Hotchkis Blog

In 1956, Enzo and his team of engineers developed a supercar to compete against better funded and more advanced teams from Aston Martin and Porsche on the endurance road racing circuit. This new sports car featured slippery sculpted curves, a free-revving engine and suspension based on a proven, track-tested design. They called it the 250 Testa Rossa (not to be confused with the ‘80s Testarossa); Italian for Red Head, because of the car’s bright red cylinder head covers. Over the next five years, the Testa Rossa became one of the most legendary race cars of all time, racking up back-to-back wins at Le Mans in 1960 and 1961.

Over 50 years later, a different Testa Rossa is quickly gaining legendary status in the motorsports world. No, we’re not talking about the TR from Miami Vice. We’re referring to Mary Pozzi, a fiery redhead that has literally turned the muscle car auto cross community upside down with a string of incredible wins behind the wheel of her leaf spring equipped 1973 Camaro Rally Sport. The Salinas, California, native is not new to motorsport competition – she won her first Sports Car Club of America Auto Cross title in 1980, and has racked up 11 SCCA national championships since. When it came time to build her version of the ultimate street/track super car, the smooth-driving hot shoe knew it had to be a Camaro.

EXCELLENT DRIVER + DIALED-IN CAR = VICTORY
Conventional wisdom in the pro-touring community dictates that the most expensive, complex and highly-modified vehicles will be the fastest around a racetrack. Mary’s Testa Rossa RS blows that theory out of the water. After years of honing her skills in the SCCA with late-model cars, Mary hit the Goodguys Auto Cross circuit with a trip to the Costa Mesa, California “Orange County Get Together” last March.

Her car appeared nearly stock compared to most of the high-dollar hardware on the field. When the tire smoke cleared, the Testa Rossa RS had set the fastest time of the weekend for a classic muscle car, beating everything but a new Z06 Corvette. Mary walked away a winner. One month later at the Goodguys Del Mar Nationals, she did it again, except this time Mary buying drugs online without prescription not only drove her leaf-sprung, Hotchkis-equipped steed to the Street Machine Championship with a 30.0 second run, she also set the weekend’s fastest lap time with a 29.2 in Steven Rupp’s Hotchkis Sway Bar equipped “Bad Penny” ’68 Camaro in the exhibition class on R-compound tires.

THE SUSPENISON QUESTION
When the Pozzi’s bought the Camaro in April 2002, it was a clean, mostly original RS with a warmed-over small block, Corvette-style 15” alloy wheels and stock suspension. They chose the oft-overlooked ’73 because the 2nd gen F-body platform has a superior front-to-rear weight ratio and stiffer platform than the more popular first gen cars, and this particular Camaro had a beautiful custom red paint job with pearl ghost flames.

The Pozzi’s don’t believe you need to gut a Camaro’s soul to make it a track star. Disciples of the Trans-Am school of thought, both Mary and Dave feel that correct geometry, high-quality hardware and a properly tuned, well-sorted suspension setup bolted to a rigid platform is the key to auto cross victory. Mary did much of the work herself, tearing the car down for a complete suspension rebuild, chassis bracing and modification, new engine and transmission, big brakes and more. David is an experienced fabricator and runs a successful race shop, so he assisted when necessary.

Hotchkis Sport Coil Springs provide maximum traction, balance and a lowered ride height up front, and a Hotchkis tubular Front Sway Bar keeps the car buttoned down in the corners. The Pozzis are in the process of installing new tubular geometry corrected Hotchkis upper and lower A-Arms as well. The rear suspension is composed of a rebuilt 10-bolt with an Eaton limited slip differential that uses custom Pozzi-fabricated perch braces to mount on Hotchkis Sport Leaf Springs, with a Hotchkis rear sway bar controlling body motion and oversteer. Hotchkis subframe connectors tie everything together, as do custom Pozzi-fabricated chassis braces that connect the firewall to the upper A-Arm.

OTHER MECHANICAL MODS
Stopping power comes from Baer Brakes on all four corners, with four piston calipers up front and vented oversize rotors all around. An auto cross car needs precise steering to compliment aggressive handling, so the Camaro was updated with an AGR power steering box, Sweet pump and a remote tank. David also plumbed a cooler in front of the radiator along with a fluid filter to keep everything clean. Rolling stock consists of Vintage Wheel Works “45” alloy five-spokes wrapped in Kumho Ecsta XS tires measuring 255/40 in front and 285/40 in the rear.

Power comes from a GM Performance Parts “Fast Burn” 385 small block crate motor, fitted with a GMPP H.O.T. Cam, MSD ignition, a baffled high performance oil pan and a K&N Air Filter. A five-speed Tremec TKO transmission fitted with a Hurst shifter and an aluminum flywheel transfer the power the pavement.

In the cockpit, a four-point roll bar has been added for safety, Corbeau racing buckets keep the driver in place and an aftermarket dash filled with Autometer Phantom gauges keeps Mary informed. They also installed a Vintage Air A/C unit in the dash for hot summer days, but left the compressor in the shop to save weight for the races.

CONCLUSION
Like Enzo’s original Testa Rossa, Mary’s ’73 is revolutionary not for advanced high-zoot technology, but because it demonstrates that a proven suspension system, free-revving drivetrain, sleek body lines and a razor-sharp driver can smash the competition. Is the RS the most complex, high-dollar car on the field? Not by a long shot. But it’s one of the fastest, and that’s just the way Mary likes it.

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