Camaro Street Stock Race Review (Setup Changes, Driving, and Overall Analysis)

Our first race of the Camaro in the 2021 season. We ran the car at Atwood, Tn, US. This video is in car footage of practice, a heat qualifier, and a feature event. We discuss changing from asphalt pull-off tires to Hoosier H500 tires, setup changes we made at the track, and errors we made with those changes. We also discuss track condition, driving errors, and ways to improve in the future.
Please check out this video to see the setup work and scaling in the shop before this race: • How to Scale, Adjust, ...
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[@petek9541]

Love your in-car cam videos. I raced 4 years at Portland Speedway, Street Stock. 2 years on pavement and then they changed to dirt. Then PS closed, sad day. Raced when Greg Biffle was running Late Models there, good times. I bought my cage kit from him, he was building late models then. Anyway, after a nasty wreck in 2004 at St Helens, I finally put my car back together, and I'm racing Street Stock at Rivercity Speedway, St Hellens, Or. And Sunset Speedway, Banks, Oregon, in the American Classics this summer Been fun, only 3 races in with all new rules and Hoosier G60 tires ( we used to run 10 late model slicks) it's been a steep learning curve. Headers allowed now, front bars ahead of the firewall, 4-barrel carbs, aluminum intakes etc. Way more than what the Portland SS rules were back then. My car is now a limited sportsman according to Portland rules. ha.. Anyway, I run a 1977 Camaro and the Monte Carlo's are dominant. What's your take on a leaf spring car vs a coil spring car? Should I raise the left rear shackles and lower the right to get cross weight? A fellow racer mentioned, who has a 78 Camaro, that he runs like 4 inches of stagger in the front and neutral in the back. And he's fast, finished 2nd last time out. Here, most tracks go dry slick by the time the mains start. How do we beat them? Any suggestions and tips are welcome, thanks for the videos. I'm currently installing my dash cam in my race car for this Saturday's race. Should be fun. Good luck, go fast.

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

The biggest thing I have learned inthe last couple years is how a leaf car DOES work just like a coil car but it moves less. Where you expect to see 4 or 5 inches of movement on the LR of a coil car, that will only be 3 inches on a leafer. And thats OK but you have to think about springs and shocks with that in mind. Less movement but still the same motions as it goes around the track. Thats been eye opening for me Pete.

[@petek9541]

@@DIRTRACELIFE Thanks for the info. Most helpful.

[@eddiegardnerjr571]

My dream is about to become reality as I start my first dirt oval season in pure stocks at 37 years old!!!.... Always loved it , always been around it a d finally got ab opportunity at gettin one so I jumped all over it... It was ran as a pro stock but is legal for my local track pure stock... It's a 3rd gen Camaro front clip leaf spring strut car.... Learning lots of little things watching you and will continue to do so... Great videos!!! Very detailed and informative!!

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Man o man Eddie you are in for a ride! Be patient, do lots of research, and I wish you a bit of beginner's luck as well to kick off the adventure. Thanks for watching the channel :)

[@bulldog4914]

I really enjoy what your doing. I don't know everything I'm doing on my car and your videos help

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Thanks Joshua, I appreciate you watching!

[@charleslivengood7483]

This in car camera is going to contribute exponentially to Your racing program. The way that You are sharing info and Your thought process is going to be so valuable to others as well. I very much appreciate your mindset in regards to helping this community that We love. I like the placement of the camera over your left shoulder too. It seems that most put theirs on the right. Keep it coming Brother!!!

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

I was very surprised watching the footage. I agree, having film from the driver perspective is a game changer for identifying bad habits and errors. I really like the idea of capturing my races and then doing analysis of what went right and what went wrong and sharing the thought process that led to either my good choices or bad. I honestly didn't realize how important this part of my channel content creation would be until I was doing it. Planning to do one of these every time at every track ;)

[@artvandelay4719]

I love what you are doing with these videos and think you are doing a great job. Hope they continue indefinitely. Don’t get discouraged and remember you are still in the building stages of your channel. Keep up the good/ informative work.

