What is going on?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 62
Likes: 2
From: Chicago Area
What is going on? Hi everyone. THis is my first post on this sight. I bought a 2001 camaro SS A4 with only 9800 mi last April and couldn't have been happier with it. However I got a chance at my first drag race last night against a stock Dodge SRT-4 and lost by a half car, twice!! Now this was my first time ever in a real drag race, so I don't have any experience racing but I still have to say I was very dissappointed in my cars performance 
. It seems like most threads I have read the camaro/firebird owners beat these cars, so what is going on. He told me he ran a 13.9 sec quater at the track, so that must mean i am around 14.0 sec, I thought ls1 f bodies where in the 13,s. In addition my car is not even completely stock, the mod list goes as follows: MTI lid, k&n, free cold air mod, smooth bellow, SLP dual dual cat back, bilstein ultra sus., auburn gear diff, sub frame connectors. Traction did somewhat play a role, especially in the first race and my drag driving skills are not very good at this point, so that probably explains alot, but I still feel I should ahve beat him. Everyone at the race was putting their bets on me to win, and I lost, d%$n it!! 
Any kind of feed back on this will be much appreciated.
. It seems like most threads I have read the camaro/firebird owners beat these cars, so what is going on. He told me he ran a 13.9 sec quater at the track, so that must mean i am around 14.0 sec, I thought ls1 f bodies where in the 13,s. In addition my car is not even completely stock, the mod list goes as follows: MTI lid, k&n, free cold air mod, smooth bellow, SLP dual dual cat back, bilstein ultra sus., auburn gear diff, sub frame connectors. Traction did somewhat play a role, especially in the first race and my drag driving skills are not very good at this point, so that probably explains alot, but I still feel I should ahve beat him. Everyone at the race was putting their bets on me to win, and I lost, d%$n it!! Any kind of feed back on this will be much appreciated. 
On The Tree
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: Hubert, NC
automatic tranny, try racin him from 35mph roll and see if that makes a differance. He should not have beat you, it is still hard for him to launch his fwd car. Go to a local dyno and see if you got something wrong or maybe you just got a factory turd, not bashin your car, it just happens some times. I have seen bone stock LS1's lay down 320+ hp and I have seen some put down as little as 280 rwhp, they are all different.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
when i first got my car it had a vacuum leak and ran like crap after the first 500 miles or so. Make sure the engine's going right. There's no way in hell a stock SRT-4 is beating a stock LS1, if both the cars are running correctly and the drivers are even mildly competent.
TECH Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,660
Likes: 14
From: England
I think we might be missing the obvious here?
Mike - does you car drive like it's running OK. If so it probably is.
Is it auto or manual?
And I'm sorry to say it, but most likely it was driver related. You mention you had grip problems, they only beat you by a small margin and that they admit to running 13.9.
Well 13.9 for a Stock SRT-4 is very good (not impossible from what I've read, but pretty rare). So yes they may be modded, but you also have to except that they are a good driver in a 'good' car, as opposed to a Friday afternoon car.
An averagely driven Fbody should be a mid/high 13 car. A well driven one low 13's. If you count yourself as an 'average' driver yet managed to get 1/2 to 1 seconds worth of extra wheel spin (or slow shifting in manual) you could easily have been in mid or even high 14 territory.
So yes they should have beaten you.
Don't feel bad about, just get some practice in. Maybe book youself on a weekend driving course (they're really good fun
) and go learn a few driving tips.
Mike - does you car drive like it's running OK. If so it probably is.
Is it auto or manual?
And I'm sorry to say it, but most likely it was driver related. You mention you had grip problems, they only beat you by a small margin and that they admit to running 13.9.
Well 13.9 for a Stock SRT-4 is very good (not impossible from what I've read, but pretty rare). So yes they may be modded, but you also have to except that they are a good driver in a 'good' car, as opposed to a Friday afternoon car.
An averagely driven Fbody should be a mid/high 13 car. A well driven one low 13's. If you count yourself as an 'average' driver yet managed to get 1/2 to 1 seconds worth of extra wheel spin (or slow shifting in manual) you could easily have been in mid or even high 14 territory.
