| Suspension Front |
| Springs | Stock |
| Control Arms | Stock |
| Stabilizer Bar | None |
| Shocks | Competition Engineering 90/10 |
| Other Features | None |
| Suspension Rear |
| Springs | Stock leaves |
| Shocks | Monroe 50/50 |
| Stabilizer Bar | None |
| Other Features | Homemade traction bars |
| Chassis Mods | CE subframe connectors |
| The Rest |
| Interior Mods | eight-point rollbar, racing seat,Auto Meter gauges and tach |
| Exterior Mods | None |
| Safety Mods | SFI-approved drivetrain parts, 5-point harness,8-point rollbar |
| Color | Royal Blue Pearl |
| Launch Technique | Transbrake at 3,200 |
| Best 1/8-mile E.T./MPH prior to event | 6.40/106.00 |
| Best 1/4-mile E.T./MPH prior to event | 10.10/128.00 |
Conclusion
Both of these racers came to the event with similar combos: YC-code 455s, cast-iron heads, and Turbo 400 trannies. Though Roy's combination is more aggressive, the big difference between them was weight. Randy's Catalina tipped the scales at 4,000 pounds with him behind the wheel and Roy's T/A came in at 3,210 pounds. That's a 790-pound difference and, in theory, gave Roy nearly an 0.8-second advantage. There are times, however, when more weight and less power are benefits to consistency. Randy experienced no tire spin during the day, yet Roy's T/A could not get around it.
Randy showed us that full-size Pontiacs are a lot of fun to run at the track, and with a traditional 455 buildup, can produce e.t.'s in the high-11s. There was something nostalgic in watching him propel his Cat down the 1,320 effortlessly, pass after pass. Of the event, he said he liked "everything" and felt it was "very well done." He described the track conditions as "pretty good" and his that his Catalina "hooked very well."
Roy showed us that a lightened Trans Am can easily run in the mid-10s with a 455/cast-iron head combo, but its capabilities come with a caveat-power not transferred to the pavement effectively can hurt your times, not improve them. Roy felt his traction problems were the result of the track's condition and that his Trans Am was capable of a 10.10 e.t. under better conditions. Of the event, Roy said, "I liked it a lot. There were many nice people."
The two drivers and their Pontiacs featured in this Shootout demonstrated the effects of power vs. weight and how both factors affect quarter-mile e.t.'s. Whether you're planning on racing a classic full-size Pontiac at the track or you're going to stuff your F-body with as much grunt as it can handle, we're sure the combos discussed in this article can give you plenty of ideas for your next project.
HPP would like to thank the management and crew at Virginia Motorsports Park for their assistance in making this Shootout possible.