There aren't a lot of hours left in 2023, and – for better or worse – it's time to wave goodbye. Luckily, if you think about what perspired across the realm of quarter-mile dragstrips, we are ending the year on a mostly positive note.
We have seen the all-new S650 Ford Mustang dip into the elevens without major interventions (wheels, tires, a mildly stripped interior, etc.), and we have also witnessed the Tesla Cybertruck take its rightful place at the top of the full-size pickup truck food chain. Those are just two of the many highlights, by the way.
However, if you want some old-school quarter-mile drag racing, look no further than the video feature we have embedded below. It's a compilation from the videographer behind the Wheels channel on YouTube, who is a big fan of Bandimere Speedway and Mission Raceway Park but also loves The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And it's a great one to end the dragstrip year with cool stuff.
The initial skirmish occurs at Mission Raceway Park in Mission, British Columbia, Canada, an NHRA-sanctioned dragstrip known as Thunder by the River. The challengers are an old-school HEMI-toting Mopar coupe (a 'Cuda) and a C7 Chevy Corvette, and this one starts with thunderous bangs, pops, and whistles – plus a 9.41s versus 10.41s result for the heavily modified old-school Mopar!
That's the proper way to start an aggressive quarter-mile dragstrip compilation, right? Next came a couple of GM representatives – a C8 Chevy Corvette Stingray dressed in crimson and black, ready for a skirmish with a beautiful Chevy Camaro rocking blue attire. This time, the modern ride snatched victory, although the times weren't nearly as impressive as the previous ETs.
Thirdly, a black and menacing Chevy SS packing big Hoosier tires around the back was ready to face the challenge of a Plum Crazy Mopar – the mighty Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody. Well, a quick wheelie later, and the Chevy fans were delighted to see the big SS drop a 10.45s ET on top of that modern Mopar's 11.9s result! Next, the roles are reversed, with the modern Mopar taking the win with a great 9.88s result against the old-school ride's 11.17s ET.
After a rematch, it's time to move to Las Vegas Motor Speedway's The Strip and witness a Camaro brawl with a Buick GNX – the soundtrack was absolutely bonkers, but the 12.03s (GNX) versus 12.38s (Camaro) result, not so much! Anyway, back at MRP, a Charger also took to the field and didn't get ashamed despite the slower start. Please pay attention to the 5:47 mark, though, as the blown Chevy Camaro Z/28 looked like it meant business and delivered a 10.58s victory against a fellow old-school ride.
Last but not least, the Ford Motor Company also got a representative at the party – the black Hot Rod felt like it came from another universe through a portal to challenge the widebody Dodge Challenger. Sadly, it underperformed. Oh, but we couldn't sign out without a Tri-Five in the mix, right? Well, 'Reform Skool' came out with a 383ci V8 but sadly didn't stand a chance even against the Challenger Scat Pack…
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News