The Ultimate Street Car Search Starts in California
Fans thrill to the roar of the engines as race cars blast around one of the many speedways across the country. When it comes to these high-performance vehicles, you will not find much that can suit your everyday ride. However, street cars get their own race to fame at Optima’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car Challenge in Sonoma, California.
The USCA Includes Five Motorsports Events
Although fast driving and precision handling are the hallmarks of most car races, this event goes beyond the ordinary to truly put the different vehicles up to the test. The search for street car excellence includes a road rally in which all traffic laws must be obeyed, a road course competition that is timed much like any other race, and autocross competition that includes many tight turns and variable speed maneuvers, an acceleration and braking competition, and a design and engineering portion that judges vehicles on their modifications, street legal features like performance tires and wheels, and innovation. How the car looks is taken into account too. After all, style matters to the top ride.
Which Cars Came Out on Top?
This event has multiple classes of vehicles that hit the roads and tracks to compete for top spots. They each have their own unique rules about model years, weight classes, two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, compacts or trucks, pro-or amateur drivers, and more. Although Camaros and Mustangs were popular contenders for this competition and throughout the entire country-wide event, there were also showings for a Nissan, Mazdas, Mercedes-Benz, and even a Tesla in the GTS class of two-seater vehicles.
When it came to the GTT class for trucks and SUVs, the top finishers all drove Chevrolets. The winner was in a 1974 Blazer, second place drove in 1972 Blazer, and the third place winner had a newer 1991 Chevy S10 pickup truck. The Lucky 7 Outlaw class, which has relaxed rules and allows for professional drivers, had the most diverse winners circle with aid to thousand 17 Corvette, a 1969 Chevy C10, and Mercedes-Benz SEL from that same year.
As fans gathered around to cheer their favorites on or watched on the Motorsports Network, drivers impressed with their speed, handling, and expertise. Modern cars, light trucks, and classics thrilling to watch at every turn.
Classic Muscle Cars Show Off Their Skills
Fans of muscle cars from decades past paid special attention to the Classic Car Liquidators GTV class. Some of the top contenders included a 69 Camaro from Dusold Designs, and a 73 Camaro from Brian Hobaugh. The first was driven by Jason Bottenfield, the returning champion, who could not ultimately pull off another win for 2022. Ryan Breezee in his own 69 Camaro ended up on top after multiple events.
The entire event is not over yet. Although a lot of excitement occurred in California this year, the search continues for the top cars and drivers in the country. The next stop is in Wisconsin and promises a lot more race and performance driving action for fans of motorsports. The entire USCA series ends in November of this year. Then, car owners and enthusiasts will have to wait for next year to see if the champions can defend their spots from expert competitors.
The Search for the Ultimate Street Car includes a wide variety of speed and skills that put the various vehicles to the test. This year out on the road and closed courses in Sonoma, CA, everything from a 1969 Camaro to a 2017 Mustang proved that expert drivers still can thrill with street-legal cars.
The Ultimate Street Car Challenger goes back more than two decades.
It’s had different title sponsors , but the Ultimate Street Car Challenge has always had the same goal: to find the most capable and best performing vehicles in a range of classes.