Year One (also known to GMHTP cognoscenti as Next Generation) love to have a good time just as much as we do, and to prove it they held the first of (hopefully) many annual customer appreciation festivals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol Tennessee. The 2001 Bristol Bash was held last October 19 -21 and had something for everybody including a portable chassis dyno, autocrossing, drag racing (bracket and heads-up), True Street competition, manufacturer's midway and a car show. There was plenty of late-model GM action, but we also had a great time checking out the Ford competition as well as many classic musclecars. If you missed out, you can mark your calendar for 2002. Year One will hold its Second Annual Bristol Bash October 18 - 20. We'll be there. Will you?
Adam Hanley of Conyers, GA, had his hands full when the driveshaft in his 2000 WS6 Trans Am had an argument with a 150-hp shot of nitrous. The driveshaft lost the argument... | 
We were impressed with the presentation of 22-year-old Sean Foster's '91 RS "SS." Foster (Huntington, WV) loves to road race the T-56 conversion third-gen in SCCA Pro Solo II, and told us he would love to upgrade the anemic 305 TBI once funds permit. | 
Elsewhere in True Street, we captured True Street winner Robert Cole (Huntington, WV) heating the meats en route to a True Street victory over the Mustang GT of Mark Bartley. After running 11.80s, Cole's aftercooled S-trim Vortech-blown LT1 dynoed 418 hp to the rear wheels on the portable Dynojet chassis dyno. Bolt-on horsepower rules! |
What late-model GM car show would be complete without at least one pristine Buick GNX? Kinsport, Tennessee resident Paul Carter obliged by bringing out GNX No. 057. Year One obliged by awarding Carter first place in the G-body category. | 
Back on the dragstrip, we found Jerry McCoy's '91 Syclone (Pikeville, KY) competing in True Street. With a best of 9.98/134 under its belt, the 30-over 4.3 V6 packs a Precision Turbo PT72 with 83 lb./hr. injectors and is shifted electronically by a McCoy Motorsports' built Powerglide. A Tony DeQuick CAS air-to-air intercooler chills 25 pounds of boost as two remaining drive wheels claw for traction. | 
The suspension gurus from Addco were making the most of Bristol's challenging autocross course by testing some swaybars with their C5 Corvette. This corner caused many cars to go airborn and was a real kick to master. The course was run by the East Tennessee Region of the SCCA in the parking lot of the NASCAR oval. |
The 1996 Firebird Formula of Chad Cassetty (Bowling Green, KY) also caught our roving eye. Chad's harlequin teal 'bird features a Jon Sams-built 383 LT1 with a 150-hp shot of NOS. ROH Snyper wheels cover Baer 13-inch Track brakes up front and are shod with 275/40-17 Comp TAs. Chad works in Holley's IT department and features lots of Holley goodies including an Annihilator ignition, Commander 950 fuel-injection, and the aforementioned NOS system. | 
Also found in the car show was the 1996 Impala SS of Martin Mogavero (Ellicott City, MD). Martin's Impy features an intercooled turbocharger, Boyd Coddington wheels and Hotchkis suspension components. The Jon Moss-signed SS turned out 385 horsepower on the Dynojet chassis dyno! | 
As you can see, Bristol's facility is expansive and top quality. There was plenty of room for all comers to sprawl out on the ample paved pit area. There's more than enough room for this great event to grow, so come out to Bristol with your GM EFI performer in 2002! |
Like we said, the guys at Year One love this stuff as much as us! Mike King, VP of operations at Year One, flings his '98 Trans Am through the autocross course and lived to tell about it. | | |