Purple Haze
Barry Barker - Cypress, Texas
1971 Challenger convertible
440Stock rods with Keith Black pistons; 9.2 compression ratioStock crankshaftHughes HE3038 camshaft; 230 at .050-inchPorted 452 headsEdelbrock Performer with Edelbrock carburetor727 transmission with 11-inch Circle D convertertti headers with 211/42-inch exhaust831/44 with Sure Grip and 3.23 gearsWon Round One against Robert GreenleeWon Round Two against Rusty WebsterLost in final Round to Bobby DrakeBarry definitely has one gorgeous '71 Challenger convertible. He brought out his showroom-condition ride to show that Mopars were made to race. before Barry bought the Challenger, he wanted an E-Body, while his wife wanted a Corvette. When Barry's wife left for a trip, her words of "don't buy a car while I'm gone" must have gotten lost in translation, because that's when Barry found and acquired the '71. The car underwent the required rebuild, and in Barry's words, "Cars are meant for the drag strip," so he started driving and racing it from time to time. Barry tells us his car ran its fastest pass down the quarter-mile this weekend.
| 60-ft | 1/8-mile/mph | 1/4-mile/mph | Driver Comments |
| 2.127 | 8.82/82.05 | 13.62/103.38 | Spin at launch |
| 2.032 | 8.72/81.91 | 13.54/102.19 | 1/2 throttle launch, lower tire pressure |
| 2.041 | 8.77/81.75 | 13.58/101.83 | Same as previous |
| 1.979 | 8.62/82.45 | 13.41/103.63 | Best run ever |