Stick Shift Showdown: Modern & Classic Camaros Rock Atlanta Drag Strip
Grabbing gears and taking home trophies! That’s what stick shift Camaros are up to at the drag strip.
There’s no doubt that quick cars at the strip use automatic transmissions. They’re more consistent, they launch better, and for this discipline, an all around better choice. But, stick shift is arguably more fun. Chris Moore has an F-body Camaro, and he’s running a twin turbo 4.7. Moore is humble about his Camaro, simply stating the basic facts about it. “We’re hoping for a low 8, maybe even a 7.” For a stick shift car, that’s saying quite a lot. Stephen Plemmons is running the classic Camaro. His LS3 powered first-gen has been his toy since his childhood, and evolved in various stages. That evolution justifies his use of a stick shift transmission. “I’ve always had automatics and there’s just something about trying to grab another gear,” Plemmons states.
During their qualifying at Street Car Takeover in Atlanta, the two Camaros were able to race side by side. Leaving quite a bit on the table, the classic and the F-body post a 9.35 at 148 and 8.99 at 136 respectively. Moore ended up bogging from a wheelie. Kyle Loftus of 1320Video states, “the flames, the bangin’ of gears, what a show! That’s why I love stick shift racing.”
During the first race, Plemmons made an error and caused a red-light on his run. Even with the red light, a DSM Eclipse rocketed to a 7.99 at 195 and would have shut down the party anyway. Sadly the classic Camaro would be out for the next round, leaving Moore to the task.
From the right lane, Moore would race a Fox Body Mustang. And by the 1/8-mile marker, it was looking like Moore would lose. However, the top end of the Camaro would show its force. An 8.04 second run at 184 snags the win versus 8.20 at 168 for the Ford.
More, having to line up against the DSM is humble about his chances. “He’s got 15 miles per hour on me in the back half,” he states. More still isn’t sure if he has a high 7 second run in the car, even though the ET’s are very close. As it turns out, he’d have luck on his side. During the run, the Eclipse ran into issues, allowing Moore to sail away to victory. An 8.026 is also Moore’s personal best, adding icing on the cake.
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