2007 Ohio Super Chevy Show - Super Chevy Hits The National Trail

Blast off! The inaugural running... 

   

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Blast off! The inaugural running of the Super Chevy/Tremec True Street Challenge.

First-Time FunThe inaugural Super Chevy/Tremec True Street Challenge

So you think you have the fastest street-legal Chevy around? The Super Chevy Show organizers have sent out the invitation for you to come and flex your muscle. For all those trash talkers who race their mouth more than their car, it's time to put up or shut up!

National Trail Raceway provided the stage for the first-ever running of the Super Chevy/Tremec True Street Challenge. Racers converged from different locations around the country in order to compete. Mother Nature provided a couple hours of dry weather, and in that time the six brave souls who hung around began the True Street festivities by going on the 30-mile cruise through the lovely pastures of Ohio.

Upon returning to the track, the cars were lined up in the staging lanes. The track officials almost had the track dry until the sky opened up again. The remainder of the Saturday session was canceled.

Smoke Loar broke the rear... 

   

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Smoke Loar broke the rear in his '70 Chevelle during round one competition, leaving him disqualified. At least he was able to enjoy a Sunday drive beforehand.

Sunday morning was bright and sunny, a fitting backdrop to the continuation of the True Street Challenge. After each driver completed three back-to-back runs, their averages were calculated. When the tire smoke cleared, it was Phil Cooper of Urbana, Illinois, who took the crown with his tubbed-out, nitrous-breathing '66 Nova. Runner-up and lowest 10-second average went to Mike Rehl of Heath, Ohio, with his '85 Monte Carlo SS.

As an added bonus, the cars with the eight quickest averages from the True Street field compete heads-up. Since we only had six total, it was the buzzin' half-dozen. No surprise, it was Cooper and Rehl in the final. Mike's Monte didn't have enough steam to overcome Phil's 9.51 e.t. Brad Schmidt earned honorable mention in his LS1-equipped '98 Camaro. Brad was a semifinal loser, but did win the award for having the lowest 11-second average.

To alleviate any confusion, we spoke to Super Chevy Show officials and they said that you may run True Street along with the DOT Street Fight class. As long as your car fits into class rules for both and you can make your lane calls, it's alright to run two classes.

Phil Cooper had no problem...        read full caption Phil Cooper had no problem cruising the streets with his True Street winning, 8-second '66 Nova.	Led by Bill Roupe in his '67...        read full caption Led by Bill Roupe in his '67 Chevelle, True Streeters patiently await the 30-mile cruise through the wet Ohio countryside.	The license plate of Mike...        read full caption The license plate of Mike Rehl's '85 Monte SS read "4 REHL," and he wasn't playin'. Mike took runner-up in True Street, along with the lowest 10-second average. It didn't stop there: Mike also won Bracket 2, and was a semifinalist in DOT Street Fight.
Green means go and that's...        read full caption Green means go and that's just what Brad Schmidt did in his '98 Camaro. Brad won the lowest 11-second award and was a semifinalist in the heads-up competition afterwards.	A special thanks to Officer...        read full caption A special thanks to Officer Robb of the Union Township Police Dept...	...for keeping the drivers...        read full caption ...for keeping the drivers safe during the 30-mile cruise. (We'll pardon him for driving a Crown Vic).