After a Pair of Drag-and-Drives in 2024, This 2nd-Gen Camaro Steps Up To a Big Block Engine For Quick Times and a Chance at a Title at Edelbrock Sick 66
With a history of running competitive heads-up radial racing, Lamar Swindoll Jr. is used to the pressure that can come with producing repeatable performance and getting to the finish line on time.
After producing mid 8-second elapsed times on both Sick Week and Sick Summer, Lamar decided it was time to turn up the wick for next month’s Edelbrock Sick 66.
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“When I first brought the car out, it had a big block in it,” Lamar said. “I then sold it and put a small block in it for my daughter to start driving the car. But when I did and ran it, it didn’t perform like it should, so back to the big block.”
A pump gas friendly 565 cubic inch big block was in the car for the beginning of the year, and for the Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive event, where Lamar averaged an 8.55 and finished in the top ten in the Super Street class.
The change was made to a small block (with the nitrous in place) to get the car ready for their daughter Madison, and the car went to Sick Summer Presented by Motion Raceworks in this configuration. Although Lamar finished in the top five in the Super Street class, a 9.40 average left him wanting more.
Now, the Camaro sports a 632 cubic inch big block, complete with nitrous, and Lamar has also installed a Gear Vendors Overdrive unit for his next task – competing in Edelbrock Sick 66. “When I was building this car for Sick Week 2023, which was my first drag-and-drive event, I really didn’t look into going crazy fast,” said Lamar. “Now that I’ve been to a couple, I really like it.”
The Camaro sports a SFI 25.5 roll cage, good for 7.50 quarter-mile times, and Lamar thinks the new engine should be good to get close to that mark.
But with Sick 66 on the horizon, Lamar is also preparing for the car to survive the 1300-mile street drive. “I basically completely serviced the car from bumper to bumper,” Lamar said. “It’s going to be tough on a nitrous car because we have to carry so many bottles and race fuel for the whole week so that’s going to make the trailer really heavy.”
This could be the final time we see Lamar wheel the clean second-generation Camaro, as he has a new build in the works, a 1966 Nova that we will cover in the near future. Will the Camaro deliver the times that will get Lamar his best drag-and-drive finish of the year?
Come out and see hundreds of competitors, as well as Sick Ward vehicles, on the ‘one-time-only’ Edelbrock Sick 66 event, October 10th through October 18th, 2024!
It’s the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime road trip, on the ultimate road: Route 66! Eight days, 6 tracks, over 1300 miles, more than 30 checkpoints along ‘American’s Highway!’
Want to join us? Spectator tickets and Sick Ward spots are available for Sick 66! Click here to find out more!
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine and Lamar Swindoll Jr.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com