Grumpy’s Dodge
Class: ProET
Also used for passenger rides & to teach students how to drive a dragster. Purchased by Paul Marston in 1998 as a rolling chassis, Paul first entered National Event competition with this car. Paul Watson was crew chief, Big Chris Manning as crewman and John Ellis of C & S Racing supplied the power plant and sponsored the car. It took Paul Marston two seasons to taste his first success by winning the National Finals at Santa Pod in 1999.
At the time Grumpy’s Dodge was a no electronics racecar, no delay box, no throttle stop, just the skill of the driver and the car.
Super Gas was a real tough class back then, populated by Professor Al O’Conner, Terry Gibbs, Ragin Ray White, Brian Pateman, Physco Phil Drewitt, Kev Moore, Sean Saunders, Paul Letchford, Big Jim Magee, Pete ‘Up in smoke’ White, Roger ‘Snow White’ Butterworth, Tim Adams, Cool Hand Luke Ramage and Jeff ‘in the red’ Bull.
Grumpy’s Dodge is one of the longest serving and most well known cars on the UK drag racing doorslammer scene. Previously campaigned by Paul ‘Grumpy’ Watson who won back to back Super Gas National Championships. More recently PMR Drag Race School instructor Mick Howling won the 2009 National Championship in Pro. ET and Super Gas, it is one of the school cars that members of the public are taught to drive in or be blasted down the track for the ride of their lives during numerous weekends every year. This has at times been the hardest working car in UK drag racing, completing over 250 passes every year.
Over the years Grumpy’s Dodge has been refined and modernised so she remains a competitive package. But throughout this process, we have been respectful and careful so as not to alter the outside appearance. Over the years over 400lbs of weight has been removed to take her from 2880lbs down to a svelte 2420lbs. All the braking system has been upgraded, the motors are now fed alcohol as a race fuel instead of high octane racing gasoline. The fuel cell is now front mounted, the front bodywork is removable for better access and servicing.
Between 2010 and present day Grumpys Dodge has remained active with drivers such as Mad Mick Howling, Paul Marston, Amanda Cox and most recently Nick Curtis in UK Top Sportsman 2015 where Nick was No1 Qualifier with a 9.608 on a 9.60 dial in the fast bracket race. The event was cut short due to weather but Nick was still in and received his equal share of the prize fund.
Performance
- 0-60 MPH – 1.35 Seconds
- 0-100 MPH – 6.0 Seconds
- ¼ MILE – 9.39 Seconds
- MPH – 139 MPH
- Fuel Consumption 3 Gall Per mile
Grumpys Dodge Gallery
Grumpys Dodge
Written by Paul Marston