Locked and loaded in the Lone Star State, LS Fest is set to bring the heat to Texas Motor Speedway Chevy V8 style. The two-day event will feature drag racing, autocrossing, drifting, a burnout contest, and a car show. The highlight of the affair is awarding the Grand Champion.
LS Fest is a high-speed, high-intensity event where owners get to really let loose, pedal-to-the-floorboard and see what their builds can do. Here we catch up with a few of these speed demons and learn more about their rides, how they found them, why they modified them, and what it feels like to drive them down the road.
You might not expect a 76-year-old man to be wheeling a 500-horsepower LS-powered Mazda Miata through cones—but that’s exactly what Carl Copenhaver is doing at LS Fest Texas.
His son, Randy, shares the seat, and together they’re double-driving a wild 1996 Miata with an LS2 stroker from Texas Speed, backed by a T-56 and running complete aftermarket suspension. “Basically, the body is all that’s left from Mazda,” Randy laughed.
The Copenhavers autocross almost every weekend, but this marks their first time at LS Fest. They’re not chasing trophies—just seat time and smiles. “We’re here to have fun,” said Randy.
Right now, the duo are within the Top 15 of fastest autocrossers, but that may quickly change as they warm up the tires and lay down some fast laps. This is their first time competing, so they may be an underdog contender.
During his 21 years of ownership Chris has run three different engines in his British tourer. The stock 3.6-liter was tossed in favor of an LT1, and its current spec a twin-turbo LS2 backed by a 4L70 transmission. The car has been transformed on many fronts. “Finally, a Jag with good electrics,” quips Chris. “I know, I rewired the entire car front to back including a Holley EFI TerminatorX that runs the show.” The LS2 laid down 775 whp on the dyno.
Dream it, build it. A mantra many LS Fest attendees share. Chaddney Taylor, who hails from Austin, is a case in point. Somewhere along the line it makes perfect sense to drop an LS. For Chaddney and his 2013 Subaru WRX STI it was after blowing up his second EJ25.
Chaddney says there were some big challenges getting his Subie to the state we see here. “First and foremost, learning how to weld and fabricate to get the 6.0-liter Chevy LQ9 motor in the Subaru engine bay. Specifically, I had to make exhaust manifold and downpipes that fit around the subframe and steering rack. The second test was figuring out how to get the ECUs inline, getting the Subaru to talk to the Chevy from a CAN-bus standpoint. I also contemplated whether to go naturally aspirated, turbo, or supercharger. I went turbo because I like power, especially the way it hits with turbos.”
As far as wheel time goes, Chaddney says he takes the STI out once a month, sometimes more. “It’s kind of hard moving cars around to get out of the garage but when I do I find it therapeutic, it calms me down, and I can just get away from everything. It’s the best stress reliever like a blow-off valve for your psyche.”
He says this combination is good for 600 horsepower, but there’s a plan in the works. “I have a built block so I'm shooting for 1,000 horsepower then I want to go to a bunch of events and have fun. I want to try autocross, but I am concerned that I can't follow the cones, but I’ll figure it out.”
The see-through hood is one of the car’s more eye-catching attributes. Chaddney made it himself and says it took a year and half to create. Inspired he has the process down to three or four days and offers the hoods at popyourhoodz.com. Chaddney has four applications (Nissan GTR, ’05-‘06 STI, ’08-’14 STI, and ’15-’21 STI) with six more about to drop.
Of course, all participating vehicles must be LS or current-gen LT-powered. All drag race classes run heads up in the 1/8 mile using the Texas Motor Speedway pit road as the strip. The races will be “no-prep” style with no compound laid down. Single, water-only burnouts are permitted but participants may not use their own mix. Drivers will navigate an instant start light with a win light-only at the finish. No ETs will be posted.
DRAG & DRIVE POWER ADDER WINNER – Lainey Abney
Competitors get a “two-fer-one” at LS Fest Texas as all classes will be contested, from qualifying to eliminations, on both days of the event.
LS Fest Texas Drag & Drive
TRUCK & SUV WINNER – Timothy Garcia
For LS Fest Texas Drag & Drive is a heads-up class where all contestants are required to participate in and complete a 10-plus-mile cruise on and around Texas Motor Speedway followed immediately by eliminations. Tire changes between disciplines are not allowed. To up the intensity, additional cruising may be required between rounds at event staff's discretion. There are two divisions, the Monster Clutch Drag & Drive N/A Class and the JEGS Drag & Drive Power Adder Class.
