Day two of the Holley LS Fest 2016 is in the books! After attending LS Fest last year, we knew that Saturday would be an insanely busy day and it did not disappoint. Everywhere you looked there was the sounds of an LS engine rumbling by.
We started the day at the National Corvette Museum track where there was the second autocross course, road course and track cross. Walking up to the Holley control tower on site, you can see most of the track and course. However we wanted to be close to the action and sat over by the autocross most of the time. This course was very big and fast – allowing for much more speed than at Beech Bend. The course was designed in a horseshoe shape where racers would start on the right side of the timing trailer, go down to the other end then come back while navigation slaloms and chicanes. Towards the end of the morning as racers knew their time was almost up they started to let it hang out and some spun out, making it fun to watch.
In the afternoon we headed back over to Beech Bend where everything was going on. We watched the dyno challenge where people wanted to see exactly how much horsepower their LS engines were pumping out. Drag racing was going well also with qualifying going on all day.
When we got there though the drift course was set up with those guys practicing and qualifying for their final event later that night. We obviously usually stick to the autocross world but there is something really entertaining about the drift world. It’s loud with tons of smoke and even more attitude. These guys are always the rebels in the automotive world where looking cool is half the battle. Their cars are usually extremely beat from sliding all around and into the walls or other cars. But they don’t care – a few more stickers to hold it back together and they are out there roasting the tires all for the fun of it.
After drifting finished up, the QA1/Lateral-G.net sponsored autocross started back up. The action was intense and with the course layout it was fast moving. In a 20-30 minute period you could see every car go through. At one point there was a moment of silence for Todd Rumpke – followed by Danny Popp taking Todd’s beloved C6 dubbed “Snoopy” around the course with Todd’s wife riding in the passenger seat. It was a bittersweet experience that most of us will never forget.
Around 3PM Jimi Day made the announcement that there was rain on the way and to be prepared. Racers kept going and wanted to get every last run in until about 3:30PM when the sky unzipped and started pouring. This ended all the autcross for the day and we were soaked while trying to find shelter. We decided to call it a day and head to the house. Luckily the weather for Sunday is nothing but a bright sun and clear skies.