Spooling up didn’t take long at The Fest… the gates swung open at 8:00 on Friday and American V8 goodness filled the air as participants patiently idled and free-revved their way to a stall in the hot pits or a cozy spot in the car show area. The drag strip staging lanes filled quickly and by 9:00 cars were heading down Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s “The Strip” quarter mile. A few pairs into the test & tune session track announcer Chad Reynolds came on the PA imploring, “No propane blow torches on nitrous bottles!” In a bit of a frenzy, he repeated the announcement four times—these people really want to go fast.
While LS Fest has a very competition-based component to it, we’ve always seen it as a chance for enthusiasts to come out and put their builds to the test—where success is measured by the fun factor as much as the stopwatch.
Seeing cars screaming down the strip, slicing cones on the autocross course, or dancing in close quarters in the drift pit is one thing but what’s under the sheet metal? Enthusiasts like car talk. So, we set off to find interesting people, interesting builds, and interesting backstories that reveal of the vehicle’s origin, the “how and why” behind its mods, and the way it drives in the heat of battle.
When Koda Atwood from Salt Lake City rolled into the event with his unsuspecting 2005 Chevy Colorado. But this is LS Fest, after all. Once people caught sight of the LS motor slammed under the hood, they realized this humble truck was anything but ordinary.
Koda normally campaigns a supercharged ZL1 Camaro at autocross events; so a modest Colorado? "Everyone does S-10s, Sierras, and Silverados," he explains. "This truck weighs just 2,800 pounds after the swap—it's a little pocket rocket compared to bigger trucks." The Colorado's squared-off body and compact size make it the ideal platform for autocross and track days, providing a unique blend of old-school charm and new-school agility.
At the heart of this sleeper lies an LS-based 383 stroker built with a Texas Speed cam and Trick Flow heads, pushing out an impressive 510 horsepower.
A TR6060 six-speed manual transmission is mated to the stroked V8. "Getting the transmission to fit was probably the hardest part," Koda says, laughing. "We had to massage the firewall a bit, but it worked well."
To confidently tackle the corners, Koda dropped the Colorado significantly to improve its center of gravity. The truck now sits so low that, from a distance, you might miss the engine entirely. This aggressive stance isn't just for looks—it's key to keeping the truck planted during high-g maneuvers.
The suspension setup features custom-tweaked KW coilovers, with ongoing development to create bespoke knuckles and other front-end components. Stopping power is delivered through a hybrid braking setup, currently using factory Colorado discs and a modified power booster that helps Koda precisely modulate braking force.
Inside, the Colorado sports a minimalist yet purposeful setup. A Holley Terminator ECU tucked discreetly in the airbag compartment, paired with a Holley digital dash that provides real-time engine metrics. "We tried integrating ABS with the Holley Terminator ECU," Koda notes, "but we're still ironing out some bugs."
Koda isn't finished yet. He plans to upgrade to wider wheels and tires—targeting massive 305-series rubber—to further enhance grip and handling. But for now, his setup with 275-series tires on 18-inch wheels proves plenty capable. "I just wanted something different, something nobody else was running," Koda says, enjoying the challenge. "It's all trial and error, but it's been a blast."
Chris Dolan’s 1970 Camaro caught our nose before it caught our eye as the smell of partially burned alcohol wafted in the warm desert air. We followed the second-gen and after a loosie goosey initial run the black beauty laid down a solid 8.29 at 132 mph during Friday’s Test & Tune.
Josh Wojciechowski (middle) normally rolls up to events with his wild, tire-shredding, supercharged F-100—a crowd favorite with a mix of carbon-fiber fenders and baby-blue body—but this year at LS Fest West, he brought his hauler, a freshly built GMC with over 300,000-miles on the clock.
After fighting through mechanical hiccups with the F-100, Josh made a bold call to bench the flashy Ford and dive headfirst into something completely new, all within a three-month thrash. "I bought the truck about three months ago and went ham," Josh says. He immediately knew the high-mileage Sierra wasn't destined for showroom gloss or podium finishes. He shot a fresh coat of Spiral Gray Metallic and collected a handful of Holley performance components.
