1972 Corvette Shows Us How Burnouts Are Done: Video

Corvettes at Carlisle wouldn’t be complete without the annual tire-shredding burnout contest smoke-athon. This year’s event was no exception to the rule, and the top honors went to John Marshall and his “mildly modified” 1972 Corvette.

By “mildly modified,” we really mean “seriously overbuilt.” Big Al’s Toybox, the engine supplier, rates its 355 Chevy engine at 547 horsepower when equipped with the 671 supercharger, and prices for the engine start at $9,232, excluding delivery.

Marshall’s car is largely stock in most other regards, including a factory four-speed transmission and a factory rear end with the original 3.36 gearing. We’re not generally big fans of the C3 Corvette and its Stingray body style, but Marshall’s 1972 ‘Vette has an undeniable presence about it.

As Corvette Blogger so aptly points out, “when a man thanks his crew chief, you know he’s a serious contender.” Despite a failed first attempt, Marshall got his Corvette to hook up on the second try, producing an epic burnout that could probably be seen from space.

Marshall’s Corvette is a copy of a model he built as a 14-year-old boy, and we’ve got to give him recognition for sticking with his dream. His car was also described by Corvette Blogger as the “loudest V-8 we’ve ever heard,” which is an accomplishment worthy of recognition in itself.