A TRADESMAN’S van has made history by smashing three speed records to become the fastest front wheel drive Ford on the planet.
The souped up 2001 Escort sped down a quarter mile drag strip in just 8.72 seconds at Santa Pod Raceway in Podington, Beds.
Driver and owner Terry Newton, 41, hit a top speed of 168.4mph during his second qualifying pass at last weekend’s Festival of Power event.
It beat the previous fastest FWD Ford driven in 8.76 seconds at 152mph by a Focus over 20 years ago – and became the fastest FWD Zetec and Zetec stock block.
After obliterating the record on Good Friday, Terry said: “I never dreamed of getting it to go that fast. I didn’t think it was possible.
“I hadn’t driven since October and we were only going out to check if the van still worked.
“You set off and you just change gears before pulling a parachute but I knew it must have been a decent time as I could feel it dragging the van into the other lane.
“When I found out we’d beaten the record, I instantly cried remembering my seven-year-old daughter Elektra said to go win it when I saw her on Wednesday.
“We matched the record last year but to beat it is unbelievable as it takes so much work just to shave off those milliseconds when you reach these high speeds.”;
Terry, of Fat Pig Racing, swapped the van with a mate for a Mk4 Escort six years ago – and didn’t have high hopes after blowing the head gasket driving it home to Preston, Lancs.
The mechanic reckons he’s spent more than £100,000 on modifications to make it reach 60mph in just 1.8 seconds, 100mph in 3.9 seconds and 135mph in 5.9 seconds.
The two-litre turbo engine, which makes it quicker than a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, burns seven litres of methanol per quarter mile.
It provides around 1,100 brake horsepower and could do 230mph but is too powerful to accurately measure without wheel spinning.
Terry, who usually drives a Volkswagen Touareg, credits sponsors and mechanics Chris Eade, dubbed the Turbo Doctor, and Graeme Cook for turning the tradie’s van into a world beater.
He added: “There’s still work to do. I’m hoping to win an event next month against racers from all across Europe with a £100,000 prize pot.
“I got a phone call from world-famous DJ Carl Cox congratulating me as he’s a lovely guy who also races in our class with his own team.
“To be the proud owner of the world’s fastest FWD Ford is a really special moment. The sky’s the limit for this old van.”;
Sun readers wanting to watch Terry in the Doorslammers event at Santa Pod Raceway on May 16-18 can save 20 per cent on tickets by using code SUN20 at checkout.