At the heart of the truck is a mostly stock 5.3-liter engine refreshed with essentials to ensure reliability on and off the track. A Holley Hi-Ram intake, MSD coils and wires, a Holley alternator, Tick Performance camshaft, and upgraded valvetrain. Josh admits he has no idea how much horsepower the current setup produces, but he's quick to point out it's a placeholder—next year's turbocharged upgrade featuring an LY6 engine backed by a 4L80E transmission is already in the pipeline.
"I threw this all together knowing eventually I was going turbo," Josh explains. "The only thing left to do when the time comes is adjust some A/C lines and drop in the turbo kit and intercooler."
The truck rolls on aggressive-looking 22x10-inch Cosmis Racing wheels wrapped in 285/40 Nitto rubber. While Josh kept the truck four-wheel drive, he plans on bringing it closer to the pavement with a flip kit in the rear. Stopping duties are currently handled by Baer pads and rotors, with aspirations for a big-brake upgrade bouncing around Josh’s head.
He's competing in Grand Champion, which includes Thursday-night drag racing, and through it managed a modest 16.7-second quarter-mile pass (due to an underpowered converter), Josh was unfazed: "Right now, it just fell on its face off the line... I have no expectations," he says, laughing. "I'm just going to have fun and say screw it."
For 2025 LS Fest West turned up the heat with the debut of Burnout Wars—a tire-shredding spectacle that brought together seasoned pros and grassroots enthusiasts for a weekend of high-octane showmanship. The event features two nights of intense competition, where drivers push their machines to the limit, leaving clouds of smoke and roaring crowds in their wake.
Burnout Wars isn't just about raw power; it's a celebration of precision driving and the Art of the Burnout. Every moment was designed to thrill, from the initial pill draw determining the run order to the final plume of smoke. The event emphasized safety and sportsmanship, ensuring that the spectacle remained exhilarating and secure for participants and spectators alike. The day that started with cars patiently idling, putt-putt style through the gates ended at the opposite side of the spectrum—with screaming engines, exploding tires, smoke so heavy it engulfed the car and the crowd, and a flame-throwing meltdown of epic proportions. Burnout Wars proved to be a great way to send off Day One, while also raising expectations for tomorrow’s action.
The preamble is over, practice sessions and test & tunes are gone, it’s time to qualify and start the battle. Business looks to pick up on Saturday as some events are primed to set their starting grids and eliminations ladders while others like the Drive & Drag category will be decided today.
Every year at LS Fest West, there's one title that stands above the rest: Grand Champion. It's not just about laying down the fastest drag pass or nailing the tightest autocross lap. It's about being the best all-around driver, mastering autocross, drag racing, and the road course over a packed weekend of competition. Same car, same driver, and same set of tires. And while you can come out and just rip autocross runs without chasing the Grand Champion trophy, for the true diehards, this is the big one.
To compete for Grand Champion, you can't just specialize. Racers have to run in three driving disciplines held at four venues.
Each event matters. Points are tallied based on performance across every discipline, and consistency is king. A bad showing in one event can crush your Grand Champion hopes. If you just want to focus on autocross, no problem—LS Fest West offers standalone autocross sessions, too. But for the drivers chasing the big trophy, there's no place to hide.
The competition this year is already heating up but here is where we stand on Day Two of the event.
Duke Langley came back with a mission—to defend his Grand Champion title. Piloting his 2002 Corvette in the Late Model class, Langley is laying down scorching autocross lap times in the 43-second range, making him the fastest across all classes so far. He's reminding everyone exactly why he's the reigning champ.
Over in the Vintage class, it's a different story. Rick Lammi, who took home the Vintage win last year, hasn't made a single lap yet this weekend, likely due to mechanical gremlins. As of Saturday morning, his absence opens the door for new names to step up and steal the crown.
The Truck class battle is shaping up to be one of the closest of the weekend. Jason Wilcox is leading the pack in his 1970 Chevy C10, but he's got company—David Carroll, last year's Truck Grand Champion, is just 0.386 seconds behind in his soft-top 1974 Chevy Blazer. It's anybody's race going into the final rounds.
