[cwebster]

Okay guys, here are all 15 time slips (after the text). Still going through the onboard videos (PDR & GoPro). Gotta make some space on my hard drive and get software setup for editing. It might be a few days before I get it all done.

I've put the spectator video up already. My grandson was operating my Nikon D600 in video mode but wasn't used to zoom and focus so they're not the best. They're all linked at the bottom of the post with comments preceding each one.

I'd gladly accept critique and comment from experienced drag strip drivers.

The main goals were to (1) scratch the itch, (2) safely get more miles on the car, (3) dial-in launch control, (4) see what kind of times I could get before it's broken in, (5) check out other street cars from this area, (6) bring the family for some good, clean fun.

Got special permission to take my 15-yr-old grandson on a solo run but I was only allowed to do 1/8 mile. He loved it! ...said "it was very exciting - kind of like a fast roller-coaster."

There were some really nice cars there, both stock and modified. A very mysterious blacked-out 5th Gen Camaro lined up with me twice. In fact, he waited for me in line 2 (left lane). I couldn't tell if it was an un-marked ZL1, Z28, or highly modified 1LE but he was very fast! I beat him on our first run, even with his false start. My engine bogged on our 2nd run and I couldn't seem to make up the distance before the finish. Funny thing, though, the scoreboard had my 6th Gen winning when I looked at it in freeze frame.

There was a young kid in a modified Twin Turbo Nissan that was gunning for me too. Looked like he sunk some money into his machine with carbon fiber side panels and such. Sweet looking car! He would have beat me twice, had he not red-lighted on his 2nd try. I was cursing Launch Control for bogging the motor and myself for not being faster off the line.

The drag strip is fun and you meet a lot of great people there but I want to get this fine work of art on a road coarse where it belongs.

[Update 20170117] I should have let you all know that I've had a total of 3 trips to the drag strip, 1st in late Oct 2013 with my then new '14 SS 1LE, 2nd in early March 2014 with the 1LE, and 3rd this trip. It seems many people responding assumed I had more experience and expected better times. Sorry to disappoint but I'll certainly get better over time, especially considering the awesome advice from experienced drivers here with their combined knowledge and experience.


Lessons Learned:
(this is all from memory so may not be accurate, especially button pushes for setup. I'll update later after analyzing the video)

1. [PDR] There is no way there's enough time to set "Performance Data" and mark the start before the tree turns green. I gave up trying that... Instead, I did at least manage to get a few PDR clips started before getting to the gate but I haven't looked at them yet. Some I let run for 2 or more runs.
2. [PDR] It was VERY annoying to have to go through setting up everything all over again after I turned off the car. I'd usually get 2 or 3 runs before they'd stop the street car lines and let pro modified cars, motorcycles, and dragsters have their turn. It would be nice to be able to save my settings at least in Custom Launch Controls so I could retrieve them quickly. Every time they started the lineup again I'd have to (Start motor -> parking brake off -> Track Mode -> Hit Stability Control 2x -> Mode button down arrow to select surface -> [Sel] -> (stays in Options -> Launch Control) -> Right-arrow for Custom Launch Controls -> Set RPM and wheel slip. Then arrow down to Line Lock in preparation for burnout. After going through the water box, press brake hard, spin tires for a few seconds, then press [Cruise Ctrl on] and [Sel] together to roll out.
3. [Launch Control] Default settings (10% slip, 3600 RPM) were not ideal for the track conditions. I was there just as they opened the track so I waited for 4 or 5 cars to run to gauge the track condition. It seemed pretty slippery. They weren't hooking up off the line and some cars were all over the place mid-track. Most everyone was waiting for the track to warm up. I decided to go, relying on stability control to keep me straight. First run I took it easy - had to pedal it mid-track, even with stab-ctrl kicking in. 2nd run hooked up good but the motor bogged - minor wheel spin mid-track. After that I started changing RPM and wheel spin. For a while the sweet spot seemed to be 3800 RPM and 11% slippage with a warm track but the motor still bogged, costing me time off the line. As the sun got lower I had to adjust again, bumping RPM to 3900 and dropping wheel spin to 8%. At one point I went with manual launch but did horribly. That's another learning curve for another day.
4. [Line Lock] This works great but I'm not sure it's necessary once the tires and track are warmed up. Stock tires won't last more than 4 or 5 trips to the drag strip if you do a burnout on every run.
5. [Manual Launch] I've got to learn how to manually launch this car! The cars that were faster than me seemed to be able to keep their RPMs (and torque) up off the launch. They were mostly automatics. I find myself wondering if I should be feathering the clutch but I don't want to burn it out.

