WE NEED LS1 CARS TO COME BLOW DOORS!
HOT ROD magazine and COMP Cams are throwing the first-ever Pump Gas Drags in 2004, and we think it's the least limiting, most legit street-car shootout yet. No trailers allowed! The quick version: street-legal cars, 15 gallons of 93 octane, 30-Mile Drive, DOT tires, three rounds, quickest average e.t. wins. There's a good chance that a bunch of carb'd Pro Streeters and turbo Mustangs will show up, but I'm posting here in hopes that we can get some Gen III cars to be there. We are accepting all entries but we will only pick 50 to compete. I want to include some LS1 cars, so please watch for the January HOT ROD and enter!

Complete rules will be posted at hotrod.com in a few weeks, and they will be printed in the January issue of the magazine. So DO NOT TAKE THIS POSTING AS OFFICIAL RULES, but here's the gist of it:

- Race will probably be sometime in May in Memphis
- All years, makes, and models are allowed. No dragsters or flopper bodies, and only '34-and-older may be fenderless.
- No limits on weight or cubic inch or heads or induction
- Must be street legal, registered, insured
- NHRA safety rules apply
- Full interiors required
- Entire event must be run on one set of four DOT-legal tires of your choice
- Here's the catch: All cars must be presented for tech with empty gas tanks. HOT ROD will supply 15 gallons of 93-octane unleaded pump gas. No other fuel source or additives are allowed, and we will tech the fuel after the race.
- All competitors will meet at COMP Cams for tech and will be impounded for the night. In the morning, the cars must follow the COMP Cams lead van at least 30 miles to the track and may not drop behind the chase van for any reason. No trailers are allowed to follow the cars and no trailers or support vehicles will be allowed at the track. All the people and equipment you need must be in the car.
- At the track, there's 30 minutes of cool-down. Each car will make three passes down the track, and at the end of the day, the car with the quickest average e.t. wins.
- There will also be Editor’s Choice awards for Most Legit 11-second car, 10-second car, and so on.
- It's free to enter, but HOT ROD and COMP Cams will select only 50 cars to participate, like an invitational. Entry forms will be in the January HOT ROD, and must be submitted along with photos of the car, the engine, and the interior. Proof of e.t. is also suggested. Entries will be due around the end of the year and cars will be announced around the end of January.
- Every car that passes tech will get a photo in HOT ROD.

Once again, understand that THESE ARE NOT THE OFFICIAL RULES AND THEY ARE NOT COMPLETE. Everything you need to know will be in the January issue of HOT ROD magazine, on sale 12/2/03. But this teaser has enough info for you to start thinking about it. Bring it!

David Freiburger
Editor In Chief
HOT ROD Magazine

 

Sounds like a pretty cool idea to me! I like the part about the "Most Legit" awards as well. That'll give the true street cars something to shoot for.

 

 

Thanks for stopping in David!

Sounds like a really nice event.

 

WOW! Too bad I sold the Formula, because it would have been perfect for this. Sounds like a great event David, and thanks for posting here. I'm sure you will get a ton of interest since our cars are pretty much all "street" cars here.

BTW, thanks for the mention in this month's issue!

Tony

 

Neat format Dave, looks like the Fastest Streetcar shootout of old + DOT and 93 pump gas restrictions.

No weight restriction for sure?

Looks like a big motor + spray + light car would win this.

 

Awesome! I may have some heat for ya by then

Sounds similar to what GMHTP put on at Bristol a few years back. Hey PSJ, who won that one anyway?

Mikey

 

RACE DATES CONFIRMED!!!!!
As of today, COMP Cams has locked in the Pump Gas Drags race dates. We got a weekend after all! It will be at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Tech at Comp Cams: Friday, April 30
Drive to track and race: Saturday, May 1
Rain dates: May 2 and 3

Be there.

DF

 

Crap, all the fun stuff is always back east.

 

WOW I'de like to enter!!!!! So nitrous is allowed?

Where can I find the NHRA rules? I would like to participate but I don't want to add a roll cage just for something like that but it would be a blast to enter!

Josh S.

 

Sound like a pretty cool true street car event. I'd love to take my coupe to it..but I think that is the same weekend as the NMRA's columbus,OH race that I'll be running in their Wild Street class (same sort of true street class).

 

josh, check out nhra.com and they might have answers to some of your questions. I can tell you unless the track's rules are slack, no running in the 11s without a roll bar, as I'm about to find out this week!

Derek

 

Would a 9.50 car, 20 mpg, 346+spray car stand a chance ??? or will it be in 8 second zone.

 

Awesome!... Finally something for real street cars....I imagine this it like the true street that the ford guys do... if so you would be surprised, the majority of the cars that win are not really that fast.... relatively speaking. The really quick street cars usually break or have to abort a run or two.

Thanks for posting in here!

-Jarrod

 

I could always sand bag..... or just run on motor...... i hope to have a turbo set up with a big bumpstick by then but I could still play around.

Josh S.

 

finally something for real street cars. Make the drive atleast 50 miles though and it needs a minimum weight. I ain't taking off my a.c. or my 18's to compete. Run it like you drive it everyday.

 

well if they are only picking 50 cars or so..its going to be some real fast baddude ****.


What do you guys predict will be the ET of the fast 5 cars? Id have to guess mid 9's or so

 

Rules are almost totally wrapped up, and we are likely going to add a closed-hood rule at the track, forcing cars to race in the same trim they were in during the cruise. No changing valvesprings or blower pulleys or anything like that. What do you think?

As far as anticipated e.t., I would suspect we'll see someone in the 8s. However, the winner will probably have an average e.t. in the 9s. And don't forget that we will also reward Editors Picks to the Most Legit 10-second car, 11-second car, and so on. Plus we'll also award the quickest naturally aspirated car.

DF

 

Hmmm....I think we might have to plan a trip from Florida I know my 11 second car won't get close enough, but might be able to coax a few 10 or 9 second cars into going.

Derek

 

waiting patiently for January