Drag racing is one of the purest and simplest forms of motorsport. Two cars going flat out, head-to-head, at top speed. There isn’t really anything better. However, many drag races showcase cars that are highly modified. We don’t often get a read of how cars compare when they are in stock form.
Cars and Zebras on YouTube does, however, give us this showcasing a 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 against a 1965 Pontiac GTO in a great stock drag race.
The Two Cars Compared
These are both two very interesting classic muscle cars. The 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 is a fantastic looking car, with a 350 ci LT V8 engine that churns out 360 hp which for the 1970s, was quite a lot of oomph. There was a TH400 three-speed automatic transmission to handle the V8 power, although a four-speed manual was also available.
The Pontiac GTO meanwhile has a 389 ci Tri-Power V8 engine under the hood, and that engine churns out 360 hp, which means the two cars are quite evenly matched. And transmission wise, it has a four-speed manual transmission.
The Cars Get Down To Business
The GTO might have a slight edge as it is a touch lighter than the Camaro. The Camaro weighs in at 3,716 lbs, whereas the GTO weighs 3,708 lbs. The two cars line up for their drag races, and in the first race the GTO gets the better initial launch, but it is still pretty close between the two cars. Come the end of the 1/4 mile, and it is ultra-close.
The Camaro did the run in 13.593 seconds with a top speed of 101.92 mph. The GTO was just a touch slower, with its pass time at 13.612 seconds and a top speed of 103.03 mph. But a better reaction time for the GTO gives it the win.
The Stock Muscle Car Races Continue
The two cars line up for another pair of races. The launch was very even between the two cars, but it was the Camaro that got the power down better, perhaps thanks to its automatic gearbox. It won that race, with a time of 13.583 seconds compared to 13.804 seconds, and a top speed of 101.87 mph compared to 102.45 mph. So, the GTO was faster in speed terms, but slower where it mattered. The two cars line up for a tie-break race to settle the win, and the Camaro wins overall with a 13.60 second run compared to the GTO’s 13.78, and a top speed of 102.01 mph vs 102.63 mph for the GTO.
Source: Cars and Zebras YouTube Channel