6.99: The Most Influential and Controversial Doorslammer Run Ever

This is the story of Tommy Howes' 6.99-second quarter mile run at the 1988 IHRA Summer Nationals told in its complete form. From the tech that went into building the car, the men who tuned it, the context of doorslammer drag racing in the 1980s and more, it's the whole tale in detail.

Few singular runs in the sport's history did what the Howes 6.99 run managed to do. It moved sanctioning bodies to make rules, it blew open an entire mechanical combination that was being largely neglected, and it set the path to the creation of Pro Modified as a category in stone.

It's the story of a troll job, a wrecked funny car, a great NHRA division director, outlaw racers, and how drag racing reinvents itself every time it needs to.