35 mph WOT power loss

Good! that means your bearings aren't dead. But I'd still crank it with the rad cap off - you can get combustion pressure in the coolant passages without getting water in your oil. It's a quick and easy check that's worth doing just to be sure. Alternately you can get a pressure tester that attaches where your rad cap goes - but those cost money that your wife would probably prefer to toward more Santa accessories ;)

You can also tell the wife you did the neighborhood a favor. The coolant will prevent ice from forming on the street :D

Ice forming in Vegas? Lol.

I'll start the car with the cap off after my daughter wakes up from her nap.