A Chevy Nova II with a V8 weighs around 2800lbs, with the two people in it, that would be 3180lbs. Now your car at 2370 + yourself is 2645lbs. So the Nova weighed 535 lbs more than yours at the time of the race, that is quite alot. He didn't have much more HP than your's and with that much of a weight disadvantage, it's no wonder you won.