So yes they should have beaten you.
Don't feel bad about, just get some practice in. Maybe book youself on a weekend driving course (they're really good fun
) and go learn a few driving tips.
Originally Posted by LS1-Mike
Hi everyone. THis is my first post on this sight. I bought a 2001 camaro SS A4 with only 9800 mi last April and couldn't have been happier with it. However I got a chance at my first drag race last night against a stock Dodge SRT-4 and lost by a half car, twice!! Now this was my first time ever in a real drag race, so I don't have any experience racing but I still have to say I was very dissappointed in my cars performance . It seems like most threads I have read the camaro/firebird owners beat these cars, so what is going on. He told me he ran a 13.9 sec quater at the track, so that must mean i am around 14.0 sec, I thought ls1 f bodies where in the 13,s. In addition my car is not even completely stock, the mod list goes as follows: MTI lid, k&n, free cold air mod, smooth bellow, SLP dual dual cat back, bilstein ultra sus., auburn gear diff, sub frame connectors. Traction did somewhat play a role, especially in the first race and my drag driving skills are not very good at this point, so that probably explains alot, but I still feel I should ahve beat him. Everyone at the race was putting their bets on me to win, and I lost, d%$n it!! Any kind of feed back on this will be much appreciated.
. It seems like most threads I have read the camaro/firebird owners beat these cars, so what is going on. He told me he ran a 13.9 sec quater at the track, so that must mean i am around 14.0 sec, I thought ls1 f bodies where in the 13,s. In addition my car is not even completely stock, the mod list goes as follows: MTI lid, k&n, free cold air mod, smooth bellow, SLP dual dual cat back, bilstein ultra sus., auburn gear diff, sub frame connectors. Traction did somewhat play a role, especially in the first race and my drag driving skills are not very good at this point, so that probably explains alot, but I still feel I should ahve beat him. Everyone at the race was putting their bets on me to win, and I lost, d%$n it!! Any kind of feed back on this will be much appreciated.Trending Topics
Sounds like driver error to me wouldnt go thinking somethings wrong with your car till you rule yourself out of the equation. Post your time slip so we can see where the problem is. What was your 60' . Also what mph did you trap at. Mph is the best judge of how a car is running mechanicaly. You should Be around 103 to 106 with thoes mods. FWIW bone stock I ran 13.6 @ 103 A4 2.73. Last time I was at the track I ran 14.00 @ ~98 (Cylinder 5 had no compression).
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Try not flooring it from the dig. I always run better times when I get her rolling just a little then mashing it down. Street tires don't really gain much benifit from burn-outs from what I've read, so you're just going to end up losing time to spinning them cold.
Some bolt-ons, a torque converter and full-exhaust with good tires should give you a nice cushion against them
I've seen them run 12.1's at the track though, heavily modded. No shame in losing to the modded SRT-4's in the near-stock LS1 brackets. I've never seen one run single digits though, but I've seen Fbodies do it. So don't let them get you down.
Some bolt-ons, a torque converter and full-exhaust with good tires should give you a nice cushion against them
I've seen them run 12.1's at the track though, heavily modded. No shame in losing to the modded SRT-4's in the near-stock LS1 brackets. I've never seen one run single digits though, but I've seen Fbodies do it. So don't let them get you down.
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by BrandonDrecksage
your lackign expierence....srt4s aren't a joke as most people try to make them out to be on this site for one thing. Get some practice launching your car a bit. Like I've always said..a stock auto ls1 vs a srt4 is a driver's race...he was a better driver.
