A racer’s worst nightmare is an on-track incident, and the only thing that could make it worse is losing the race car in the crash. Unfortunately, James Foreman knows this feeling all too well, but he spun that terrible moment into a return to the track.
In June 2025, James crashed his 1979 Malibu Wagon at a small tire race. The G-body wasn’t fixable, so he had to go on the hunt for a new car. When James saw that Jody Benton was selling a 1981 Z28 Camaro on Facebook, he knew right then he had to have the car, and the rest is history.
After crashing a car, most racers would think about taking a break from racing. James, on the other hand, has been entrenched in the sport from a young age thanks to his father, Russell. He spent plenty of time helping his dad work on classic cars, going to car shows, and watching his father street race his rowdy 1950 Chevrolet pickup.
“I got into drag racing after watching my dad street race. When I started going to the track, I got into Jr. Dragsters and found myself winning two championships and lots of races. I eventually started running in a 5.50 class with a Chevy Nova for a few years before finding my way into the heads-up racing world,” James explains.
Back to the Camaro. The car has its own family history and ties to racing, which made it a natural fit for James.
“Jody’s father purchased the car brand new in 1981. It’s a true Z28, and Jody drove it to high school. Jody and his dad eventually started putting a lot of time into the car and making it faster over the years. Eventually, they built it to the point where it raced in Outlaw Street classes, and then it became a 4.48 bore space grudge car,” James says.
The Camaro’s chassis was built by David Reese and the craftsmen at Reese Brothers Race Cars. A full set of Menscer Motorsports shocks was added to the car. Up front, you’ll find a stock-style suspension, and in the rear, a custom 4-link suspension and Fab 9 rearend have taken up residence. Mark Williams carbon-fiber brakes bring the Camaro to a stop.
A 587-cubic-inch big-block Chevy from Driskell Racing Engines powers the Camaro. Inside the Dart-based rat motor, you’ll find a Callies crank, GRP connecting rods, and Ross pistons. DNJ Components built the TH400 transmission, and a Neal Chance Racing torque converter was added to the combination to harness all the horsepower.
The Z28 feasts on a hefty dose of nitrous thanks to a Fastlane nitrous plate system. A Holley Dominator controls the engine and is tuned by Jordan Lazic. An MSD Pro 600 and Holley smart coils provide the spark, while a Waterman fuel pump feeds the race gas to a set of Holley injectors.
The Camaro rolls on a set of WELD Racing wheels up front, and the Sanders rear wheels are wrapped in Mickey Thompson 235 26×8.5 radials. James has been ridiculously fast with his engine combination on these tiny tires. The Camaro laid down a 4.325 ET at 168.60 mph with a 1.108 60-foot time, that’s moving on such a small tire.
“I need to thank my mom Debbie and my dad Russell for all their help with this project. Jordan Lazic from Gen 3 Speed for the tuning assistance. I also need to thank DNJ Components, Designed Performance, TRZ Motorsports, Sho-Me Speed, Tydo Race Cars, Baron Racing, Neal Chance Racing Converters, and all the friends that have helped along the way,” James says.
After his crash, James Foreman could have easily given up on drag racing. Instead, he drew upon his love for the sport and his family ties to it so he could keep making laps. His Z28 Camaro is one stunning ride and shows that tire size doesn’t mean anything when it comes to going quick at the track.
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