Starting Thursday, March 28, Chevrolet will offer a limited run of NHRA-certified rolling chassis designed for drag racing.

The chassis will join the COPO Camaro in Chevrolet’s drag racing family and will cost $55,000 and will be hand-built in the same Oshawa, Canada facility that builds the COPO.

“This is a great opportunity to buy a factory-built foundation for a competitive Camaro race car, saving racers the time of building their own from the ground up and offering them the opportunity to compete with a piece of Chevrolet history, because we’re only going to build a few of them,” said Jim Campbell, General Motors U.S. Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Add your powertrain assembly and you’ve got a race car that’s ready to tackle the drag strip.”

As a rolling chassis, the unit is sold without an engine, transmission and other necessary drivetrain components. Buyers will be able to choose what powers their drag car, but Chevrolet will also sell all the needed parts separately.

What it does come with, on the other hand, are racing seats, factory glass, head and tail lights, an NHRA-approved roll cage. production-style gauges a racing switch panel a headliner and carpeting.

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The drag-strip only Ford Mustang Cobra Jet is getting some modifications this year, including new color options and the availability of a new transmission and a parachute mount.

 To give the NHRA Stock and Super Stock racing Cobra Jet some new style, Ford has added Gotta Have-it Green and flat black to the Cobra Jet’s palette of colors.

Two enhancements have been made to the car to help it perform. The first is a new three-speed race transmission with an SFI approved housing, along with a new mount for parachutes meant for cars that exceed 150 mph.

Only 50 units of the Cobra Jet will be produced this year, all of which will sell for $97,990 plus optional paint and graphics. The car is powered by a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine, and comes ready for drag racing straight out of the factory.

Discuss this story at AllFordMustangs.com

The Tesla Model S packing 416 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque has garnered another accolade: World Record for the Quickest Production Electric Car.

Out at Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR), the Model S turned in a best time of 12.371 @ 110.84 mph in the quarter mile, running the sprint to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds. On hand was the National Electric Drag Racing Association (NEDRA) to confirm that the Tesla Model S did indeed set a new world record for the quickest production electric vehicle in the quarter mile.

SEE ALSO: 2013 Tesla Model S Review

The test car was even equipped with the 21-inch wheel and tire package, which weigh more than the standard 19-inch offering. The Model S weighed in at 4,690 pounds at the weight scale at PBIR, sans driver.

Watch a video of the Tesla Model S battling it out with a Dodge Viper SRT10 below.

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[Source: Drag Times]

Discuss this story at Tesla-Buzz.com

At the 2012 SEMA Show, Chevrolet unveiled its 2012 COPO convertible, which just fetched a nice $400,000 towards charity at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Only two COPO Camaro convertibles exist, with the other one residing at the GM Heritage Center, which means it won’t be sold anytime soon. This particular unit is powered by a 327-cubic inch V8 engine with a 4.0-liter supercharger and boasts 550 hp for the quarter mile.

SEE ALSO: Last 2012 COPO Camaro is a Soft Top: 2012 SEMA Show

The proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association while the owner will enjoy a world of exclusivity, owning one of the world’s rarest Camaros.

GALLERY: 2012 COPO Camaro Convertible 2012 SEMA Show

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Chevrolet went in an unexpected direction with its final two drag-strip specific COPO Camaros, the last of which it just unveiled at the 2012 SEMA Show.

What’s that difference? If you haven’t already noticed, it’s a convertible. Most dragsters would laugh at the idea and a Chevrolet representative even agreed that it’s unusual. So why did the brand build it? “Because we can,” he said with a smile.

And why not? The car was a smash hit that sold out with striking speed. As the 69th and final 2012 COPO to be built, the car will be auctioned through Barrett-Jackson and is the only convertible being sold to the public.

That is, unless Chevrolet plans to build another drop top dragster in 2013 — the brand also just announced that it will offer a second production run in light of how popular it was in 2012.

