Dick Mayne is nearing 78 years old. He still has a need for speed. A lifelong Gypsum resident, Mayne for the last 30 years has been working on his drag racer, a heavily modified 1971 Chevrolet Vega.

GM’s factory skunkworks turned out this Chevy Vega with a well-engineered all-aluminum small-block engine in 1972. It didn’t make it to production, but it inspired a generation of hot-rodders!

In the mid-20th century, Chevrolet revolutionized the automotive industry by infusing mid-size cars with unprecedented drag-strip power. This bold move helped shape the muscle car era, establishing ...