The quest for behind-the-scenes tidbits continues on LS Fest Day Two. We are striving to mix in attainable and aspirational cars with rookie and experienced participants.
Twenty-year-old Lauren Watson loves the automotive culture and became obsessed with LS powerplants while studying at Mountainland Technical College, where she became an ASE-certified tech.
“I've always been really into science and how stuff works,” says Lauren. So, no one in my family knows anything about cars — I am a bit of a trailblazer. When I got my license, I was really curious about how cars drive, their inner workings, so I started researching independently, took a deep dive, went to school for it, and I've been addicted ever since."
Lauren’s been building an LS-swapped New Edge Mustang, but it's not ready for this year's event. Instead, she brought her mostly stock Corvette. When not crashing gears in competition, Lauren, who holds multiple ASE certifications, works full-time at Big Kid Custom Rides, a high-end Utah shop known for elaborate custom builds. "We do restomods—high-budget projects starting around $250,000," she mentions casually. Despite working daily on high-dollar builds, Lauren's heart clearly lies in grassroots motorsport and accessible performance.
She put down a respectable 13.002-second pass on the drag strip—her first-ever drag racing experience (drag racing is a part of the Grand Champion competition). "It was nerve-wracking, but you just drive straight and try not to crash," she laughs. Lauren's enthusiasm is infectious, clearly hooked on the thrill. "If Utah had a drag strip, I'd be there every weekend."
In autocross, Lauren ran consistently clean laps, clocking in around the mid-53-second mark. "This course is fantastic. It lets you build good speed compared to what I usually see at home," she says, already strategizing for future improvements.
You never know what you’re going to see at LS Fest, that’s why we love it. Nathan Galindo and his LT1-wapped Subaru STI is a case in point. The Gen 5 LT1 is mated to the original Subaru transmission via a custom adapter. From there, power is funneled to the stock differential. The first question… how did this happen?
“I always take a build LS Fest West and this year I was going to take my Camaro,” says Nathan. I was going to put this engine in my Camaro, and I was just in the garage one day soon after the Subaru engine had spun a bearing and blown up. The injured Subie was on my lift, the LT1 was just sitting there in the garage — I just put two and two together and took a chance that it would work. A subarugears subadapter made the connection possible. “They expedited the adapter so I could make the sub frame and mounts. The engine itself runs a Holley Terminator X tuned by arniebuiltracing out of Fresno, California, and it’s on a 150-shot of nitrous. I'm gonna try to spray… hopefully this weekend we'll see how it goes.” Good luck Nathan.
Enter the Drag & Drive class and you’re in for a brutal but brilliant test for the fastest street-legal LS- and LT-powered machines. Is it a street car, or is it a race car? Well, they're both!
Drag & Drive isn't about setting a single hero pass. It's about proving your car can take the abuse—and still make it back to the lanes under its own power. Here's how it works:
Your three-run average E/T determines your finaI standing.
It's a simple formula that creates maximum pressure: build a fast car that can also survive.
At the end of eliminations, the racer with the quickest three-run average takes home the overall win, trophy and $500! Runner up receives $250.
But it's not just about the top dogs. To keep the spirit alive for all kinds of builds, LS Fest also awards class wins based on elapsed time brackets—the fastest with 9-second, 10-second, 11-second, and 15-second averages. Whether you're running an all-out twin-turbo beast or a naturally aspirated screamer, there's a chance to stand on the podium. Index winners each receive $100.
To enter you've got to bring a real street car. The rules are simple but strict:
Rodney Weaver, from Shoshone, Idaho, brought his street-cruisin' 1982 Datsun 280ZX. While the car still wears its "turbo" badging, under the hood lives a naturally aspirated cam-only5.7L LS1, paired with a 4L60E transmission and tuned via a Holley Terminator X Max. "It's still got the original rearend," Weaver says, proudly noting the durability of the factory R200 differential. Despite its street-friendly nature—Weaver claims 26 miles per gallon on the highway—the car can hustle, dipping into the low 11-second range at 122 mph.
