One of the things that makes the Ultimate Street Car Invitational really special is the fact that it is about the craftsman AND his tools. What we mean by that is while you can show up with the most technologically advanced, double throw down, Captain Insano, car even constructed you need to be able to operate it better than everyone else to win the deal. Danny Popp took his modified 2003 Corvette and beat all comers this year, earning his second OUSCI victory and also his second in a Corvette. He’s a Corvette guy so that shouldn’t be a huge shock but his Vette took on some of the best street cars in the world and leveled them all. This video shows how he did it in the speed stop, in the autocross, and during the hot lap challenge. You’ll want to crank the speakers for this because he beats this blue Corvette like a rented Mule that peed on his shoe.
The engine which is subjected to terrifying levels of anger is a 388ci destroked LS7 built by Lingenfelter Performance Engineering and if you ever wondered about their ability to constructed a reliable engine that could stand up to some spirited driving, watch this video. If we were LPE we’d literally just mail this tape to anyone who wanted to buy an engine and say, “Look., it lived through this….you’ll be fine.” Then we would drop the proverbial microphone and walk off stage.
Outside of the amazing engine sounds and scary RPM levels, there’s the driving job that Popp did in Las Vegas. The Corvette has lots of power and he spends a lot of time managing it as well as managing his direction of progress. This is an amazing display of the skills that Danny has built over his decorated racing career. The way he is able to man handle the car on the road course and then use it as a precision instrument in the speed stop and autocross is most impressive to us. That and the fact he’s got the guts to drive that monster as hard as he does. This qualifies as one of the best all-around videos we have see in 2014 and we have seen lots! Watching a guy like this set to work in a race car is a real pleasure and a real reminder that we’re not even in the same zip-code for talent. Danny Popp is a beast and so isn’t his Lingenfelter powered Corvette!
I have an old Sports Car (rag put out by SCCA) that describes Danny’s driving skill back when he won one of his first BSP National titles when the Solo II Nats were held in Topeka. I’ll try to get it scanned and provide a link. His opponent was described as using the throttle, steering and brakes like a skilled surgeon with barely a sound from the tires nor a wisp of smoke. the article went on to describe Danny’s style at that time as always having the car (his burple C3) pointed in the wrong direction and being opposite lock nearly all the time. In terms of style points he had the win sewn up. As it was his aggressiveness and raw talent put him on the top of the podium. I’m not sure there is much he can’t do with a car on an open space of concrete or asphalt. Add some cones and it’ll be a white-knuckle ride for any passenger. If you have never tried autocrossing – you should. Autocrossers encounter corners and transitions with a frequency no hi-speed road course can match. The runs might be as little as 30 seconds up to about 2 minutes, but it is a pure adrenaline rush as your body cycles through forces pushing it in every direction. Being able to make a run and look back to say the car setup hindered it more than your ability to hit the line correctly without giving up time in braking, acceleration, or steering input virtually never happens. Changes to the car can help, but there are almost always places a driver can look back and see where the run could have been quicker at that time in that car. Bring back the sucker cars….!!!