A chase is a race, even after the Ford gets the hit and a head start on this C6.
This week’s featured race from the Kill Stories section showcases a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z51 taking on a built Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. The race was originally posted to the forum by LS1Tech member 03_Z06 from the YouTube account of Eddie Spade, and the OP explains that he has been trying to run this Mustang for some time. Once he finally got ahold of the guy, he would not run unless the Corvette gave him the hit and a one-car head start. In short, the GT500 gets to decide when to go and it starts in the lead. That is unusual for a street race between two cars which should be fairly well matched, but the Corvette driver wanted the race – so he agreed to those ridiculous demands.
LS3 ‘Vette vs. blower-swapped GT500
Before getting into the race itself, here is a quick look at each of the dogs in this fight.
The 2008 Corvette Z51 has a Vararam intake, long-tube headers, an off-road X-pipe, an aftermarket cam, a ported intake manifold and a 150-shot of nitrous. Without the nitrous, this Corvette made 452 wheel horsepower, so the bottle puts it up into the 600rwhp range.
The Mustang has ported heads, aftermarket cams and a new TVS supercharger, all of which is supposed to provide around 850 wheel horsepower, based on the dyno sheet that the Mustang owner likes to show off.
Based on those power numbers, the Mustang shouldn’t need the head start, but the Corvette is quite a bit lighter, so this race can’t be decided purely on horsepower numbers. That becomes clear once you watch the race. it all begins with the Mustang out front, getting in the throttle first. Gotta let them enjoy it, we suppose. That allows the blown Ford to take a sizeable early lead, but as speeds climb, the Corvette closes the gap and blows past the GT500.
"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.
