If you’re a frequent reader of HPP, you know that our Pavement Pounders Shootouts are usually held prior to, or in conjunction with, national Pontiac events like the Ames Performance Tri-Power Pontiac Nationals held every August in Norwalk, Ohio, and Pontiac Heaven held every April in Wittman, Arizona.
This time around, however, we travelled to NHRA-sanctioned Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida, for one reason only—drag racing. For this sizzling down-South Pontiac Shoot-out, we invited three Florida-based racers who didn’t have the opportunity to attend the aforementioned Shootouts and gave them private use of the world-famous dragstrip for the day.
We started with three ready-to-rock Pontiacs, but two of them bowed out due to mechanical issues. One car remained—an entry-level classic ’70s A-body that has been transformed into a street/strip land rocket. Let’s meet the racer.
Raul Resto of Intercession City, Florida, has been building street and strip Pontiacs for 15 years. His ’72 LeMans features a 455/462 with cast-iron No. 16 heads, a Turbo 400, and 3.42 gears.
The temperature at Gainesville Raceway during our Shootout ranged from 73 to 82 degrees. Barometric pressure was measured at 30.17 hg and the dew point was 72.6 degrees. We’ll give Raul a correction factor based upon the density altitude at the time of his best pass, which was 1,545 feet. The altitude-correction factor is 0.9835 for e.t. and 1.0171 for mph. Correction factors are designed to chart the theoretical best performance at sea level and will be done on the best pass only, based on e.t.
Year/Model: ’72 LeMans
Race Weight With Driver: 3,765 lbs
Curb Weight: 3,550 lbs
Fuel Level When Weighed: Full
Fuel: 93-octane
Engine: ’75, code-YY 455
Cubic Inches Before/After: 455 / 462
Engine Built By: Owner
Induction System
Air Cleaner: K&N 14x4-in with XStream Air Flow top
Carburetor: Mighty Demon 850-cfm
Jets: 80 / 92
Spacer Plate: 1-inch phenolic
Intake Manifold: Edelbrock Performer RPM
Fuel System
Pump: Aeromotive electric, 180-gph
Lines: 1⁄2-in
Regulator: Aeromotive, set to 7.5 psi
Heads
Casting: ’68 No. 16
Head Porting: Mild
Flow Numbers: N/A
Valves: Ferrea stainless steel, 2.11 / 1.77-in
Bottom End
Pistons: Speed Pro, forged aluminum, 4.180-in, dished
Rings: Speed Pro, gapless
Rods: Stock, 6.625-in
Compression Ratio: 9.8:1
Crankshaft: Eagle cast-steel, 4.210-in
Rotating Assembly Balanced: Yes
Camshaft
Brand: Lunati Street Master hydraulic
Duration at 0.050: 245-/255-deg
Duration Advertised: 315-/325-deg
Lift With Specified Rocker Arms: 0.580/0.580-in
Lobe Separation Angle: 110-deg
Installed Position: 106-deg
Rocker Arms: Crane 1.65-ratio, roller
Ignition
Distributor: MSD Pro-Billet
Amplifier: Crane HI-6
Coil: Crane LX92
Wires: DUI 8.0mm
Spark Plugs: E3
Total Timing: 32-deg
Rpm that total timing is reached: 3,000
Exhaust
Headers: Hooker Super Comp
Primaries: 1.75-in
Collectors: 3.00-in
Exhaust Pipes: 3.00-in
Mufflers: Dynomax
Crossover: X-style
Drivetrain
Transmission: Turbo 400
Converter: Continental 10-in, 3,500-rpm stall
Shifter: B&M Megashifter
Rear: BOP 8.5-in
Rear Gear Ratio: 3.42:1
Posi: Factory
Axles: Stock
Chassis and Suspension
Brakes F/R: Stock 11-in disc / 9-in drum
Wheels F/R: Centerline 15x3.5 / American Racing 5x8.5
Tires F/R: M/T Sportsman 26x3.5x15 / M/T E.T. Street 28x10.5x15
Tire Pressure F/R: 45 psi / 15 psi
Suspension Front
Springs: Six-cylinder LeMans wagon
Shocks: Competition Engineering three-wayadjustable, set to 90/10
Control Arms: Stock
Stabilizer Bar: None
Other Features: None
Suspension Rear
Springs: ’71 Vega
Shocks: Competition Engineering 3-way adjustable, set to 80/40
Control Arms: Freak Out Control adjustable upper, Southside Suspension track bars lower
Stabilizer Bar: 0.75-in
Other Features: Air Lift airbags, set to 25 psi
Chassis Mods: None
The Rest
Interior Mods: Auto Meter gauges, Summit Racing seats
Exterior Mods: Fiberglass lift-off hood, and front and rear bumpers
Safety Mods: Eight-point rollbar with dual swing-outs, driveshaft loop, G Force five-point harnesses
Color: ’06 Corvette Victory Red
Launch Technique: Footbrake to 1,200 rpm
Best 1⁄8-mile E.T./MPH Prior to Event: Unknown
Best 1⁄4-mile E.T./MPH Prior to Event: 11.73 / 114