Turbocharged Trailblazer SS Sets New 1/4-Mile Record

If there’s one thing we’ve had a dry spell with this year, it’s LS- and LT-powered cars and trucks setting new records. Don’t get us wrong; there have been a few but nothing like in years past. In fact, just a couple of years ago, it seemed like records were falling as fast as we could write about them, but 2021 has been a little slow, unfortunately. Of course, this could be due to the current pandemic, weather, fewer events, or a host of other reasons. Nevertheless, Matt Cole of Clarksville, TN, came out swinging this year with his Trailblazer SS known as The Revenant despite any of these circumstances.

The carbon-fiber doors and front end certainly take some weight off this Trailblazer SS.

Cole picked up his 2006 Trailblazer SS in ’06 off a used car lot. From there, the TBSS has undergone some drastic changes over the years, with the latest addition being a new carbon-fiber front clip built by Cole himself. And even though this ride has dropped some considerable weight over the with the addition of carbon doors and frontend, it still tips the scales at just under 3,600-pounds which most racers would consider on the hefty side.

A Mike Lough Racing engine with a GT55 turbo cranks out 1,500 horsepower on 30-pounds of boost.

The engine bay in the TBSS houses a Mike Lough Racing built 388 cubic-inch LS engine backed by a Rossler TH400 transmission. A massive GT55 88mm turbo pushes 30-pounds of boost through the powerplant as exhaust vents out the passenger side fender. The rear suspension is still a stock-style 4-link with a 28-inch tall tire out back, which has been good enough for 1.3-second 60ft times. However, Cole is unsatisfied with these times and knows the truck can go quicker. According to Cole, the engine is making about 1,500 horsepower at the moment, which was enough to propel the TBSS to a new record of 8.200 et at 171.49 mph. And there’s more left in it. Cole said, “Future plans are to keep figuring the chassis out so that I can turn it up. That pass was really soft until about two seconds out.”