Stock Cubic-Inch Nitrous-Assisted LS1 Chevy Runs 8.93 1/4-Mile!

Think your Chevy is fast? Take a gander at this hot drag car owned by Thadd Dawson of Durham, North Carolina. It just took the title of first stock cubic-inch, nitrous-assisted LS1 to scream into the 8-second zone on a 1/4-mile track with an 8.93@150 MPH! We talked to Will Kaluta at Mayhem Motorsports in Raleigh, North Carolina, the shop that built the car to get some insider info.

Kaluta told us the car came equipped with an LT1 which Mayhem swapped out for the LS1. After having Mayhem perform some suspension and dyno work to fine tune the car, and add the nitrous kit, Dawson took it to Virginia Motorsports Park in North Dinwiddie, Virginia, where the previous record was 9.19 and shattered it with his 8.93-second run. Whoa!

The 346 ci LS1 engine built by LS1 Excitement of Durham features Trick Flow heads, a Victor Jr. single plane intake manifold, 10:1 compression forged pistons and aluminum rods, a Wilson single stage nitrous plate, an Accufab 4150 throttle body and Big Stuff 3 engine management. Also under the skin is a Mayhem Motorsports-built Powerglide tranny with a custom converter from Ultimate Converter Concepts. The tubular suspension work by Mayhem uses all factory mounting points, and the car runs on Weld RT-S wheels with Moroso DS-2 tires up front and Mickey Thompson 275/60R15 ET Pro Drag tires on the GM 12-bolt 4.11 rear axle.

Mayhem Motorsports specializes in performance and dyno tuning for late model GM vehicles, from mild to wild street cars to all-out race cars, and can handle services in-house such as bolt-ons (minor modifications such as intakes, pulleys, etc.), custom exhaust (headers, midpipes, and muffler installation to complete custom exhaust builds including turbocharger downpipes), engine (complete assembly to cylinder head and camshaft installation) and differential work (gear installation in multiple applications including Corvette Getrag, GM 10-bolt, GM 12-bolt, Ford 8.8-inch and 9-inch).