Camaro with LT1 Power Destroys Three Records in One Weekend
Tick Performance made history with their incredibly-fast 1997 Chevrolet Camaro SS.
At this point, it’s common knowledge that the LT1 is a legendary engine. It really seems like the sky’s the limit. We’ve previously covered some pretty insane LT1 swaps before, like this Frankenstein Toyota Supra. However, it’s always nice to see when the powerplant stays in the family.
What’s especially enjoyable is seeing a 1997 Camaro absolutely demolish records. As recently covered by 1320Video on YouTube, the car wasted little time making history. The incredible laps occurred at FL2K 2019 at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton Park, Florida. The LT1 and T-56 equipped Camaro is truly a sight to behold.
Camaro Origin Story
As explained on their website, Tick Performance acquired the record-breaking Camaro from one of their customers. His name? Randy Grubbs. That explains why they named their Camaro The Grubb Worm. Although if we were to associate the Chevy with an animal, a cheetah would probably work best, given everything it accomplished at the track. The team deserves credit for such a creative name, but also for all the work they put into the Camaro. Their LT1 build is based on a stock block from a mid-90s Caprice, complete with factory-style heads and an LT4 intake straight from the factory.
Extremely Promising Start
All that work led to a memorable weekend for the team. Their first run started off with a bang, with The Grubb Worm running a 7.73 second quarter mile. That satisfied Jonathan Atkins of Tick Performance, who owns and drives the Chevy. “That was a pretty good goal, you know, that we just met as far as the record for the T-56 GM deal,” says Atkins. Plenty of automakers equipped the Borg-Warner six speed on their high performance vehicles throughout the 90s and 2000s. They probably didn’t anticipate Atkins and his team taking a stock unit so far. Apparently, Atkins and Tick Performance beat a record that had been set with a GM T-56 equipped Camaro some twenty years ago.
Miracle Rock
After the initial record-breaking run, The Grubb Worm stumbled a bit. In a run against what looks like an imported early 90s Nissan Silvia, the Camaro ran the quarter mile in 7.93 seconds. The clutch apparently exhibited some abnormal slipping. Later on at night, 1320Video managed to find Atkins father, who is also part of Tick Performance. That’s where he explained the clutch situation. What he doesn’t detail is how they tackled the slipping clutch.
That commentary is provided by either a member of the drag racing paparazzi or a hardcore fan, who interjects with an eye raising description of the team’s solution. “We got a video of this crazy guy resurfacing the clutch with a rock in the pits!” says the gentleman. Shortly after that exclamation, The Grubb Worm runs a 7.61 lap time. Atkins father lays it out pretty plainly while a cell phone video shows him doing what the man claimed earlier. “Well, we scratched on it with a rock. I don’t know if it done any good or not,” says papa Atkins. It seems the results would suggest otherwise.
Fantastic Finish
The next day sees the team race against what might be the same Nissan Silvia as the day before. The Nissan cannot compete with The Grubb Worm though, as it beat its own record by posting a 7.59 lap time. Unfortunately, Tick Performance meets their match at the next race. A late 90s Mitsubishi Eclipse called the Red Demon gets a 7.27 lap time. The consolation prize for the team behind The Grubb Worm? A 7.54 run. Not too shabby at all. There’s no official record for what Tick Performance accomplished, but as it stands currently, they most likely hold the record for fastest LT1-powered vehicle, fastest T-56, and fastest rear wheel drive H-pattern manual of any make or model in America. We salute the team for their incredible, history-making run. Tick Performance specializes in late model GM aftermarket parts. If their success at the drag strip is anything to go by, their parts are most likely worth every penny.