Chris Smith dominated the GTV class of the March Optima Batteries 2023 Ultimate Street Car qualifier at New Orleans Motorsports Park, in his 1970 Chevrolet Camaro known as “Angry Smurf”. Chris not only bested the rest of the GTV class in all four competitive portions of the event, but he led the entire field (regardless of class) in both the Design & Engineering Challenge and the Acceleration/Braking Challenge, and he earned second overall in both the Hot Lap Challenge and the Autocross. His combined score of 498 points (out of a possible 500) tied the record for the most points ever earned at a single Optima Ultimate Street Car event. And it also clinched an invitation for Chris to attend the 2023 Optima Ultimate Street Car Championship, in Las Vegas.

Chris’s “Angry Smurf” pro-touring 1970 Chevrolet Camaro was built as an in-house project at Smitty’s Custom Automotive and is painted in GM’s PPG Rapid Blue. It’s powered by a 720HP Holley fuel-injected 427ci Kurt Urban LS7 mated to a Pfitzner Performance Gearboxes six-speed sequential transmission and rides on Speedtech Performance suspension, Motion Control Suspension 4-way adjustable remote-reservoir coilovers, Wilwood disc brakes, 315/30ZR18 & 335/30ZR18 BFGoodrich g-Force Rival S tires, and 18×11/18×12 Forgeline forged three piece GA3R wheels finished with Satin Black centers & Gloss Black outers. (See more in the Forgeline gallery at: https://forgeline.com/customer-gallery-chris-smith/cgk2583)

Stephen Dorrick also earned his invitation to the 2023 Optima Ultimate Street Car Championship in Las Vegas by winning the GTT class at NOLA, in his twin turbocharged LS-powered Nissan Frontier on Forgeline forged three piece FF3C-Truck wheels. Stephen was the only GTT competitor to complete all five events, winning the GTT class with 462 points.

Congratulations to Chris, Stephen, and all of the Optima Ultimate Street Car competitors who took the challenge at NOLA!