Camaro SS takes on race-ready cop car in a Beat the Heat racing event in Texas.
This drag race comes to us from the RandTx YouTube channel and it features an eighth-mile battle between a 5th generation Chevrolet Camaro SS and a Chevrolet Caprice police car from the early 1990s. In most cases, a 5g SS would easily outrun a 90s cop car, but it is clear that neither of these cars are stock – making for a much more interesting race.
The Competitors
Unfortunately, there are no details on either of these vehicles, but we know that this race took place during a Beat the Heat event held by the Texas Muscle Car Club at North Star Dragway in September of 2016. If you are unfamiliar with Beat the Heat events, they are designed to pit “normal” race cars against police cars that have been modified to shine on the drag strip.
As you can see, the Chevy Caprice police car has a big hood scoop feeding what is likely a built engine while big, sticky tires held put the power to the ground. On the other hand, the Chevrolet Camaro SS in the near lane looks relatively stock with the exception of the wheels and tires.
The Race
As soon as the green lights drop, it is clear that this Camaro SS is not stock. The Chevy muscle car rips away from the starting line, quickly putting lengths on the Caprice as it hands the cop car a brutal beating. The Camaro ends up beating the heat by a comfortable margin, running 7.242 at 93 miles per hour while the Caprice turns a 9.00 at 71 miles per hour.
In short, the Caprice isn’t as quick as it looks, but the Camaro is an impressive sleeper, so crank up your speakers and enjoy!
"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.
