Holley’s LS West Fest brings together all fans of GM’s venerable V8 engine family, with this year’s event taking place between April 22-24 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. The event celebrates the mighty General Motors LS Small Block V8 engine family (Gen III-IV), which took the aftermarket by storm, leading to the famed “LS-swap” method for custom vehicles the world over. The event also extends to GM’s more recent LT engine family (the Gen V Small Block), as they can be found under the hood of multiple GM performance vehicles, from the Chevrolet Camaro LT1 to the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.
The main events will be drag racing, road course/autocross, and the 3S (Speed, Stop, Steering) Challenge. Any participant who wins all three challenges will be named Grand Champion, with Vintage, Late Model, and Truck classes available. The event will also feature a donut pit, drifting, dyno challenge, off-road exhibition, vehicle corral, and more.
Image via Holley LS Fest
The LS family of V8 engines was introduced in 1997, with an iron block for truck applications and an all-aluminum block in the C5 Corvette in the form of the 5.7L LS1. General Motors called it the Gen-III Small-Block, but fans of the engine quickly latched onto the LS name as a catch-all term for the platform. GM currently offers the LS engine in a bevy of different crate engines, with power ranging from 430 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque, all the way up to 638 horsepower and 604 lb-ft of torque.
Where else could host a spectacular event of tire smoke and engine noise but Las Vegas, Nevada? The West Coast version of the popular event promises to be the biggest to date after the Covid-19 pandemic caused previous years to be more subdued.
A Show-N-Shine will take place 15 miles North of the city, which welcomes any vehicle with either an LS or LT engine under the hood (or wherever else builders can stuff it). A wide range of categories will be available for participants to win prizes.
Spectators can get in for just $25 (unless you’re under 16, then it’s free), while multiple options for participants are available from $85 to $150. Pre-registration is now open. If you miss this one, there will also be Holley’s LS Fest Texas from June 17-18, as well as LS Fest East from September 9-11.
Image via Holley LS Fest.
