Yesterday, our Truckin’ Fast Wednesdays feature took a look at an unlikely beating handed to a Camaro SS by a 2006 Ram Quad Cab and today – Mopar Muscle Thursday brings you a look at a Dodge Omni handing another Camaro an even more severe beating on the quarter mile. We really aren’t looking to pick on the Camaro SS but this video is just too good to pass up. Unfortunately, there is no mod list in the description or in the comments, but this is one seriously fast turbo Mopar hatchback.
The Dodge Omni GLH (and GLH-S – it’s hard to tell from the video which package is shown here) was way ahead of its time in terms of compact high performance. Turbocharging has become commonplace among almost every automaker but in the early 1980s, it was practically unheard of for a 4-cylinder hatchback to go head to head with the top performance models of the era on the race track while still offering impressive fuel economy measures. The Omni GLH was shockingly fast for its time but they weren’t anywhere near this fast – making it pretty clear that this one is heavily modified.
As soon as the 1988 Dodge Omni begins to spin its front tires in the burnout box, it is obvious that this isn’t your average Omni. The spooling whistle of the turbo and the loud discharge of the blow off valve are the first indications that this Omni might be built and when the green light flashes – the margin of victory shows just how incredible this 80’s hatchback can be with the proper upgrades.
At the end of the quarter mile, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS runs a very respectable 12.24s at 112mph but that is nowhere near the blistering 10.87s, at 124mph, run turned in by the angular little Omni.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