See sequence numbers and time stamps. I'll try to match these with videos later on...

Best time was 12.1573 but I'm pretty sure I can knock off a half-second if I can get my launches down pat.

The first half, while the track was warming up I stayed close to 12.5 for the most part. As the track warmed and I got Custom Launch Control more dialed in I was getting around 12.2.

Time slip #462 was my first run. Track and tires were cold and track prep wasn't cured. Had to peddle it mid track.

Not sure what happened on slip #548. I'll have to look at the videos...

Time slip #630 was my 1/8 mile special trip with the grandson.

I'm going to analyze my other numbers later but I'm sure they'll show the motor bogging off the line. My reaction times are probably lacking in consistency too.

[20170123 Update] Added 2 PDR videos and 8 GoPro clips and updated comments on them. Also added more detail on the time slip summary to include R/T, ET, and MPH for both cars.

Time Slips (1/4 mile):
(My car is #16)

2017 6th Gen Camaro ZL1 Times   Opposing Car         Opposing Lane Times
Seq Nr  R/T    ET       MPH                          R/T    ET       MPH

#462    .7870  13.8307  111.98  Solo
#472    .5881  12.3869  118.10  Solo
#482    .5881  12.6529  120.71  Solo
#499    .5902  12.3709  119.33  5th Gen ZL1/1LE/Z28  .9930  -        -   Foul
#519    .8269  12.5660  116.00  Solo
#541    .5480  12.4521  119.33  5th Gen ZL1/1LE/Z28  .2067  12.7092  108.99
#548    .5251  12.5719  116.27  ???                  .2871  14.1428  98.70
#560    No times - Bad Staging  Nissan Z270 TT       .0809  12.7830  110.56
#567    .0740  12.5042  118.02  Mustang GT blue      .1599  15.5772  91.65
#578    .3027  12.1573  118.99  Nissan Z270 TT       .3350  12.7851  109.39
#630    .5290  13.9209  62.68   1/8 mile ride-along
#639    .2570  12.1631  117.73  Subaru WRX Hatch     .1429  14.4260  98.88
#644    .5870  12.3190  115.91  Corvette             .4789  13.1500  111.41
#654    .4590  12.2220  121.66  Dodge Hemi 392       .3959  12.1931  110.82
#659    .4380  12.5058  113.94  Mustang GT white     .0889  13.8809  99.77

Runs 1-4:


Runs 5-8:


Runs 9-12:


Runs 13-15:


6th Gen ZL1 Solo 1/4 mile

Warm-up run - still very slick track.

Time Slip #482
12:6529 @ 120.71

GoPro Video (NEW):


Spectator Video:


=========================================


6th Gen ZL1 vs 5th Gen ZL1? 1/4 mile 1st run

I couldn't figure out what trim this blacked out 5th Gen Camaro was. There were no badges and he wasn't socializing. Judging from the sound of his motor during the burnout, I'm thinking it's a big-block. That made me wonder whether it was a de-badged Z28 or modified ZL1 or 1LE. He was trying to be a sleeper I think.

On this first run he over-ran the staging gates. The he red-lighted and hesitated, giving me the win.

Time Slip #499
5th Gen (left): 1/8 mile 9.8330 @ 96.87 MPH - FOUL
6th Gen ZL1 (right): 12.6529 @ 120.75 MPH

GoPro Video (NEW):


Spectator Video:


=========================================


6th Gen ZL1 vs 5th Gen ZL1? 1/4 mile 2nd run

I left a bit more staging line footage in the GoPro clip so you guys could have a look at it and possibly identify it. Looks like he's got DRs and sounds like a racing cam mod at least. Very nice looking car!

I was sitting there, holding up the line, fiddling with the mode controls and PDR settings. Next time I'll be more focused since I'm already familiar with these now. The blacked out Camaro wanted a piece of me after loosing that first round so he was waiting at the cones for me.

The track guy was kind enough to let me know where the sticky line was as I was lining up.

He clearly had me on the launch and was way out front before I hooked up. As you can see, though, I pulled hard and caught up on the big end. He went through the 1/4 mile gate before me so I was surprised to learn that I'd beaten him by 2 1/2 tenths on the time slip.

