TRACK ATTACK

Modern muscle and classic Pro Touring hot rods battle on the track at Optima's 2022 Ultimate Street Car race in Charlotte.

- STEVEN RUPP

This year marks the ninth season of Optima's Search for the Ultimate Street Car presented by Advance Auto Parts, and the season opener at the high banks of Charlotte Motor Speedway offered a first look at some new changes for the series. For the first time ever, the series will run alongside Speed Tour, which is highlighted at many stops by the Trans Am series and SVRA vintage races, but also includes International GT and Formula Regional Americas championship racing, among other events.

That means when you come to see the ultimate street cars compete in 2022, you may also be treated to exciting wheel-to-wheel racing action from other professional series, as well as incredible vintage cars, and a rather sizable car show put on by the folks from Hagerty. Alignment with this new series required some changes in the format of the Ultimate Street Car series, most notably in regard to time on the big track in the Falken Tire Road Course Time Trial, which is now run over three days, with the novice run group leading out on Friday.