Early Sneak Preview -- New Distefano Car!
Bruce Biegler - April 29, 2004
Following his second consecutive national event semi-final round placing, Calgary's Rick Distefano is in serious contention within the IHRA's Hooters Drag Racing
Series this season. A full season tour for the "Alberta Clipper" Pro Mod star is looking more and more likely....
Almost immediately following his strong "final four" finish at Rockingham North Carolina last Sunday, Rick Distefano and his talented crew shifted their attention
to a their brand new race car. While conspicuously similar looking to their previous and highly successful '53 Corvette, there are some important differences.
"This is another Tim McAmis car," Rick confirmed. "The biggest changes are around it being easier to work with, upper strut tubes and body wise. The windshield
and the firewall comes out making it more accessible to the bell housing. We can now also pull the heads off the motor without removing the headers. Those time savers
are important to us -- we'd like to avoid what happened to us at San Antonio (in March) when we missed the call for the semi finals by just 3 minutes."
 Distefano will also employ some new safety technology in his car -- a revolutionary new drivers seat which is imported from England. "That is very unique and we are the first to have it," he revealed. "It is a high impact model which is custom built to fit me. In fact the whole car is built around me and has more room and better visibility."
Rick is optimistic that his new car will eventually be faster then his previous. However that is not necessarily the point.
"I'd be tickled if it works better and I think it will," he added. "But I would be just as happy if it was just an equal. There are about 20 different things on this car which Tim redesigned at our request. It is also way more adjustable and everything is new. It has a lower wing but more deck surface. We made it as swoopy as we can but because we don't have a wind tunnel we won't know for sure until we get it on the race track."
Distefano and his team remained behind at Rockingham to test the new car both Monday and Tuesday this week. If all goes according to plan the new Corvette will debut for competition during the IHRA's ACDelco Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park later in May. (May 28-30th).
As for the long term plans for the RDR team in 2004. "The first five IHRA races of the season are guaranteed -- and we will run both national events in Ontario," Rick affirmed. Then depending on how we are doing in overall points will decide if we continue on or shift plans."
Based on his current second place standing in points (behind leader Glen Kerunsky -- also from Calgary), a 12-race IHRA tour in 2004 is likely.
For more background information on Rick Distefano -- check out the RDR Racing team profile in DragRaceCanada's Media subsection.
(Bruce Biegler photos)
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