What’s it like to drive a Street Stock on a half-mile asphalt oval?

Loud.

Through the kindness of Roger Frakes of Albuquerque, I was able to turn a number of laps in his #27 Monte Carlo at the Sandia Motorsports Park oval. To say that it was a blast is putting it mildly, and it made me all the more determined to get our Camaro up and running for next season.

The experience…well, the best way to start is by describing the car. It’s a stripped and gutted Monte Carlo; the cabin contains a driver’s seat and a lot of steel tubes that make up the roll cage. There is no glass, and no upholstery. The engine sits in lonely isolation up front, poking the air cleaner through a hole in the hood. It exhausts through headers…no muffler.

The steering wheel is off when you climb in (through the window, as the door is permanently shut for safety). The seat is a form-fitting metal bucket that embraces you as you slide back into position. If you hit something hard, the less you move around the less you’ll be hurt. There are lap belts, shoulder belts, and a crotch strap. Pull them tight.

Now put the steering wheel on – there is a quick release that you push to slide it on or off the column. Make sure the button is in the same place every time you get in the car. That way, if there is a fire and you need to bail out fast, you won’t be fumbling for it.

Helmet and gloves on? Make sure the chinstrap’s snug, and you’re ready to start. No key here; turn on the ignition and move a toggle to start.

Noise. This thing is LOUD. It’s a sharp, penetrating road with a pulsation that you feel deep down.

Getting into gear is a bit different. It’s a manual transmission; on the track you’ll be in second all the way, but you need first to get moving, and the rules require a working reverse. There are two levers. The lever on the left goes forward for first, back for reverse. The lever on the right goes back for second. So, you start out in first, clutch don, neutral on the left lever, check it, and then into second. As you add throttle, it gets louder…and you’re picking up speed.

Out onto the track now, and the steering is light. Throttle response is quick, and you learn to be light-footed. Move your left foot up to the brake pedal, to cover it; for speed you need to drive with both feet.

Take the first lap slowly, get a feel for the car. It’s fast, powerful, and heavy, all at once. You get into a turn and you feel the momentum, you feel the tires start to get light.

Once around, and accelerate down the straight, right foot down hard. Pick a mark to lift, and steer into the turn. You have a lot of speed, so gently, gently…through the apex of the turn, a bit past, and now, throttle again, feel for when the rear tires will let go. Arc across the track to the high side of the back straight, throttle down hard for two seconds, time to lift again, aim for the inside line around the turn, pass the apex, throttle up hard and OH CRAP!

The read end starts to go. Steer hard into the skid, throttle hard to try to save it, no good, and you’ve lost it. Two full turns and you’re facing in the right direction but the engine’s stalled. Start up again…that’s why beginners are called beginners.

Down the straight, gently into the turn, and build up speed and confidence again. Get into a pattern, throttle up, your mark for lifting goes past, lift, into the turn, steer hard but don’t lose speed by scrubbing, now throttle down and pick up the line out of the turn.

And oh, the noise. Even through the foam lined helmet, it’s starting to hurt.

Faster, until coming out of turn 2 you hit it a bit hard, and there it goes again! Steer into it, lift the throttle, you’ve got it back, throttle down hard, and…

Hmm. Why are we sitting in the dirt of the infield, pointing back onto the track? And why is Roger running toward you, followed by your wife?

“Well, son, when you lose it, you REALLY lose it, eh?”

All this with the track to myself...what must it be like with a dozen or more other cars, all trying to beat each other?

Fun, I think. I'm looking forward to the debut of the #8 Camaro, next season.