photos by: the author
GM EFI Magazine Visits the 2015 LTX Shootout!
It seems like only yesterday where hoards of GM enthusiasts were battling OptiSpark woes, while lying down the law on the much weaker SN95 Mustangs at every dragstrip (and street) across America. The ’90s and early ’00s were a great time, and indeed helped lay the groundwork for the immense powerhouse that we have today. While many GM aficionados have moved on to LS platforms, among others, there’s still a very dedicated group of gearheads who refuse to give up without a fight and let go.
We caught up with them during the LTX Shootout in Bowling Green, Kentucky this year, at Beech Bend Raceway. Home to theĀ Holley LS Fest, theĀ Buick GS NationalsĀ and other great events, the facility used for the LTX guys was more than suited for the job at hand.
For those of you out of the loop, the LTX Shootout kicked off back in 2008, in an effort to bring together those who still cherish the ’90s LT1 and LT4 found in the ’93-97 F-bodies, ’94-96 B-bodies and ’92-96 Corvettes. As time has marched on, these one-time mainstream performance machines have now found themselves in a tiny niche surrounded by Modular Mustangs and LS-powered, well, everything.Ā It’s a two-day event that features a car show on Friday, with a drag-only event and awards ceremony on Saturday.
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- Tony Shepherd would ultimately earn top honors in his class, pulling the win with a 8.45 at 161mph in his Camaro.
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- Carlos Saberbein’s Firebird wouldn’t go down without a fight, though, laying claim to a 8.71 at 157mph.
The crowd, though small, was rather effective in laying down the power, and there was no shortage of LT-swapped vehicles on hand, including a ’79 Monte Carlo, Malibu and a pair of third-gens from Certified Performance, among others – including a Buick Grand National and a Fox-Body Mustang! Also, were several 8-, 9- and 10-second powered machines, including Tony Shepherd and Carlos Saberbein, who were among the quickest two LT-based racers on the property.
However, the fastest pass of the day would ultimately go to Tyree Smith with an 8.68 at 165 mph! Who says that you can’t make these GEN-II LTx motors run? See you next year!
2015 LTX Shootout Results
- BP Automotive Outlaw- Tony Shepherd 8.45 at 161 mph – R/U Carlos Saberbein 8.71 at 157 mph
- BP Automotive Mod PA- Tyree Smith 9.00 at 162 mph – R/U Kyle Dawson 10.09 at 130 mph
- BDB Racing Mod NA- Jeff Stark 11.13 at 120 mph – R/U Kyle Dawson 10.77 at 123 mph
- Edge Racing Converters Extreme Street PA- Brad Francis 11.01 at 121 mph – R/U Kyle Hash 11.11 at 125 mph
- Elliott’s Port Works Extreme Street NA- Jeff Stark 11.24 at 120 mph – R/U David Black 11.84 at 114 mph
- Cahall Performance Transmissions Street Stock – Josh McCalister 12.92 at 103 mph – R/U Jason O’Connell 13.43 at 100 mph
- American Powerhouse Bracket – Josh McCalister 13.02 at 101 mph – R/U Ben Foust 13.12 at 108 mph
- Certified Performance True Street – Bill Hillock 14.06 at Ā 98 mph – R/U Josh McCalister 12.83 at 103 mph
- King of True Street – David Black 10.61 at 127 mph
- Fastest pass of the day was Tyree Smith – 8.28 at 165 mph(!)
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of GMEFI Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isnāt tuning, testing, or competing with the brandās current crop of project vehicles, heās busy tinkering and planning the next modifications for his own cars.
