July 2024 Car of the Month – Linzie Coleman

Linzie Coleman and his 2017 American Race Cars Top Dragster wins the DragChamp July Car of the Month of the month contest

July 25, 2024 – DragChamp Pro member Linzie Coleman secured the DragChamp July Car of the Month title with his ProCharged 2017 American Top Dragster. Linzie grew up in Gloucester, VA, where his father, George Coleman, runs Coleman Automotive Machine Shop. George was an active drag racer in the 90s and early 2000s. Although Linzie was too young to join in back then, the environment and stories sparked his own interest in racing.

About five years ago, Linzie and George decided to revive their racing activities together. They acquired a 2006 Mauney-built ’63 split window Corvette for George and an ’03 Nelson Racecraft hard tail with a 468 BBC for Linzie. This project wasn’t just about building cars; it was about bonding over a shared passion.

Linzie spent a year learning to drive in the dragster. His dedication paid off when he drove a 2017 American dragster for friends Julie and Donnie Wilson at the Super Chevy Show at Virginia Motorsports Park. There, Linzie earned his first .000 reaction time and was hooked after that. With guidance from seasoned racer Kenny Young, Linzie’s driving skills rapidly improved.

The Coleman’s soon bought the American dragster and began competing at local bracket races. Transitioning to the PDRA series, they initially ran the car naturally aspirated before upgrading to a 565 engine on nitrous, achieving 4.30-second runs. As the Top Dragster class evolved, Linzie and his father kept pace. The current setup is a consistent 4.00-second performer.

The Winning Car

Linzie’s current race car is a 2017 American dragster, equipped with:

• Engine: 577 Big Block Chevy with a RaceDrive F3R121 ProCharger and APD Carb, soon to be upgraded to EFI with Billet Atomizer injectors
• Transmission: VA Speed Transmissions 1.58 Powerglide
• Rear Gear: 4.11
• ECU: Holley Dominator with Racepak IQ3 Drag Dash (currently runs everything except fuel)
• Additional Features: KR relay board, Pro Cube, switch panel, onboard air
• Wheels/Tires: Weld Deltas Big Bubbas, Lindsey fronts

Winning July’s Car of the Month came with a little help from friends he didn’t know he had. Bobby Ducote Jr. from Street Outlaws and No Prep Kings fame, along with a host of other racers helped Linzie generate over 600 votes which outpaced the second place finisher by just a handful of votes. Linzie’s journey from learning in a hard tail dragster to competing in a low 4-second Top Dragster embodies the essence of drag racing. It highlights not just his individual achievements but also the collaborative efforts of his family, friends, and mentors.

Looking ahead, Linzie aims to participate in more races, gaining valuable seat time and striving for greater success in the drag racing world.

The DragChamp Car of the Month contest is reserved for DragChamp Pro members. Each month our DragChamp Pro members compete for the Car of the Month title with the winner receiving an article on DragChamp along with free DragChamp apparel. To learn more about DragChamp Pro, click here.