NA all-motor • Index classes (8.50/9.50/10.50/11.50)
Confirmed entries: Larry Larson (3 cars), Goldstone, Rich Vadraza, Tony Wisman, Willie Fair, the Morris family, Annette Summers debuting her 3.0
Spectators traveling in from Hawaii, Australia & Washington state
“We want to find the fastest real deal streetcar.”
🏆 RESULTS ROUNDUP
Pistons in the Pines
Big Tire: Dan Dinan (5.629), Mark Paquette (6.564)
Gasser: Joseph Lang, Jordan Hanson, Jeff Oppenheim
Small Tire: Sean Lemire, Rich Woodward, Ryan Donahue
Stick Shift: John Nichols, Peter Annance, Austin Desrochers
Tailgate: Philip Nadeau, Richard Dryden, Kevin Belanger
DYO: Russ Abbott, Rick Hannan, Matt Stoddard
Heads Up Hustle
Street Car: Jon Moore over Warren Hurt
Stick Shift: Vance Cooper over Greg Black
8.50 Index: Jeremy Ortiz edges TJ Linebaugh
10.00 Index: Chris Reiter / Caleb Kars #1 qualifier
11.50 Index: Zach Szerba, Scott Glassbrook’s Jeep
13.00 Index: Tyler Adams wins next year’s shirt
Full-Size Truck: Ralph Rugg over Jon Davis
NA Small Block: Tim Grabiak PB 10.17
NA Big Block: Jay Grabiak over Jeremiah Kirby
Daily Driver: Frank Veneziano (10.28)
📰 AROUND THE SHOP
Mustang build progress: oil pan, timing cover gasket, Howard’s Cams springs next
Short Circuit venue search back on after original site fell through
Route 66 Roundup registration opens Aug 22
📅 UPCOMING EVENTS
Miles of Mayhem (late July)
Havlik’s FSC Shootout (Aug 6-8)
Olympic Streetcar Shootout (Aug 7-9)
Sick Michigan Miles (Aug 16-22)
Dragway Rush (Aug 19-22)
Cruise & Lose (Aug 21-23)
00:00 – Intro: Drag and Drive Shootout Preview
00:18 – Entry List Highlights: Wiseman, Fair, and More
00:50 – Route Breakdown: Mississippi Valley Loop
01:35 – Best Photo Stop From Last Year
02:01 – Truck Build Plans for the Route
02:38 – Why Drag and Drive Creates a Reason to Race
03:15 – Larson Bringing Three Cars for Drag Week Testing
04:06 – Goldstone vs. Larson Grudge Match Talk
04:54 – AFCO Racing Sponsor Segment
05:17 – Class Breakdown: Big Tire, Small Tire, Index Classes
06:22 – Qualifying Format Explained
07:16 – Hot Rod Magazine Coverage
07:58 – Media Teams Covering the Event
08:38 – Driving the Street Car 550 Miles to Cordova
09:21 – Why the Fastest Car Doesn’t Always Win
10:34 – Full Entry List Rundown
12:16 – Pro Street Cars and Fan Favorites
12:54 – New Fan Ride-Along Program
14:24 – Racers Going Above and Beyond for Fans
15:22 – Wrap-Up and AFCO Shoutout
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