Sti#2
Here is a nice website with gear ratios: http://www.f-body.org/gears/
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
I'm sure you would have destroyed him had you started in a lower gear and shifted at around ~6000RPM. The LS1 is all about top end, and by starting out in too high of a gear and shifting too early, you're at a big disadvantage.
You beat him either way, but for future reference make sure you start out in the powerband and keep it there


