Thomson Automotive offers its congratulations to Mark Stielow and is proud to be the engine builder for his Red Devil 1969 Camaro, which won the 2010 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational. It was powered by a modified LS9 built by Thomson Automotive, making more than 700 horsepower and running on Goodyear tires.

The grueling event pitted top cars and drivers against one another in a series of competitions - including a road rally, autocross and road race - to determine the best high-performance street car. Stielow was unflappable in his vintage Camaro, which bested cars with greater power-to-weight ratios.

"That's a testament to Mark's excellent driving ability," said Brian Thomson, founder of Thomson Automotive. "He was able to utilize the Camaro's power to the best and didn't put a tire in the wrong place. He really raised the bar for the next event."

Stielow's Camaro didn't put one of its Goodyear tires wrong and neither did its Thomson-built LS9 engine miss a beat. Strengthened where it counts on the inside, featuring a modified supercharger inlet and a dyno output of more than 700 horsepower, the engine did more than make big power in the Nevada desert - it made it reliably.

"It's a fantastic combination," said Stielow. "I couldn't have asked for more. It made great power that was reliable on the track, but this is absolutely a street car and it starts, runs and drives like daily driver."