Thursday Night Fountain Square Park Cruise-In

LS Fest served notice Thursday night as the serene aura of Bowling Green’s Fountain Square Park was shaken by uncorked V8 power. At about 7:30 revs echoed off the historic downtown architecture like a call to action. The cruise in was made up of Drift Challenge vehicles, Burnout Wars machines, off-road buggies, and high-horsepower LS-power street builds. It was a great way to get together, talk cars, and get spooled up for a weekend of LS-powered drama at Beech Bend Raceway.

Drift Challenge Qualifying

In the midst of a lot of practicing on the strip and autocross course, the Drift Challenge moved from hot runs to qualifying in the same session. After a slight weather delay where we could see the rain falling in the distance and happily watched the storm move past the track, the Drift Challenge drivers squeezed the most out of every run. As the smoke cleared Nick Noback and Rhys Conklin were tied at the top of the leaderboard with 92 points. This duo was closely followed by Connor O’Sullivan (91 points) and Jonathan Hurst (90 points) setting the stage for some contentious elimination rounds.

Stone Cold Quick: Scottie Stone’s 1941 Willys Coupe

When Scottie Stone’s fat-fendered Willys pulled into the staging lanes we’re surprised he wasn’t redirected to the car show field… the car is that good looking. In fact, while waiting for a track cleanup in the burnout box the track announcer commented how beautiful the clouds look reflect of the cars’ pristine black finish.

Asked what make his coupe so quick, Scottie, who hails from Dayton, Tennessee, was quick to lay down some stats… 5.7-liter iron-block LS, twin VS Racing 80mm turbos, C16 fuel, and he’s got a Holley Dominator ECU running the show. “I have done all the tuning myself. I built the car… all the fabrication… myself in my personal shop behind my house.”

“I have had the Holley Dominator since 2016 at the beginning, planning stages of the build. The biggest thing that I like about the Dominator is that you have enough inputs and outputs that you can control anything and everything… if you can dream it, you can control it. The Dominator ECU controls my turn signal lights, my hazard lights, boost control, fans, intercooler, water pump, you know anything electronic goes from my Dominator to a relay board and then I literally control everything in the car.”

The build took four years and the Willys made its debut in 2022, and the 2026 LS Fest East event is the fourth time it’s gone to battle.

Scottie says chassis setup was the biggest hurdle in face in the development of the Willys. “I never did any chassis sorting so I watched lots of YouTube videos and found it’s basically a lot of trial and error. I built the four-link brackets and got to know them very well trying to figure out the geometry. The Willys is a unique car. It's 3,300 pounds with me in it and its 104-inch wheelbase is super short to start with and then the motor is offset to the back so you automatically got weight in the rear with the back trying to pull wheelies it can be tough to keep the back end contained.

“A good thing about the Dominator is you datalog every pass then every time we come back we have engine data and shock data on shock travel and piston speeds, and I compare the data and make the appropriate setting adjustments.

“I have shock ride height sensors at all four corners and they’re data point channels in the Dominator. I use the sensor data and a driveshaft curve to monitor traction via a wheel speed sensor. At 140 to 150 mph the curve will start jumping… like an earthquake on a seismograph. Inside the car it’s like you’re riding a bull… you can feel the tires lose traction and the car bucking forward and back.”

The car’s best eighth -mile pass is a 4.97 and it blasted a 4.994 at 145.36 mph here at Beach Bend, so a new personal best is in the cards. We were surprised to hear Scottie had envisioned the Willys project as a Drag & Drive style build. He says he still hopes to get the car configured for a more street-driveable future, but we’ve seen once the bug has bit it’s had to pull things back from an all-out assault on speed. The old-timer does have operational turn signals…maybe Scottie will pull it off.

Drift Challenge Elimination Rounds

The Drift Challenge track was challenging—just ask the clipping-point cone on the outside of the last sweeping right-hander… it was punted across the tarmac more than 10 times during the elimination rounds. As the evening unfolded as expected until the showdown between co-top-qualifier Nick Noback and his BMW and number 10 qualifier Josh Stuart and his Vette in the Top 8 round. With Stuart leading, Noback came in too hot trying to close the gap and overcooked his angle in the transition at mid-track which caused his BMW to spin out—fate sealed.

Sully and Hurst in the final.