Johnny Burbatt brought a different flavor of American muscle with his resurrected 1968 Chevy Camaro, affectionately named "Hellbound." "I found it as just a shell in a Vegas junkyard and brought it back from the dead," Burbatt explains. Sporting a pieced-together factory-style interior mixed with a fifth-gen Camaro console, the car is powered by a stout LQ9 iron block paired with a PerformaBuilt 4L65E transmission, all managed through a Holley Terminator X system.
His best pass so far is a 12.31-second run, placing him right in the hunt for the 12-second bracket. "It's a toss-up—you never know what you're going to get," he says of the Drag & Drive challenge. Despite a slight bog at the top end on his last run, Burbatt remains optimistic about finishing strong.
The most relaxing event at LS Fest West is the car show. Roll up, park, break out the camping chair, or if you’re a real player raise the pop-up tent, and soak up the sun. Spectators love the show because they can stroll the pavilion and see a deeply diverse collection of vehicles (except for the motor) that run the gamut from attainable to aspirational. Here are the vehicles that earned accolades in Sin City.
Best of Show - Zach Wall, who hails from Centerville, Utah, took home top honors winning the coveted Best of Show award with his 1957 Chevy Bel-Air. Zach’s classy Tri-5 is a true dream machine. It hits all the high notes, stance, power, and top-quality work everywhere you look.
A modded LS nestled in a custom-trimmed engine bay. The car’s deep red interior also fits the bill. It blends modern materials while retaining the classic charm. The dash personifies this approach — stock gauge cluster that’s filled with high-tech modern gauges.
Top Row, Left to Right: --- Best Paint - Timmy Saltarelli, 1969 Chevy Camaro | Best Classic Truck - Jose Juan Mendoza, 1958 Chevy Apache | Best Muscle Truck - Nathan Fleming, 1993 GMC Sonoma | Best Late Model Truck - Marco Morales, 1998 Ford F-150 | Best Interior - Tobias Anderson, 1968 Chevy Camaro | Best Muscle Car - Bill Garrigan, 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS454. Bottom Row, Left to Right: --- Best Street Rod - Matthew Thomas, 1935 Ford Truck | Best Classic Custom - Nathan Poulson, 1955 Chevy 210 | Best Engine - James Wright, 1998 Chevy Tahoe | Just Because - Tim Brush, 1965 Chevy Corvair | Holley Pick – Robert Irving, FJ40 Toyota Land Cruiser | Best of Show - Zach Wall, 1957 Chevy Bel Air.
Autocross is already fast, unpredictable, and brutally competitive—but at LS Fest West, the Autocross Shootout cranks the intensity even higher. Unlike normal autocross sessions, the Shootout demands three back-to-back runs without stopping, adjusting, or even touching the car. Tap the body, tweak tire pressures, fix anything? You’re out. Hit a cone or go off-course? Two seconds gets slapped onto your time—and in a field this tight, two seconds might as well be an eternity.
Duke Langley isn’t just fast—he’s precise. The veteran autocrosser and his purpose-built 2002 Corvette took home another Autocross Shootout win, adding to what’s believed to be his sixth LS Fest Shootout victory across LS Fest West and East events.
What’s his secret? "You gotta be clean," Duke says. "I go balls-out all the time, and if you hit something, you hit something—but in the Shootout, it’s different. If you hit something, you're not coming back from it." True to form, Duke delivered a clean, aggressive run while most of the field racked up penalties.
Coming out of nowhere to snag second place was Frankie Trutanic in his 2017 Corvette—a backup car. His primary build, a heavily modified Buick Regal, wasn’t ready in time, but it hardly slowed him down.
"I don’t think I’ve ever finished better than Top 10," Frankie said, still buzzing after the event. "It wasn't Plan A, but I'm having so much "expletive" fun with it. It’s easy horsepower and an easy way to get into the sport."
Rounding out the podium was Robby Unser, representing Speedway Motors. Unser piloted the team’s 1967 Cobra replica built around their in-house suspension. Robby put down serious lap times, but a couple of close calls kept him from challenging Langley for the top spot.
The Top 6 was a stacked lineup, and every driver brought heat:
In autocross, speed matters—but in the Shootout, precision is king. One small mistake can wipe out an entire weekend’s worth of hard work. And once again, Duke Langley proved that to win under pressure, you have to be not just fast—but flawless.
Welcome to Drift Challenge at LS Fest, the only engine-specific Drift Competition in the world! It took three sessions that comprised seven hours of over-revving smoke production to qualify 32 cars and half the field to 16 drivers. The eight pairs were soon down to two. Nineteen-year-old phenom Logan Hunter and his Nissan Silvia staged against Rome Charpentier and his E36 BMW. It was a hard-fought battle, but the judges didn’t need any One More Times to decide the victor: Logan Hunter.
Rome Charpentier (left photo) was joined on the podium by Jeff Jones (right photo) who power-slid his Nissan 370Z to third place.
We’re making the turn and heading down the stretch at the 2025 edition of LS Fest West. This last day will bring coverage of drag racing finals, we’ll crown a Grand Champion, and reward those who have tamed the terrain in the Off-Road Main Event.
Truck Bracket winner Cory Harris had a great combination of speed and style as he navigated the field in his 2000 Silverado, beating Seth Turner, who broke out, in the final.
The drag racing portion of this LS Fest event consisted of seven sessions of test and tune and qualifying just to establish the ladders and head to the cut-throat rounds of eliminations.
An easy question on the surface… in the most basic terms. A better question is, what is it about a quarter-mile strip of pavement that draws racers like moths to flames — the sensation of speed, the sensation of speed at the edge of control, the sensation of adrenaline as the g-forces hit like a ton of bricks. For sure. But it's also the journey to the burnout box, the wrenching, trial and error disappointments, and the late nights tuning that add grit and determination — It’s the hard work that makes those few seconds so exhilarating that it keeps racers coming back for more.
Our on-going series of beyond the sheet metal looks at some of the vehicles doing battle continues on the final day of mayhem. Our first feature personifies mayhem, and its creation defines teamwork and illustrates what can be accomplished when you set your mind to something and do it right.
When Joseph Cousin, an auto shop teacher at Poway High School, set out to inspire his students, he didn't just crack open another textbook. He ripped out the pages with help from a 539-horsepower, 1,920-pound monster—and then unleashed it on the road course at LS Fest West.
The project started with an Exomotive Exocet kit, a purpose-built chassis designed to repurpose the drivetrain of a first-gen Miata. Typically, the idea is simple: strip down a donor Miata, bolt the rolling chassis to the lightweight Exocet frame, and go racing. But Cousin and his students had bigger dreams.
"We kept the Miata's steering knuckles, steering column, and rear subframe—everything else, we upgraded," Cousin says. A bored and stroked LS2 block, topped with ported LS3 heads and breathing through a Holley Hi-Ram intake are at the heart of the build. Under the "hood" are Holley accessory mounts and a low-profile oil pan. A Holley Terminator X ECU manages it all, while an 8.8-inch independent rear from a Cobra and a T-56 six-speed transmission pulled from a GTO put the power to the ground. With 539.5-wheel horsepower and less than 2,000 lbs, the power-to-weight ratio is absolutely bonkers.
Cousin was offered to try out Vitour tires. Even on smaller 245-width rubber compared to the original 275s, the grip immediately improved. "Cold tires, hot tires—it didn't matter," Cousin says. "The Maturos just stuck."
Over the course of 10 months, 35 students at Poway High School got their hands dirty. Some helped tear down and rebuild the engine after a spun bearing. Others installed suspension, mounted seats, or learned wiring fundamentals. "When you're teaching auto shop, a lot of the time it's oil changes and tire rotations," Cousin explains. "Getting to show them real performance builds—that's what really hooks them."
With just nine students able to attend LS Fest West in person, Cousin hopes this project will open the door to even bigger opportunities for future classes.
LS Fest West marked the very first time Cousin—and the car—hit a full course. "I'm nervous, I'm shaking, but it's an absolute blast," he says, grinning after a session. "Each lap, the times are coming down. That's all I can ask for."
The car, already carrying a California-issued VIN, is on its way to becoming fully street-legal. "The only event that we have is what Holley throws, really, to be honest. Getting them out here to be able to see the performance side really gets the kids interested."
This green beast is not just a track weapon—it's a rolling lesson in creativity, craftsmanship, and what happens when you give the next generation the tools to dream big.
Being located in the desert just where Las Vegas stopped building houses means there’s plenty of dirt to kick around in. So, the off-road component of LS Fest was right at home. A special track was built in the center of the dirt rack at Las Vegas and of course jumps were added to really work those shocks and springs… and spines. The field was split into two classes, Rock Cars and Trucks.
The Flying Four-Door - Truck class winner Ty Leon grenaded the gear set in his transmission during a practice session on Friday night, went home, pulled an all-nighter rebuilding it, and made it back for the race on Saturday. A testament to his advanced skill set, the trans ran flawlessly in what could be called a very aggressive break-in period.
Some racers are content to master one discipline. Others want to prove they can dominate them all. That's what the Grand Champion competition at LS Fest West is all about: pushing one car, on one set of DOT-legal tires, through the drag strip, the 3S Challenge, and autocross—all while surviving the Vegas heat, mechanical gremlins, and the pressure of razor-thin margins. Sounds easy? It isn't.
This year's Grand Champion showdown delivered some of the tightest, most heart-pounding competition LS Fest West has ever seen.
Returning champion David Carroll did it again, piloting his open-top 1974 Chevy Blazer—powered by a turbocharged LT engine—to back-to-back Truck class wins. But it didn't come easy. Carroll and Jason Wilcox found themselves tied for first, and the winner had to be decided by the fastest single lap on Autocross Track 1.
Jason's best lap was a strong 46.69, but Carroll edged him out with a 46.106—a margin of just over half a second. When you're separated by fractions of a second after three days of brutal racing, you know you've earned it.
In the Late Model class—home to some of the fastest lap times of the weekend—it was all about the returning winner, Duke Langley.
Langley's Corvette didn't just win; it set the standard. Duke pulled off the fastest autocross times, conquered the 3S Challenge, and even walked away with the Autocross Shootout title. Clean, fast, and unshakable, Duke once again proved why he's a Grand Champion threat at every LS Fest he enters.
Over in Vintage, Robby Unser driving the Speedway Motors Cobra — a featherweight fiberglass rocket fitted with a twin-turbo LS and a Tremec TKX manual transmission. Watching the open-cockpit Cobra tear through the course, wing slicing the air and turbos screaming, was a show in itself. Unser's clean, aggressive runs locked up the Vintage win and proved that sometimes, lightweight and high horsepower is still an unbeatable combo.
At LS Fest West, the 3S Challenge separates the quick from the committed. Speed, Stop, and Steer—it sounds simple, but once the green flag drops, a full-blown adrenaline rush pushes both car and driver to the limit. There's no hiding in the 3S Challenge. You either nail all three—or you're off-pace and out of contention.
Unlike traditional autocross, the 3S Challenge demands clean, controlled chaos. Drivers sprint off the line, thread through a tight slalom, then hammer the brakes into a stop box without blowing through the cones. If you overshoot, miss a gate, or step outside the stop zone? Your run is toast.
The competition this year was fierce, and times were tighter than ever. It's a battle of tuning, traction, and nerves. The fast cars know how to rotate through the slalom without upsetting the balance. The smartest drivers know exactly where to lift and where to slam on the binders without sacrificing precious tenths.
Once again, Duke Langley laid down the law, running the fastest 3S Challenge times in his Corvette. Consistency matters in the Grand Champion hunt, and Langley's performance here gave him a crucial advantage heading into the final events.
Meanwhile, across the Truck and Vintage classes, drivers fought hard to find the right balance between aggression and control. Some got bit by too much throttle and ended up sliding wide. Others lost critical seconds trying to brake too late and overshooting the box.
LS Fest is everything that’s great about our hobby. It’s a place where dreams come to fruition, where long hours in the garage pay off when your build fires to life and is pushed to its limits. We're already looking forward to next year. But in the nearer term we have another LS Fest in our headlights.
Calling all Bow Tie fanatics from the Lone Star State... LS Fest Texas is coming your way May 16 and 17 at Texas Motor Speedway. If you’re in the neighborhood hit us up.
