Last weekend, Maryland International Raceway held it’s annual Ford Fever Classic, all-Ford event featuring eight heads-up classes of racing action. NMRA EFI Renegade racer Ed Thomas laid down one of the most impressive performances of the event, cranking off a stellar 7.87 elapsed time at 172 miles per hour following a nice wheel-up launch down the quarter mile.

Thomas’ Fox-body Mustang receives its motivation from a 354 cubic inch engine based upon a 302 small block Ford, prepared Thomas’ own Ed Thomas Performance. The powerplant features Total Engine Airflow-prepared 225 CNC TFS high port cylinder heads and a Comp Cams solid roller camshaft, boosted by a Vortech XI sideslinger supercharger. The horsepower is transferred via a Pro Formance D4 transmission and a Dynamic Converters 9-inch torque converter, and rides on a UPR front and rear suspension setup, Strange struts and Afco rear shocks on Hoosier 275/60/R15 Drag Radials.

The amazing feat of the whole combination is that the engine is controlled by an Anderson Ford Motorsport PMS Programmable Engine Management System controller. The AFM PMS unit is a piggy-back tuner that connects along with the stock computer.  It is an easy to use and affordable setup that offers full tuning ability of fuel, timing, and nitrous that accomplishes what many believe you need a $3,000-plus stand-alone system to do.

Thomas’ Mustang weighed in at 3,340-pounds on the 7.87 pass.