Norwalk Edition
A Trans Am And A GTO Assault The Asphalt At Norwalk
For the previous two months, HPP has brought you the high-speed, tire-shredding action of our Pavement Pounders Shootout at the Ames Performance Pontiac Tri-Power Nationals. This private, HPP-sponsored event allows invited drag racers from across the country to have exclusive use of the NHRA-sanctioned Summit Motorsports Park for the day, test their engine combos, meet and share ideas with fellow racers, and battle for bragging rights, while competing in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
This month, we conclude the Norwalk edition of the Pavement Pounders Shootout by showcasing two '70s-era Pontiacs. Let's get to the action.
Lou Greco of Edinburg, Pennsyl-vania, came ready to push the limit on his pedal-to-the-metal '79 Trans Am. It features a stroked 400 engine, E-heads, a Turbo 400 trans, and 4.10 rear gears.
Jim Flees of Kansasville, Wisconsin, came willing to risk all with his ready-to-rumble '71 GTO. It's equipped with a stroked '71 400 motor, KRE 85cc aluminum D-port heads, a Turbo 400 trans, and 4.10 gears.
Weather Report
The temperature at Summit Motor-sports Park was 70.6 degrees by mid-morning and peaked at 76.1 degrees at our 2:30 p.m. reading. Barometric pressure was 28.63 hg and the dew point was 63.9 degrees. The track is 853 feet above sea level and density altitude was about 2,500 feet, so we will use a factor of 0.9705 for e.t. and 1.0311 for mph to chart the theoretical best performance at sea level. This will be done on the best pass only, based on e.t.
| STRIP TUNING LOG |
| Run/Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Pt. | 60-ft. | 1/8-mile | 1/4-mile |
| 1. 38-deg timing | 2,700 | 6,100 | 1.49 | 6.65/103.54 | 10.48/127.87 |
| 2. Same | 2,700 | 6,200 | 1.47 | 6.67/NA | 10.50/127.61 |
| 3. Same | 2,700 | 6,200 | 1.48 | 6.67/103.59 | 10.48/128.14 |
| BEST PASS CORRECTED | | 10.17/132.12 |
| 4. Same | 2,700 | 6,300 | 1.49 | 6.69/103.50 | 10.51/127.88 |
| Run Notes: 1) Good first pass; 3) Good pass, best time; 4) Not as good. |
Owner Bio: Lou Greco
Lou, a 36-year-old mechanic for the United States Postal Service, has been racing for 18 years. He bought his '79 Trans Am in 1990 when he was still in high school and it's special to him because he built it from the ground up. His most memorable experience in it was when he won Top Street Champion at the Quaker City Raceway in Salem, Ohio, in 2004. Lou also owns a '70 GTO tube-chassis race car, but when he's not racing Pontiacs, you can find him in two bands, one rock and one country; he plays five instruments.