An up-and-coming spectacle at events of the past few years has been burnout competitions. This isn’t just junk cars doing stationary burnouts like we did in empty parking lots in high school; these competitors build burnout-specific rigs to convert tires into smoke, and in a spectacular fashion. To survive this abuse, they have to build their burnout beasts just right. The specialists at Michigan Motorsports has come out with not just one new burnout cam, but a total of four new camshaft designs tailored to tackle whatever pit of tarmac you’re looking to utilize to destroy rubber.

If you have never witnessed one of these events, it is a sight to behold. The vehicles are radical in both show and ability, and are far from pristine in condition. Held on a designated pad of concrete, each competitor is given a fixed amount of time to put on a burnout show that is judged by noise, smoke, and the crowd’s response, much like a drift event.

These events are growing in popularity, and events like Summernats and Burnout Wars at LS Fest are well-known and popular with the LS crowd. But to participate, you want your LS to make as much power as possible to convert tire rubber into billowing white smoke, and live long enough to do it over and over again. Can this be done with a stock pedestrian high-mileage LS? Sure, but this is about putting on the best show. A burnout cam, designed to make extra power while keeping the valvetrain stable, will keep your tires spinning for far longer.

Burnout Cam By Design

A camshaft specifically designed for this level of abuse might sound like a bit of a pipe dream, but a camshaft does more than play a part in how your engine performs; its design can also be tailored to the type of environment it has to live in.

For instance, a drag racing camshaft only has to deliver maximum performance for short periods of time, usually ten seconds or less, so longevity and durability doesn’t have to be priority number one while aggressive lift and lobe profiles can be the main focus for maximum horsepower.

Most cams are stock bottom-end friendly, so you can drop one in and go destroy pavement without tearing down your entire LS. —Tony Karamitsos, Michigan Motorsports

Michigan Motorsports is no stranger to the differences between a max-performance drag racing cam, a street cam, and a road race cam. So when they ventured into designing a burnout cam, they needed to pay close attention to the details. Starting with the lift, the choice to stick with 0.600-inch lift across the entire range of burnout cams was not random.

In the simplest of terms, the higher the lift, the more difficult it can be to keep the valve train stable at sustained high-RPM beatings like you would see in a dedicated burnout build. A camshaft with a valve lift in the 0.650-inch range would make a little more peak horsepower, but would require higher-cost parts to support the lift. A lower lift 0.550-inch camshaft design could’ve been an option too, but would leave a little power on the table. The 0.600-inch valve lift choice is the perfect balance of power and durability.

Zombi Garage has a fleet of trucks that have one purpose in life: decimate tires in the most entertaining way possible.

Along with the lift is the lobe profile. An aggressive ramp rate on the face of the lobes can buy you some extra power at the cost of long-term durability. Your lifters, rocker arm trunnions, and valve springs can take a real beating with an aggressive ramp that picks up the valve off the seat quickly, necessitating high-end parts that will still need to be serviced or replaced regularly if used in a burnout application that spends most of its life bouncing off the rev limiter.

The Entry Level

Michigan Motorsports has laid out its Burnout camshaft lineup with four simple stages. The Stage 1 burnout cam is a versatile entry-level option tailored for LS-powered street cars and trucks that are also looking to enjoy putting on a smoke show. Designed with everyday drivability in mind, it’s a strong fit for 4.8-liter and 5.3-liter engines when paired with a 2800-plus RPM stall converter, while 6.0-liter and 6.2-liter owners can enjoy the upgrade even with a stock torque converter.

Michigan Motorsports burnout camshafts are made and ground in the USA.

The Stage 1 profile brings torque in sooner than higher-stage grinds, making it a responsive street performer without sacrificing manners. The duration is 216 and 224 degrees on the intake and exhaust, respectively, with 111 degrees of lobe separation and 0.600 inches of lift. Idle quality remains mild enough for daily use, though LS enthusiasts can still easily tune it for a noticeable lope if desired. The cam’s lobe profile reduces valvetrain stress compared to max-performance designs, yet still offers a clear performance advantage over traditional “truck” cams.

