At The Track
John Labuda
John's first pass in his '70 GTO was a 10.604, and his goal was to cut a 10.599 before the day was over. His best pass was his third of five, a 10.600 at 124.52. His tuning adjustments consisted of timing and jet changes. Of his Pontiac's performance, John said, "It hooked on every run and didn't pull, sway or spin. I really thought I would pull a 10.599, but I wasn't able to today." Of the event, John commented, "I enjoyed every minute of it and I was glad I came. Every racer was courteous and helpful and the track officials and High Performance Pontiac treated us well."
Tom Kilroy
Tom made three passes in his '01 Grand Am. The best was his first, an 8.32 at 165.99 mph. His tuning adjustments consisted of changing the jets in his Pro-Stock Grand Am while keeping the timing consistent at 34 degrees. Of his Pontiac's reaction to the track, Tom told us, "It hooked well. The track wasn't bad, probably due to the fact there were no cars with street tires." Of the event, Tom said, "I was treated very nicely, the weather was great, and I'd love to do it again."
Conclusion
The engine combos we've presented in this segment illustrate the capabilities of an iron-block Pontiac engine in a steel-bodied vehicle in comparison to an aftermarket block in a carbon-fiber body, tube-chassis race car.
John Labuda showed us how to put new life into an old Goat by turning the family's 38-year-old daily driver into a weekend racer. With a popular 0.060-over 455 combo, John consistently hits the mid 10s in his GTO. That's something he never dreamed of when he bought his Goat new in 1970.
Tom Kilroy showed us that adherence to NHRA safety rules is imperative when your Pontiac is a blisteringly quick 8-second race car. He came prepared for the event with firesuit, helmet, and NHRA certification to 7.50 e.t.'s. He safely made his passes at trap speeds that consistently exceeded 165 mph, and enjoyed the event without risking his safety, or that of others.
Whether you plan to turn your daily-driver Pontiac into a 10-second performer, or you intend to invest in a Pontiac-power tube-chassis track tamer, the two race cars featured in this Shootout can give you plenty of ideas to complete your project.
HPP would like to thank Chief Pontiac Productions, and the management and crew of Virginia Motorsports Park for their assistance in making this Shootout possible.