NHRA Division 3 Super Street Racer Dan Carter Competes With His 1969 Camaro Z28

Dan Carter at the 2009 Chicago Divisional
Dan Carter at the 2009 Chicago Divisional
Second generation racer and Lexmark printer engineer, Dan Carter has a slightly different approach to racing his NHRA Super Street 1968 Camaro than other competitors in the class. While it's nearly impossible to expect to do well in a class whose margins at the strip are regularly determined by mere inches, without some sort of high tech weather station and prediction software combination, Carter developed his quite successful technique using simple instruments and not so simple formulas.
Dan Carter at the 2009 Columbus National
Dan Carter at the 2009 Columbus National


"I'm a little different than most guys," proclaims the Georgetown, Kentucky resident. "I've developed my own predictions for weather and my own software. I have my gauges for temperature and humidity and I use like an old airplane altimeter as well. I have everything written in Excel and I use my laptop for predictions. You'll also find me hanging out near the finish line at most events, where I can study other racers and the outcomes. "
Dick (Dad) Macy and Katie Carter and the '68 Street Camaro
Dick (Dad) Macy and Katie Carter and the '68 Street Camaro


"I run the number pretty good," Carter adds. "In fact, I'm better at running the number than probably anything else."

Carter's success in Super Street might also be contributed to another huge factor in that of the car he drives, his 1968 Camaro Z28, and the fact it's the only car he's raced in his 27 years of competition.

"I've raced it since I was 18," explains Carter. "It's been modified completely, first the fiberglass front, then the hood and doors. We've tubbed it and tube chassised the front. We seem to change a little on it each season and this year we are upgrading the motor from the 462 to the 540 my dad had been running is car."

"My dad is 70 and still racing in Super Street, but due to some of his recent medical problems he needs to stay below 135mph. So it's funny how things work out that way, but that's how I inherited the bigger motor," Carter continued.

Much different from the days when Carter first started competing are the top end speeds of the cars in Super Street. "I've raced around the 136-137 mpg range for years, and it's just so competitive now with a bunch of cars going a "buck-fifty". It just seems harder to compete unless you are running at least in the 140's and I'll certainly be there this year."

The 2001 NHRA Division 2 Super Street Champ focuses strictly on chasing points in the class and will begin his quest for the new season at the Division 3 opener at Indianapolis next month. "The car only moves if it's a race for money and points, otherwise it doesn't go out, as I don't want to waste runs on the car. I'll start at the Indy divisional and move on to the Atlanta National and Chicago from there. Super Street is limited so much on the amount of Nationals you can hit, so I will run at least seven divisional events, unless I end up having a shot of winning division, then I'll hit more near the end of the season."

While Carter's wife and daughters do travel with him to a couple of his events each season, one thing Carter never leaves home without is the assistance and protection of K&N products.

A lifetime user of K&N's vast variety of filters, Carter utilizes a K&N filter in just about everything with an engine he owns, right down to his garden tractor. "I've been using K&N Air Filters ever since I can remember and started using the oil filters over seven years ago. I use them on my tow vehicle, my everyday vehicles, of course my Camaro and even my lawn mower," Carter pauses. "I even found a K&N filter that fit my John Deere."

With Carter's engineering background, he may look at some things in just a slightly different light than others.

"Besides protecting my Camaro's engine from debris and rocks, I almost feel as if it's more consistent by running the K&N Air Filter, maybe that's just my background and all the data I have analyzed."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.