Words: John “Gunner” Gunnell
Sixteen-year-old Carly Stupar is still a high school student, but during the summer she gets an education racing a vintage Chevy Nova at the drag strip. In 2013, Carly and her dad Jeremy Stupar launched a search for the car that would launch Carly’s racing career.
A Craigslist posting showed a Nova for sale in Waupaca, Wis. A deal was worked out that involved trading a 1940 Dodge coupe for the Chevy II. The car had been raced in the past at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna and had taken a beating. It took Carly and her dad four years to convert the flat black gasser into the pretty white race car she pilots today.
They replaced the home-built straight axle up front with a gasser kit from Speedway Motors in Nebraska. The engine in the car now is a Chevy 355 (a bored out 350) with cast iron Vortec cylinder heads, an LT4 cam, a GM Performance intake and a 750-cfm Demon carburetor. Other goodies include Hooker headers and Thrush mufflers.
The upgraded engine bangs out about 325 hp, as near as Carly can figure. Behind it is a beefed-up Turbo 350 automatic transmission and a GM 10-bolt rear with 3.73:1 gears. Things were wired up using another Speedway Motors kit. A long list of people, including some handy relatives, helped Carly build the car and deck it out with fresh paint and Camaro seats.
Carly had the car on display in the race car class at the 14th annual Pardeeville Community Car and Truck Show. Capt. Bob, Arlo and Richie – from Wisconsin Hot Rod Radio – pointed out the high school hot rodder, who’s becoming the “Gasser Gal” of Wisconsin.
