This Sunday Hemmings Musclepalooza XXIII thunders into Lebanon Valley Dragway

The 23rd running of the American muscle-car-only event, now sponsored by Dark Horse Customs, takes place on Sunday, May 29, at Lebanon Valley Dragway in West Lebanon, New York. Summer is so close we can just about smell it, and in the Hemmings offices that’s a sure sign that Musclepalooza is back.

Last fall’s Best in Show was Joe Sokola’s 1968 Hemi Super Bee.

Musclepalooza is a combination car show and drag racing event, open to owners of both classic and contemporary muscle cars. For those showing cars, we’ll be judging first and second place picks for all popular muscle car brands, including divisions of Ford, GM and Mopar, along with awards for modified muscle, Best Paint and Best Engine. The day is capped by the awarding of our Best in Show trophy.

For those that come to race, an array of bracket classes ensures matched competition for all, from the casual weekend warrior to the hardcore racer running a dedicated track car. Even first-timers are welcome to “run what they brung.”

Gates will open at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, giving racers ample time to clear tech inspection before time trials begin at 10:00 a.m.; eliminations begin at roughly 1:00 p.m. Those showing cars need to be registered and on the field by 12:00, as judging begins shortly after. The run-down-the-access-road awards ceremony will take place by mid-afternoon.

The Factory Appearing Stock Tire (F.A.S.T.) class will be back, too, running cars that look unaltered in appearance, yet deliver E.T.s significantly quicker than when they were showroom fresh. The series record is 9.84 seconds, and 10-second passes are fairly common, a hint that more than a few things have been changed under the skin. F.A.S.T also hosts a Factory Stock class with tighter rules, ensuring that competitors run cars much closer to factory specifications.

We hope to see you at Lebanon Valley on Sunday, May 29 (or Monday, May 30 in case of a rain out). For updates, check the events section of Hemmings.com, visit our Facebook page (Facebook.com/HemmingsNews), or call us at (800) 227-4373. See you at the track!