The waters of the Pro 5.0 world have been pretty muddy lately. When "you know who's" car showed up at Bradenton, the mud started flying. Tempers flared and voices were raised, and even here at 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords central, we were skeptical as to where Pro 5.0 was heading as a class. Would "you know who" dominate? Would some quit or take their racing elsewhere? Would some just buck-up and spend the money necessary to build a competitive car? The answer to all three questions is a resounding, "Yes!"
Whatever race Les Baer has shown up at he has pretty much dominated, sometimes winning by more than 2 to 3 tenths (that's a wide margin in Pro 5.0). The Scranton's have been a no-show since Bradenton and are rumored to be heading for an NMCA race near you. However, probably the biggest fear in Pro 5.0 racing was that no one would try to build a car to beat Baer. We should have known better. Especially at the World Ford Challenge, where we saw a handful of new cars with Baer square in their sights.
One of those cars is the newly built ride of George "The Shark" Greco Jr. Synonymous with Pro 5.0 racing, the Greco family has a storied past in the fastest Mustang ranks, and they want to add to that history with their newest multi-hued ride.
George's '98 Cobra sports a 342ci A4 block stuffed with a Scat crank, Oliver rods, and JE pistons featuring Sealed Power rings. Regulating intake and exhaust flow are a set of Mike Pettit-ported TFS high-port heads featuring Ferrea valves, Crane springs, and Jesel rockers. Actuating the valvetrain is a custom-grind Crane cam "just like everyone else's," as George says. Induction components are standard Pro 5.0 fare. Formerly a Paxton poster boy, George now runs a Vortech XX-trim combined with an Igloo sitting atop a Hogan sheetmetal intake. MSD 96-pound injectors and Weldon fuel rails do their best to keep the beast fed. Ignition duties are handled by an MSD 7AL with a 9,500-rpm chip (Are you kidding me!?). Kooks custom step headers provide an escape for spent fumes while a Be Cool radiator works in conjunction with a Perma-cool fan and CSI electric water pump to keep things cool.
Taking the abuse of all this horsepower is a Fred Brown-built-Glide with a Pro Torque converter. An aluminum driveshaft from Denny's Driveshaft is connected to a Strange spool featuring 4.86 gears. A C&F Chassis four-link works its magic in conjunction with Goodyear slicks to provide George with much needed traction. Granatelli Motorsports is responsible for the front suspension work, and Aerospace Components four-wheel discs bring everything to a halt with help from the 'chute at the top end, hopefully with the competition lagging behind.
Getting back to the wild paint, the familiar Greco-style paint gimmick was applied by Mike Zimmerman from Barnich's Truck and Equipment. The House of Kolors pink, red, and purple shades grab your attention and don't let go, which is just how we like it around here.
The best time to date for George's new Cobra is an 8.0 at 176 mph. That puts him right in the thick of things in Pro 5.0. The Pro 5.0 ranks are under a shark-attack warning.
If you can't swim fast, stay out of the water.