Originally Posted by slow trans am
so your saying a stock lt1 is a drivers race for a auto ls1? cause lt1's and srt4's are a drivers race. you need to go do some more research and get your facts straight.
and yes..I am saying a stock m6 lt1 will be a drivers race againt a auto ls1...cause thats true for a srt4 and a lt1...and this guy jsut proved my point because his auto ls1 with a lid lost to a srt4.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 62
Likes: 2
From: Chicago Area
Thanks guys for your feed back. My car is an A4. I don't have any time slips for my car yet becasue I haven't had it to the track. The race I had against the dodge was informal on a side street in an industrial area, not at the track. I thinking lack of experience had alot to do with it, as most of you have suggested. Ill probably get a dyno run at Finish line performance just to mkae sure the car is putting down what it is suppose to. I knew the race would be close but I still wasn't expecting to lose. The SRT-4s are pretty quick.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 62
Likes: 2
From: Chicago Area
Oh yeah i forgot, the car seems to be running fine on a daily basis. I use it as a daily drive. However, i took the srt-4 guy for a ride after we raced ans he said he thpught he felt slight hesitation in the 2 to third shift as if a spark plug was bad or something. Can'y believe the plugs would be bas already with only 13,300 miles on the car. Don't know though, any thoughts on this.
10 Second Club
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee Tech
I wouldn't think so, if that was the case, it wouldn't hesitate only from 2-3 shift, it would be constant. As long as your car isn't throwing a code(Check Engine Light), nothing serious should be wrong. I have a 2001 z-28 A4, and it ran a 13.2 @ 106, with just a loudmouth exhaust, and lid. Also I was running street tires, if spinning wasn't a factor, I'd be in the twelves. Just a word of advice, I wouldn't get down just because you lost to a 4wd import that more than likely had mods, You can't just jump out there and expect to win, expecially since you've never raced before. So get out there and claim your first kill!
10 Second Club
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee Tech
When I first got my car I though it was a factory fart because it was always throwing codes and couldn't ever get it to run right. But ever since I ran it in the quarter I knew it's not. get some practice yourself and go to the quarter, who knows, the guy could have spun real bad or something when he raced. It also sounds like the guy probably only ran it once, run it three times because every time I ran mine, it dropped 2 tenths.
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by BrandonDrecksage
why do I need to get my facts straight? anything within .5 seconds is pretty much a drivers race...cause spinning the tires .2 seconds to long will make you .2 seconds low? not everyone is a race car driver...and not everyone can drive their car to the full potential. i'll stand by my statement...a well driven srt4 will beat a poorly drive auto ls1....what are you trying to dispute there?
and yes..I am saying a stock m6 lt1 will be a drivers race againt a auto ls1...cause thats true for a srt4 and a lt1...and this guy jsut proved my point because his auto ls1 with a lid lost to a srt4.
and yes..I am saying a stock m6 lt1 will be a drivers race againt a auto ls1...cause thats true for a srt4 and a lt1...and this guy jsut proved my point because his auto ls1 with a lid lost to a srt4.
Originally Posted by 273sunsetZ
I wouldn't think so, if that was the case, it wouldn't hesitate only from 2-3 shift, it would be constant. As long as your car isn't throwing a code(Check Engine Light), nothing serious should be wrong. I have a 2001 z-28 A4, and it ran a 13.2 @ 106, with just a loudmouth exhaust, and lid. Also I was running street tires, if spinning wasn't a factor, I'd be in the twelves. Just a word of advice, I wouldn't get down just because you lost to a 4wd import that more than likely had mods, You can't just jump out there and expect to win, expecially since you've never raced before. So get out there and claim your first kill!
Originally Posted by slow trans am
i dont really consider a car thats a half second slower then the other a drivers race. when i think of drivers race, i think two cars that are very equaly matched, with the better driver coming out on top. thats like saying if you take two f-bodys, one that weighs 3000 pounds vs one that weighs 3500 pounds and calling it a drivers race. considering every hundred pounds eqauls a 1/10 of a second or taking two cars that weigh the same and giving one of them 50 more rwhp, considering on average 10rwhp is good for 1/1oth of a second. i dont find those a drivers race.
if its not a drivers race...how did this guy loose with a faster car?
the hesistation that the srt guy was talking about..was it you hitting the rev limiter?
Last edited by BrandonDrecksage; Nov 6, 2005 at 06:44 AM.