A 4th gen Chevrolet Camaro storms down the quarter mile in what appears to be relatively stock form.
This week’s Drag Race Monday features a 4th generation Chevrolet Camaro SS making a quarter mile pass at New England Dragway. We don’t get any details on this car at all, but in watching and listening to the run, it is clear that this Camaro isn’t factory stock. It appears to be a bit too loud and it gets down the track with more urgency than a stock car, so we would guess that it has at least an exhaust system and a good set of tires – but that is purely speculation.
The mod list could be as simple as a set of mufflers, a decent set of tires and a good driver, or this Camaro could have more extensive mods – such as a mild tune, a better clutch or headers.
In any case, what we do know is that this Camaro SS is powered by the LS1 and a manual transmission, evident by the distinct sound of the shifts as the car storms down the track. While a stock LS1 Camaro with a manual transmission is capable of mid-to-low 13-second quarter mile times, this car gets down the track a touch quicker than stock – laying down a time of 13.0 seconds at 110 miles per hour.
While this quarter mile time isn’t as impressive as those of the more heavily modified cars we feature on Drag Race Monday, this car is representative of a lightly worked LS1 Camaro making a pass down the track – so for those owners with a short mod list, this gives you an idea of what your car might be capable of when well driven.
"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.
