Our formative years’ memories are usually embellished to reflect how great things were. When Jason Keller, a successful NASCAR Nationwide Series driver competing in 519 races between 1991 and 2010, visited car shows, he listened to each owner’s stories about their vehicle. He desired a car with such a story. However, due to all his years of racing, he only developed one deep vehicle connection – a 1985 IROC-Z Camaro, which he had in his youth.
To fulfill his craving for a car and a story, Keller contacted Tyler Hawkins of Hawks Motorsports to build the ultimate ’85 IROC-Z. Luckily, a 19k-mile original IROC-Z was located, and the build quickly progressed. Keller stipulated that the factory steering wheel remained and requested no wild modifications to the interior or exterior of the Camaro.
A stock LSA block provides the foundation for the engine build. ARP head studs secure factory heads fitted with dual springs and CHE trunnion roller rockers actuated by a BTR camshaft. Atop the heads is a Kong Performance LSA supercharger with a Synergy Motorsports LS9 lid to lower intake temperatures. The intercooler houses C&R bricks.
A custom 5-in to 4.5-inch cold air intake attached to a Nick Williams 103mm throttle body feeds air to the supercharger. The spent gasses exit the heads via Hawks 2-inch primaries into a 3.5-inch collector. An LSX Innovations drive system spins the accessories.
The suspension combines factory and Detroit Speed Stage 3 components. Forgeline 18×10-inch wheels wrapped with 315/30R18 Falken tires round out the autocross-ready Camaro. The flex fuel engine pumps out 722 hp and 665 lb-ft of torque on 93 octane and 794 hp and 719 lb-ft on E85.
Keller and Hawks Motorsports have built a potent IROC-Z, which meets Keller’s needs for a story while paying homage to his racing career.
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of AutoCentric Media, the parent company to Timeless Muscle Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isn’t tuning, testing, or competing with the magazine’s current crop of project vehicles, he’s busy tinkering and planning the next round modifications for his own cars.
