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Chevy Camaro With Turbo Hemi Power Is a Big Tire Monster

Tom Bailey's "Sick Seconds" dragster may be the world's quickest Camaro, but it's not the only Chevy that can pull quick sprints. James Finney's turbocharged Camaro is equally monstrous, but it competes in a different class.
"Birdman's" big tire Chevy Camaro dragster 1 photo
Photo: National No Prep Racing Association/YouTube
If you're here for your daily dose of big tire racing, you'll definitely enjoy this one. Known as "Birdman" at the drag strip, James is now racing a turbocharged, Hemi-powered Camaro. The project is still a work in progress based on the unpainted upper rear fenders and C-pillars, but it already shows great potential.

The test run and the race against a mean-looking Oldsmobile Cutlass don't go as planned, but this Camaro is definitely on its way to becoming a five-second 1/8-mile monster. With a good setup, it could even slingshot from start to finish in less than five clicks.

This yet-unfinished Camaro is Birdman's comeback dragster. Finney used to drive a Firebird, but that car is history now following a horrific crash in the summer of 2020. "Birdman" almost quit racing after that but eventually found a way to return with a brand-new car.

"The new car is much better than the old Firebird, but I still love that car... I swear they’re going to have to bury me with it. I’m putting it in my will. We won over $500,000 with the Firebird, but this new Camaro is safer, it has a longer wheelbase, and is a better chassis. I’ve had to make some changes to it, but this car will be faster than the Firebird. I’m going to run No Prep Kings for sure. We’re doing Fastest in America again,” Finney told DragZine back in January.

Granted, the Camaro is not as quick as the old Firebird yet, but we should see notably faster runs as the big tire season moves forward.

Go to the four-minute mark to see the Camaro in action, or check out the entire video for a loud race between an Olds Cutlass and a Pontiac Grand Am. Either way, crank up the volume for ear-piercing V8 rumble.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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