Can This Turbocharged Fairmont Wagon Bring TJ Linebaugh A Victory in His Home State of Michigan for Sick Michigan Miles?
In the classic movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Dorothy said the words “here’s no place like home.” For some, it can be the calming sense of familiar places that makes the difference.
TJ Linebaugh hopes the state of Michigan, along with his drag and drive experience, will play into his results at next month’s Sick Michigan Miles Presented By Driven Racing Oil.
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The blue ’78 Fairmont station wagon has been a staple in the drag and drive community for a while. “My first drag and drive was the West Michigan True Street Drag Weekend in 2018,” said Linebaugh.
Since then, the station wagon has laid down a ton of 8-second quarter-mile passes at numerous events, including Hot Rod Drag Week, Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, and Heads Up Hustle to name a few.
Linebaugh also has some experience on the no-prep side of things, competing at Roadkill Nights and Back To The Streets. Most recently, Linebaugh participated at this year’s Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks, where he carded his second-straight top five finish in the competitive Sick Street Race category.
To make those mid 8-second passes happen, Linebaugh relies on a 5.3-liter LS engine. Packing the stock crankshaft, Linebaugh upgraded the rods and pistons to Summit Racing Equipment versions. BTR provided the camshaft, pushrods, rockers and valve springs, and a set of lifters from Johnson.
Factory 862 casting cylinder heads top the short block, and an Edelbrock Pro Flo intake gets the extra atmosphere from a Forced Inductions 94/104-millimeter turbocharger, and a Garrett core air-to-air intercooler mounted in front.
A popular automatic transmission choice is the Turbo 400, and Linebaugh’s packs the important transbrake and a few other choice upgrades. The transmission sends the power to an 8.8-inch rear end from a Fox Mustang, with Strange Engineering 35 spline axles and spool internals, and a factory 3.31 rear gear set. Linebaugh turned to Mickey Thompson to provide traction in the form of a 275 ET Street Radial Pro.
“I try to keep it simple,” Linebaugh said. “I am always thinking of things to make the car easy to work on and more reliable. In the past we have carried way too much stuff that wasn't ever needed.”
So, after a few years of analyzing what he was bringing to an event and not using, Linebaugh made the decision to leave it behind. “With a lot of careful planning before an event, it can make it less stressful during.”
Despite a lot of different drag and drive events under his belt, Linebaugh missed a few that he regretted not doing. “I loved the idea of a one-off event that included a little more ‘adventure,’” said Linebaugh. “I wish I would have competed in Death Week or Sick 66.”
So, when Sick Michigan Miles Presented By Driven Racing Oil was announced, Linebaugh knew it had to be on his calendar. “Michigan is my home, and I couldn't pass on the opportunity to tour around my state in the wagon. And even though I live here, I have never been to Northern Michigan Dragway or Ubly Dragway.”
Linebaugh will not only call on his years of experience, as well as his familiarity of Michigan, and will see some familiar faces along the way. “We're making a family summer vacation of it as well,” Linebaugh said. “We'll have about ten of us, with a couple racers in the group, and a few Sick Warders.”
Will TJ Linebaugh be in contention for the Overall Quickest Sick The Mag helmet, or maybe Quickest Radial or Quickest Small Block title? Come join us for a week of fun and racing action, plus the Woodward Dream Cruise, as we invade Michigan for the Sick Michigan Miles Presented by Driven Racing Oil event, August 10-17th! CLICK HERE for more details!
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and TJ Linebaugh.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com