Brock pointed me to his Facebook page when I asked for a pic of him to kick things off. So, the choices were…
His current profile pic:
An incredibly cute pup blocking who I presume is Brock:
And, the pic he probably wanted me to grab:
If a picture is worth a thousand words, you now know 3,000 words about Brock Yates Jr. and you haven’t even started reading the article yet! You’re welcome.
There is something special about watching someone’s eyes light up when they talk about their car and racing experiences. Unfortunately, I met Brock Yates Jr. over the phone, so that didn’t happen. LOL. But, as soon as I asked about the 1985 Shelby Charger that keeps popping up on Brock’s social feed, there was an immediate change in his tone of voice. Dare I type … he sounded excited!
When the Shelby Charger mentioned above found a place in Brock’s garage, it was not a racecar; it was a street car that would evolve from daily transportation to a competition machine.
The evolution starts … here. “I pulled a lot of weight out of it,” Yates explained. “The crash bars and other unnecessary heavy bits disappeared, bringing the scales down to a relatively svelte 2,400 pounds.” Crafting a well-rounded racecar is rarely just about dropping weight. The Charger received significant performance upgrades, including Wilwood brakes with a carefully tuned front and rear bias to prevent the dreaded rear-wheel lockup that plagued these cars. Boost was upped from the factory 8 lbs. to 15-ish lbs., resulting in significant performance improvements. The car has never been on a dyno, but the horsepower is up from the stock 146 to somewhere over 200.
With the car sufficiently set up for competition, it was time to find some events to see what it could do. The Charger racked up a few class wins in the 1995 and 1997 Silver State Classic Challenge events. In 1995, Yates piloted the Charger to a first-in-class finish and 28th overall; for those unfamiliar with Silver State, picture this: a high-speed time trial on a closed public highway in Nevada. Stripped down, powered up and perfectly balanced, the Charger found its sweet spot in this demanding environment.
The car’s evolution didn’t stop there. While some might have retired such a successful build to preservation status, Yates continued to develop and race the Charger. It became a regular sight at track days and time trials, sporting a cage that, while not quite complete (“It needs a front hoop and door bars,” Yates notes), speaks to the car’s serious competition purpose.
Today, Yates continues to be involved in the automotive world by instructing with Driving Dynamics and One Lap of America – an evolution of the original Cannonball Run. His approach to driving instruction combines old-school wisdom with modern technique, whether he’s coaching experienced drivers or teaching car control to novices. This blend of skills was recently demonstrated when he jumped into a competitor’s car during a wet skidpad challenge at One Lap, immediately switching off the electronics to left-foot brake his way to fifth overall, improving the owner’s previous position by 16 places. In short, Brock can wheel!
When asked about his teaching philosophy, Yates emphasizes fundamentals and feel over reliance on technology. This approach stems from decades of experience with cars like his Shelby Charger, where driver skill and mechanical sympathy were the only “driver aids” available. Whether he’s coaching at high-performance driving events or helping new drivers master car control, his message remains consistent: understand your vehicle’s capabilities and limitations, then work within them to find speed and safety. Words to live by!
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