Blindingly Fast Beetle

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rfbksAynLsw

This wild creation won the Grassroots Motorsports $2015 Challenge. Andrew Nelson, known for posting 10-second Challenge drag times, broke the ladder bar on his V8 Volkswagen Beetle on his very first pass. After hours of welding, Andrew and family had mended the suspension well enough for one more run. They made that single run count with a 10.396-second time, earning them a healthy win in the drag racing portion of the Challenge.

captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
10/28/15 8:55 a.m.

I absolutely love that the winner this year is a beetle. Proof that it's still an amazing platform for cost effective fun and performance.

DaveEstey
DaveEstey PowerDork
10/28/15 9:06 a.m.

What front suspension is on that Beetle?

The_Jed
The_Jed UberDork
10/28/15 9:07 a.m.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin UberDork
10/28/15 9:13 a.m.

How did that fare in the autocross? It looks like it would be awful, so I'm surprised to see it in 1st place overall. It must have a second wheel/tire setup at a minimum, right?

Ed Higginbotham
Ed Higginbotham Editorial Assistant
10/28/15 9:21 a.m.

They actually placed 6th in the autocross. Not bad at all.

sanyarcosean
sanyarcosean Reader
10/28/15 9:30 a.m.
What front suspension is on that Beetle?

The Beetle used the front suspension from Andy and I's 2004 Challenge car which was the 77 Nova. Kind of fitting that part of the car that started it all was along for the ride when he won! Nothing about that front clip is stock however....

ProDarwin
ProDarwin UberDork
10/28/15 9:33 a.m.
Ed Higginbotham wrote: They actually placed 6th in the autocross. Not bad at all.

Nice! Looking forward to reading more about it.

simontibbett
simontibbett New Reader
10/28/15 9:36 a.m.

That is really really cool! haha Beetle FTW

iceracer
iceracer PowerDork
10/28/15 10:43 a.m.

It has a Beetle body, therefor it is a Beetle.

Just like the Ford, Chevy's and Toyota ARE because of their engines and front fascia in NASCAR.

Just feeling grumpy this morning.

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 PowerDork
10/28/15 11:20 a.m.

Wow, that thing left the line HARD! Love to know what the 60' time was.

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