We're back in the Lone Star state to continue with our Pavement Pounders Shootout Series, which focuses on late-model Pontiacs and the excitement that they can bring when they crank up their nasty street combinations and prepare to assault the quarter-mile.
Our venue is Lonestar Motorsports Park in Sealy, Texas, situated alongside I-10 outside of Houston. The diversity of the engine combinations offered up is quite impressive, and being located in one of the most competitive LS series markets in the country certainly helps up the ante. Although things aren't always bigger in Texas, the racers' appetite for horsepower and fast cars is well earned.
Eddie Hixson of Houston showed up for the Shootout in his bright red '98 Trans Am WS6. Originally equipped with a 320hp LS1 and six-speed transmission, it's undergone a metamorphosis from a mildly cammed LS1 with a few bolt-ons to a well-sorted-out combination that packs 408 ci of bored-and-stroked fury. High-flow cathedral-port AFR 225 heads and a raucous hydraulic-roller combo provide the power, which is then transmitted back to a Turbo 400 transmission and a built 12-bolt. Will his combination allow him to crack into the 10s or will he forever languish poised on the precipice?
Weather Report
The temperature at Lonestar Motorsports Park during our Shootout ranged from 90.5 degrees to a blistering 100.7 degrees. Barometric pressure was measured at 29.96 hg and the dew point was 70.2 degrees. This track is 185 feet above sea level and density altitude ranged from 2,500-3,172 feet, so we'll use a factor of 0.9640 for e.t. and 1.0381 for mph for 3,000 feet to chart the theoretical best performance at sea level. This will be applied to 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. Slicks: 12.0 psi |
3,000 |
6,400 |
1.60 |
7.09/98.26 |
11.58/91.76 |
| 2. Same |
3,000 |
6,400 |
1.56 |
7.29/95.40 |
11.36/120.97 |
| 3. Same |
3,000 |
6,400 |
1.59 |
7.05/98.51 |
11.04/122.82 |
| Best Pass Corrected |
|
10.64/127.50 |
Run Notes: Front shocks set at 2 clicks from full soft and rear shocks set at 5; 1) Let off too early before crossing finish line; 2) Shifter stuck on 1-2 shift; 3) Clean run.
Owner Bio: Eddie Hixson
Eddie, a 42-year-old mechanical engineer, bought his Trans Am in 2005 because he was attracted to the styling of the WS6 T/A and was impressed by the power of the mildly modified LS1. He has used his four years of racing experience wisely, choosing to make it more satisfying with his first Pontiac. The T/A is special to him because "I was able to use my engineering background to spec out the combination that I wanted, and then do as much work as possible on my own. It has retained its fantastic overall driveability, and in addition to taking it to the track with the family, we also enjoy an occasional outing cruising around town or going to a show." His favorite moments in the Bird come every time that he beats a "race car" with his street car, which runs much faster than people expect.