For those unfamiliar, Chevrolet offered buyers the choice between a 7.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 and a 5.3-liter V8 with the choice between a 2.9- and 4.0-liter supercharger. The majority of buyers opted for the larger, naturally aspirated engine, but the convertible features the smaller V8 and larger supercharger good for 550 hp.

Just like this year, the 2013 run will be limited to only 69 cars, and with Chevrolet reporting more than 3,000 hand raisers it’s going to be tough to get one.

Despite that, avid racing enthusiasts can still find their way into something very similar. That’s because Chevrolet also offers the lion’s share of parts found in its COPO Camaros through Chevrolet Performance including the engines.

GALLERY: 2012 COPO Camaro convertible 2012 SEMA Show

Ford Racing is revving things up by introducing a brand-new livery. The color scheme will be a prominent addition to all cars supported by the company and powered by its engines.

The decision is part of a move to unify all of Ford’s global racing efforts. A prominent blue and black identifier stripe will debut at next year’s Daytona 500 on the 2013 Fusion running in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It will also be found on NHRA drag racers, WRC Fiestas and everything in between.

Beyond the signature stripe, cars will also feature a similar motif and color scheme on their flanks.

Ford Racing prototypes are not excluded from the company’s latest livery. The Mustang Cobra Jet Twin-Turbo shown at the 2012 SEMA Show show is finished in white with an offset black and blue stripe running from bumper to bumper.

The idea of this unified look it to make it easy for fans to identify cars that are directly supported by Ford Racing.

Plenty of exotic supercars made their way to Russ Beach Smith Falls Airport to take part in the ‘Race the Runway 2012′ charity event that raises money for the Russ Beach Smith Falls-Montague Aviation Museum. At the event, millions of dollars worth of exotics took part in a 1/4-mile drag race on the paved runway, with an electric Tesla Roadster turning in the best time of the day.

The Tesla Roadster ran an impressive 10.39 seconds in the quarter mile and bested the likes of a Nissan GT-R (11.536), Ford GT (11.691), Dodge Viper ACR (12.023), a Porsche Carrera GT (12.273), and even a Ferrari Cailfornia (12.639). Of course most of those vehicles listed aren’t made to go fast in a straight line, but other things to take into account is driver experience and traction, two main components of a fast e.t. in drag racing.

That’s not to say the time wasn’t impressive for the electric convertible. Any 10-second car is a fast one, but let’s not jump to any hasty conclusions that the Tesla Roadster would outperform a GT-R or a Viper on a road course.

Back in late August, Toyota announced its custom vehicle build-off featuring four of its drivers: Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Antron Brown, and Alexis Dejoria. Each driver has now selected their Toyota vehicle and the shop at which it’ll be built, and the customization has begun. 

Each vehicle will be completed by this year’s SEMA Show, when fans will be able to vote for their favorite project. The winning team will be awarded with $50,000 for a charity of their choice.

The build off is well under way and the Japanese automaker has released several videos spotlighting and introducing each driver and their project. Kyle Busch will be building his rendition of a ‘Rowdy Edition Camry’ at Detroit Speed, Inc. while NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer is going green with his ‘Tekked-Out Prius’. Antron Brown, competitor in the NHRA Top Fuel circuit is building a ‘Family Sequoia Dragster’, and lastly, female funny car pilot Alexis Dejoria has teamed up with Racer Engineering to build a Pre-Runner Tundra.

Watch the introduction videos to each driver and their builds below.

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Toyota’s racing division (TRD) is hosting a custom vehicle build-off to raise money for charity.

NASCAR drivers Clint Bowyer and Kyle Busch, along with NHRA dragstrip devils, Antron Brown and Alexis DeJoria have each selected a shop and a Toyota vehicle to build for the competition. Each team will have equal resources to complete their projects in time for SEMA on October 30. Fans vote for their favorite vehicles ultimately awarding the winning team $50,000 for a charity of their choice.