STICK SHIFT RUNNER-UP – Matt Frater
Left to Right: Steven Little - Brennan Dickinson - Cody Hoffman - Roshan Poptani
Burnout Wars at LS Fest Texas was an American vs Australian showdown on Friday night. Mike Maciejack returned with No Sin Customs with his red, white, and blue blown, methanol-fueled Nova. Australian native, "Mad" Mick Brasher, is stateside for Burnout Wars this year, and after performing an impressive smoke show at LS Fest West, he's back with even more. His Corolla is also a blown methanol-fueled beast nicknamed ULEGAL. The two tied for the top spot and flipped a coin, with the win going to Mike.
Mike's daughter, 19-year-old Tatum, was campaigning her LS-swapped C10 in Grand Champion competition, but returned to Burnout Wars again this year. Unfortunately, halfway through her run, she kicked the balancer and sheared the bolt. The family is currently thrashing to find a new bolt and get her back into Grand Champion competition for Saturday.
Day Two is slated to have a Groundhog Day vibe as the drag racing will be a do over with competitors from yesterday getting another crack at each other. Ditto on the Burnout Wars front where fresh rubber is being installed for more smoke-billowing glory in the burnout pit. But there will be some new action at Texas Motor Speedway—namely the Drift Challenge, Grand Champion, autocross, and the car show.
We will continue showcasing some of the interesting people and interesting rides here at LS Fest Texas. The idea is to inspire your own build by shining a light on what fellow enthusiasts did to make their dream machines come to life. We all like the backstories behind the builds and we are endeavoring to bring you a small taste here.
What do you get when you fuse a 2010 Camaro with a 1971 C10 pickup? Apparently, one of the wildest builds to show up at LS Fest West 2025—and it still smells like a new car inside.
Anthony Yount, from northern Missouri, rolled into Texas Motor Speedway after a 685-mile drive behind the wheel of what looks like a vintage Chevy truck... until you peek inside. Underneath the sheetmetal is a full fifth-gen Camaro—interior, drivetrain, chassis, and all.
"We just cut the body off the Camaro and dropped the C10 on top," Anthony explained. "Perfect width. It just kind of fell into place."
The idea started with a Camaro with damage on the driver's door and rocker panel. Anthony originally planned to pull the drivetrain and drop it into a '94 Chevy pickup—but somewhere on the drive home, a crazier idea took root. "I thought, what if they just… fit together?"
The result? A mashup that rides, drives, and performs like a modern Camaro. It still runs the original LS, factory six-speed, and even clocks in with over 70,000 miles—15,000 of which came just last fall, driving across Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.
Despite being tucked into the car show at LS Fest due to full competition slots, this truck isn't a trailer queen. It was driven the full 685 miles to Texas. "It's a fun little cruiser," Anthony grinned. "I think it's the only one like it in the world."
If ain't broke, don't fix it. But if it is, put an LS in it… The local pair of cool dudes, 23-year-old Nathan Ashlock and his lifelong friend Dustin Little brought their one-of-a-kind build to LS Fest Texas 2025 and proved that creativity, camaraderie, and a junkyard pull can go a long way.
Nathan's car started its life like most Genesis Coupes: as a sporty-but-sensible commuter car. He bought it around 2020 off Facebook Marketplace with no plans other than to drive it. "Then the engine let go," Nathan said, "and we thought, why not LS swap it."
The duo yanked the factory engine and transmission, then got their hands on a 5.3-liter V8 pulled from a Yukon, mostly stock with a BTR camshaft. "It actually cleaned up pretty well," Nathan laughed. "Not that ugly."
The Genesis runs a Holley Terminator X system for engine control, while the stock Genesis ECU still powers the lights, radio, and interior accessories. It's an uncommon setup, but thanks to the help of their friend Wade Taylor — a wiring whiz with a background in aircraft and C4 Corvettes — it works like a charm.
Most of the hands-on build time happened at DBL Design, a Fort Worth-based truck shop owned by Dustin's dad. "We worked there and had a ton of time to mess with it," said Dustin. "I'd be wrenching on my LS3 Corvette, and Nathan would be working on his car. It was just fun."
From the exhaust dumps under the seats to the B&M ratchet-shifted 4L80E, the build is very much a garage-brewed collaboration. And even though Nathan says he regrets not going with a T56 manual, he admits the automatic with a B&M ratchet shifter still gets the job done.
The Genesis doesn't just look the part, either—"it sounds angry," said Dustin with a grin. "It sounds way better than it should."
Fresh build. Fresh motor. First drive—onto the trailer for LS Fest Texas.
