Within advanced levels of drag racing, we can draw several similarities between these blazing fast vehicles and their military fighter-jet counterparts. Both vehicles produce massive amounts of power using turbines of some sort. They are equally concerned with aerodynamics, special materials, acceleration, and weight. The racers and pilots both enjoy squaring off against foes, hoping to claim yet another victory at the end of the day. Both wear their own version of flight gear, flip several switches in the cockpit, and monitor gauges and lights which feed in from various systems. Both racers and pilots also rely on parachutes to save their hides. Each group hopes that they brought enough ammo that day to complete the challenge.
Race day is all about preparing for the mental challenge ahead. Instead of knowing the terrain from the skies above, racers must know each track on a personal level. Which lane hooks better, and which one rolls downhill at the lights. They must also do their best to keep tabs on their competitors, knowing how much firepower to bring, and if it will be enough. Pit crews and aircraft crews even share similar duties on making sure all systems are go. The ace pilot is just as important as the team driver, because the final outcome of this preparation lies on their shoulders when it is time to fight.
When GM Performance Parts unveiled their new series of LSX engine blocks, with claims of them handling 2,000 horses, this sparked up quite a bit of interest in the racing industry. When GM announced that it was going to create an LSX racing series alongside the NMCA, even more ears turned in their direction. Plenty of builders were just waiting to get their grubby hands onto these blocks and see if they could push the limits of them. Josh Ledford and Steven Fereday, co-founders of Late Model Racecraft (Houston, TX) were far from being new to the LS1 racing scene. Both had built a series of record-setting, fourth-gen F-bodies, with Fereday's previous Camaro also touching the 7-second zone. This GM LSX iron block seemed too good to be true, so they jumped into a build with a customer to fortify the 2001 Camaro that you see here.
Amazingly, this Camaro started as a bare rolling 25.5 chassis and was assembled and running in only one week. It was a sleepless thrash in order to get it completed prior to last year's inaugural 2007 GM LSX Shootout. They got the car finished in time, but the intercooler busted and ended up getting water in the engine. The 2007 shootout didn't happen for them, but two weeks later they got the intercooler patched up and put down a record-setting 7.57 at 189.50 pass, on stock type suspension and true 10.5-inch wide slicks. The bullet in the engine bay consists of a LME-prepped 408ci LSX block, with stout forged internals, and a carb-style intake. ET Performance heads move the air in and out. Ledford fired up the TIG welder and hand-built the custom turbo piping to feed a Precision 106mm turbo. The custom air-to-water intercooler rests where the front passenger seat once existed. This combo puts down a staggering 1,435 horsepower to the rear tires, at 33 pounds of boost. That translates to the 2,000 hp flywheel figure that the LSX block is rated for. After a series of racing events, with several eighth-mile runs logged in the 4.9-second range, the guys at LMR tore the engine down to check bearings and ring wear. The bearings still looked almost brand new, with evenly balanced wear on the surfaces. This is a true testament to the rigidity of this LSX engine block, which has shown no signs of flex on this car. Perhaps GM underrated this engine block's horsepower limit?
Eventually, the original owner of the car lost interest in the project and attending all the races, so the guys at Late Model Racecraft purchased the car and campaigned it at various True 10.5 and outlaw drag radial events in the Southern states. The car did well with Fereday as pilot, and Ledford as lead tech and builder. About a month ago, another customer in the far Middle Eastern region of Qatar made an offer to purchase the Camaro. It now resides on another continent, no doubt laying the smack down on other drag racers in that country.
We "speed freaks" simply cannot get enough of feeling the g-forces that occur during heavy acceleration. Unfortunately, not everyone gets the opportunity to become a fighter jet pilot. But, the dreams of wearing the safety gear and climbing into a brutally fast machine can also be reached by building a racecar instead. When the turbocharger kicks in at full boost, we racers get to enjoy another form of air combat.
That bug-blender poking through...
That bug-blender poking through the nose is a 106mm Precision turbo. It sees 33 pounds of boost, enough to produce approximately 2,000 crank horsepower!
The custom 10-point cage and...
The custom 10-point cage and chassis are NHRA 25.5 spec, which max out at a 7.50 ET limit. This car rides on that limit with ease, even with a porky 3,400-pound race weight.
True 10.5 tires sure do not...
True 10.5 tires sure do not look intimidating by themselves, since most high performance cars actually run wider tires on the street. But the parachute gives you a hint at this car and its 150-plus mph capability.
Here's where the real business...
Here's where the real business gets conducted. The engine in this ultra-clean compartment produces 1,435 dyno-verified horsepower at the rear wheels. Nothing looks unusual or draws attention to itself in here, and the stuff that makes the power is largely hidden.
Weld AlumaStar forged wheels...
Weld AlumaStar forged wheels are not only some of the lightest available on the market, but also some of the best looking too. One-piece billet front wheels and 3-piece rear wheels ride on this Camaro. Mickey Thompson tires are at all four corners.