How can this happen?


Time Slip #541
5th Gen (left): 12.7092 @ 108.99
6th Gen ZL1 (right): 12.4521 @ 119.33

GoPro Video (NEW):


Spectator Video:


=========================================


Twin Turbo modified Nissan vs 6th Gen ZL1 1/4 mile 1st run - GoPro Video

I didn't stage properly. Somehow got 2nd stage then dropped it. The Nissan got a green but I never got one so I just went. At 2:53 in the GoPro footage I have 2 staging lights so I'm waiting for the yellows to start. Then suddenly my stage 2 light goes out so I roll forward some more until I get the other one back. Left lane immediately gets the green and I'm still sitting there. I wasn't sure what to do so I just launched.

Nissan won by a handy margin and my time slip says "No stage".

I gotta make sure that doesn't happen again.

Time Slip #560
Nissan (left): 12.7830 @ 110.56 MPH
ZL1 (Right): No stage

GoPro Video (NEW):


Spectator Video:


=========================================


6th Gen ZL1 vs Mustang GT blue 1/4 mile

I didn't bother with a burnout this time since I was hotlapping and felt the tires were warm enough.

Had to throttle down when Mustang failed to stage. He must have been new at this too. Never saw this guy after the launch.

Time Slip #567
Mustang GT (left): 15.5772 @ 91.65 MPH
6th Gen ZL1 (right): 12.5042 @ 118.02 MPH

Spectator Video:


GoPro Video (NEW):


=========================================


Twin Turbo modified Nissan vs 6th Gen ZL1 1/4 mile 2nd run

The teenage driver of the Nissan tried to do a burnout before staging but I guess he didn't have a line lock and his tires were dry. Then he red-lighted big time at the starting gate, handing me the win. Even though I left on the green, I thought he'd have beat me on the time slip. Not so... Looking back at the GoPro footage, I can see that my hefty LT4 pulled real hard on the big end and almost physically caught him. I think he may have let off the gas before crossing the 1/4 mile gate too. Chalk it up to the impetuousness of youth.

Time Slip #578
Nissan (left): 12.7851 @ 109.39
ZL1 (right): 12.1573 @ 118.99

GoPro Video (NEW):


Spectator Video:


=========================================


6th Gen ZL1 vs Subaru WRX Hatch Turbo 1/4 mile

The Subaru WRX Hatch was no match for the 6th Gen ZL1, even with my limited skills.

Time Slip #639
Subaru (left): 14.4260 @ 98.88 MPH
ZL1 (right): 12.1631 @ 117.73 MPH

GoPro Video (NEW):


Spectator Video:


=========================================


6th Gen ZL1 vs Silver Corvette Z06 1/4 mile - GoPro Video

No burnout on this one, hot-lapped from last run.

I just realized this was a Z06! I never should have beat this guy! It should be doing at least 11s, right?

I forgot all about this guy. Didn't get a spectator or PDR video of this heat. In fact, I don't think I even noticed him at this point. I was focused on getting Custom Launch Control dialed in and trying to get a few more runs in before they shutdown the track. I never saw him after the launch. As as slow as the run was, I still managed to best the Corvette.

Time Slip #644
Corvette (left): 13.1500 @ 111.41 MPH
ZL1 (right): 12.3190 @ 115.91 MPH

GoPro Video (NEW):


(no other videos)

=========================================


Dodge Hemi 392 vs 6th Gen ZL1

This guy had a powerful motor and hooked up solid on launch. Here's another heat where the other guy was in front of me the whole way but I managed to catch up. In this case, however, it looks like the wheel spin kept me 4/100 sec behind at the 1/4 mile gate.

The only time I saw the Stability Control symbol go off was on shifts and at the end when I came out of the throttle. This was my next to last run and temps were dropping back into the low to mid 40s by this time.

Time Slip #654
(4/100ths sec. apart)
left lane (Hemi 392): 12:1831 @ 110.82 MPH
right lane (ZL1): 12:2220 @ 121.66 MPH

PDR Video (NEW):


Spectator Video:


=========================================


6th Gen ZL1 vs Mustang GT White

Mustang jumped the gun and red-lighted off the line. Even with the Mustang's head start, the ZL1 passed him before the finish.

Last run of the day at Coastal Plains Dragway, Jacksonville NC. Temps were mid-to-low 40s, high humidity, 10 mph head winds.
Stability Control kicked in most of the run.

