Traditional builds aren’t for everyone and it’s always cool to see someone create a rad ride using a unique vehicle. Lex Barbone could have built a Mustang or Camaro, but instead, she used a 1995 Geo Tracker as her high-performance canvas.
Barbone’s first taste of racing started at local dirt tracks where she watched her uncle race. Racing continued to be a part of Barbone’s life after she met her husband, Vinnie.
“My husband wanted me to try racing at the track and I fell in love with it. I enjoy the adrenaline rush it provides and both of our families are still into racing, too. There’s just something about going to the track and racing that’s a lot of fun for me,” Lex says.
So why exactly did Barbone decide to build a Geo Tracker, of all things? The answer is simple: she just wanted to build something that was different than anything else at the track. Barbone found her Tracker on a Geo Tracker message board in Florida. The Tracker was purchased in 2015 and the build began.
You’re not going to find many off-the-shelf performance parts for a Geo Tracker. Chassis Fab Performance built the 8.50 roll cage and custom front suspension that uses shocks from QA1. In the rear, you’ll find a full Fox body Mustang suspension working with a 9-inch rearend that uses parts from Strange Engineering. The tracker rolls on a full set of Race Star Industry wheels and Mickey Thompson tires.
The engine really grabs your attention when you first look at Barbone’s tracker. The 355 cubic inch small-block Chevy is filled with parts from Speed Pro, Moroso, and Comp Cams. A set of aluminum Edelbrock heads support the roots blower that sits on top of the engine. A Rossler-built TH350 transmission and Perfect Converter Company torque converter are bolted to the supercharged small-block. The Tracker has run a best of 8.92 at 158 when it was using nitrous as a power-adder, and 10.58 with the new supercharged engine.
“The best thing about the Tracker is the fact that kids just love it. It’s awesome to see the smiles it puts on kid’s faces. People are surprised when I tell them how smoothly the Tracker drives at the track and on the street. We built it to be a driver and plan on going to more drag-and-drive events, along with a few index races in the future,” Lex says.
Traditional hot rodding doesn’t have a template…it’s based on the idea that you build something you want. Lex Barbone followed that idea to the letter when she hatched the…
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