LS Fest East 2020 Lights the Fire of Hope for All
Through the pandemic and unexpected rain, Holley’s LS Fest East eased the chaos with thousands of LS horsepower!
LS and LT fans have been waiting since last September for this. Though hope was there for LS Fest West to rumble into Las Vegas around mid-June, it became another casualty in the ongoing dumpster fire of 2020. No one was sure if there would be a celebration of the LS V8 this year.
Then, the light of hope re-lit like never before. With the proper precautions in place, LS Fest East 2020 would go on as planned for September 11 through 13 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Thus, thousands of fans could welcome the thousands of horses from every LS and LT V8 ever made.
On a Long Enough Timeline, Everything Gets an LS
Whether at the show-n-shine or along the midway, Beech Bend Park offered plenty of interesting LS swaps to explore, like this Nissan Skyline. Versatility, durability, a healthy aftermarket, and ingenuity guarantee interesting swaps like this for years to come.
The Vendors Pump Up the Volume
Not to be outdone, a few vendors brought their own creations to the LS Fest midway, like this Holden Commodore Ute from XClutch. The Pontiac G8 nose is due to the discontinuation of the brand in 2009, according to the company. With a surplus of noses on hand, GM shipped them off to Australia.
Other vendors simply invited well-known names to display their rides. Holley welcomed YouTuber John “WatchJRGo” Ross and his ’68 Camaro Friday afternoon, attracting many fans to the big red trailer. We think a few dollars and parts exchanged hands as a result of the star power.
Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire, Gimme That Which I Desire Ooooh!
The main attraction at LS Fest, though, was on the dragway near the amusement park rides. Trucks, Corvettes, Camaros, even an usual LS build here and there, all flexed their might upon the quarter-mile. Some did it to see what their LS could do, others for the cash, prizes and bragging rights.
On the other side of the timing tower, the oval track was just as alive. There, the socially distanced crowd gathered to watch many an LS-powered machine sling itself through the cones on the autocross, then barely brush the wall during the drift challenge. Saturday night even featured a burnout contest, helped quite a lot by the wet pavement left behind by Mother Nature.
And speaking of…
Have You Ever Seen the Rain?
The first half of LS Fest featured plenty of sun, heat and humidity. Come Saturday afternoon, though, a series of storms drenched the V8 festival, wiping out drag racing for the rest of the weekend. Events on the oval track, like autocross and drifting, continued through the downpours, making for impressive displays of rooster tails and the like.
An Escape From Madness
Despite the rain, though, spirits were high. After many shows and happenings fell to 2020’s chainsaw, LS Fest East XI was the cure for the blues. May 2021 be a better year for us all.
Photos by Cameron Aubernon for LS1Tech
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