The Top 4 opened with a door-panel-to-door-panel battle between Rhys Conklin and his E46 BMW who shared the top qualifying spot with Noback at 92 points and Jonathan Hurst in his Cadillac XLR. Hurst’s turbos were running so hot he had to remove his hood and the turbos could still be seen glowing in the Bowling Green night as he neared the finish line. The abuse paid off as number four qualifier Hurst advanced.

Hurst's hot-running turbo brought the heat all night, propelling him to a runner-up finish.

The last pairing in the Top 4 pitted Connor ‘Sully’ O’Sullivan and his S14 240SX against Josh Stuart. Sully gapped Stuart while leading and Stuart had to hustle to get back in the pocket in the first long left sweeper. Sully had the second, final big turn, a sweeping right hander, dialed in all night and had the advantage though this portion of the course. Both boosted LS motors were slamming their rev-limiters as the duo exited the track. In the return run, Sully didn’t let Stuart get the better of him at the launch, nuzzling his Nissan close to the Vette going into the first turn. Some outstanding proximity was on display throughout this run which made the difference for Sully who advanced to the final.

The Final

From the drop during eliminations Sully stood out with his deep angle, especially on the final sweeper, and how he carried speed throughout his runs. Such was the case in the final as Sully initiated first and out-angled Hurst in the first corner, but Hurst closed the gap from mid-track to the final gate. On Hurst’s lead run in the Cadillac, Sully left no question as he planted the nose of his Nissan on the Caddy’s fender, matching its angle in the first turn, and winning the battle of proximity for the rest of the run. Rhys Conklin outdueled Josh Stuart for the final spot on the podium.

• Winner - Connor O’Sullivan - S14 240SX
• Runner-Up - Jonathan Hurst - Cadillac XLR
• Third Place - Rhys Conklin - BMW E46
• Fourth Place - Josh Stuart – Chevy Corvette

Burnout Wars Packs The Pit At LS Fest East 2026

It’s not that LS Fest has anything against tires; we just think they’re more entertaining when being obliterated by horsepower and wild wheelwork. Burnout Wars returned to LS Fest East in 2026, bringing its tire-shredding spectacle back to The Pit at Beech Bend Raceway.

More than 30 cars turned out for this year’s competition, creating one of the largest Burnout Wars fields LS Fest East has seen. The turnout was so strong—and the competitors so determined—that several drivers swapped on fresh tires and returned for a second shot.

Burnout Wars brings professional drivers and grassroots heroes together on the same stage, giving each competitor an opportunity to cover the pit in smoke while demonstrating car control, creativity, and commitment. Once the tires started spinning, horsepower echoed through Beech Bend as engines bounced off their rev limiters and smoke rolled across the crowd.

Competitors battled on Friday and Saturday nights, with prizes awarded during both rounds. Each night’s winner received a $2,500 Holley product certificate, while second and third place earned $1,000 and $500 certificates, respectively.

By the time the final cloud cleared, the 2026 Burnout Wars had delivered exactly what the LS Fest East crowd came to see: big power, aggressive driving, destroyed tires, and enough smoke to temporarily hide Beech Bend Raceway.

No Excuses: LS-Swapped 1968 Dodge Super Bee

Purists may question the Chevrolet powerplant under the hood of Travis Hoehn’s 1968 Dodge Coronet Super Bee, but Travis has a simple response: “The car’s on the road.”

This Super Bee has been part of his life since his uncle pulled it from a field in 1997. Travis received the car as an eighth-grade graduation present, although restoring a big-block Mopar proved considerably more expensive than expected. The project sat untouched for years before an important deadline finally pushed it forward. Travis and his future wife wanted the Dodge finished for their 2022 wedding, and afterward, the newlyweds drove away in the completed, numbers-matching Super Bee.

Two years later, on the first day of the 2024 Power Tour, the original engine let go. While cruising at highway speed with the original three-speed transmission, the oil-pump driveshaft gear failed and scattered the factory big-block. The original engine remains on a stand awaiting a rebuild, but Travis wasn’t willing to park the car indefinitely.

Its temporary replacement is an LQ9 pulled from a 2006 Cadillac Escalade. A Brian Tooley Racing Truck Norris cam adds some attitude, while a strengthened 4L65E automatic from another Escalade provides the overdrive the Dodge previously lacked. The factory rear axle remains underneath with a limited-slip differential Travis installed years earlier.

Holley electronics tie the combination together, including Sniper EFI, a Holley transmission controller, and a hidden Holley PDM. The engine uses a compact Camaro-style accessory arrangement with ICT brackets, keeping the alternator low and freeing up space in the engine bay.

