TIMSPEED

I think, that the single best thing at the drag strip for the L98, is Drag Radials. They'll cut your E/T by at LEAST a .5 seconds. The L98 makes all it's power down low, and without tires to use that power, it's pretty much just wasted.

scorp508

No. The single best thing at the drag strip for the L98 is a good driver. You are NOT going to cut your ET by at LEAST .5 seconds with them. My best run (in sig) and 60' is on street tires, and I have used DRs before.

Run the car, run the car, run the car, run the car, run the car, until you have it perfect. The L98 does have gobs of torque on hand down low, but not 1/2 second worth. As it stands my best 60' times are in the 1.94 - 1.97 range on street tires. I wouldn't expect a stock L98 to get any thing more than another 0.1 to 0.175 the most off that 60'.

They do two things, give more traction, but also in a way make it harder to push the car. That low end torque as you probably have seen on dyno sheets runs out QUICK. It's all right there at 2900RPM and then starts to drop off quick.

It is a very delicate balance of spin, bog, or launch with these cars as the powerband is so narrow.

65Z01

I pretty much have to agree with Scorp508, it takes a driver that knows how to drive the car to launch it hard and that takes practice.

However for consistent passes DRs are very beneficial, though you will likely lose some trap speed due to the increased rolling resistance.

Beach Bum

I think everybody is right in this post.... you gotta learn how to drive & you need good sticky tires !!! My vette picks up a solid 5 tenths going from street tires to ET Streets....I go from a 60 ft of 1.95-2.05 to 1.55-1.62 which equates from 12.2 to 11.6..... but on a closer to stock vette with a stock torque converter, I agree sticky tires are not worth 1/2 second typically, more in the neighborhood of 2-3 typically... but of course varies.

However, I do disagree with trap speed differences... on drag radials you won't lose or gain any trap speed whatsoever.... ET Streets will cost 1/2 mph or so though. But your consistency is tenfold better with the ET Streets.

later
Beach

Vic'89

Well I'll give you an example of my car, stock motor with bolton's.

Without DR's -> 60' times are 2.0 - 2.1 seconds
With DR's -> 60' times are 1.80 seconds

So I pickup 2 full tenths on the 60' , which gives me 3 full tenths in the 1/4 mile.

Vic

scorp508

Also keep in mind that Beach Bum and Vic are NOT stock, so they benefit from more gains. :) Hell neither am I, but closer to it (I guess).

J Z06

Scorp,

Pending you had spin on your 13.4 run, you might have benefitted from DR's that day. I donno how..but there's more in your car the way it is(with stickies).

scorp508

That day yes.... but that was not your typical day. :) I mean come on, how often do you get to race in a high pressure zone, AND the track is prepped? :D With DRs that day I think a 13.2 would of been possible dumping the clutch higher. :eek: I was slipping the clutch and rolling into the throttle all day, no wheelspin on that run that I know of except for the 1-->2 and 2-->3 powershifts the back end sidestepped a little bit.

65Z01

Vic'89, what inflation do you use in those DRs? Though weather is a factor did you lose any MPH going from streets?

BTW, about 4wks ago to eliminate wheel spin, I had to start "driving" it off the line; and believe that has led to some inconsistency in 60' times and so RT as well as ET. It's tough to drive it off exactly the same every time.

Vic'89

Jim
I haven't run the street tires at the track this year. All my runs were with the DR's. I run them at 25 psi. When the track is good, I hook everytime.

I believe you pull about 2.0 60' times, right ? I would get the same 60' times as you if I ran the Street tires this year.

Last year when I ran both the street tires and the DR's, I didn't lose any MPH.

Vic