Show Notes
Joel Steele was the first domestic h-pattern in the 6's, and once held the h-pattern record at 6.81! He has now sold that car and is building a new one with new goals. Join us as we chat with Joel about racing, family, and health.
Your hosts Bill Armstrong and Rich Guido are veteran drag-n-drive stick shift racers. Together they make up a wealth of stick shift street car knowledge. They've competed Drag Week, Rocky Mountain Race Week, Sick Week, Midwest Drags, Miles of Mayhem, Street Car Takeover, and many more.
Support Clutch Burners and Stick Shift Nation by grabbing some merch here: https://stickracing.com/shop/
More from Clutch Burners Podcast
Jeff Sias, better known as the Champ, pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to dominate Drag Week in a naturally aspirated stick-shift car. If you think a heavy Ford with no boost and a manual transmission can’t be brutallyconsistent, this conversation will change your mind fast. BangShift Billy and Canadian Chuck Norris, Rich Guido, dig into the exact combination behind Jeff’s repeated wins, from the small-block Ford’s Cleveland/Higgins head combo to theclutch, shock, tire, and launch strategy that turned a “trash” street car into a repeatable race-week weapon. The result is a deep look at how Jeff keeps going rounds while defending the Stick Shift Shootout trophy again and again. 00:00 Welcome and introduce Jeff “The Champ”00:52 The Stick Shift Shootout trophy and its winners06:10 Jeff’s 2025 and 2026 shootout wins08:29 Jeff’s naturally aspirated small-block Ford setup12:59 Drag Week classes, rules, and tech inspection14:45 Horsepower, cylinder heads, and high-RPM power17:24 E85, nitro experiments, and fuel-system challenges25:35 Engine internals, camshaft, and valvetrain reliability40:41 Highway cruising RPM and fuel mileage43:28 Dialing in the clutch, shocks, and launch consistency52:42 Switching from slicks to radial tires56:04 Shock sensors and suspension data58:55 Why stick-shift cars can run consistently61:00 Patient tuning and learning the car65:12 Eight-mile performance and heads-up racing goals67:25 Future plans: keep it naturally aspirated or add power?70:19 When not to freshen a reliable engine71:44 Family racing plans and Jeff’s son’s new go-kart74:06 Crankcase vacuum, oil pressure, and oil choice81:03 Other Drag Week-style events and travel limits84:23 Close competition and racing strategy86:11 Stick Shift Shootout lessons and round-by-round pressure90:03 The hosts’ recent racing mishaps90:48 Reaction times and launching a stick-shift car92:52 Trackside fire scare and racing safety96:45 Broken transmissions and Rich’s next car project98:27 Wrapping up and promoting the show100:16 The trophy, future competition, and final goodbyes
In this episode, BangShift Billy, Bill Armstrong and The Canadian Chuck Norris, Rich Guido dive into the details of organizing and participating in the Wisconsin Outlaw Stick Shift Challenge, exploring race strategies, technical challenges, and the passion behind stick shift racing.
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