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Thank you Art, I am seeing now that the process of doing these videos is driving me internally to become better at set-up, building, driving, etc and that is sure getting me excited about the process.

[@jasonlogan3209]

I love the way you did the view. With me only have couple races under my belt, you telling me what to look for really helps me identify what I need to look for. Great video again, keep it up

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Thanks Jason, Our plans are to film like this everytime we run a car and do a review of what happened. I'm glad its hitting the spot for someone new to driving. Thats what we're after. Thanks for watching.

[@jeffalmekinder2251]

You have helped me tremendously! This is our first year racing hobby stocks and your videos have taught us alot. It is great to have someone willing to help, I have watched all your videos and really look forward to watching and learning from future videos. Thank you!

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Those are very kind words, I appreciate you letting me know because thats just what I am trying to do. Thanks for watching, and yes lots more to come. . .we are just getting started!

[@andysloan8958]

Keep up the awesome work. Videos like this help me with figuring out what direction I need to head

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Thanks Andy, I appreciate the feedback.

[@billgagnon4670]

Jason looking good for the first night out .bringing it home with no damage is always a win .thanks for the in car .i was cutting the grass .sat down for a break and ran the heat and the feature with you Oh my I better get back to the yard

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Wow, alot easy for you to fit in some racing than me! Thanks Bill for watching.

[@Stormchex24-7]

I really enjoyed this video it opened my mind and taught me a few things being a new racer I’m totally lost on thank you for putting in the time

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Glad to hear that John, I was exactly where you are at one time so I sure appreciate knowing this helps. My best advice is read everything you can and research all you can on the internet. I learned alot from researching info on modifieds because you get better deep details that do in some parts apply. It will shorten your curve and make a difference.

[@Stormchex24-7]

@@DIRTRACELIFE thank you sir I appreciate the advice my biggest problem is I race factory stock so all stock suspension but like you said find the parts that apply i will keep that in mind and search away in the mean time patiently waiting for more videos 👀

[@nickhoffman5524]

Jason great stuff and thank for the time, effort and information sharing I am building a 77 chevelle chassis street stocker, your videos are invaluable!

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Thank you Nick, I appreciate your watching and words. 77 Chevelle is awesome.

[@nickhoffman5524]

Everyone down here is running metric chassis so I will be a loaner lol

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

It will be two of us loaners when mine gets done. Ill be the only 73-77 chevelle in CRUSASS for probably most any race I go to. All metric

[@raleighsistrunk7123]

Great video.

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Thanks Bud, we had fun that night in the Ole leafer

[@greglangley4518]

Good video. Thanks.

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

I appreciate the feedback Greg, thank you

[@stevehurley5408]

I could see where you where talking about, staying low, that being said makes me think about me being out on the track, and I keep having to brake because I’m all over the car in front of me like you where, when you really starting drive ring different to me, it was like when the purple car passed you on the outside. To me it was like you said hey, I’m needing to move up the track and stop following them. Thanks for the videos and the input.

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Good observation Steve, but I've had it go south on me before as well. More than a few times I have been all over the guy in front of me but the track was truly one groove and when I jumped out of the line to pass the guy behind me moved up into my spot. :( still though I say ya gotta try and that beats just playing follow the leader.

[@stevehurley5408]

@@DIRTRACELIFE I truly aggre, you either have to be satisfied with where you are, or do something different. If you jump out and you go up, it great, if you go back your like, we’ll what did I do that for. But there is always the next time. Thanks for all the info you share with us.

[@stevewilliams8143]

We never never played follow the leader!! Took us a while but we ran the high side and won alot of races in prostock, or street stock, we had all steel body chevelle 3500 lbs, ran in sportsman class and won it with 3500lb car they weighed 3000 lbs lol they stopped us from doing that after 5th place in feature, only thing I changed from 8 in tires to 10 in 2 turns on swaybar, sportsman drivers were pissed they had us on lift 2 times, we were LEGAL STOCK SUSPENSION, NO WEDGE BOLTS ETC..

