When Alex Taylor rolls into the pits at Sick Week 2023 Presented By Gear Vendors Overdrive she will be hoping to knock a six-second, 200mph monkey off the team’s back.
Alex and her father Dennis are no strangers to drag-and-drive competition in their ’55 Chevy 210, which made its debut in 2021. The family team built the shoebox doorslammer themselves, using the motor from Dennis’ seven-second Chevy Nova in what they dubbed the ‘Quest for the Sixes.’ Since then they have racked up event wins and the famed six-second/200mph time-slips, but are yet to average in the sixes for a drag-and-drive. That all could change next week in Florida.
“Last year we were fighting some issues, both in the tuning and in the transmission,” said Alex. “During Hot Rod Drag Week last year, we were able to figure out the transmission issues, and so that part of our issues is solved.”
The Taylor will be one of over 350 teams racing and cruising America’s quickest street legal cars throughout the Sunshine State, as Sick Week goes from Orlando Speed World (February 13), to Bradenton Motorsports Park (February 14), South Georgia Motorsports Park (February 15), Gainesville Raceway (February 16) and back to Orlando Speed World (February 17). Like all other drag-and-drive events, teams cannot transport their cars between tracks — they must be driven.
“Because it is the first event of the year, it might be hard,” Alex said. “However we have tested more, and I’d like to say we should be able to run six-second passes over 200mph at Sick Week.”
The 25-year-old Taylor hasn’t just been kept busy by the race car, but also in her latest role as the host of Hot Rod Garage on MotorTrend and her popular YouTube channel, not to mention moving into a new race shop.
For at least the first part of 2023, Alex will continue to rely on the same 509ci big block, which is based on a Dart block and features a pair of 18-degree Air Flow Research cylinder heads and twin Precision 88mm turbochargers, backed with a Turbo 400 transmission.
“I’m currently gathering parts and have stuff on order for the new engine and transmission,” said Alex, noting her new driveline will be very similar to the current one. “I hope to have it done and ready by mid-year 2023.”
This story was originally published on February 8, 2023. 
