Words: Tommy Parry

There are some impressive builds featuring old Camaros and big slicks, but the standards to which this particular car lives up puts it in another bracket altogether. If the Dark Knight Camaro stands to prove an old adage, it’s that quality begets quality. Derrick chose stellar parts from the start: A chassis with DSE parts and a Strange third member, and 18x12” and 18x11” CCW LM20 wheels, shod in BF Goodrich Rivals, provide the stick.

The motor is an LSA built to withstand fifteen pounds of boost. A 376 B-15 block with forged internals enjoys help from .650 lift springs, Injector Dynamics 1000cc injectors, a Lingenfelter CTSV dampener, an LS3 throttle body, an ATI 8 rib ring, a 2.55" upper pulley and, finally, a ported and polished ZL1 Supercharger. The package makes 750 horsepower, as well as 600 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm! This tidal wave of torque gets driven through a T-56 Magnum to a Detroit Speed 9-inch axle. The leftovers are poured out through a Magnaflow exhaust, which does a stellar job irritating his neighbors - several miles away.

As Derrick wanted this machine to excel at the autocross, he added a set of Detroit Speed coilovers with JRi shocks in front and Detroit Speed’s Quadralink suspension in the rear. Handling deceleration are Wilwood big brakes—six-piston and front and four-piston in rear—with 14.25” rotors.

Inside, Wilwood adjustable pedals, a Sparco Evo III bucket, a Sparco wheel and Dakota Digital gauges add a focused and sinister feel to the cabin. Some handmade, perforated aluminum doorcards further contribute to the spartan vibe.

Back on the road, Derrick began sanding the car and applied a coat of satin black, added a simplistic spoiler and began powercoating some of the trim pieces. The rugged look would soon be dumped for something a little flashier.

Next on the list of aesthetic upgrades is a wire mesh grille of Derrick’s own handiwork. Underneath this subtle mod is an Improved Racing oil cooler to keep the LSA functioning on a hot Texas afternoon.

However, the biggest visual change was still to come. After a long forum hiatus, Derrick returned with his car doused in gloss blue and black, with some of his sponsors’ logos detailing the stunning autocross rocket. With the wheel centers covered in a matte bronze, the color scheme was complete, and Derrick had a monster - now boasting 820 horsepower and 675 lb-ft of torque - with which to crush cones and snap necks at the track.

Best of all, Derrick is no poser. His driving skill and careful tuning have reaped him quite a few rewards. He took first place in over 20 Equipe Rapide Autocross events, which led to 2016 and 2017 series championships. Additionally, he won the 2015 Goodguys Autocross Street Machine event, was the overall shootout winner and qualified for the Goodguys National Autocross championship in 2015 and 2016. Considering that he’s dedicated the majority of his time and resources to the building of this menacing track toy, that’s incredibly impressive - and a standard we all ought to try and meet.