Mooresville, NC - For some people, 2008 will be a year to forget. For others, including Detroit Speed, it might have gone by a little too quickly. Detroit Speed had a terrific 2008, winning numerous Autocross trophies, including the fastest Autocross lap at the Year One Experience and capturing the title at the Pigeon Forge "Run Through the Hills."

Camaro Performers Magazine Editor, Nick Licata, got the year off to a bang by winning the Editor's Challenge Autocross in the 1969 Test Camaro at Goodguys Costa Mesa. DSE followed it up by posting the fastest lap at the Year One Experience in Braselton, GA. The Test Car backed that up with wins at Goodguys Atlanta followed by victory at Goodguys Nashville.

One of the most uplifting moments for DSE in 2008 occurred at the Goodguys Nationals, in Columbus, OH. Kyle Tucker squeaked by Brad Coomer of Air Ride to capture the third consecutive Vendor Autocross for the Test Camaro. If that wasn't enough, DSE was humbled and honored when 4 out of the 5 Street Machine of the Year Finalists chose DSE suspension parts for their vehicles. The eventual winner, The Razor, built by Ring Brothers had the DSE Hydroformed Subframe, the QUADRALink™, and Detroit Speed Deep Tubs equipped. This year each Street Machine of the Year competitor had to run in the Autocross, proving their ride is a true Street Machine.

After Columbus, the 1969 Camaro Test Car had no time to relax as it was driven hard around an autocross for a few days at the Tire Rack Headquarters in South Bend, IN. After Tire Rack, the Test Car received the rest it was looking for, there was no Autocross scheduled for the NSRA Nationals in Louisville, KY.

The time off didn't last long, the 1969 Camaro Test Car returned to action only a few weeks later at Goodguys Kansas, August 29th - 31st. This time Detroit Speed had a few tricks up their sleeve. The Test Car did capture the 5th straight Autocross for Detroit Speed, only it wasn't the Test Car you were accustomed to seeing. The 1970 Camaro Test Car driven by Kyle Tucker was debuted and captured the crown while the 1969 Camaro Test Car driven by Stacy Tucker finished in third place, only .011 seconds behind second place.

The late summer and early fall saw DSE introduce their new line of A-Body front and rear suspension products to an eager customer base ready to fit them on their
A-Bodies.

DSE also had a big moment at the "Run Through the Hills," an event hosted by Pro-Touring.com and MuscleRides.com, at Pigeon Forge. The 1970 Camaro Test Car was named "King of the Hill" which was the overall award given to the car which accumulated the most points from a Run Through the Hills, an Autocross (which DSE won), a 1/8 mile drag, and overall fit & finish.

In between running autocrosses across the country and overseeing the launch of their new product line, Detroit Speed had time to host their annual Open House that is held the Friday night of the Goodguys show in Charlotte. This year's turnout might have been the biggest ever and was the first time rain didn't play a part in the evening's festivities. This gave customers and curiosity seekers a chance to see first hand what goes on inside Detroit Speed. One big surprise of the night for returning customers was the construction on an additional DSE building located directly behind the current one. We are anxious to complete and move into the new building.

Keeping things rolling right along the 1970 Camaro Test Car captured the fifth, sixth, and seventh Vendor Autocross victories in a row with wins at Joliet, Ft. Worth, and Charlotte respectively. The Charlotte show closed out the Goodguys Vendor Autocross season for the Test Cars but by no means did it keep them off of the track.

Goodguys Scottsdale finished the Goodguys show season in style, with the Muscle Machine of the Year award sponsored by Detroit Speed being given to Gary Abraham's 1970 Nova "Notorious" which was built by Rad Rides by Troy. The Muscle Machine of the Year is a Street Machine in the truest sense with a contemporary twist. Modern suspension, powertrains, brakes, and interiors are the norm and Muscle machine of the Year contenders are typically detailed to a very high standard of fit and finish. The philosophy of the Muscle Machine of the Year award aligns perfectly with that of Detroit Speed, making DSE's participation a natural fit.

Near the end of the year, Detroit Speed was invited to the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational immediately following the SEMA show. True to form, DSE captured the Autocross there as well competing against some of the top street cars in the world.

Looking back, 2008 was a great year for the DSE Test Camaros and the company as a whole. Everyone at DSE would like to thank our customers, partners, and competitors who always make us strive for excellence.

We look forward to the quickly approaching 2009 show season and hope to build upon the successes of last year.