This week’s drag race video features a duel between a couple of high performance GM machines at a National No Prep Racing Association event, with a 4th gen Camaro and a 90’s Silverado going head to head on the slick track. We don’t have details on either vehicle, but it is pretty clear that both of these Chevys are heavily modified – especially when they both leave with their front wheels in the air. Though, if we had to guess, it sounds like the Camaro may have a ‘Glide (listen to the singular shift after the torque converter lets go) and the Silverado may have a TH350 or similar, as it upshifts into third right around the 1/8th mark.
“No prep” racing has become increasingly popular in the last decade or so, as it more closely aligns with conditions people would experience on the street and adds an extra layer of challenge trying to put the power down on an unprepared surface. That’s right, no VHT or other surface prepping material here, let’s hope your rear suspension, tire setup and powertrain can put the power down without blowing the tires off. On the upside, no prep means you’re less likely to grenade a diff or axle since there’s less stick on the initial power delivery. While some of these no prep races have the drivers struggling for traction, this track surface is good enough for the Camaro and the Silverado to both yank the wheels up on the start. Before the two got to the 60 foot box, the Camaro had taken the lead and the driver never looked back – blasting through the 8th mile traps and taking the win.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
