Red Wolf Version 4.0 — Sharper Image – Sharper Teeth!

John and Ruth Evanchuk have fielded some of the best looking Funny Cars ever to come from Canada.   The popular Edmonton-based racing team has however raised that bar yet again….

By:       Bruce Biegler

New for 2011 for the husband & wife duo is their 4th career effort, which features a spectacular Chevy Monte Carlo body cladding their proven chassis.  But be warned, this reconfigured machine is not just about good looks.  The team has injected a number of significant mechanical upgrades — the target being the higher echelon of NHRA’s TAFC class category.

John & Ruth Evanchuk's Chevy Monte Carlo is their 4th career class effort

“At about Las Vegas last year we came to the realization that our former Firebird body was not as aerodynamic as some of the newer stuff out there,” admitted John Evanchuk.  “We were in the process of updating our car (heads, blower, injector) and we realized that in order to take advantage of all that we needed a new and lighter weight body too. We contacted our good friend Jeff Burnet (Indianapolis), who hooked us up with Jeff Wilson (St. Louis) and we struck a deal.”

John & Ruth

Then over the off season the Evanchuk’s employed some reputed local skills, Serge Dion (Dyno Chassis Works) and Graham (at Cougar Paint & Collision) who did the fabrication and finished look respectively.

“Serge did a great job mounting the body and finishing the tin work,” John continued. “Then Graham continued with the flow and the look of our previous race cars.  We wanted to keep our familiar wolf pack identity and Graham added in some cool tribal designs.”

But  John and Ruth are excited not only about the new look.  They are also very pumped about the performance promise for the future.  They got a real good sense of that last spring when the car ran 258.30 mph on an initial voyage during  the Mission LODRS, which was John’s career best terminal speed.

“The improvements we made have been impressive for me,” John submitted.  “All indications are that we have a ton more HP to work with now.  Our objective is for the car to be a 5.6 secs 260 mph runner.”

Red Wolf #4!

The Evanchuk’s “Rush Hour Racing” camp have plans to be very active the rest of this summer with their stunning piece, which receives valued primary sponsorship from Big Eagle Services (a Hydro Vac Company).  NHRA Northwest Division LODRS events, the NHRA Northwest Nationals and match races at Edmonton and Saskatoon are all on the table.

John Evanchuk sped to a career best speed early in 2011

 Photos by:  Bruce Biegler & Gerry Frechette