Sometimes good ETs happen when the weather isn’t particularly favorable, especially when the platform under test is a C6Z. Waynet and I shared that common experience at Cecil County Dragway today.

The Density Altitude (DA) we faced measured 1250-1600 feet with a good barometer of 30.20 but air temps in the mid-high 70s and some humidity, a remnant of the yesterday’s storm. In fact, racing today was delayed 90 minutes while the jet dryers rid the water from the lanes and staging area.

We were joined today by about 400 cars driven by owners jones-ing after rainouts last Sunday, plus this Friday and Saturday. The crowd made for a long day. But patience had its reward.

I made two full passes that benefited from the experiments I’d been doing through 10 passes the last two days at the track…trying to find a way around the finicky C6Z clutch and the toll exacted by Torque Management.

After hammering the car on the drive up to Cecil…3d gear to redline several times, just to remind the ECU/PCM who’s boss, I cooled the car for about four hours before making the first pass. DA was 1250 feet, as measured on my TAG weather station. Here are the splits.
60'........1.848
330'......4.905
660'......7.370 @ 101.38
1000'.....9.470
1320'...11.244 @ 127.03

Two hour later I made a second pass. DA had risen to 1575 feet. The splits were:
60'........1.830
330'......4.915
660'......7.381 @ 101.31
1000'.....9.484
1320'...11.264 @ 126.91

Rear tires were set to 26 psi actual hot, adjusted in the staging lanes. Fronts were at 42 psi.

Kept the coolant temp below 195. Launch rpm was 3100-3200, with a fast clutch release, followed by a progressive throttle squeeze. Throttle was on the floor at about 20-25 feet off the line. I had heated the tires with a burnout to first smoke. And then staged immediately.

My previous estimate was a lower limit of 11.20, plus or minus .03 for the car bone stock on stock tires. Given today’s passes, I suspect the lower limit to be about 11.15 in ideal conditions. And I’m growing more confident that 10.9X is a realistic aspiration bone stock on drag radials. The DRs help on the launch (had a 1.68 last time out on DRs) and help reduce spin on the 1-2 and 2-3.

On a closing note, started the day with pristine clutch fluid. Made three passes. Fluid is now very dark amber and in need of a change.

Ranger

 

Congrats Ranger & based on your forecasting the weather still not what you're hoping for but hopefully the clutch stand strong & ya could reduce the 60' to set the world record on better conditions

peace

 

truely impressive what a stock car can do with the right driver/nut behind the wheel! congrats

 

I am truly stunned by the times you have been turning since acquiring your car! You mention some third-gear blasts' on the way to the track...does the PCM "learn" the aggressive input? Damn...I am impressed.

 

with a tune and DRs and say hellooo 10`s.

 

damn 10 with a stock car will be flying very nice ranger.

 

Congrats

 

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

It generally takes 30-50 passes in a new manual-tranny traction-limited platform to get the driving dialed-in. This is especially the case in a stock C6 Corvette whose ECU/PCM are smart and complex.

But I'm a stock guy, just trying to go faster by driving better rather then modding.

My car is a daily driver that doesn't see a lot of WOT on the street. So one the way to the track I always do some hammering, where it's safe. And my first pass of the day is generally my fastest or close to it.

I don't understand the C6 ECU/PCM functions well enough to answer your question. What I do know is that my habit seems to bring fast times right out of the chute.

Sorry I can't be of more help on that. Perhaps a LS2/7 racer who tunes his own can respond.

Ranger

 

Nice runs! Keep pushing the stock limits of that beast!

 

Wow! What a write-up! You should write for a magazine.

 

Congrats on the new ET, what did the other guys run?

 

Thanks, Pro Stock John.

There was one other C6Z at Cecil on Sunday. Super driver, Wayne is. 2006 Z with only custom tune, QA1s, and DRs...
11.18 127.7
11.21 127.7

He has about 10 fewer passes than I do. So with his very slim mods and more passes, his times will continue to drop.

Ranger

 

Congrats on the new times. Definitely finding the combo on this animal is like walking a thin line. Hope you find the 11.teens soon.

I laugh at the 1/8-mile times compared to my Nova. I'd be 1-1/2 tenths in front of you but at 8 mph slower, then likely you'd rocket pass me at 1000 foot mark on the way to 127 mph That's just sick!

Derek

 

Simply amazing man..congrats.

 

I never dreamed the 427 vette would run so fast stock times. Fantastic times.

Put some slicks on some lightweight wheels and run tens on stock. Fantastic times.

 

Wow, this is an amazing car and driver. Ranger's the man!

 

Amazing times!

Have you ever had it on a dyno?