Porters Racing team owners Paul and Scott Porter have just returned from the USA, where they took possession of the first 2013 GT500 Shelby Pro Stock Mustang to be built by Jerry Haas Race Cars in Missouri.
The Porters, engine builder John Barbagallo and Chris McMillan spent three days at ZMax Dragway at Charlotte in North Carolina meeting up with Haas, who introduced the Porters team to a number of NHRA Pro Stock racers.
Following Charlotte, the crew then flew to St. Louis in Missouri and spent two days at the Haas workshop getting the car race ready for testing and going through the workings of the car with Haas and USA crew chief Dan Hellmer. Prior to testing NHRA officials did a full body and chassis tech inspection, checking all body measurements to ensure compliance with NHRA and ANDRA rules.
“Our new 2013 GT500 Shelby features the latest technology in suspension, design and has been built to suit our new 400 cube JB engine, which we sent to Jerry prior to manufacture of the chassis,” said Paul. “We flew Adam Lambert, the drag car manager for Penske Racing Shocks, to join Jerry and our crew in setting the suspension and getting the car race ready for our Australian tracks.
“I would like to thank everyone for all their hard work, fun times and hangovers while in the USA.”
Scott, team driver, said testing provided plenty of information for the team.
“To be able to test on the NHRA track at Gateway and having this expert advice on hand was a great experience and the car certainly performed far beyond our expectations,” he said.
Following testing the car was loaded up for its journey back to Australia and is due to land in early November.