Watch this big block 3rd gen Chevrolet Camaro win a no prep race against a Ford Mustang.
This video comes to us from the YouTube channel of aba and it features a third-gen Camaro participating in the back-half class at a no-prep racing event. For those unfamiliar with no-prep racing, this means that they are running on a track which has not been well-coated in traction liquid. The idea is that this is more similar to street racing. Fortunately, this Camaro is in the back-half class, meaning that it has a custom rear chassis setup to accept massive rear tires and race-ready suspension – making traction slightly better on the slick track.
Beyond the fact that this 3rd gen Camaro is a back-half car, the details are limited, but we do know that this Chevy muscle car has a massive, naturally aspirated big block V8 that makes it crazy quick.
The video begins by showing the big block Camaro going head-to-head with another third-gen Camaro. After both cars leave the line side by side, the blue Camaro in the far lane begins to drop back as the red Camaro races away. As the cars head down track, the blue car sounds as though it is having transmission issues, but it is clear sailing for the Chevy in the near lane. The video cuts away before anything comes up on the big board, so we don’t know what kind of ETs the Camaro ran, but with this being a no prep event, they might not have been given their times, as these races come down to who crosses the finish line first.
In the second race, the big block Chevy takes on an early Fox Body Mustang. We don’t have any details on the Ford, but it sounds as though it is running some form of forced induction. After both cars stage, the green lights drop and the race begins with the Camaro jumping out to a small lead. Around half-track, the Camaro appears to have some traction issues, allowing the Mustang to catch up, but the Chevy driver pedals the car, gets it straight and wins the race.
"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.
