Owner Bio: Darryl Sotera
Darryl Sotera, age 59, a road maintenance worker, bought his Ventura for $500 in 1988. He liked the X-body Pontiac because it was unusual, and to this day he has not seen many '75 Venturas. He drag raced in the late '60s and early '70s and returned to the hobby in the mid '90s. He and his wife, Alaine, have owned five Pontiacs in the past: several late-model Grand Ams and his favorite, an '01 Grand Prix GT. He says the most fun he's had in his Ventura race car was his participation in the Ames Tri-Power Pontiac Nationals for the last six years, and he has been on the bracket teams at Thompson Raceway Park and Quaker City Raceway. He tells HPP, "Racing runs in the family. One of my sons and two of my nephews have drag cars, but I'm the lucky one. I have the only Pontiac."
STRIP TUNING LOG
|
| Run/Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Pt. | 60-ft. | 1/8-mile | 1/4-mile |
| 1. 15½-psi in slicks | 1,400 | 5,300 | 1.72 | 7.73/88.57 | 12.20/109.72 |
| BEST PASS CORRECTED | 11.96/111.90 |
| 2. 16½-psi in slicks | 1,600 | 5,300 | 1.75 | 7.86/87.35 | 12.39/108.19 |
| 3. Same | 1,400 | 5,300 | 1.74 | N/A | 12.31/109.32 |
| 4. 151/2-psi in slicks | 1,400 | 5,300 | 1.73 | 7.78/88.25 | 12.25/109.73 |
| Run Notes: 1) Good pass; 2) Tire spin, engine hot: 185-deg; 3) Engine still too hot; 4) Engine temperature: 165-deg. |
| STRIP SPECS |
| Year/Model | '75 Ventura |
| Race Weight With Driver | 3,550 lbs |
| Curb Weight | 3,355 lbs |
| Fuel Level When Weighed | 1/8-tank |
| Fuel | 94-octane |
| Engine | 455 '73 XA |
| Cubic Inches Before/After | 455/462 |
| Engine Built By | Dale's Performance Machine |
| Power Adder | None |
| Induction System |
| Air Cleaner | K&N 14-in |
| Carburetor | Holley 750 cfm |
| Jets | No. 73-84 |
| Spacer Plate | Summit 1-in, open, phenolic |
| Intake Manifold | Edelbrock Torker II |
| Fuel System |
| Pump | Holley Blue electric 110-gph |
| Lines | 8-AN |
| Regulator | Holley, set to 7 psi |
| Heads |
| Casting | '71 No. 96 |
| Head Porting | No, gasket matched only |
| Flow Numbers | N/A |
| Valves | 2.11/1.77-in |
| Bottom End |
| Pistons | TRW forged flat-top, 0.030 over |
| Rings | Speed Pro moly |
| Rods | CAT H-beam 6.625-in length |
| Compression Ratio | 9.4:1 |
| Crankshaft | Stock cast 4.21 stroke |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced | Yes |
| Camshaft |
| Brand | Crane hydraulic flat-tappet |
| Duration at 0.050 | 234/242-deg |
| Duration Advertised | 296/304-deg |
| Lift With Specified Rocker Arms | 0.479/0.494-in |
| Lobe Separation Angle | 112-deg |
| Installed Position | Straight up |
| Rocker Arms | Comp roller tip 1.52:1 |