Can the ‘Silverback’ Camaro Achieve a Third Class Win in 2023 Before Major Changes?
Over the last five years, Aaron Shaffer has become a regular on the drag-and-drive scene in the 8.50-ET limited classes. The 1998 Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport debuted at Hot Rod Drag Week in 2018, and completed the week with a 9.63 average.
Fast forward two years, and Aaron found success at Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0 in the Limited Street class.
Aaron has added three more class victories since that first win in 2020, picking up his lone victory of 2022 at Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0, his second Limited Street class win.
The 2023 season has found Aaron at the front of the Street Race class at Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, as well as Rocky Mountain Race Week 1.0 this summer for his third overall Limited Street class triumph.
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But his fourth and latest victory did come with a price: “I hurt the engine at 1.0, but finished for the win,” said Aaron. “But a small ‘quick’ head repair turned into two tweaked rods, along with more damage to the cylinder head than previously thought.”
Trash in a fuel injector caused a cylinder to go lean on Wednesday of the event. “I knew it happened right when it happened,” said Aaron. “EGTs told the whole story, and then I confirmed with a spark plug inspection.”
The fixes Aaron thought he needed for the LS-based 427 cubic inch powerplant are now being conducted by Ryan Mueller at Mueller Performance, and Ryan added upgraded Oliver connecting rods, ‘top fuel hoops’ to promote better cylinder head sealing, upgraded exhaust guides, and the necessary cylinder head repairs to the list.
Now Aaron focuses on his final event of 2023, Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0 at the end of the month. Aaron is aiming for a second-straight Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0 Limited Street class victory, and if he gets it, it would mark the first time in drag-and-drive history someone has captured three 8.50-ET limited class wins in the same season.
The engine fixes won’t just be tested with Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0, as Aaron has some changes in the works for the 2024 edition of Sick Week.
“I’ll be getting ready for a new big turbocharger this winter, and then switching to Rowdy Radial,” said Aaron. That means he will be trading his current PTE 88-millimeter Promod turbo for what will likely be a 104-millimeter turbo to tackle the 235-limited tire class.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Aaron Shaffer, Chris Story and Motion Raceworks.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com