Mustang gets the win, but the Camaro draws all of the cheers from the crowd.
This video comes to us from the National No Prep Racing Association YouTube channel and it features an eighth-mile no-prep battle between a 4th generation Chevrolet Camaro and a Fox Body Ford Mustang. The race is tight and the launch is incredible, with the Chevy heading for the sky when the two left the line.
The Competitors
The details on these two wicked muscle cars are short, but we know that the Chevrolet Camaro is fitted with a monster turbo setup while the Ford Mustang is running a nitrous setup through a big dual four-barrel carburetor setup. Both cars are clearly built for drag racing, with suspension and chassis setups that cater to small-tire, no prep action.
The Racing Action
After a decent burnout by the Mustang and an incredible burnout by the turbocharged Camaro, the two machines ease up to the starting line. The engines scream as the two pre-stage and edge forward to light the bottom bulbs. When all of the lights are lit, the green lights drop and both cars rip away from the line.
The Mustang spins the tires a bit, but the Camaro traction is good enough for it to bring the front end way up into the air, nearly sitting the car on the back bumper. Even though the Chevy comes down hard, the driver stays into the throttle and keeps the hammer down, staying side by side with the Mustang.
The race is tight, but we see that the Mustang gets the win by a narrow margin – with the win light for the left lane popping as the cars blast past half-track.
We get to watch this exciting race from a variety of angles and with some slow motion, letting us watch the awesome wheels-up launch by this Camaro in amazing detail.
"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.
