Not Blowing Smoke – Rick Fletes Invades the Eights With a Diesel-Powered Chevelle
With the explosion of the number of drag-and-drive events, we’ve not only seen some ‘common’ vehicles, but also several dozen competitors that will do two or more events a year.
But we will also see some truly unique vehicles as well, including the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle of Rick Fletes.
6 Race Tracks, 50 Attractions, the Ultimate Road Trip on the Ultimate Highway! The Edelbrock Sick 66 event - October 10th-18th 2024! Click here for more details!
Originally popping on our radar when it drove to a track in California to win a race, collect a coveted National Hot Rod Association ‘Wally’ trophy, and back home again towing a camper trailer!
We had to know more, and the big secret to the Chevelle? It’s powered by a Duramax diesel engine! “I had the traditional small block engine in a ’72 El Camino,” said Rick. “It got old, and we wanted to do something different.”
Beneath the cool blue and silver striped exterior, this Chevelle sports a factory 6.6-liter Duramax, still sporting stock crankshaft and block. The cylinder heads are factory federal lb7 versions, with a stage 2 upgrade from SoCal diesel.
The engine is fitted with lots of SoCal goodies, but Fletes assembled the engine. Providing the boost is a single s475 turbocharger from Stainless Diesel, as well as two stages of nitrous, capable of flowing 7 pounds on a quarter-mile pass. “That’s at full tilt,” said Rick. “We’re keeping it at about 2.5 pounds per pass, nowadays.”
Driving and towing all over the US without overdrive was out of the question, but it would require a stout overdrive to survive the weight of the Chevelle and the torque of the diesel. A 4L80 4-speed overdrive is filled with all the goodies, and features a 10.5-inch bolt together triple disc lock up converter from D&P Converters in Sacramento, California.
A Strange Engineering fabricated 9-inch bolt in rear end with 2.91 gears, 40 spline pinion and axles, and stock suspension pick-up points completes the driveline.
After participating at several racing events, including Rocky Mountain Race Week, Rick and wife Heather made the trek to Florida for the 2023 edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive.
Unfortunately, his 2023 Sick Week would end sooner than expected, as after a pair of 9.0-second time slips on the first two days, Rick suffered problems on day three and dropped out.
One year later, the diesel Chevelle returned for a second shot at Sick Week. This time, Rick had the Chevelle invade the 8-second range twice, with a best of 8.89 at 152 mph on day four at South Georgia Motorsports Park.
But, on his way to Orlando ‘Sick’ World Dragway for day five to complete the week, trouble arises. “The transmission started acting up on the return road after our pass (at SGMP),” said Rick. “And it got very noticeable once we hit the freeway.”
Thankfully, fellow Sick Week competitor Houston McClain’s shop, McClain Motorsports, was on the route, so Rick and Heather were able to use a lift and identify that a check ball had left its necessary location. “We got it sorted out, and everything back together without issues,” Rick admitted.
On the final day, a one-and-done 9.09 gave Rick a 9.03 average, and second place in the Sick Week Freaks class, as well as the quickest diesel award. Starting the season with a bang will pave to at least two more drag-and-drive events this year, as Rick plans to participate in one of the Rocky Mountain Race Week events, as well as Edelbrock Sick 66.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Rick Fletes, and Motion Raceworks.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com