We ran a three-way drag last night with a new ZO6 (2800 miles), with LT headers, K&N fliter, and a tune (480 RWHP) and 345s, but otherwise stock. Went to a new 4-lane segment under construction for an interstate bypass near here, didn't have to move any barriers just went around them, then drove it slow to check for debris and check it out; left a friend at the end for safety , and then did some drags. Probably not legal but figured we'd get in no big trouble. (Yes, I know its wrong and it was the first time, but . . . ).

Times are per a calibrated (means we adjusted it to agree at the drag strip) G-force units. We loaned our older model (without the memory of side_g readings) to our buddy with the new ZO6.
It was a very cool night, 37 degrees, and very dry. good weather.

2006 ZO6, LT headers and K&N, tuned, M6 3.42 rear end, 345 drag radials - 11.2 @134 mph
2002 ZO6, C5R 427/D1SC supercharger, M6, 3.42 rear end, 345 drag radials - 10.2@142 mph
1998 Camaro w. 408 and 150 jetted NOS, M6 3.73 rear end, 315 drag radials - 9.9@140 mph

The drag radials? They fit on the ZO6, stock, barely, on 18" x 12" wheels - spare sets we had. Figured it would not be a consistent race otherwise. But I would not recommend running them on the street all the time given the tight, tight fit.

Just can't get the vette to beat the Camaro off the line, even though it finishes higher in the trap. The Camaro's 700 ft lbs of torque with the NOS is just awesome as it comes out of the hole (also my son is just better launching a car, any car). It got as much as six lengths ahead and all my vette could do was slowly reel it in, about a length every two seconds.
To put these times in perspective: at the end of the 1/4 mile, there was 2 1/2 car lengths from the back of the Camaro to the front of my Corvette, and about 8 lengths from the back of my vette to the front of the newer one. Still, LT headers and drag radials cut a half second and added 6 mph to the most often quoted times for the stock 06 ZO6.

And yeah, I know we shouldn't have done this, first time in years I run on anything but a track.

 

Wow. Good times. Did the measured times decide the race or did you have a flag set up? Sounds like in another 500 feet your vette would have won. You went to some trouble to set this up, was it really a friendly race?

 

We set up a marker and used that - first across wins, etc.

We are friends/acuiantances. The guy with the new ZO6 uses the same shop we do - they had just put his headers on. he has a great car and every right to be proud of it, but he just got carried away and became obnoxious. The guys at the ship told him he'd get his butt kicked but he persisted.

We had a lot of money riding on it - I gave him a high stake figure to make him go away but he took it -- pride I guess or maybe he really thought he'd win. Anyway, its over and I have his money.

 

Awesome Lee, unless I got a perfect launch i'd have to strap the front end on my CBR thou to beat ya. It ran a 10.4@146 at Raceway Park earlier this summer. I couldn't keep the front down so my 60' suffered(1.8). That car of yours sounds like a lotta fun. Bet i could beat ya around TWS though, in fact I'd go out on my Tiller! That new ZO 6 is really impressive N/A, no power adder-WOW! I'll probably sign off the mods on my 84 when I get the low 13's-it's my daily driver and I really enjoy drving it. Just wan't to be able to dust off those pesky Mustangs etc.... If I need a big gun I'll go home and get a bike! Be careful-have fun!

 

A bike-car race is always sort of uneven. I can't beat them all and would not try, but I think it is pretty amazing that the car is actually in a class where I can even think about it. This race was really a grudge race because while we know this guy for a while, he was just totally obnoxious and wouldn't leave us alone about it. So we made him put some serious money up and did it.

My son has a 900 cc Japanese bike (Suzuki I think, newer type, crotch rocket ) which he was pretty sure could take the vette. Off the line it can, but from 40 up the vette just pulls harder than about any street vehcile we've seen. Took him in a street start three times in a row, which surprised him and a lot of his friends. On the other hand he has a buddy with a modified Hyabusa (I think I misspelled it) that will do in the 9s. I'm not even going to try that.

The two design points with the vette were:
1) to make it as fast as possible without sacrificing anything - it idles and runs as well as stock (except for a tough clutch) and has all the goodies, leather, CD, air, power seats, heads up, etc. I baby it and drive only once-twice a week mainly because I have close to 50K in the engine alone.
2) make it faster than a new ZO6 can be made unless the owner tosses the stock block out. Right now it isn't, running only 5 lbs of boost, but I can pick up another 7 if I need to, whereas with the 11.5:1 c.r. in the stock block a new one can only go to about 6 lbs max. I did a lot of homework to be fairly certain that the stock-block ZO6 can only be blown to about 6 lbs and 600 RWHP - about what I have now, and my engine was built to take up to 12 lbs and 725 RWHP.

 

Very high trap speed for the E.T. have you thought of getting a drag tire for it? You ought to be able to cut 2-3 tenths and maybe even pick up more with a good launch.

 

Sounds like you guys had some fun out there. I haven't had a chance to race any good competition yet. I'm still keeping my eye out for a Trans Am to race (I still have a grudge against Trans Am's for all the times they would always rev on me while driving my V6 Mustang and there was nothing I could do about it).

 

I actually have the CBR set up for roadracing, not drag racing. Although I only use it at track days, I do have a TLR thou that is a full time race bike. Track days are the only place I can run the Honda the way it was meant to be ridden. Road racing is done with a green flag drop from a standing start, however, unless you go to the dragstrip you never get to practice launching. So I make the occasional foray to Baytown with the bikes to practice and play. If I were to strap the forks on the Honda, It would run 9's w/no problem, however in track trim it's a wheelie monster-lotsa fun, but not the fastest way through the quarter. That said, your sons bike may be an RF900 or Honda 900rr or 929 or 954. All mid tens at low to mid 130's. The Hayabusa, w/just suspension adjustments and a good rider can run mid to low 9's. Your car sounds really well researched-pretty cool-I'm lookin' forward to more stories in the future! Pay-to -play, watch out, those TA's respond to the same mods the Vette's do. I know a couple guys here at work whose cars look stock but they're both blown and nitroused-oh well-Have a blast! My C4 isn't gonna be quite that strong when I'm done, but it's gonna surprise a few, I'm just gonna be careful pickin' my battles.

 

I love bikes, but have not been on one in over twenty years. I made a deal with my wife when we got married - I'd give up cigars and bikes, but not the cars. We've both stuck to our bargain.

I know the new Japanese and Ducatti bikes are fast, but I'm a traditionalist and they look like creatures from some alien world, and the seating position, leaning over so much, just strikes me as uncomfortable, I't think, regardless, I was put in my place: when my son was shopping for his, I kept showing him pictures of the Harleys or Honda cruisers he could buy instead of a crotch rocket and he said to me "Dad, that's what old guys ride."

Anyway, I agree about the Trans Ams and Firebird WS-6s. Those cars respond very well to light mods, and a lot of them out on the street are heavily modded. I know one that looks almost completely stock, but does in the mid 11s, normally aspirated.

 

wow lee, that must have been one hell of a site to see!