10| Flaco Racing Mazda RX7

DRAG 
Peak Horsepower: 1400 @ 8,000 RPM (est.)
Issue: 09 / September 2003
Published Time: 7.01@195MPH

Abel Ibarra and rotary performance go hand-in-hand. He’d been a Mazda loyalist and rotary engine fanatic since the 80’s, so it’s no wonder that he would compete professionally behind the wheel of an RX7. But, this is no ordinary FD. Under the hood is a fire-breathing three-rotor 20B engine backed by a pair of Garrett GT3540 turbochargers making 1400 horsepower. The heavily fortified chassis also features a  Ford 9-inch rear end to put the power down. At its best, this FD ran a 7.01-second pass, only a fraction of a second from the goal of a six-second pass. We’ve not featured an FD since then that has even come close.

UPDATE
Abel sold the RX7 in 2003 to Joe Signorelli of Gam Motorsports (Australia). Shortly after, the RX7 was crashed and totaled at the drag strip .

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