A Weyburn man put his father’s classic car to the ultimate test in a grueling five-day racing gauntlet in the southern United States earlier this month.
James Frayn recently returned from Florida after competing in Sick Week, an intensive competition that challenges drivers to race their street-legal vehicles and navigate them hundreds of miles between venues.
Sick Week typically features a punishing schedule across four renowned dragstrips, including Gainesville Raceway, South Georgia Motorsports Park, Bradenton Motorsports Park, and Orlando Speed World Dragway.
"Sick Week is a drag and drive event where you have to drive the race car from racetrack to racetrack and then race it daily," said Frayn. "You have four different tracks, five days. And you have to drive it.”
The rules of the event are notoriously strict, designed to be the ultimate test of a street and strip car. Support vehicles are prohibited from following or assisting competitors.
"No help. You have to use you and the tools you brought along, and you're not allowed any other help from any other racers unless they're part of the event," Frayn explained.
Getting a spot on the starting line is a feat in itself. The event is incredibly popular within the drag racing community.
"There were 3,500 people fighting for 200 spots," Frayn noted. "So, the event was sold out in three seconds. If you weren't really fast with your fingers on your phone, like to get the spot bought, as soon as it was open, you missed out.”
"They call it the Super Bowl of Drag-and-Drives, going to Florida in the middle of February," he added.
While Frayn attended three years ago as a co-pilot, this was his first time participating as a driver. He had initially planned to bring his own race car.
"We had some engine issues and couldn't get parts in a timely fashion," he said. "So, I took dad's Studebaker and drove it".
Rather than towing the 1951 Studebaker on a trailer, Frayn drove the classic car all the way from Weyburn to Florida.
"It was long. I mean, that's a lot of miles. Car only holds 17 US gallons of fuel," Frayn said. "So it was 47 fuel stops round trip".
Taking a vintage vehicle on a cross-continent winter road trip predictably turned a few heads.
"Well, quite a few reactions. I mean, you pull up to a gas station in a 51 Studebaker in the middle of February, and there's always somebody that's got something to say," Frayn said.
Frayn says his father was incredibly proud to see the car used in such a high-profile event. Locals will soon have a chance to see the road-tested vehicle up close.
"And we're going to take it to Majestic's and put it in the 60th anniversary SIR booth," Frayn said, referring to the upcoming car show in Regina this April.
As for the future, Frayn says the event was a blast and a true torture test. He hopes to return to Sick Week in the future, ideally behind the wheel of his own race car.