Photos by Luke Nieuwhof
Brett LaSala set the pace on the first day of Sick Week 2025, presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, at South Georgia Motorsports Park. The event, known as the Super Bowl of drag-and-drive, faced delays due to overnight rain, starting racing at 11 a.m.
After extensive track preparation, over 380 racers took to the strip, where records fell amid heightened pressure with only one run per racer. LaSala, the reigning champion, topped the day with a pass of 6.488 seconds in his Snot Rocket 3.0 Ford Mustang.
LaSala noted that his performance could have been faster, as he faced an issue with an O2 sensor. “We had a couple of cylinders out that pass, and it was running really rich,” he explained. “A 6.48 is not where we want to be, but we’re leaving number one.”
Steve Morris followed in second place with a time of 6.678 seconds in his Buick Roadmaster wagon, while Alex Taylor secured third place with a 6.711 in her ’55 Chevy.
Notably, event favorites Jeff Lutz and Tom Bailey exited early; Lutz suffered a rod failure during testing, and Bailey crossed the centerline on his only pass. After a 20-second time slip, Bailey opted to withdraw from the event.
However, the day brought remarkable achievements for others. Ed Ensor recorded the quickest naturally aspirated pass in drag-and-drive history at 7.090 seconds, reaching 193.43 mph. Doug Cook made the first six-second pass in the Super Street class with a time of 6.852 seconds at 207.78 mph, though he faced cylinder head issues afterward.
A total of nine racers achieved six-second passes, including Graham Hayes (6.889), Les Smith (6.897), Nick Rinehart (6.949), Shayne Propst (6.961), and Glenn Hunter (6.991).
After a lengthy day at the track, racers faced a 320-mile drive to their next location, with the only checkpoint at the new Lead Foot City drag strip outside Brooksville, Florida. There, they received tours of the venue before continuing south.
Sick Week 2025 resumes at Bradenton Motorsports Park, with racing scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Day Two.
