Pete's Draggin' Up A Storm

-by Lois Pollard-Grant

Peter Wille set a new world record recently, in the National Hot Rod Association Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series, at Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho. Driving his jet-black, 1970 Barracuda, in the Superstock D class, his time on the 1/4 mile drag strip was 9.74 seconds with the top speed at 137 miles per hour.

Then at Mission Speedway a week later, the Langford resident went on to break his own newly established world record, to 9.70 seconds at the top speed of 141 mph.

"The record didn't come easy," Peter said. "We have been suffering from on-going driveline breakage. It's part of the science, when it comes to working out the clutch. But we're working on it."

Peter first started drag racing when he was 16 years old, driving a '65 Barracuda, at the old Van Isle Dragway in Cobble Hill. Now 43, he concentrates on NHRA sanctioned competitions throughout the Pacific Northwest and Idaho.

For the time being, he is satisfied with running in the Superstock D class but his future goal is to claim another world record only this time, in the Superstock A class, where the cars are considerably lighter and quicker than what he races now. Peter's next race is the May 22-24 meet at Ndakapxm Eagle Motorplex in Ashcroft, B.C.

-as printed in the Goldstream News Gazette