[Gallery] LS Fest 2022 Celebrated the End of Summer at Beech Bend

Cameron Aubernon

20 Sep 2022

Click Here to Begin Slideshow Two years ago, RacingJunk made the trek to Beech Bend for LS Fest XI. To say it was a rough time would be an understatement. For starters, the COVID-19 pandemic knocked the wind out of everyone’s sails for months, leading to cancellations of events like LS Fest West. Masks and social distancing were the order of the day, along with online-only ticket purchases and hand sanitizers. Then, there was the rain. Friday was the only dry day of the three-day weekend, as the weather turned wet and gloomy by Saturday afternoon, raining out drag racing along Beech Bend’s quarter-mile. Still, the enthusiasm was there in 2020, and it was back again in 2022 when we had the chance once again to head to Bowling Green for LS Fest 2022. Of course, the rainy weather was back, too, though not as heavy as forecasted for the weekend, let alone how it was two years ago. The best day to capture everything would be Friday, beginning with a stop at the dyno pull to see a square-body C10 on Hoosiers pump out as much power as its LS would allow. This was followed by the walk through the staging lanes of the quarter-mile at Beech Bend, checking out as many LS- and Gen 5+ LT-powered competitors as possible before landing at the timing tower and burnout pit of the strip itself. On the other side of the tower, autocrossers and, later on, drifters tore it down in the bullring. If anyone wanted big smokey burnouts, the drifters provided that and bits of rubber with each slide around the corners for the LS fans gathered around. For mud connoisseurs, the short course up the hill from the main attractions offered plenty of weather-proof competition and excitement. From purpose-built off-roaders to the lifted LS-powered Crown Victorias of the Gambler 500 crew, it was a blast to watch them all leap over the big jumps and throw rooster tails all over the short course. And we can’t forget the thousands of rides in attendance, from vendor builds to LS owners showing off their latest and greatest, all proving the mantra that “on a long enough timeline, everything gets an LS swap.” Throw in silliness like the Power Wheels downhill run, access to the amusement and water park on Saturday, and other events like burnout contests, countryside cruises and laps around the nearby NCM Motorsports Park, and it all felt normal once again at LS Fest. We can’t wait for the next one in 2023. Click Here to Begin Slideshow

[Gallery] LS Fest 2022 Celebrated the End of Summer at Beech Bend — Click Here to Begin Slideshow Two years ago, RacingJunk made the trek to Beech Bend for LS Fest XI. To say it was a rough time would be an understatement. For starters, the COVID-19 pandemic knocked the wind out of everyone’s sails for months, leading to cancellations of events like LS Fest West. Masks and social distancing were the order of the day, along with online-only ticket purchases and hand sanitizers. Then, there was the rain. Friday was the only dry day of the three-day weekend, as the weather turned wet and gloomy by Saturday afternoon, raining out drag racing along Beech Bend’s quarter-mile. Still, the enthusiasm was there in 2020, and it was back again in 2022 when we had the chance once again to head to Bowling Green for LS Fest 2022. Of course, the rainy weather was back, too, though not as heavy as forecasted for the weekend, let alone how it was two years ago. The best day to capture everything would be Friday, beginning with a stop at the dyno pull to see a square-body C10 on Hoosiers pump out as much power as its LS would allow. This was followed by the walk through the staging lanes of the quarter-mile at Beech Bend, checking out as many LS- and Gen 5+ LT-powered competitors as possible before landing at the timing tower and burnout pit of the strip itself. On the other side of the tower, autocrossers and, later on, drifters tore it down in the bullring. If anyone wanted big smokey burnouts, the drifters provided that and bits of rubber with each slide around the corners for the LS fans gathered around. For mud connoisseurs, the short course up the hill from the main attractions offered plenty of weather-proof competition and excitement. From purpose-built off-roaders to the lifted LS-powered Crown Victorias of the Gambler 500 crew, it was a blast to watch them all leap over the big jumps and throw rooster tails all over the short course. And we can’t forget the thousands of rides in attendance, from vendor builds to LS owners showing off their latest and greatest, all proving the mantra that “on a long enough timeline, everything gets an LS swap.” Throw in silliness like the Power Wheels downhill run, access to the amusement and water park on Saturday, and other events like burnout contests, countryside cruises and laps around the nearby NCM Motorsports Park, and it all felt normal once again at LS Fest. We can’t wait for the next one in 2023. Click Here to Begin Slideshow

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