The 2017 COPO Camaro drag racing package was introduced last week at the 2016 SEMA Show and while there are no real changes from 2016 to 2017 – the introduction of the 2017 COPO means that 69 more people have the chance to buy one of these factory-built 8-second drag cars.
If you are reading this, there is a good chance that you are aware that the modern COPO Camaro drag racing program was introduced for the 2012 model year, with the name being borrowed from the infamous COPO Camaro builds from the late 1960s. In fact, to pay tribute to the 1969 COPO Camaro, each modern COPO Camaro drag car model year is limited to just 69 examples, and 2017 follows in that tradition.
The 2017 COPO Camaro that was introduced at the 2016 SEMA Show was serial #1 for 2017 and in addition to the optional supercharged 350 cubic inch V8, this particular Chevrolet race car was fitted with unique Weld racing wheels and a concept “anodized” version of Hyper Blue Metallic exterior paint. This exact COPO Camaro will be auctioned off in January with the proceeds going to the United Way.
As has been the case with the previous model years of the COPO Camaro drag car, the 2017 COPO package comes with the buyer’s choice of a naturally aspirated 427 cubic inch big block, a naturally aspirated 376 cubic inch LT-based small block, the supercharged 350 small block or all three. Behind every engine is an ATI TH400 automatic transmission and a heavy duty rear axle setup with 40-spline axles.
Finally, in addition to the unique exterior design, the 2017 COPO Camaro includes the following essential items which make it one of the quickest factory-produced muscle cars of all time.
Lightweight, adjustable coil-over strut front suspension
Four-link rear suspension with double-adjustable coil-over shocks, Panhard bar and stabilizer bar
Rear axle with an aluminum center section featuring a lightweight steel spool and 40-spline gun-drilled axle shafts
Everyone who is interested in buying a 2017 COPO Camaro will need to register at Chevrolet.com and an independent third party will randomly select all of the buyers from that pool of registrations.
"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.
