Neither of these cars are well driven, but the Corvette driver does a better job of getting down the track.
In stock form, the C7 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the McLaren 570S are both solid quarter mile machines, even though both cars are built to shine just as bright on a track with turns. The Z06 with the 7-speed manual transmission is said to be able to cover the drag strip in the 11.20 range while the 570S only comes with a dual-clutch gearbox, allowing it to run in the high-10s in stock form.
Of course, those numbers are with a good driver and in this video from the Wheels YouTube channel, it doesn’t appear as though either driver has much experience drag racing with their supercar.
The Competitors
The C7 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is powered by the supercharged LT4 V8 with 650 horsepower, 650 lb-ft of torque and a curb weight just north of 3,500 pounds. The McLaren 570S is powered by a twin turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 that offers 562 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, but it weighs around 3,200 pounds. In other words, the Corvette has a big power advantage, but the McLaren has a weight advantage while also has an edge with a quick-shifting dual clutch automatic transmission.
However, the McLaren driver in the video above seems to have no clue as to how to launch his supercar while the Corvette driver does a little better of a job getting away from the line and down the track.
The video begins with the 570S and the Z06 rolling into the water box, with the Corvette doing a burnout while the McLaren appears to just head up to the line. The two cars then ease up to the starting line, lighting the amber bulbs atop the tree and when the green lights drop, both cars launch – but not very well.
The Corvette hops out to an early lead and even though the Z06 driver has to bang through gears, the Chevy continues to pull away during the first half of the race.
On the top end, the McLaren is closing, but the Z06 gets there first – running an 11.92 at 123 miles per hour to the 570’s 12.00 at 131 miles per hour. Neither driver did their car justice, but a win is a win, and the Chevy won.
"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.
