This week’s Drag Race video takes us to Germany, where we see an LS1 powered 4th generation Pontiac Firebird racing against an LS1 powered 4th gen Chevrolet Camaro.
Nothing is known about either of these two cars outside of the engine (which is fairly obvious), but this presents a good example of American muscle in action overseas.
After what appears to be one of the worst burnouts I have seen by the LS1 Camaro in the near lane, the two cars line up for what should be a fairly solid drag race – with a predictable amount of techno music in the background.
I really have to wonder if the Camaro has some sort of transmission problem – or if the driver is just crappy – as the poor burnout is combined with a fairly odd shift pattern as the Chevy races down the track.
Even with all of that in mind, the Camaro handily outruns the Firebird, which ironically seems to have traction problems on the launch.
I’m really not too sure what is happening in the near lane – whether the Camaro is having mechanical problems or if the driver just struggles with burnouts and shifting – but it’s always good to see some American muscle in action around the world. Join the races in the forum.>>
"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.
