Once a year, the National Hot Rod Association visits Joliet, Illinois and Route 66 Raceway for their Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance.

Part of this event is the PEAK Street Car Shootout, showcasing some of the quickest rides in the drag and drive community, and for the third year in 2025, eight contestants rolled into Illinois to determine the champion.

Leading the eight rides would be the defending champion Schroder-Ens team, with David Schroeder at the wheel of the nitrous-fed C7 Corvette. 2023 event winner Bryant Goldstone returned at the wheel of his ’73 AMC Javelin, looking for a second title in three years.

The remaining six spots included Tom Bailey with the ‘Sick Seconds 2.0’ 1969 Camaro, Craig Groebner and his twin-turbo ’71 Chevrolet Nova, Alex Taylor’s ’55 Chevrolet, the ’82 Camaro of Nick Taylor, Tom McGilton and his 2013 Camaro, and the lone naturally-aspirated ride, the ’85 Ford Mustang of Ed Ensor.

After being on the sidelines for close to two years, what better time to bring back Uncle Sam than an election year? The 1991 Camaro got finished in time to participate in the first Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2022, and Nick Taylor is ready to return to the drag-and-drive scene in 2024.

“It’s almost weird not having to thrash (for Sick Summer), but at the same time we thrashed a little for the NHRA race. I’m looking forward to Sick Summer and completing it this year.”

After four days of fun with drag-and-drive rides, including some road miles on Thursday, a pair of time runs Friday, and eliminations on Saturday and Sunday, a winner has been crowned in the second annual PEAK Street Car Shootout as part of Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Chicago’s Route 66 Raceway.