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Climbing the Ladder – Dirk Stratton and his LS7-Powered #Driftvette

The Block - Dirk Stratton

Holley’s LS Fest (link is external) is an event near and dear to our hearts. We attend every year for a chance to witness drag racing, autocross and drifting, all in one weekend and all cars featuring an LS or LT engine. This is where Dirk Stratton comes into the picture. Two years ago, at the 2015 Holley LS Fest, we saw a grey C6 Corvette ripping through the gears at Beech Bend Raceway with a trail of white smoke behind it and we were blown away. It was refreshing to see a Chevrolet chassis dominating in a motorsport series comprised almost solely of small Japanese cars, so we have been keeping our eyes on the driver, Dirk Stratton, ever since.

As it turns out, he has grown leaps and bounds since we last saw him at LS Fest. That year, in 2015, he won the Midwest Drift Union Championship which earned him a spot in the Formula Drift Pro2 series, only one tier below the big dogs of Pro1. He competed in the ‘16 season of Formula Drift (FD) and came in a very impressive 4th place in the overall series points which earned him the prestigious “Rookie of the Year” title.

Dirk is now positioned to compete in the FD Pro2 series again in 2017, although his “Rookie of the Year” title did earn him a license to compete in Pro1. “You know, I just think my team and I should compete another year in Pro2 in order to refine a few things and continue to grow. We hope to enter the Pro1 series in 2018 as a better team and I’m confident we can dominate,” Dirk told us.

So, within a matter of just a few years, Dirk climbed the ladder from the grassroots level of drifting to a professional level, competing alongside some of the best drifters in the world. We were intrigued to find out how he got here and how he progressed so quickly, so we gave him a call to learn more about his story.

Read Article: https://theblock.com/news/climbing-ladder-dirk-stratton-and-his-ls7-powered-driftvette

ZR-1 of None

Lingenfelter’s “Gen III” LT5 provides a glimpse of what might have been with the original King of the Hill

It’s difficult to overstate the significance of the C4 ZR-1 upon its introduction. In the years leading up to it, rumors swirled and grainy spy phots of a royally dubbed “King of the Hill” high-performance variant captured the imagination of countless enthusiasts. At a time when any new vehicle with more than 250 horsepower was virtually guaranteed the cover of an automotive magazine, this first-ever Corvette supercar promised to be a game changer.

When its extra-wide 315/35ZR17 Goodyear Eagle ZR rear tires finally lit up the pavement in 1990, the ZR-1’s exotic LT5 DOHC V-8 was hailed as a marvel of mechanical achievement, and its 375-horsepower output equaled that of the Ferrari Testarossa’s V-12. The engine was famously developed in a joint venture between Chevrolet and Lotus, and assembled by marine-engine manufacturer MerCruiser.

Chevrolet indeed made a statement that its flagship performer could run with the world’s best. Everyone agreed. Unfortunately, they didn’t exactly acknowledge it with their wallets. Despite an initial stampede for the first few cars off the line, demand for the roughly $30,000 ZR-1 option—applied on top of the $32-$37K tab (depending on model year) for a base C4 coupe—quickly waned.

Lingenfelter Chevrolets Light Up the 2017 Chicago Auto Show

Hot wheels that will make your eyeballs hurt

First up is the 2017 Lingenfelter Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The red beast packs a V-8 engine that delivers a whopping 800 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The coupe also sports the optional Z07 performance package and carbon ceramic brakes.

The second car on display is a 2017 Lingenfelter Supercharged Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. It also has a V-8 that cranks out 800 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque. Lingenfelter’s ZL1 offers a 6-speed manual transmission to help keep things interesting on the street or track and sports a Chevrolet Flowtie, Brembo brakes, magnetic ride control, and slick custom graphics.

Last, but certainly not least, the modern beasts are sharing space with a Lingenfelter-powered C2 Corvette Grand Sport. The classic ‘Vette has a 427-cubic-inch Lingenfelter LS7-based engine under the hood that offers 603 hp at 6500 rpm. Other goodies include Lingenfelter CNC ported LS3 cylinder heads, CNC air cleaner, roller camshaft and valve train components, wet sump oil system, Holly dual quad low-riser intake, throttle bodies, and dominator ECM and wiring harness.

LINGENFELTER SUPER-HOT CARS OUTSHINED THE OTHER DISPLAYED BEASTS AT 2017 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW

Three cars from Lingenfelter Performance Engineering stood out among the supercars at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show. The 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 2017 Chevrolet Camara ZL1, and the Lingenfelter-powered C2 Corvette Grand Sport outshined the other hot cars on display.