Mustang GT (left): 13.8809 @ 99.77 MPH - FOUL
6th Gen ZL1 (right): 12.5050 @ 113.94 MPH

PDR Video (NEW):


Spectator Video:


=========================================

[detltu]

I'm not a hard core drag strip person so I'll let others offer tips. Its very similar to my first run in my ZL1 with my times about half a second slower across the board. Pretty cool that you got to take your grandson out for a ride.

[17CamaroZL1]

Thanks for posting! There was a lot of wheel spin from everyone it sounded like and that's what hurt you the most, besides the times you said you bogged. Keep practicing and the bogging will happen less and less. Looking at your slips, the 60 ft is where you have lots of room to drop your times. You'll typically see close to .2 of a second gain in the quarter for every .1 you gain at the 60 ft mark, and you can see that in your slips. Your 12.5 runs had around a 2.3 60 ft and your 12.1 runs were about 2.1 at 60 ft. If you can manage to get your 60 ft down to a 1.6 or so, you'd have some really fast times. I'd think that should be doable, but would take DRs to do it. Question. Did you lower the air pressure in your rear tires any? If not, you'll gain some traction by doing so. I'm pretty sure the HP supplement even had recommended pressures for drag racing.

[kttxz06]

Um...............are those considered good runs? I'm seriously asking cus I thought the Zl1 was supposedly a low 11 sec car stock. Looks like you were pulling almost all those cars up top. Get that launch down!! You ran that scatpack down. He got way out in front. Nicely done tho.

[93oh]

All in the launch ... I ran 2.1 short times in my aod mustang in 1990. Appreciate video. You at sea level?

[Can'tHave2MuchHP]

Yeah, order a set of NT05Rs in 315/35/20 and you'll cut 1.6s and less in no time.

[detltu]

Originally Posted by kttxz06

Um...............are those considered good runs? I'm seriously asking cus I thought the Zl1 was supposedly a low 11 sec car stock. Looks like you were pulling almost all those cars up top. Get that launch down!! You ran that scatpack down. He got way out in front. Nicely done tho.

For a manual on his first time out with the car I don't think there is anything wrong with that. It takes a lot of work to get times down on stock tires. There is a reason people quickly switch to DRs.

[93oh]

Ehh true but maybe he has never drag raced. It's all relative but the mph sucks too so it's confusing me all the way around.

[17CamaroZL1]

Originally Posted by kttxz06

Um...............are those considered good runs? I'm seriously asking cus I thought the Zl1 was supposedly a low 11 sec car stock. Looks like you were pulling almost all those cars up top. Get that launch down!! You ran that scatpack down. He got way out in front. Nicely done tho.

The manual ZL1 is actually advertised as a high 11 second car. GM says it will do 11.8, so I'd say he did pretty good for his first time out. Plus I feel there's more traction to be had out of the stock tires even. Whether it's temperature, track prep, air pressure, burn out, or launch adjustment, or maybe even a little of it all. The mph is down compared to the 125 GM says the manual will do, but with a better 60 ft, that'll go up too.

[17CamaroZL1]

Originally Posted by 93oh

Ehh true but maybe he has never drag raced. It's all relative but the mph sucks too so it's confusing me all the way around.

Looks like his best mph was a 121.66 with a 12.22 ET. So if he gets the 60 ft time down so that he can run the 11.8 that GM claims, he should be close to the 125 they say the manual will do.

[93oh]

Drag racing doesn't work that way my friend. If you run slow et in fast car the track gets "longer" et in crapper should be indicative of higher mph and you're not picking up 4 mph and knocking et down 4 tenths. Mph should be consistent he's either shifting wrong or has one missing about 50 hp.

[Snowblind]

Thanks for sharing OP

Practice and tires and more practice, did you happen to check what the DA was ?

[506JTF]

Great info! Stick with it. These things are very hard to launch with or without launch control. Bogging off the line seems to be an issue that stuck with the zl1 from 2012.

[travislambert]

That's a lot of work to post everything. Thank you!

I know the launches are incredibly difficult with the manual. I've only made two passes with my car, but your 60' times are as good or better than mine. With a little practice I'm sure you'll get it mastered.

I have to say though I'm a little disappointed overall. I'm no drag racing expert or anything, but I was expecting the ZL1 MPH times to be a little faster based on the times I got from my 2SS (with a stock LT4 crate engine).