When sport compact drag racer Chris Rado joined with tuner extraordinaire Bob Norwood several months ago to announce the establishment of NORAD and the building of a revolutionary ProFWD drag car, everybody in the sport compact drag racing circuit expected the boast missiles to fly. Now with weeks to go before the completion of the NORAD ProFWD Celica, it looks like the only thing that is going to fly is the World Racing/Pepsi-sponsored Celica.

Rado and the World Racing Team brought out their stealth black drag machine to last month’s HIN event in Philadelphia for a surprise sneak preview and followed up with an equally unannounced stop over at the NOPI DC Nationals in Maryland the next day. While the low-key approach has never been a part of Rado’s persona and drag racing programs, Rado and the team are doing exactly that in their rollout of the NORAD Celica.

It’s all a part of the wiser, smarter racer/team owner that Rado has become since campaigning his unibody Integra in the mid to late nineties. After a tough 2002 season spent with a problem-plagued launch of the then DriverFX-sponsored Celica, Rado and team finally figured out the problems and was able to finish a close second in the 2003 NDRA Pro Outlaw FWD Championship and runner-up as well in the NHRA Sport Compact ProFWD Championship. The 2003 Celica eventually ran a quickest ET of 8.17.

This time though, Rado is promising the car will not debut until its ready. In fact, he refused to even estimate what event he would debut the car at. Rumors are that the Celica will debut as early as the upcoming NOPI Race Wars in Bristol (July 10-11). The NORAD team has been working long hours to ensure the car would be ready for the second half of the racing season, and the debut looks to be near. At the time the car was being displayed at HIN, the car was about “97% percent complete” according to Rado.

“Basically, we have to add the fuel cell and all the wiring has to be done,” added Rado.

The low key rollout is also not like the car’s beginnings – the car has been the center of controversy since the first concept sketches were issued – showing a center driving position and 36-inch tall front drag slicks. The NHRA quickly intervened and ruled against such a setup fearing it would take the class too far away from the production cousins the current cars are modeled after (The car will use smaller drag slicks at NHRA events and larger ones at NDRA events). The car still retains its front mounted Ford 9” rear axle that twists the front slicks and in turn is twisted by the transmission via a special V-joint that pops into the interior compartment from the fire wall. Rado though, defends his decision to build the revolutionary/evolutionary car.

“The whole reason we built this car was to take FWD drag racing to the next level. We’re not here to rewrite the rulebooks or pull a fast one over all the other competitors. This car is just an example of what can be done when you think differently.”

When asked about the whole NHRA controversy that caused the adjustment of the design, Rado responded, “I just want to go racing. If the NHRA wants to just conform, that’s fine. I want to support a series that supports taking this sport to the next level. This car should go low to mid 7’s and more than 200 mph, that’s what the fans want to see. Cars that will go fast and do it round after round. Inconsistency is what’s hurting the class right now and we think this setup is the answer.”

The car also features a “true four-link” front suspension and a flat bottom diffuser tray that runs the length of the car. Exotic materials and craftsmanship are found throughout the car – including carbon fiber wheelie bars that weigh “a pound and change” at each main strut. The 3RZ-FE powered car is expected to produce 1,500 hp. With only a 1,650 lbs curb weight (with Rado, and no fluids, wiring, fuel cell), the NORAD Celica is looking like it will really fly.