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Having a good setup and weight balance right is far more important than being at the minimum weight. I appreciate the feedback.

[@JamesDedmon]

Like you said being concerned about bite numbers is troubling, you constantly was binding the car up. So as you said keeping the stagger, and moving up to keep the car free and not bogging down the engine would have helped. Like I made the comment last video our car and class we race in uses a restricted engine, and hard retread tires, so keeping a free car is paramount

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Agreed, I'm thinking along the same path as you.

[@traceyburroughs7469]

I enjoy and have learned from your videos. Thank you so much for making them. Would you be interested in talking to me? I have some questions about geometry.

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Tracey I'm all in for DRL. Find me on FB and PM me and I'll sure try if I can.

[@dolansontag3731]

Did your camero have a fast boy leaf spring setup?

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

I ran the fast boy for three seasons on my camaro (2018, 2019, 2020) but did not run that system in 2021 when I ran this race and the others in the videos (all 2021). I like what fast boy is capable of but it was far to unpredictable and made my car far to hard to handle in traffic. Fast boy is a beast on a slick track letting you bail off in the corner wide open but boy oh boy it will smoke a set of H500's right off the back of the car in 20 laps.

[@djmiller9918]

bigger spring or shock on front right side

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

I do think my camaro would like another 50 lbs in rate on the rf in general.

[@darrennorman8451]

Wasn’t you the leader in last years cotton bowl factory stock at Clayhill and pulled off like the last lap?

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

That was me, dizzy died.... yep, that one hurt my feelings.

[@shanejones518]

I run a sport mod usra. I spin out a lot on one end and push high on the other end. Trying 86 back right 84 back left. 83 FR 81 FL this week. What do u think. O and almost all back break. I have a KZbin channel called three wheels down. See if u can figure out what I am doing wrong on my driving in my video. I definitely enjoy watching what u are put out.

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Shane, I watched your latest video and it sure looks like you have a competitive car to me. I have never built and run a sport mod but if my memory serves me correctly in USRA that's a 3 link with a solid pull bar. There is nothing wrong in general with having the right sides 2 inches taller than the left sides but you need to look at your scale numbers. Are you pushing going into the turn? It could be that you don't have enough left rear bite which will cause you to push on entry. In that scenario you end up running the brakes to full rear to help compensate but ultimately you end up with a car that is skating sideways into the corner with it pushing or spinning out very easily. Just hard to drive in general. Get it on the scales and that will tell you whats going on. One other thing to keep on the radar. . . If the car is truly unpredictable, kinda tight, kinda loose, and also kinda squirrely, then start looking for binds. Start pulling control arms off and looking for movement issues because typically if a car is truly unpredictable it will be a bind/bent issue. Hope this helps at least a little

[@djmiller9918]

I ve raced in ont that how did it

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Thanks for the intel Dj on what you've experienced. Thats the key to moving in the rignt direction.

[@garytuttle3742]

How rpms you turn the crate?

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

We were running our little 2 barrel motor in the Camaro. They have an allowance for a limited 362" or less with a holley 4412 2 barrel. But yeah anything past 6200 with a 602 crate is not doing much.

[@charleslivengood7483]

What track was this?

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Clayhill,LLC it is in Atwood, TN, US. Heres a facebook link facebook.com/100514738258906/posts/296708528639525/

[@djmiller9918]

then do tires

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Yep

[@FastasFox35]

Looked lose in the middle of the corner?

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

Its real easy for a push to make a car look loose because of the effect and what you are doing to compensate. I was staying deep in the throttle many times to keep the car from locking in on the left rear and pushing out. Well that sure looks like I'm tail out loose doing that. Not my best night by far but I'm tryin :)

[@FastasFox35]

@@DIRTRACELIFE Win some Lose some..lol Keep up the awesome videos!

[@aaronsouthern8515]

Personally I think your not running in deep enough

[@DIRTRACELIFE]

I agree Aaron, I turned short several times. Thanks for watching and appreciate the feedback.