Make no mistake about it, the world of big-tire no prep and street racing isn’t a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination, in particular, because it takes a pretty unique approach to race car setup that not everyone can grasp. Those accustomed to proper prep and traction comprehend may not even be able to fully comprehend what it takes to make a 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower car hook on a patch of asphalt that would leave most standard issue street cars or pickups boiling the tires in place.

But for those who have figured it out, what they’re capable of doing is nothing short of impressive. A simple click of a stopwatch will prove that the front-running big-tire cars are turning 1/8-mile runs in the mid four-second range, with speeds likely into the 160s, if not the 170s. And on an actual road, they’re nearly as quick, although far less footage exists to actually illustrate that. But this nugget from DriverMod TV portrays it all quite well.

James “Birdman” Finney, the Texas racer who claimed the $15,000 big-tire victory at the Redemption No Prep race a week ago at the Texas Raceway, campaigned a feared fourth-generation Camaro in grudge and no prep events in the Southwest before moving to the lighter and more agile Firebird he drives now.  Last fall, the DriverMod TV cameras were rolling as Finney made a test hit on the street with the flamed, twin-turbo Camaro, giving a pretty good indication to anyone with a visual sense of speed and elapsed time just how quick and fast it truly is.

After doing a long burnout, Finney blasts down what appears to be a popular (judging by all the rubber laid down), secluded road in an industrial complex like he’s shot out of a cannon. As you can see, there’s no radial-style power management here where the car is eased through the first 60 to 100 feet — no, they’re getting after it from the very release of the transbrake. Here, suspension setup and weight transfer are king.