Some say Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California is straight out of a Microsoft startup photo, but when OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car, presented by Advance Auto Parts came to town, it was a picture of modern performance. Camaros, Nissan GT-Rs, Corvettes, Mustangs, Teslas and more came, saw and conquered in grand fashion. Dave Schotz’s 2022 Camaro is a great example, that emerged as the benchmark for performance on this weekend.

Schotz took delivery of the car less than two months prior and immediately went to work adding back in all the go-fast parts he removed from his 800-horsepower 2020 Camaro, that he had previously-run in the series. Even though his new Camaro is down on power to the tune of about 150 horsepower, Schotz claims it is much lighter and more nimble than the car it replaced.

The Falken Tire Road Course Time Trial ran on the East Course with the Cyclone, a challenging uphill turn, followed by an abrupt, blind downhill turn. It’s a feature that tests a driver’s skill level, nerve and consistency, while adding about two seconds per lap, compared to the bypass option. Schotz won the NASA National Championship at Thunderhill back in 2017 in a C4 Corvette (ST4/TT4) that had about 300 horsepower less than his Camaro, but lots more aero and sticky Hoosier tires. His best time at that race was a 1:53.344 running the bypass.

On the weekend of OPTIMA’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car series, Schotz ran a 1:55.753 through the Cyclone, with far less aero and 200 treadwear street tires. That would’ve been fast enough to land him in the field for the Trans Am race and is even more impressive, considering the first lap this car took on any racetrack was during the orientation laps on this weekend.

An epic battle in the Classic Car Liquidators GTV Class also resumed at Thunderhill, between the Camaros of Ryan Breezee and Brian Hobaugh. The two squared off three times last season, with Breezee’s ’69 Camaro coming out on top at Sonoma, while Hobaugh’s ’73 Camaro edged Breezee out by two points at Utah Motorsports Campus and took home the Class Cup in Las Vegas. At Thunderhill, Hobaugh held a four-point advantage in the Lingenfelter Design & Engineering Challenge and a three-point edge on the Falken Tire Road Course Time Trial.

However, Breezee’s Camaro is ABS-equipped, which may have provided a benefit on the autocross, where he came out four points ahead and definitely on the Peak Performance Challenge, where he held a seven-point advantage (each position on the track is worth one point). The margin of victory for Breezee over Hobaugh was a scant four points, but we expect these two to lock horns again, later this season at Laguna Seca.

In the No-Limit Engineering GTT Class for trucks, David Carroll’s Blazer was sidelined with mechanical issues, so Carroll brought his LS-swapped Datsun and won the GTL Class instead. However, that scratch in the truck lineup opened the door for Dustin Reed’s ’72 C10 to step to the top of the podium and secure an invitation to Las Vegas.

In the Arrington Peformance Lucky 7 Outlaw Class, Duke Langley had a less-than-ideal weekend. Craig Staley’s C7 Corvette managed to edge out Langley on the Peak Performance Challenge, which rarely happens and then Langley’s radiator inhaled a chunk of Logan Palmer’s car on the road course. With an assist from fellow competitor, Frankie Trutanic and plenty of JB Weld, Langley was able to get back on track and capture the class win, but he’s hoping his issues will be in his rear view, once he gets his radiator sorted out.

In the Geaux Moto GTC Class for compact cars, it was Dayton de la Houssaye’s ecoboost-swapped Miata that came out on top. That win sets up de la Houssaye to take a commanding lead in the GTC Class points chase, when the series visits his home track of NOLA Motorsports Park, the following weekend.

The GTS Class saw the defending OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational champion, Bob Sobey and his 2013 Nissan GT-R, pick up where it left off last year last year. However, runner-up Jordan Priestley’s Tesla Model 3 was only five points behind and closing fast!

The series itself has undergone several significant changes over the off-season, the most-notable being a new broadcast TV partner in CBS Sports. In addition to that coverage, you can now watch livestream coverage at each stop along the way on RYDE TV and the OPTIMA Network on Roku.


Viking Performance GT Class (post-1989, 3,200+ pounds, 2wd sedans, 4-seater coupes, etc…)
1. Dave Schotz, 2022 Chevrolet Camaro
2. Bryan Reilly, 2018 Chevrolet Camaro
3. Jake Jackson, 2018 Chevrolet Camaro

Classic Car Liquidators GTV Class (pre-1990, 3200+ pounds)
1. Ryan Breezee, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
2. Brian Hobaugh, 1973 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. Jordan Priestley, 2021 Tesla Model 3
3. Logan Palmer, 2019 Chevrolet Corvette

GTL Class (non-compacts under 3200 pounds)
1. David Carroll, 1975 Datsun 280Z
2. Austin Keys, 2002 Subaru WRX
3. Josh Cummings, 2016 Porsche GT4

No Limit Engineering GTT Class (Trucks & SUVs over 3200 pounds)
1. Dustin Reed, 1972 Chevrolet C10
2. Connor Hoovler, 1972 Ford F100
3. Wesley McFarland, 1974 GMC C10

GeauxMoto GTC Class (two-wheel drive compacts, 107-inch wheelbase or less)
1. Dayton de la Houssaye, 2017 Mazda MX-5
2. Matt Davis, 2021 Mazda MX-5
3. Saroja Day, 2017 Mazda MX-5

Arrington Performance Lucky 7 Outlaw Class (relaxed aero rules, pro drivers allowed)
1. Duke Langley, 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
2. Marcus Fry, 1970 Datsun 510
3. Craig Staley, 2016 Chevrolet Corvette

Summit Racing Spirit of the Event Award: Connor Hoovler, 1972 Ford F100

Speedperks Showdown Award: Michael Arlie, 2018 Chevrolet Camaro

TCI First Timer Award: Lane Farka 2018 Chevrolet Camaro

Anderson Composites Competitor’s Choice: Connor Hoovler, 1972 Ford F100


2023 OPTIMA Search for the Ultimate Street Car Schedule
Thunderhill Raceway March 3-5
NOLA Motorsports Park March 10-12
Laguna Seca May 5-7
Portland International Raceway July 21-23
Road America July 28-30
Daytona International Speedway August 11-13
VIRginia International Raceway October 6-8
OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational Las Vegas October 31- November 6