GM FYI Blog

By Bill Martens
Special Programs Manager, GM Performance Parts

I took my kids recently to Braselton, Ga., for the annual “Year One Experience” — it’s all about horsepower and speed. In case you’re not familiar with this hot-rodding, gearhead crowd, they’re the folks who, when they buy a car, have only just begun.They want to tinker with that car and make it go fast.

We got to see the debut of GM’s mobile Power Shop, which my son called “pretty awesome.” The Power Shop is basically a roaming exhibit of performance power parts coupled with some cool new interactive experiences. First, there’s a fully operational GMPP ZZ572 big-block crate engine that gets turned on every hour. As one hot rodder said, “Nothing like the earth-shaking rumble of a big block V8 with open headers…” That engine draws a quick crowd — all with their fingers in their ears.

(If you want to see a GM Small Block V8 crate engine in action, watch this YouTube clip and see, as one commenter said, “…this 400+ HP car not only kills in a straight line, but it also handles incredibly.”)

Back to the Power Shop. The star of the show is the new drag racing simulator. Calling it a simulator is an understatement. Once you’re strapped into that Super Gas dragster, you are hit with what feels like the real thing. You feel the engine fire up behind you; you do the burnout; stage the car and make a pass! It’s intense, scary and incredible. Best reaction time wins. It’s very cool! If you get a chance, check out the Power Shop. Here’s where it’s going over the next few months:

• NSRA Street Rod Nationals: Jun 2 - 4/York, PA

• NHRA Nationals: Jun 8 - 11/Joliet, IL
• Back to the 50’s: Jun 23 - 25/Minneapolis, MN
• Goodguys Nationals: Jul 7 - 9/Columbus, OH
• Texas Heatwave: Jul 21 - 23/Austin, TX
• NMCA/NMRA Superbowl: Jul 27 - 30/Joliet, IL
• NSRA Street Rod Nationals: Aug 3 - 6/Louisville, KY
• NHRA Mid-South Nationals: Aug 18 - 20/Memphis, TN
• NHRA US Nationals: Aug 30 - Sep 4/Indianapolis, IN
• Autofest: Sep 8 - 10/Frankenmuth, MI
• NSRA Street Rod Nationals - North: Sep 15 - 17/Kalamazoo, MI
• 4-Wheel Jamboree: Sep 22 - 24/Indianapolis, IN
• NSRA Golden State Street Rod Nationals: Oct 6 - 8/Sacramento, CA
• NHRA Nationals: Oct 26 - 29/Las Vegas, NV
• Goodguys Fuel & Gas Finals: Nov 3 - 5/Bakersfield, CA
• NHRA Finals: Nov 9 - 12/Pomona, CA
• Turkey Rod Run: Nov 23 - 26/Daytona Beach, FL