(Words by Jim McIlvaine) OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car, presented by Advance Auto Parts, returned to action at the historic Willow Springs Raceway on Memorial Day weekend. It was like you’d expect Willow Springs to be in late May, sunny, windy, and a whole lot of fun. This stop in the seven-event regular season is critical for West Coast competitors because your best three events count toward your season-long points total.
Four of those events are East of the Rocky Mountains and the next-closest event in New Orleans has already taken place. That means everyone out West who wants a shot at getting their car to the SEMA Show and the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational needs to finish well at Las Vegas, Willow Springs and Utah Motorsports Campus in July. If things don’t go as planned, competitors could be making a long haul to tracks like Road America or NCM Motorsports Park. Both are bucket list tracks and worth the trip at some point, but you’d rather go when the pressure isn’t on to turn in a great finish.
Check out the gallery below to see the cars and trucks that ran in this event and if you get an itch to get involved in your street car, head over to www.DriveOPTIMA.com to find out what is involved in the ultimate street car experience.
GT Class (post-1989, 3,200+ pounds, 2wd sedans, 4-seater coupes, trucks, etc…)
1. Dave Schotz, 2020 Chevrolet Camaro
2. Matt Ramirez, 2004 Ford Mustang
3. Clayton Yates, 2016 Chevrolet Camaro
Classic Car Liquidators GTV Class (pre-1990, 3200+ pounds)
1. Nick Relampagos, 1970 Chevrolet Camaro
2. Ryan Breezee, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
3. Garrett Randall, 1970 Chevrolet Corvette
GTS Class (post-1989, 3200+ pounds, two-seaters & awd vehicles)
1. Bob Sobey, 2013 Nissan GT-R
2. Robert DeuPree, 2013 Lamborghini Gallardo
3. Gunnison Jones, 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
Holley EFI GTL Class (non-compacts under 3200 pounds)
1. Jake Rozelle, 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
2. CB Ramey, 1987 Chevrolet Corvette
3. Scot Spiewak, 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
No Limit Engineering GTT Class (Trucks & SUVs over 3200 pounds)
1. Sean Kelly, 1967 Chevrolet C10
2. Dustin Reed, 1972 Chevrolet C10
3. George Dias, 2002 Ford Lightning
GTC Class (two-wheel drive compacts, 107-inch wheelbase or less)
1. David Carroll, 1973 Chevrolet Vega
2. Matt Davis, 2004 Pontiac Vibe
3. Steve Wong, 1992 Honda Civic
Outlaw Class (relaxed aero rules, pro drivers allowed)
