Big Tire 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Runs Like a Rocket, Smokes Camaro and Mustang

Seeing Chuck 55 line up for the run is just as spectacular as the race itself. Powered by a nitrous-fed V8 displacing more than 900 cubic inches (that's at least 14.7 liters), this Bel Air sounds like no other Tri-Five Chevy. It's incredibly loud, and every inch of its body shakes as the massive V8 burbles under the hood.

As soon as the light goes green and the driver steps on the gas, the engine starts screaming like there's no tomorrow. I'd say that it takes off like a rocket, but it's actually slower off the line compared to the Chevy Camaro in the other lane. But it takes just a split second for Chuck 55 to catch up and take a big lead.

As impressive as that 1968 Camaro is, it didn't really stand a chance, especially since it started losing traction halfway through the race. But you better remember that "Rogue 68" license plate; we'll probably see more of it soon.

Parker dedicated this victory to Sonny Leonard, the man who founded Sonny's Racing Engines, the company that built the massive V8 under Chuck 55's hood. Sonny passed away earlier in 2021, and this was Parker's first no-prep race since then.

For the second race, the big-tire Bel Air lines up against Apollo, a turbocharged Fox-body Ford Mustang. And the story is pretty much the same. Apollo gets its nose in front with a better launch, but Chuck 55 needs just a couple of seconds to catch up and get in front. It charges toward the finish line like there's no tomorrow and takes a clear win.

I said it before, and I'll say it again: this is one of the coolest Bel Air-based dragsters I've seen in a very long time, and probably one of the quickest ever built too. Check it out in the video below and tell me I'm wrong.