Dan's '98 Trans Am was the lone Fourth-Gen F-car in this shootout, and it did a respectable job of representing the breed. The 35-year-old Buellton, California, resident has racing in his genes, as his father was an oval track racer back East, and Dan's been drag racing for nine years. "My favorite moment with this car was winning the Trophy Bracket Class at Pontiac Drag Days in 2004," Lazzaro says. "I won the last race and the championship going away." Dan has been a fan of the Fourth-Gen Firebirds since they were introduced and has owned a '94 V-6 Firebird, a '94 Trans Am and currently owns a '99 30th Anniversary Trans Am in addition to his shootout T/A.
| Strip Specs |
| Year/Model | '98 Trans Am |
| Race Weight | 3,472 lbs |
| Curb Weight | 3,335 lbs |
| Engine | Original '98 LS1 |
| Cubic Inches Before/After Bore | 346/346 |
| Compression Ratio | 10.2:1 |
| Built By | GM |
| Fuel | Unocal 91-octane |
| Fuel Injection | Factory GM |
| Injectors | 28 lb/hr |
| MAF | 75mm |
| Throttle Body | 75mm, ported |
| Intake Manifold | SLP LS6 intake |
| Fuel Pump | Factory GM, Directflo airbox |
| Head Year | '98 LS1 |
| Head Porting | No |
| Valves | Factory GM 2.00/1.55 in |
| Pistons/Rings | Stock GM Hypereutectic 3.9-in bore/factory GM |
| Rods | Stock forged powdered metal |
| Crankshaft | Stock nodular iron, 3.62 stroke |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced | Factory-balanced |
| Camshaft Brand | LS6 hyd roller, 204/218 deg at 0.050, 0.551/0.547-in lift with 1.7:1 rocker arms, 117.5 deg LSA |
| Installed Position | Straight up |
| Ignition | GM crank trigger ignition, timing controlled by PCM |
| Exhaust | MAC headers, 1.75-in primaries, 21/2-in Y-Pipe, MAC cats, and WS6 muffler with cutout |
| Power Adder | None |
| Converter | Vigilante, 3,800-stall, 9.5-in |
| Transmission | Factory 4L60-E, rebuilt by The Toy Shop, custom shift kit, stock shifter |
| Rear | Factory 7.5-in, 3.42 gears, limited slip |
| Brakes Front/Rear | Stock disc |
| Wheels/Tires Front | 15x4-in Weld/24x4.5x15 Mickey Thompson |
| Wheels/Tires Rear | 16x8-in Trans Am/255/50-16 Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials |
| Tire pressure Front/Rear | 32 psi/16 psi |
| Suspension Front | Stock, front swaybar removed |
| Suspension Rear | Stock except for Global West lower control arms |
| Chassis Modifications | None |
| Interior Modifications | None |
| Exterior Modifications | Painted hood bird with flames, painted in blue pearl metallic |
| Safety Modifications | None |
| Custom Comp Programming | Carolina Auto Masters |
| Launch Technique |
| Bracket Racing | Footbrake - leave at idle |
| Test & Tune | Footbrake - leave at 1,800 |
| Best ET/MPH Prior to Event (1/4-Mile) | 12.21 at 110.25 at Famoso Raceway |
| Strip Tuning Log |
| Run #/Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Point | 60-Foot Time | ET/MPH 1/8-Mile | ET/MPH 1/4-Mile | Corrected 1/4-Mile |
| 1. 17 psi in tires | Idle | 6,100 | 1.75 | 8.14/84.45 | 12.81/105.25 | 12.39/108.79 |
| 2. 16 psi in tires | 1,500 | 6,100 | 1.73 | 8.11/84.39 | 12.79/105.26 | 12.37/108.80 |
| 3. Same | 1,800 | 6,100 | 1.74 | 8.13/84.36 | 12.80/105.06 | 12.38/108.60 |
| 4. Same | 2,000 | 6,100 | 1.74 | 8.15/84.36 | 12.83/104.97 | 12.41/108.50 |
| 5. Same | 1,500 | 6,100 | 1.74 | 8.15/84.25 | 12.84/104.98 | 12.42/108.51 |
| Run Analysis: Run 1) good launch, no tire spin; Run 2) car dead hooked; Run 3) felt like tires spin a little; Run 4) hooked and ran well, but e.t. was off; Run 5) same |