The Chevrolet Camaro could get a track-only Mustang Cobra Jet fighter

Since the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet FR500CJ was introduced by Ford Racing, it has been making short work of the factory drag racing classes with all sorts of records but next season, there could be a new Chevrolet Camaro drag racing package from GM Performance Parts that could help GM racers to dethrone the Cobra Jet. General Motors hasn’t offered any official plans to build a track only drag racing package for the Camaro but the folks at LSXTV have speculated that SEMA 2011 will introduce the world to a Stock Eliminator Chevrolet Camaro. GMPP has used past SEMA Shows to roll out special edition, high performance packages like the road race-ready Camaro SSX (shown on the right) so it would make good sense for GM to bring out a drag racing package to the world’s biggest performance expo.

Since there is no official word on the drag package for the Chevrolet Camaro, we can only speculate as to what might power this new Cobra Jet fighter but we can base that speculation on the specs of the Mustang that the Camaro drag strip package will have to battle. The 2012 Ford Racing Mustang Cobra Jet uses a supercharged 5.4L V8 making a stated output of 430 horsepower (even though the blown 5.4 in the GT500 makes 550hp) but the real key to the success of the Cobra Jet is the low weight of just 3,200lbs. The Camaro is substantially heavier so to keep up with the FR500CJ Mustang, the Chevrolet factort drag racer will need a little extra power. Luckily, General Motors has a handful of V8s from which to choose in order to power the Stock Eliminator Chevy Camaro beginning with the supercharged V8 found in the 2012 Camaro ZL1. With 580 horsepower, this blown V8 could very easily help this track built Camaro keep up with the Cobra Jet but if GM wanted to reserve that engine for the awesome new ZL1, they also have the 505hp LS7 from the Corvette Z06.

There is also the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak and while it has not set the records that the Cobra Jet has, it uses supercar power from the Dodge Viper to make for one of the most powerful factory built muscle cars of all time. The Challenger Drag Pak packs 600 horsepower by means of the 512 cubic inch Viper V10 with a transmission and rear differential built specifically to move this big muscle car down the quarter mile. Like the Cobra Jet, the Challenger Drag Pak is substantially lightened up, weighing just 3,250lbs. The Stock Eliminator Camaro could also feature supercar power to take a shot at both the Challenger and the upcoming Viper with a 638 horsepower engine from the Corvette ZR1.

No matter which of the engines GM Performance Parts division picks to power the Chevrolet Camaro drag package, be it the 430hp LS3 from the Camaro SS, the 580hp LSA from the ZL1, or the LS7 or LS9 from the high end Corvettes, GM racers may finally have their chance to snatch up a factory built drag racer to go head to head with the Ford Racing Cobra Jet and the Dodge Challenger V10 Drag Pak.

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Source: LSXTV