Most importantly, the conversion didn’t require sacrificing the original car. Its factory K-member remains intact, with no cutting or notching required. Travis says he could remove the LS and reinstall the big-block without leaving evidence the swap was ever there.

At LS Fest East 2026, Travis put the heavyweight B-Body to work on the autocross. Its suspension remains relatively simple, with QA1 single-adjustable shocks, adjustable upper control arms, sway bars, CalTracs, and wider wheels and tires. After running in the 42-second range, he recorded a personal-best 39.82-second pass—and beat his father’s C7 Corvette in the process.

The LS may eventually give way to the rebuilt big-block, but the Super Bee isn’t going anywhere. Travis plans to pass it to his daughter someday. If she sells it, he joked, “I’m haunting her when I’m dead.”

LS Fest East Car Show Results

Talk about a tough job, the car show judges really had their work cut out for them as the number and quality of the cars on hand was over the top. The categories were divided into cars and trucks with each type having its own timeline.

Best of Show Muscle Car 1964-74 – Jeff Gabriel, Mechanicsburg, PA, 1966 Chevy Nova

On the car side there was the Street Rod which encompassed any domestic car built before 1949, the Classic Custom which was any domestic car built between 1949 and 1963, the Muscle Car division for cars built between 1964 and 1974, the Street Machine category for cars built between 1975 and 1995, the Late Model class for car manufactured from 1996 to today, and the Non-Domestic class which was open to any vehicle manufactured outside the United States.

On the truck side there was Classic Truck which were built prior to 1974, Muscle Truck for trucks built between 1975 and 1995, and Late Model for 1996 and later trucks. Beyond the best of picks there were Holley picks and a number of independent picks.

Holley High-Performance Car Care – Holley Shine Shop

Holley’s Shine Shop was open for business at LS Fest East. Our attentive staff was on hand in the wash station demo-ing Holley High-Performance Car Care products. Event goers who stopped by could also get free samples.

Teaming with Malco Automotive Detailing Products, a car care manufacturer that has been producing professional grade detailing products since 1953, Holley has been able to dial in individual formulations that will produce the results our customers want. This first wave of offerings consists of six products. Check them out here.

Wash & Wax is a 2-stage shampoo that combines a thorough clean and protective finish in one step, giving drivers a fast, efficient way to maintain shine before a drive, event, or weekend

Speed Wash is a fast, waterless car wash solution that is great when your paint is too dirty for a spray detailer, but you don’t have access to water like at a car show or race, on a road trip, or anytime you need a quality high-lubricity wash without a hose.

Speed Finish is a ceramic-infused quick detail spray designed to enhance gloss, repel contaminants and extend protection between washes, helping enthusiasts maintain a glistening gloss and hydrophobic performance between full, shampoo and bucket washes.

Tire Shine is a versatile exterior dressing designed to restore a deep, rich finish to tires and exterior trim while protecting surfaces from fading and environmental exposure. Our high-performance solvent-based formula restores a deep, rich finish while drying quickly to help reduce sling and protect against fading.

Wheel Clean is a powerful formula designed to break down brake dust and road grime with ease. Its acid-free formula clings to the surface, dissolving brake dust, grease, and contaminants to restore a clean, like-new finish.

Interior Protect is a 2-stage cleaner and protectant designed to clean and refresh interior surfaces do produce a natural look, without greasy residue, heavy shine, or using multiple products. Our advanced formula works great on dashboards, consoles, and trim.

Stay tuned, a second wave of products are on the way.

Autocross

The 3S Challenge stands for Speed, Stop, and Steering, three skills packed into one fast, cone-lined course. Drivers launch from a standstill, accelerate down a short straight, negotiate a long sweeping corner, and then charge toward the finish before bringing the car to a complete stop inside a tight stop box.

It sounds simple, but the clock rewards drivers who can balance horsepower with cornering grip and braking control. Hitting a cone or failing to stop inside the box can result in disqualification. The 3S Challenge also contributes to Grand Champion scoring, helping determine which competitors have the most capable all-around combination at LS Fest East.

3S Challenge Results

• Winner – Daniel Popp, Batesville, IN, 2024 Chevy Corvette eRay, 19.191
• Runner-Up – Garry Luterek, Oakland, KY, 2026 Chevy Corvette, 19.379
• Third Place – Dallas Reed, Indianapolis, IN, 2024 Chevy Corvette eRay, 19.397