HOT ROD Drag Week, Jason “J.T.” Trotter is a member of the #turbomoparmafia, a group that owns builds and runs those infamous front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive, turbocharged Mopars. Most of the cars are from the eighties and nineties, but are rarely what comes to mind when the words “drag car” are brought up.
J.T. has owned his 1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z since 1994. In the last 23 years, J.T. has had 10 different drivetrain combinations in the car. Currently the little red Daytona has a 2.4L 16-valve engine from, of all things, a 2001 Plymouth Breeze. Featuring JE pistons and GRP aluminum rods, the engine was assembled by Forward Motion. A GT35R turbocharger sends 29psi through a Spearco intercooler with fuel and ignition controlled by Fast EFI. A heavily warmed over A568 5 speed manual transmission backs the horsepower that the 2.4L supplies, with Neon SRT4 Drive Shaft Shop Race axles sending the power to the 24.5×8.5 M&H slicks.
This stout drivetrain combination has netted J.T. a best ET of 10.50 at 141.66mph so far, with hopes of going faster in the future. The car has been outfitted with a 10-point roll cage to help keep it safe if the worst happens. A one-off carbon fiber hood was made for this car, but the rest remains stock steel panels. Loads of custom pieces and go-fast parts fill the Daytona from bumper to bumper, making this a serious machine while allowing it to cruise the interstates and back roads without worry.
J.T. has done Drag Week 3 times now, in 2013 with his girlfriend’s 1995 Eagle Talon, and returned in 2015 and 2016 with the same Daytona. The little car has qualified J.T. for the top 32 both years he’s take the car, and even gone into the third round of Street Machine Eliminator in 2016 before the intermediate axle broke on the launch.
“I love drag racing and racing at a different track each day with great friends is my ideal vacation. Or I’m crazy?” J.T. told us. Coming back each year has proved he may likely be the latter of the two.
In 2015 J.T. was one of the group that got to help clean-up James Reeves’ trailer after it broke and sent debris across the interstate. Ducking and dodging the debris field made for a round of interstate autocross and the group cleaned up the mess. This not only got James to the finish, but J.T. as well.
In 2016 J.T. had qualified for the Top 32 in SME. During Round 1 of bracket racing, he missed the 2-3 shift and lost some ground, he stuck the gear and began to run him down. Around the 1,000’ mark, J.T. saw brake lights and he was able to get the stripe and the win, next round was once again playing catch up.next round was once again playing catch up. J.T. caught up and pressured the driver in the other lane to break-out as he tried to stay in front of the Daytona charging hard to catch him. Sadly, in round 3 the intermediate axle broke and ended his week.
J.T. plans to be back in 2017, hoping to find traction before third-gear. He wants to give a huge thanks to his girlfriend, fellow racer, best friend, Marybeth Kiczenski, his Mom, Keith Dale, Ron Murnieks, Chris Chrisanti, Adam Lengel, Tommy Beranek, John Mesich, Joe Yurgaites, Dave Tekampe and team Shelby Dodge Auto Club and the #turbomoparmafia.
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