Despite the 8-second pass, we are calling this Camaro a sleeper.
You’re looking at a fourth-gen Chevrolet Camaro making a hard run down the quarter mile against a classic Chevy Nova. It’s not just any fourth-gen, either. Underneath the stock body, this thing is packing a monster turbo setup. If it didn’t have the chute on the back we would be none the wiser about it’s potential. We’re willing to bet this is a total sleeper on the streets, and that it has hurt a lot of feelings out there.
After a quick, smoky burnout, the Camaro eases up to the line. As the Nova and the Camaro stage, we can hear the boosted F-body climb up onto the 2 step. When the green lights drop, the Camaro rips away from the starting line. Even from behind, we can see that the front wheels are up in the air on launch.
The Camaro shoots to the left a bit as it leaves the line, but as the front wheels come down, the driver is able to right the ship and continue down the track at a stellar pace. The Camaro pulls so far ahead of the classic Chevy that we only see it at the beginning and end of the run. That’s alright, the Nova is only a supporting actor in this video.
With an elapsed time of 8.99 and a trap speed of 151.92 miles per hour, this turbocharged Camaro is the star of this show. Even if it’s stardom is a quiet one, that is fine with us, we dig this ride. Adding to its sleeper credentials is that other cars on track interfere with us even hearing it clearly. Throw us the keys and we could win some of that hustle money at the street races, for sure.
"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.
