This video reminds us that the best mod to go faster is the driver mod.
The new Camaro ZL1 is the quickest Chevy muscle car to ever hit the street, but this video shows that the “good driver mod” is an important one with this 650 horsepower beast. This is a battle between the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and a new Cadillac CTS-V from the WheelsYouTube account. This matchup has all of the makings of a great LT4-vs-LT4 drag race – if only the Camaro driver knew how to get down the track.
ZL1 vs CTS-V
The sixth-gen Camaro ZL1 is powered by the supercharged LT4 V8, delivering 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque via a 6-speed manual transmission. The newest Cadillac CTS-V is also powered by the supercharged LT4, but in the luxury sedan, it “only” offers 640 horsepower and 630 lb-ft of torque. Oh, and the Caddy is only offered with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
So, the Camaro has more horsepower and torque, it has a transmission that sends more power to the wheels and, most importantly, it weighs some 300 pounds less than the CTS-V. The only advantage for the Cadillac in this race is that it has the quick-shifting automatic transmission and in addition to getting through the gears more quickly, the 8-speed makes launching the supercharged sedan a whole lot easier.
And in this case, the launch is all that mattered. The fact that the Cadillac CTS-V is easier to launch makes all the difference in this drag race.
The race
This video begins by giving us a look at each of the LT4-powered cars in the race before heading to the starting line. We watch the Cadillac avoid the burnout box altogether while the Camaro does an awful burnout. Really, the driver likely didn’t even get the water from the box off of the rear tires. it looks to be a pretty clear sign that this Camaro is not equipped with the “driver mod.”
The Camaro driver looks even more foolish when he lurches through the staging beams while the CTS-V waits at the line. By the time the ZL1 finally gets lined up correctly, the green lights drop. At that point, the race is pretty much over. The Cadillac rips away from the line as Camaro driver sleeps on the tree and then babies the car down the track.
In the end, the Cadillac runs a balmy 12.32 at 114 miles per hour, beating the slow-starting Camaro as it ran an 11.99 at 122 miles per hour. Neither time is very good, but this video shows how important a good driver is when drag racing with a manual transmission car.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
