Backbone of Drag and Drive Part 5: A Cross-Country Commitment

There are lots of people that will tell you that Drag and Drive style events changed their lives forever. When you go through tech on your first event, most people begin to develope a sense  of whether your all in or perhaps its not your “cup of tea”. For me being at a race track is probably half way to happy right off the bat. Participating in the race! Now we are all in. But once you get your pass in on day one and start the drive part of this equation, that’s when the magic starts. The comradery, the shared experiences, the moments to help a fellow traveler make it a bit further down the road. It starts to come together. This is about a way of life. A way of going through life. And it clearly is soo much better when we are going through it .. together. 

For Danny Grubuagh when he signed up for Sick the Mags “Sick Week”in 2022 he started down a path that would immediately alter the course of his life. Being smitten by the drag and drive lifestyle Danny never looked back. And when you gotta make an epic trip from CA to Fl just to start the event, your gonna get it sorted out wether this is the kinda thing your in to. He decided. He’s all in. And that decision has led Danny to many events from one end of this country to the other. It even brought him to a place of confidence strong enough to say “yes I’m gonna drive a stock 73 AMC Hornet wagon thousands of miles”. Through some pretty inhospitable terrain. But to show how much he loved this thing we do he jumped out mid stream made an additional 2k mile trip to get to a work obligation and back to the route so he could finish the ride. What do you say to that kind of commitment, determination, and passion. Well if your a lady who happens to be in a family of other drag and drive devotees like the Brody’s .. you say Yes! Given it wasn’t until this past fall at “Sick Smokies” when the proposal was made. But for those of us at that event to hear the news of Danny and Barbie’s engagement made an already incredible week all the more special. Danny has been criss-crossing the country at every opportunity to do this thing we call the drag and drive life. His lil AMC wagon has been replaced with a very cool Charger/ute that runs low 13’s. And he is gonna be out this year at several events in a 70 AMC Javelin. It’s because of Danny’s level of commitment, and his enthusiastic pursuit of this lifestyle that has now affected even the most personal and significant decisions.. that we say congrats Danny. And we want to take a few minutes to highlight this “slow” car racer.

Where are you from? 

Born in Whittier CA. Currently live in Corona CA 

What made you start racing?

Always loved anything car related ever since I was 3. Dreamed of being a stock car racer. Never could. Sickweek 22 came up for registration and I got in and was hooked ever since 

Who inspired you to build a hot rod?

My Dad had a big car influence on me to build a car and drive it. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Just drive and enjoy it. 

First Race and Where?

Sick Week 2022. Drove from SoCal to Florida and back. 7,000 miles round trip 

What was your first car?

1974 GMC Sierra 3500 Camper Special 454 big block

Bucketlist Race or Event?

Bonneville Speedweeks or Goodwood Festival of Speed

What's your PB and how/when did that happen?

13.3 at 103mph. 

Last pass of Sickweek 2022. Played with the Diablo tuner and stripped the car of the hood. Front push bar. Tailgate. Passenger seat. 

Unlimited budget..what are you building?

Tube Chassis AMC Hornet Sportabout with a Gen 1 392 Hemi with a Blower on Nitro for the track and pump gas for the street drives. 

Favorite car movie?

Gone in Sixty Seconds. I was 12 when it came out and I fell in love with Eleanor 

Favorite music for cruising? 

My playlist is very eclectic. 80’s metal.  90’s country. Even Classical music 

Favorite Roadsnack?

Buc-ee’s brisket sandwich 

First drag and drive event? 

Sick Week 2022 

For the story, tell us about your best/favorite event 

Event: Deathweek 

Event Average: I don’t even remember 

Started the event with my 1973 AMC Hornet Sportabout Wagon with a bone stock 258 inline 6 that 2 months earlier was sitting in a corn field in Iowa 

Met Brad Brody and his son Alex Brody. 

Had to leave the event for work Wednesday after Famoso. Drive the Hornet to 3 hrs past the space needle in Washington. Tagged the needle with a Deathweek sticker. Keith Turk dared me haha! 

Got there Friday morning. Did both jobs. Then drove back to the route and finished the event. 

Added over 2,200 miles to the already long 2k mile event. 

Tell us about your vehicle:

which one haha. I have many 

Year, Make, Model

2006 Dodge Charger RT Ute 

Powertrain Combo at time of Event: 

Engine: 5.7 Hemi

Transmission: NAG-1 (Automatic)

Rear Gear: 3.06 out of an SRT 

Power Adder: N/A

Tires: 305/45/17 drag radials 

How long have you  had it?

5 years

How many races have attended in this vehicle? 

7

Why did you build this car? 

My buddy built it and it was just too cool. Ended up getting a killer deal on it and bought it and drove it 2k miles back home in 29 hrs from Iowa to SoCal. 

Any maintenance required from all the passes?

Broken axles. Broken center section. Replaced 2 transmissions 

What are 1-2 struggles from the week?

The car is pretty stock so not too many struggles from racing. I’d say more from checkpoint burnouts. Blown tires. Broken taillights. Broken axles. All from too much fun!

Plans for events this year? 

Sickweek 26. Took my 06 Charger Ute. 

The Great American Detour 

Sick Michigan Miles 

Sick66 

Which vehicle?

Sickweek was my 06 Charger. 

All other evens this year will be the

1970 Javelin 

Which class?

Any class it’ll fit in haha

Goals?

Finish and make Memories

Any changes or upgrades planned?

Get the car road worthy and drive it for more than 2 miles. Owned it a year and a half and have only driven it 2 miles.

Danny Grubaugh is one of the best examples of drag and drive you’ll ever find. “Have fun and make memories” is more than a mantra for him. He truly embodies the essence of the lifestyle. He drives his hot rods as much as possible and is always ready for the next crazy adventure. He once completed a motor swap on the Sportabout as he drove his way from CA to FL for Sick Week. While in Texas, they developed engine troubles and limped it to a friends house, that he had actually purchased an “extra” engine for this car….. So, instead of hauling the extra engine back to CA, they swapped it in the garage. But, like all midtrip repairs, nothing fit, not all the pieces lined up and they were already behind. Through sheer determination, will power and a level of ingenuity only Danny possesses, they made the engine swap and arrived with barely an hour to spare in tech. The car ran a 19 second pass on Day Five and you’d have thought Danny won the US Nationals the way everyone cheered. 

That car now has a turbocharged V8 in it and will be much quicker the next time we see it…

Danny and his fleet of “slow cars” are most certainly the Backbone of Drag and Drive, because he is ready to help anyone at anytime and will do anything to finish the race. 

Written by Rodney Reeves and Mike Narx. Photos provided by Danny Grubaugh.