CANDY COUPE
November 8, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Extreme F-250
Stan Belcher didn’t start out like a man possessed when he bought his ’03 Ford F-250 Super Duty Crew Cab truck. But it didn’t take long for him to turn into one. Initially, the plan was to lift the truck enough to run a set of 44-inch tires. Stan liked the Super Duty trucks because of the straight axle, which made lifting it 12 inches a snap. Three weeks later he had the body lifted three inches. He actually drove the truck with the 15-inch (total) lift and the stock wheel and 30-inch tires for about a month and a half. After installing the 44-inch tires the truck looked perfect. Everything was great, and Stan loved the truck… and then Swamper comes out with a set of 49-inch Irok tires!
Red, White, and Chrome: Dayton’s Strawberry Festival Cruise-In Drives Home the Spirit of Community
On Friday, May 9, the streets of downtown Dayton filled with the rumble of engines, the shine of polished chrome, and the unmistakable buzz of community. As part of the 78th Annual Tennessee Strawberry Festival, the Cruise-In Car Show once again proved to be more than a car show — it was a meeting place for car lovers, families, and locals who know small towns shine brightest when they come together.
SLOWING DOWN A FAST MUSTANG
The Ford Mustang was one of the first cars to offer disc brakes as an option, but they were not a big hit with buyers when they were first introduced. Most buyers were happy to buy a base model with a six-cylinder engine or a slightly improved version with a 289 backed by an automatic transmission. This was the standard Mustang package that most Mustang owners wanted in those days—grocery-chasers that people had no intention of using to sit on the pole of the Indianapolis 500. Aside from the Brickyard, that’s all changed, as standard drum brakes are no longer considered standard fare, and car enthusiasts now know the benefits of full disc brakes. It’s hard to find a car today without them, at least on the front brakes.
Spotlighter
HPX Reveal: Poole-Adams Racing Unveils First-of-its-Kind Toyota Supra NHRA Stock Eliminator
Turbo six, Goodyear slicks, and NHRA legal—this Supra is here to shake up the old guard.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: Toyota ain’t new to motorsports. But this? This is something we didn’t see coming—and we absolutely love it. Welcome to the age of inline-six fury, dragstrip edition. Daren Poole-Adams just lobbed a turbocharged hand grenade into NHRA Stock Eliminator, and it’s got a Supra badge on it.
Author
Jamie Dent
Photography by Scott Killeen
Yeah, you read that right. A Toyota Supra. In NHRA Stock.
Not a 2JZ swap job or some outlaw build for radial tire glory. Nope—this is a legit, NHRA-legal Stock Eliminator prototype, and it rolled out under the lights at the 2025 High Performance Expo like it belonged there… because it does.
Let’s Talk Guts:
Under the hood is the B58—Toyota’s 3.0L turbocharged inline-six, the spiritual successor to the 2JZ but way more refined. This ain’t just a tuner’s toy anymore. Delta SCS engine management keeps it all from melting down, while an ATI Turbo 400 backs it up, putting the power down through a Strange 9-inch rear that doesn’t even blink at punishment.
Strange struts and brakes, Weld Racing wheels, Goodyear tires, and a cooling system from Evolution of Speed round out the recipe. It’s everything you’d want in a modern Stock Eliminator car—but with a Tokyo twist.
Who’s Behind This Madness?
Poole-Adams Racing Inc. is no stranger to Stock Eliminator. Based out of Shelby, North Carolina (yes, that Shelby), they’ve been banging gears and collecting round wins since the ’90s. You’ve probably seen them fielding COPO Camaros in Division 2, and yes, they’re legit—they took a win at Rockingham in 2024 and a runner-up finish at Orlando in 2025.
This Supra is a curveball. But it makes sense: Poole-Adams isn’t just building cars—they’re building the sport. Their Rock-It Racing program backs junior drivers like Langdon Foley, and they even helped with hurricane relief efforts last year. Bottom line: these folks live drag racing.
So Why a Supra Now?
Because it’s time. The NHRA is long overdue for more OEM diversity in Stock Eliminator. We’ve had the Big Three muscle cars flying the flag for decades—but a turbocharged import with factory roots? That’s next-gen.
And let’s be honest, the B58 has the guts. It’s already a monster on the street and in the time attack world. Seeing it reined in and specced out for NHRA Stock is exactly the kind of shakeup this class needs.
Final Thoughts:
This Supra isn’t just a car—it’s a statement. It says the future of drag racing doesn’t have to leave Stock Eliminator behind. It says imports and domestics can play in the same sandbox. It says, “Yeah, we’re gonna run 10s on a footbrake and factory ECU—and look good doing it.”
Is it gonna win right away? Who knows. But it’s bold, it’s real, and it’s exactly what keeps us coming back to the dragstrip.
So keep your eye on Poole-Adams Racing. Because the next time you hear a Supra spool up at an NHRA national event, it won’t be in the parking lot. It’ll be going rounds.
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