Motorsport.com: News channel

Motorsport.com: News channel:

"COLUMBUS, Ohio -- (Feb. 5, 2007) -- Teacher. Coach. Builder. Racer. Winner. Studebaker lover. That's Ted Harbit, an Honoree at the Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion, June 15-17 at National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio.
Harbit raced his 'Chicken Hawk' 1951 Studebaker and won the Stock class at the NHRA Nationals an incredible seven times in 11 tries. A retired teacher and basketball coach in the Frankton, Ind. school system, he has raced continuously in cars he's built himself for more than 50 years. Ted retired from class racing after the '72 U.S. Nationals and drove the Studebaker occasionally until 1987 when he decided to see how fast it would really go. With twin turbochargers and twin four barrel carbs, he's turned a best of 10.07 at 137.8 mph. In the Studebaker Drivers Club publication, Turning Wheels, Harbit explained why he still uses a Studebaker engine. 'My own experience has been that it is not necessary to go to expensive extremes to develop over 500 HP in a Studebaker V-8. . . and that the engine is so basically sturdy that one need not fear immediate disintegration when higher horsepowers (sic) have been developed.'"