The Mistress

1978 Pontiac Grand Prix

Fondly called “The Mistress”, this 1978 Pontiac Grand Prix has been the number 76 car at Colorado National Speedway since 2013.

History Highlights

2012

In 2012, The Mistress was purchased by Russ Darnell with only a roll cage and her body. Through the course of the next year, Russ put her together so she was ready to roll.

2013

The Mistress made her debut at Colorado National Speedway on April 7, 2013.

2019

Father's Day weekend at Colorado National Speedway typically features a Monster Truck show. Unfortunately, The Mistress decided to provide the audience with a preview by climbing atop another car ending her season.

2023

Through a series of on–track wrecks, her fiberglass nose had been destroyed. This season saw her debut a new color scheme and a hand–crafted metal nose staying with the iconic Pontiac style.

Specifications

The Mistress is considered a “stock” car. She is still mostly as she came off of the assembly line in 1978. She has a stock frame and axles. Her interior was stripped out completely and a roll cage was welded in for safety. The seat is specially designed with a 5-point harness system for safety. After destroying two original fiberglass nose-pieces, Russ hand-crafted the sheet-metal nose that she wears today. The nose piece is the most visible distinction between the Pontiac Grand Prix and the Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

As a General Motors vehicle, The Mistress is able to run a Chevrolet small-block V8 engine with a TH-350 automatic transmission. She runs a two barrel carburetor to comply with division rules although she can run with a Quadrajet carburetor. She currently is running 280 horsepower at the rear axle.

History of the Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles

The Grand Prix coupe was produced from 1962-2002. The 1978 model was the fifth generation design and was smaller and lighter than its predecessor. The base model came with a 3.8L V6 engine with a floor-mounted three-speed manual transmission. These changes were all a result of energy mandates set after the energy crisis of the early 1970s. This body style remained in use until 1987.

More information on the Pontiac Grand Prix can be found at Wikipedia's Pontiac Grand Prix page.