Stop in for a cup of coffee

Have a question about running a thermostat in a 440 duster drag car is it better with or without ! Any pro and cons would be appreciated . Thanks in advance .
I would run a full flow 160° stat and check it in a pan of water on the stove with a thermometer to make sure it opens at the proper time. A race car get's ran pretty hard and it should top out at 190° or so at the end of a pass. If you start with a 180-195° you are already close to the boiling point. No need to barf coolant out.