When it comes to automotive performance engineering industry, the Lingenfelter Performance Engineering is a recognized brand. The 44-year-old company excels in engine building, engine and chassis tuning components and installation, especially for the majority of GM vehicles.

When the 2017 Chicago Auto Show opened its doors today, three cars from Lingenfelter Performance Engineering captured the hearts of many. Check below why these three cars are deemed to be superior to the other hot cars present in the show.

Seven-Time SCCA Solo II National Champion Danny Popp Talks Corvettes, LS Motors and How to be Successful

If you’re at all familiar with the grassroots autocross and time attack scene, chances are, you’ve heard of Danny Popp. He’s the guy that seems to always be holding giant trophies on Sundays at premier events around the U.S. and drives nothing but blue Corvettes. Well, it was high time we chatted with Mr. Popp to get his thoughts on just why he likes those blue Corvettes so much, why he races and see if there was any wisdom he could impart upon us.

Danny grew up in an essentially Chevrolet-dedicated family. Both his mother and father were NCCC (National Council of Corvette Clubs) and SCCA members. Danny’s father was an engineer at General Electric and had a passion for all things mechanical, which he instilled upon little Danny at an early stage. Danny grew up around a couple Corvettes (‘65 327/350 coupe and ‘72 LT-1 coupe), 70 1/2 Z28 and even a Corvair. On weekends, Danny said he would attend autocrosses with his mother and father where they became a bit of local legends.

Years later, and now Danny is a seven-time SCCA Solo II national champion (amongst many other wins) and is also a full-time certified Corvette specialist/technician at McCluskey Chevrolet in Cincinnati, Ohio. Danny tells us he also night-shadows as the Owner, proprietor and sole employee of RAFT Motorsports, Inc., a consulting firm for several national racers.

Life Going Sideways: Dirk Stratton Born to Drift

There is a tradition in the Stratton family, of Beloit, Ohio, that has been rolling along since at least 1928, and most likely began when the last bolt on the first internal combustion engine was tightened down. The automobile is the steel, glass, power, and glue that binds this family and holds them firmly on the road together.

Beloit, population 978, is a tiny town some 63 miles southeast of Cleveland. It has no great landmarks, no notable historical markers except for the old Norfolk Southern railway that runs through it, and maybe a little history in the making in an up and coming native son—drifter extraordinaire Dirk Stratton.

Driven: Superformance Lingenfelter SEMA Corvette Grand Sport

Many of us gazed longingly at the Superformance Corvette Grand Sport at this year’s SEMA show. Sitting pretty in the Lingenfelter booth, the car makes your imagination run wild. What would it be like to sit in the drivers seat and feel the 550 horsepower monster with 500 lb-ft of torque pushing your body back in the seat? Lucky for us, Hillbank Motorsports in Irvine, CA hooked us with a test drive of this ferocious ‘Vette.

American-owned, South African manufacturer Superformance, known world-wide for their amazing Cobra replicas and Shelby-licensed production of continuation Cobras, seized the opportunity to recreate one of the rarest and most heralded cars in history: the legendary Corvette Grand Sport under license to GM— in concert with chassis maker Duntov Motors, who build the racecar versions.

As Good As New: Lingenfelter’s Superformance Grand Sport Corvette

When ever we’re talking about Corvette performance around the office, one of the first names that springs to our minds is always Lingenfelter, and for good reason. Lingenfelter has been building high-horsepower, mind-boggling Corvettes for well over 40 years now. And you don’t earn the reputation that they have by resting on your laurels—though they easily could. Enter Superformance’s Corvette Grand Sport replica kit, combine it with a little Lingenfelter knowhow and you’re off to the races—literally and figuratively.

WHAT’S THE BEST VEHICLE FOR WINNING THE OUSCI?

WHAT'S THE BEST VEHICLE FOR WINNING THE OUSCI?

Danny Popp has won the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational a record-setting fourth time, with three of those wins coming in his 2003 Chevrolet Corvette. Does that mean the C5 Corvette is the best platform for taking home the coveted title? We’ll take a look into that question, but before we get into various options folks have, we should qualify all of these options by pointing out that all of these examples cited are extremely well-built cars, with very capable drivers behind the wheel. If you are considering any of these vehicles for yourself, you should be realistic about how you will stack up as a driver within in this group. You should also understand that many of these cars have been refined, modified and upgraded for several years, with the specific intent of being more competitive in the OUSCI. With that, let’s start looking at what some of the top cars in the OUSCI have been in recent years.