This week’s Drag Race video features a 4th generation Pontiac Firebird packing an LS1 V8 racing against a late model Dodge Ram 2500. While you would think right away that an LS1 Firebird would thrash a heavy duty Dodge truck, this diesel powered Ram pickup definitely appears to have a little work done.
There are no mod lists for either vehicle, but based on how quickly the Ram rips away from the line – I would say that there are at least a few bucks invested in making more power.
Thanks to the monstrous low end torque (and maybe four wheel drive) of the Ram 2500, it gets out to a quick lead against the LS1 Firebird, but as the two vehicles race down the track, the Pontiac slowly reels in the Ram before passing the big truck between the 660 and 1000 foot mark. In the end, the Firebird beats the pickup by nearly a second – even though the LS1 car gave the diesel Ram a big head start.
As for those slowish ETs, keep in mind that this is at Bandimere Speedway, where the elevation is over 5,300 feet, so the quarter mile times of vehicles racing there are quite a bit slower than they would be at sea level.
"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.
