If you’ve watched our coverage of Street Machine Drag Challenge or any big name drag and drive event in the States, then there’s a chance you’ve been duped into thinking you can’t get away with building anything less than a seven-second monster.

While it’s a bloody impressive feat to do such an event in highly-strung machines like those, it isn’t exactly a holiday. That’s why sometimes, it pays to stick to the rules of KISS: keep it simple, stupid.

Doug Beaton’s FPV F6 Typhoon is just such a car, and one that just successfully finished our 2023 Drag Challenge leviathan. Underneath the skin you won’t find a beefy Turbo 400, nine-inch diff, or lumpy cams.

The F6 ran low nines all week, doing so with a standard ECU, camshafts, block, crank, head, and a beefed-up version of the ZF ‘box. Tony Marakis and the crew from Michael J’s & Son Mechanical built the engine with Nitto rods and CP pistons, as well as setting up the Precision 7675 turbo and plumbing.

Tony came along with Doug for the week of Drag Challenge, and couldn’t speak highly enough of their first crack at the event.

“Anyone thinking of doing it should do it, because it’s an experience and a half,” said Tony on the video below. “It’s long and tiring, but it’s not just about the racing. It’s all the driving, memories and people you meet along the way,” he continued.

Drag Challenge ’23 saw competitors endure a minimum 1690km road route over the five days, starting and finishing at the brand new Dragway at The Bend. Stops at Mildura’s Sunset Strip, Heathcote Park Raceway and South Coast Raceway in Portland saw a full lap through Victoria, with everything from challenging heat to cold and wet conditions thrown at the entrants over the five days.

The F6 did all this without a fuss, even running a pair of PBs during the week. Day Three at Heathcote gifted Doug a 9.27@151mph, and then he backed it up with a 9.18@150mph on the final day at The Bend. Enough to secure fourth spot in the SpeedPro Six Cylinder class.

When it’s not in drag trim, the F6 is known to be used as a frequent weekender, even making the trip to work on the few nicer days of weather Melbourne has to offer. “It drives like a normal car, put some stock wheels on it and it’s a real wolf in sheeps clothing,” said Tony.  “It drives like a normal Falcon, you wouldn’t know it does what it can do when you’re just sitting there on cruise.”

It goes to show you don’t need to throw the kitchen sink at a car to create a sweet drag ‘n’ drive weapon. Give the video by the boys at FullBoost a peep below: