Optima Invitational- The Race of SEMA Superstars

Posted by pikesan on Dec 10, 2012 in Featured, Racing, Shows & Events | 0 comments

At Speed and Sideways at the OUSCI

Your guide to all that was GREAT at the 2012 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational.

(Click to see any picture full size)

Well… drowning in too many pictures of great looking and performing rides, I’ve spent too much time trying to make a great summary of the post-SEMA Optima race aka the OUSCI. So rather than attempt to dazzle you with my witty, yet descriptive account of the race, I’ll let my photos speak for me.

Let me summarize: Great racing, I’ll be back! I’ll list all the stories about the race here as I write them, so check back and please share with other fans.

• Dream Ride – Optima Invitational Raced Twin Turbo Lamborghini
• Road Racing and Autocross Diversity Training Thanks to Optima
• Back and Still under budget Pro-touring 1966 Mustang Fastback
• Top 25 Finishing, Pro-touring Styled Chevy Trucks
• Drifting a 10,000 lb Freightliner 

For the pictures here, shown above, in his GM performance packed 1967 Camaro is event winner Mark Steilow. I’m planning a more detailed story about Mark and his ripping fast Camaro, so for now, enjoy the hard-chargin, slightly sideways drift of the champ. Take note of who’s on it hard enough to get sideways… here’s the 1st place finisher… Mark, then…

2nd place Brian Hobaugh in his Wilwood brakes backed 1973 Camaro. I watched and shot Brian every lap just WAITING for him to loose grip a little. Finally, patients paid off. It’s no wonder he stayed gripped with the funny car style, vertical (made of plexiglass) wing mounted on the back and those massive tires.

Not far behind and also in a Camaro:

Tied for 7th Kyle Tucker’s 1970 Camaro. Racing for Detroit Speed, Kyle and wife Stacey are no strangers to the track. They’re seen vending and racing at Goodguy’s Autocross events. Catch a picture of me cheezin in the story I did about these former GM chassis engineers.

Then, the blue oval crowd joins in:

Tied for 10th, Jim Holloway in a 2013 Ford Mustang RTR. Beautiful and fast, I didn’t have to wait to catch Jim drifting.

Then, just a bit further back in the pack, but capable of towing the Mustang if needed:

23rd Place Curt Hill in a customer’s 1972 Chevy C5 Blazer. I got lucky grabbing this shot as Curt didn’t “drift” in this turn, no… he was losing it! In before and after shots, Curt saw wall, then track, then OH SHIT WALL, then managed to keep her straight. Placing 23rd in a field of about 40… that ain’t bad! Congrats!

Then finally, the king of drift and…

1st place in COOL! I don’t know what this thing is, but I’ll find out a little more and write about it. This beast-of-a-Freightliner was running rear tires that were so soft they left black powder every time he slid or blazed a smokey burnout thanks to 2 million foot pounds of torque. (Or something like that). This thing’s set up to race at Pike’s Peak. More later…