McNeal Freeman won the V Stock class at the 2022 Indy Nationals in his 262-cubic-inch V-6 four-door Chevrolet Caprice - opens in new window or tab.. The original velour bench seat is intact and it’s spectacular.
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA - opens in new window or tab.) hosts many sportsman-class races across the country. If you’ve been to one of the events over the past couple decades, you probably saw McNeal Freeman compete in his award-winning stock four-door 1987 Chevrolet Caprice.
After all, Freeman has been drag racing for 55 years. And, at age 75, he’s still going strong.
Winning Trophies
Freeman, a retired electrician from Conyers, Ga., started racing on the streets as a young man. When his uncle stopped drag racing at the track, Freeman, then 20, took over—and never stopped pursuing the checkered flag.
His most recent win was at the 2022 NHRA Indy Nationals. Most drag racers consider the Indy the premiere event of the year. In Freeman’s racing category (V Stock Automatic), 160 drivers attempted to qualify for 128 available spots. Freeman qualified and then took home the top trophy, a “Wally.”
Freeman has raced in various sportsman classes with numerous cars over the past half-century. First, he drove in the Super Gas category, but when his vehicle was sidelined for a few meets in 2006, he borrowed a friend’s car to compete in the V Stock class. Freeman had so much fun racing in that class that he immediately went searching for a new drag car.
An Unmodified Caprice
Soon after, Freeman discovered a four-door 1987 Chevrolet Caprice set up for drag racing. Freeman quickly made a deal. His right foot has stomped on its go pedal ever since.
In the stock eliminator classes, a car class is based on the original factory shipping weight, divided by NHRA-factored horsepower. The sheet metal can’t be modified and it must retain the factory interior. Engines are required to be correct for the make and model, with stock cylinder heads, intake manifold, and fuel system.
Freeman’s Caprice has a 262-cubic-inch V-6 engine and a throttle body fuel system. It’s equipped with a four-speed automatic TH-200 transmission - opens in new window or tab.. The air conditioning system went away to save weight, but the plush cloth upholstered bench seat - opens in new window or tab. is still there.
The Time of His Life
Freeman typically runs close to home in Division 2 NHRA races, but this year he campaigned a car at NHRA National events in Gainesville, Fla.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Pomona, Calif. He let a friend run his car at Gainesville, and they took first place. Unfortunately, Freeman misjudged where the finish line was at Phoenix, lifted off the accelerator too soon, and was eliminated in the first round. At Pomona, he qualified first in his class and went four rounds before elimination.
He plans to race another dozen or so races this year.
Freeman says:
My family knows I love these races, and they support me. They even follow me on Facebook and cheer me on.
Freeman considers himself a gentleman racer but has no official budget for his high-speed pursuits. He uses an RV to tow an enclosed trailer for his Caprice and the essential shop tools - opens in new window or tab..
There’s a taxi sign on his car. Fellow racers got a kick out of it, so he added a light to the rooftop sign for laughs.
He says:
I go until I’m broke and then head home for a while. I am having the best damn time of my life.
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