HPP was invited by Jim Zeek of Chief Pontiac Productions and Virginia Motorsports Park (VMP) to use its NHRA-sanctioned track in Petersburg, Virginia, the day before the Fifth Annual Pontiacs in the Park event. In Part 1, we will focus on a group of four drivers who run stroked iron-block Pontiac engines with carburetors and automatic transmissions. With track times ranging from the low-8s to high-12s, we hope you can find a combo that'll help you build your next Pontiac race car.
Jim "The Squirrel" Jammel of Pembroke Pines, Florida, arrived with a '92 Trans Am, which consistently pulled timeslips in the low-8s. He also claims it's the fourth fastest naturally aspirated Pontiac-powered Trans Am in the country. It packs a stroked 0.060-over 400 with 467 cubes, a Powerglide trans, and 4.57 gears.
Charlie Cimino of Lauderhill, Florida, came to race with his '65 post-coupe GTO that tamed the track with mid-9 second timeslips. It features a stroked 400/468, a Turbo 400 trans, and a 4.33-geared rear.
Rob Toro travelled from Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey, with his '67 Firebird. Its stroked 400/468 is backed by a Turbo 400, and 4.33 gears that enable it to produce mid-10-second timeslips.
Allen Bristow of Stafford, Virginia, made it to the event with one of Pontiac's earliest fullsize musclecars, a '63 Grand Prix outfitted with a stroked 421 H.O./455, a 700R4 trans, and 4.11 gears. The heavy-weight Poncho produced timeslips in the high 12s.
Weather Report
The temperature at Virginia Motorsports Park rose from the low 60s to 75.2 degrees throughout the day. Barometric pressure was 30.24 and the dew point was 46.4 degrees. The track sits at 183 feet above sea level and density altitude ranged from 995-1,784, so we use a factor of 0.9809 for e.t. and 1.0199 for mph for 1,700 feet to chart the theoretical best performance at sea level. This will be done on the best pass only based on e.t.