Weapon of Choice – A Pair of Single-Digit GM Rides to Tackle Drag-and-Drive Competition
With the increasing number of cars and trucks able to produce single-digit time slips on a drag-and-drive event, it’s cool to see the variety between brands and both classic and late-model vehicles.
For Steve Willingham, his drag-and-drive experience started with a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and it’s snowballed from a factory supercharged ride to having a pair of turbocharged single-digit cars.
“This was my first real American car, as I was an import guy up until then,” Steve said about acquiring Camaro. Buying the Chevy new off the showroom floor packing 650 factory-rated horsepower, Steve added a bit more performance before attending his first drag-and-drive event, Hot Rod Drag Week, in 2019.
The first-timer not only completed the event, but averaged 10.07 in the 10.00-limited Street Machine Eliminator class, earning the second-best average in the class.
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But as we’ve seen several times before, ten-second slips weren’t enough. “It started out as a basic bolt on car,” said Steve. “It snowballed into a built engine, upgrade clutches in the transmission, and we removed the factory supercharger for twin 72-millimeter Xona rotor turbochargers.”
The built engine was stuffed Oliver connecting rods, Wiseco pistons, and a Cam Motion turbo camshaft to handle the boost, and less than two years later, Steve picked up the 9.0-index class win at Rocky Mountain Race Week 1.0 in June of 2022.
While the Camaro was getting upgrades in power, Steve was plotting his second entry for drag-and-drive competition. “During the 2021 season I decided to do a purpose-built drag-and-drive car,” said Steve.
After some searching, he located a 1986 Buick Grand National that already had a roll cage and 9-inch rear end. “It was exactly what I was looking for,” Steve admitted. “Over the course of 8 months, I built the engine, turbo kit and wired the car from headlight to taillight.”
Keeping in the tradition of turbocharged power for the Grand National, Steve decided to up the cylinder count from six to eight with an iron block LS base, but using a 4.8-liter crankshaft. “It’s a pretty weird combo, but wanted to try something” Steve said.
The short block got a BTR turbo camshaft inserted, and is complemented by a pair of LS9 cylinder heads, and a rapid3d 3d-printed intake manifold. Cast exhaust manifolds feed the hot air to a Forced Inductions 102-millimeter turbo.
An Accurate Transmissions-built Turbo 400 3-speed automatic transmission and a Gear Vendors Overdrive passes the power to the Ford 9-inch rear end. The Grand National is controlled from headlight to taillight by a Haltech Nexus r5.
Noting the Buick was constructed to compete in the 8.50-index limited classes, Steve continued to compete in several drag-and-drive events with the Camaro through the 2022 season. “So far, I’ve done Hot Rod Drag Week 2019 and 2021, Rocky Mountain Race Week 1.0 in 2020, 2021 and 2022, as well as Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0 in 2021 and 2022, and Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2022,” said Steve.
The Buick got its debut at Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2023, clocking a best of 8.61 and completing the week despite some problems towards the end.
He also competed in Rocky Mountain Race Week 1.0 just a few months ago, finishing third in the Limited Street class. Completing Rocky Mountain Race Week 1.0 in the Grand National brings Steve to ten drag-and-drive events he’s participated in since 2019, and he’s completed them all.
“Drag-and-drive events to me are the pinnacle of testing your hot rod,” said Steve. “Having a race car that you trailer to and from the track is cool and it has its place, but if you have a real street car, these events are how you truly enjoy the car.
The biggest challenges to me are over heating in the summer months, and track conditions. We are all used to our home track surface. When we travel, every track is different, and they can be tricky at times.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of 1320 Video, KWS Images, Chris Story and Steve Willingham.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com