Built for both cathedral port and rectangle port LS engines, the Stage 1 Burnout cam covers 4.8-liter through 6.2-liter applications. Its durability makes it ideal for extended high-RPM use, from tire-frying burnout contests to spirited street driving. Backed by track testing and proven results, the Stage 1 burnout cam blends reliability, sound, and real-world performance, which is perfect for LS drivers looking to make a statement without sacrificing streetability.

Stepping It Up

The Stage 2 burnout camshaft is aimed at LS enthusiasts looking for a hot-street grind with serious attitude compared to the Stage 1 burnout cam. The duration is 226 degrees on the intake and 235 degrees on the exhaust with 111 degrees of lobe separation and 0.600 inches of lift. It’s compatible with cathedral port and rectangle port LS engines from 4.8-liter to 6.2-liter; this camshaft is tailored for both daily drivers on the edge and street cars built for performance.

Michigan Motorsports burnout camshafts can be ordered by themselves or as a kit that includes pushrods and a valve spring kit to match.

In smaller 4.8-liter and 5.3-liter setups, the Stage 2 cam requires a 3200-plus-rpm stall converter and delivers a strong pull all the way to 7,000 rpm. For larger 6.0-liter and 6.2-liter engines, it offers excellent midrange power with surprising drivability, all while delivering a deep, choppy idle thanks to 8.5 degrees of overlap. Built with the same moderate lobe profile as the other burnout cams, the camshaft reduces valvetrain stress without compromising power, making it ideal for high-RPM abuse.

From 4.8-liter street builds to competitive 6.2-liter screamers, each stage is fine-tuned for aggressive lope, mid-to-upper RPM torque, and the kind of throttle response that makes tires disappear. —Tony Karamitsos, Michigan Motorsports—

Getting Competitive

When you’re ready to turn up the heat, the Stage 3 burnout cam is for LS burnout builds looking to get competitive. The duration is 230 degrees on the intake and 245 degrees on the exhaust with 112 degrees of lobe separation and 0.600 inches of lift. This cam can fit within stock piston-to-valve clearance, as long as the block and heads have not been milled. It delivers tire-destroying sound, performance, and high-RPM stability. This cam has been proven in competition by Jack “Jacko!” Harrison and his LS-powered Toyota Hilux burnout truck that landed on the podium at this year’s LS Fest East.

The Jacko Lux from Australia is an LS-powered Toyota Hilux that utilizes a Michigan Motorsports Stage 3 burnout cam to compete.

It is targeted at the larger 5.7-liter to 6.2-liter builds and will require at least a 3200-rpm-stall torque converter, while smaller 4.8-liter and 5.3-liter engines will need 3600-plus-rpm RPM stall to unlock its full potential. With 13.5 degrees of overlap, the camshaft delivers a deep, aggressive exhaust note that’ll shake you at idle, making any LS build stand out on the street or burnout pad.

Tire Domination

Michigan Motorsport’s Stage 4 burnout cam is for the LS build that is looking for maximum chop, maximum power, and the most aggressive powerband. This cam delivers uncompromising performance both on the street and at the burnout pad. The duration is 234 degrees on the intake and 248 degrees on the exhaust, with 112 degrees of lobe separation and 0.600 inches of lift.

In smaller 4.8-liter and 5.3-liter applications, the Stage 4 burnout cam is a high-RPM monster that demands a 4,000-plus-rpm stall torque converter. Larger 6.0-liter and 6.2-liter builds will benefit from a 3,500-rpm converter, with higher stalls offering even better off-the-line performance to get the tires spinning. With an aggressive, choppy idle and screaming top-end pull, this camshaft turns any LS into a tire-shredding spectacle that will surely be able to destroy a pair of tires to the sound of a roaring crowd and a roaring LS like Seth Ritter of Zombi Garage’s S10 trucks.

Fine-Tuned Burnout Cams

Each Michigan Motorsports burnout cam is designed to be run without VVT or DOD, and can be used without the need to upgrade other internal components and stock cylinder heads, keeping the overall build cost down so you can focus on your increasing tire budget. Whether you’re chasing a Stage 1 or Stage 2 for street fun, or going full-send with a Stage 4 for competition, all four Michigan Motorsports burnout cams bring the sound, power, and smoke you crave.