Alexis DeJoria competes in NHRA Nitro Funny Car racing and is one of only two women to win an NHRA Alcohol Funny Car event. DeJoria is working with Racer Engineering of San Jacinto, Calif. The Southern California shop has tremendous experience in off-roading which is why she is using a Tundra Pre-Runner as the basis for her customized off road desert basher.

Kyle Busch is creating a NASCAR-inspired “rowdy” Toyota Camry. Busch is competing for the Kyle Busch Foundation. His organization supports programs for people who are terminally ill, safe-driving programs and recreation activities for children and teens. The charity also provides support for other programs that ease people’s challenges in life.

Clint Bowyer is adding technology to the already advanced Toyota Prius in partnership with RKM Performance in Charlotte. Bowyer is raising money for The Emporia Community Foundation which is based Bowyer’s native Emporia County, Kan. The charity builds improvements in the area and supports local organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, various schools, programs for seniors and arts groups.

Antron Brown is the only driver to ever win NHRA Top Fuel racing and in Pro Stock Motorcycles. He is teaming up with Motorsports Technical Center in Long Beach, Calif. This seems like a bit of an advantage since they are Toyota’s in-house customizing shop who build concepts as well the Pro-Celebrity cars for the Toyota Grand Prix every year.

Brown and the crew are turning a Sequoia SUV into a dragster that can go to the grocery store. They plant to raid the TRD catalogue for Toyota-developed goodies like a supercharger kit and TRD brakes. Brown is competing for an organization that sends chaplains to races, called Racers for Christ.

Voting opens on October 20 and goes until October 30 when the vehicles are unveiled at SEMA in Las Vegas. Fans who vote can win prizes like a Toyota Racing vacation.

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Last week, Chevrolet began delivery of its COPO Camaro, with only 69 ever to be sold for all drag racing enthusiasts nationwide. And just like that, one of them has conquered the quarter mile in 8.88 seconds.

This particular COPO Camaro features the 5.3-liter supercharged V8 and easily proves that the COPO Camaro is the fastest Camaro model ever built. According to the video poster, it is vehicle number 3, but essentially the first vehicle to head into the hands of owners. Vehicle number 1 was a prototype, while number 2 is heading to a museum.

We’re not entirely convinced that the car was untouched before it went to the track, but if it is indeed stock, the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet and the Mopar Challenger Drag Pak have their work cut out for them.

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It doesn’t matter what side you fall on, the muscle car wars have never been hotter now that Chevrolet has officially begun delivering its COPO Camaro to owners. 

As the fastest Camaro it has ever built, the COPO is aimed to fight with Ford’s Mustang Cobra Jet which is also a purpose-built drag car. In the Chevy’s case, there are three engine options: a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V8, a 5.3-liter V8 featuring a 2.9-liter supercharger, and another 5.3-liter V8 with a 4.0-liter supercharger.

Not intended for street use, the car is built to NHRA specifications with a roll cage, solid rear axle and a Powerglide automatic transmission meant specifically for drag racing.

Pricing information is irrelevant at this point because every car is spoken for, but were you one of the lucky 69 new owners, you would know that the starting price for ownership is $89,000.

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The COPO Camaro is a purpose-built car, meant for straight line racing. Buyers are offered a special engine build experience, an opportunity that famed race team owner Rick Hendrick took advantage of.

Corvette, COPO Camaro and crate engine buyers are all offered the chance to work on their own engine on the assembly line, providing a first-hand experience on how the motor comes together. Rick Hendrick participated in the engine build on his Corvette last year, and enjoyed it so much that he came back to the plant to build the engine on his new COPO Camaro.

“I want to thank everyone at the Performance Build Center for having me back. It means so much to spend time with people who share my passion for cars and work so hard to produce some of the best engines in the world,” Hendrick said.

This car will be the brands first purpose built Camaro for the drag strip, and will compete in the stock eliminator and super stock NHRA classes. “Building an engine is a time-honored tradition in hot rodding, and this program allows enthusiasts to enjoy that magical do-it-yourself feeling, while still enjoying the value of a GM Powertrain-engineered and factory-warrantied engine,” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports.