RAELENE Drew’s turbo LS-powered HR Holden has run in the 8.7-second zone down the quarter at over 160mph, with husband Mark at the wheel. It did so with no rollcage, a bench seat, column-shift automatic and usually both front wheels well off the ground. To say the thing was sketchy is a vast understatement.

Mark’s other car, the Crusty Torana, has seen big modifications over the past few months, including a switch to methanol fuel, which has seen it run consistent seven-second passes. Now he’s getting stuck back in to the HR, which now packs a new engine combo and at last some much-needed safety gear, including a ’cage and race seat. Thankfully the column-shift auto remains in place.

The HR previously ran a 403ci LS with a big single turbo, but Drewy has now gone back to a stock-cube alloy L98 block with tougher rods and pistons. Up top, it runs square-port heads and a hydraulic-roller camshaft. Mark has switched the big single turbo to a more efficient twin ProCharge GT35 set-up. The whole deal is controlled through a Holley EFI system and it runs on pump E85 juice. The rest of the driveline consists of a two-speed ’Glide and nine-inch rear end running 275 radial tyres.

Mark was recently out at Heathcote Park Raceway testing the new set-up for the first time, collecting data for the Holley’s target AFR features and self-tuning with some low-boost test hits. With a very soft launch and the computer making adjustments on the fly, it went 9.14@152mph on 13psi, with plenty more power left in the tank. The track just wasn’t there to hold much more.

A few weeks earlier the HR went an 8.92@150mph on 20psi with stock XR6 Turbo puffers, so with the new turbos there’s plenty of headroom. If all goes well, both the HR and the Crusty Torana will be at Street Machine Drag Challenge later this year – that’s going to be fun!