That’s how Jeremy Stewart rolled into Texas Motor Speedway with his 1986 Monte Carlo—a former dirt factory stock now converted to run in the Outlaw Street Stock class with a fresh 5.3L LS swap.
“This is the first time it’s had an LS in it,” Jeremy said. “We usually run a small-block Chevy, but we picked up this motor last week and finished it Thursday night.”
The car’s still wearing its dirt racing roots—chopped, stripped, and simple. Behind the LS is a Saginaw three-speed and a stock Chevy rear end, all within the original factory stock geometry. “It may not be as refined as the other outlaw cars out there, but we’ll see how it runs. If not—we’ll cut it up and do it again.”
Under class rules, LS-powered cars must run stock-style manifolds, a two-barrel Holley 4412, and no headers. Jeremy’s using the MSD carb swap kit, which bundles the intake, wiring harness, and control system.
To refresh, this is not a quarter-mile contest. All classes run heads-up over the 1/8 mile, right on the Texas Motor Speedway pit road—no timing clocks, just a win light at the stripe. Racers launch off an instant green and since it is a no-prep showdown, no traction compound, no gimmicks — traction is at a premium.
Left to Right: DRAG & DRIVE N/A WINNER– Justin Cavazos | TRUCK & SUV WINNER – Cody Hoffman | SHIFT BANGER WINNER – Bryce Artsingstall
This class is for the real street warriors. To compete, you’ve gotta cruise 10+ miles on public roads around Texas Motor Speedway—no trailers, no tire swaps. When you roll back in, it’s straight into eliminations. No cool-down, no excuses.
And just to keep things spicy, the event crew might throw in extra cruise laps between rounds—so make sure your combo can handle the heat.
Left to Right: SMALL TIRE UNLIMITED, SPLIT AT SEMIS Taylor Thurston – Wesley Schmidt – Brennan Dickinson | DRAG & DRIVE POWER ADDER, SPLIT AT FINALS – Roshan Poptani – Jacoby Betts
The Holley LS Fest Texas Drift Challenge is the world's only engine-specific drift competition, exclusively featuring vehicles powered by GM's LS or current-generation LT engines. Held at Texas Motor Speedway, the event attracts a diverse mix of professional and amateur drivers who compete in a traditional bracket format for over $2,500 in cash, custom Grip Royal trophy steering wheels, and other prizes. The slide-ways competition showcased intense battles, culminating in a thrilling final where Jake “The Ripper” Wise and his Fortune Auto Nissan 240SX edged out Jack Davis and his BMW with consistent, high-angle antics that captivated the crowd. Vadim Todorov and his blue BMW filled out the podium.
How does Grand Champion competition work? It’s all about driver talent and pure power. You can bolt on horsepower. You can trailer in a showpiece. But to earn the Grand Champion title at Holley's LS Fest Texas, you've got to prove your build can handle the drag strip, the autocross course, and the 3S Challenge.
The driver and vehicle must be fast, nimble, and consistent. Whether in a full-race C5 or a street-driven G-body, the Grand Champion class is where bragging rights are forged.
Three Events. One Set of Tires. No Excuses.
The rules are simple, but brutal. First, you must be powered by an LS or Gen-V LT. Then, compete in the following disciplines.
Drivers are required to use the same DOT-approved tires for every event. That means no swapping to slicks or drag radials—this is real-world testing, not a trailer queen beauty contest.
Your best results from each discipline are combined into a single score. And while trophies are awarded for individual event winners, only one driver gets to take home the Grand Champion title.
Sean Aldinger and his well-sorted 1969 Camaro were crowned Vintage Grand Champion.
Here are the results of the balance of Saturday’s competitive events in chart form.
The last day of LS Fest Texas unfolded faster than expected because inclement weather in the forecast forced the officials to bump up that start times of many events. As a result only a few of the contests failed to reach their natural end. The rain hit hard but passed over the track quickly. The silver lining of the quick moving cloud front was extra time. It was decided to throw down an impromptu Aussie Power Slide session.
What Is An Aussie Power Slide?
It’s a burnout on a turn… it’s a late drift with a smoke show. A traditional drift involves initiating oversteer before the apex of a corner, using techniques like a handbrake pull, clutch kick, or Scandinavian flick. The defining trait is that the slide begins on corner entry, well before reaching the apex. In contrast, a power slide is controlled through the corner up to the apex, where power is then suddenly applied to break rear traction. This where the burnout mentality takes hold and drivers milk the slide, and the smoke, for all its worth. This was a great way to send off 2025 LS Fest Texas.
