[Z06] Corvette hits wall
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From: las Vegas N.V.
Corvette hits wall
Went to the drag strip Saturday night, with the corvette club. I only made 1 run, bad wheel hop on launch than again when I shifted to 2nd. I only launched at 2k rpm, and did not slip the clutch at all, just dumped it. My night was great compared to one member of the corvette club. As I was making my way around the tower to make my run I saw some drivers getting out of their cars. I walked towards the staging lanes and saw a car about 330ft mark. I was told she hit both walls.
Driver is ok car is not. I was told about $10k in damage. She had a c6 auto with LT's and cai and tune.
I talked to several people who talked to her to find out what happened.
The car lost traction when it shifted to 2nd, she did have street tires, car was in comp. mode.
I also use my street tires on the track, I think if I go back I will do so with drag radials. That is if I go back at all.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
Assuming the report is correct....
At the drag strip the safe setting for a C6 or C6Z is Traction System Off. This allows wheel spin but keeps Active Handling in the aggressive mode. This setting is generally equivalent to a C5's Competitive Driving mode.
In the C6 Competitive Driving mode implements a "relaxed" Active Handling that permits substantial movement of the rear before it intervenes. This may be fine for a road course, but it's wrong for the drags where the wall is less that 10' from the side of the car.
I cover the correct setting here: General Launch Techniques
Ranger
At the drag strip the safe setting for a C6 or C6Z is Traction System Off. This allows wheel spin but keeps Active Handling in the aggressive mode. This setting is generally equivalent to a C5's Competitive Driving mode.
In the C6 Competitive Driving mode implements a "relaxed" Active Handling that permits substantial movement of the rear before it intervenes. This may be fine for a road course, but it's wrong for the drags where the wall is less that 10' from the side of the car.
I cover the correct setting here: General Launch Techniques
Ranger
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 6
From: Madison WI
especially at only the 330 mark. she couldn't have been going that fast. what do the A6's shift into second at, 40 something? sucks to hear about the wreck though. i hate seeing that happen no matter what the car is.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From: las Vegas N.V.
That was the first thing I wanted to know. I was told she was in comp mode. I thought it would be very hard for this to happen with active handling. Makes me think about going back to the track.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
If it was a C6, the console button sequence...Press
Once...Traction System Off...allows wheel spin; aggressive AH
Twice..Competitive Driving Mode...allows wheel spin; relaxed AH
And hold down 5 seconds...All Off...you're on your own; no AH
It's possible that the driver was accustomed to driving a C5 and followed the C5 button routine when staging the C6. Instead of getting Comp mode, she got All Off and failed to notice the DIC warning.
Ranger
Once...Traction System Off...allows wheel spin; aggressive AH
Twice..Competitive Driving Mode...allows wheel spin; relaxed AH
And hold down 5 seconds...All Off...you're on your own; no AH
It's possible that the driver was accustomed to driving a C5 and followed the C5 button routine when staging the C6. Instead of getting Comp mode, she got All Off and failed to notice the DIC warning.
Ranger
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From: las Vegas N.V.
If it was a C6, the console button sequence...Press
Once...Traction System Off...allows wheel spin; aggressive AH
Twice..Competitive Driving Mode...allows wheel spin; relaxed AH
And hold down 5 seconds...All Off...you're on your own; no AH
It's possible that the driver was accustomed to driving a C5 and followed the C5 button routine when staging the C6. Instead of getting Comp mode, she got All Off and failed to notice the DIC warning.
Ranger
Once...Traction System Off...allows wheel spin; aggressive AH
Twice..Competitive Driving Mode...allows wheel spin; relaxed AH
And hold down 5 seconds...All Off...you're on your own; no AH
It's possible that the driver was accustomed to driving a C5 and followed the C5 button routine when staging the C6. Instead of getting Comp mode, she got All Off and failed to notice the DIC warning.
Ranger
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 2,641
From: Texas Hill Country
Is she a former C5er? Great assumption.
Again, it's not impossible to lose control with AH. You need to know what the car feels like and what to do about it if it doesn't feel right.
Turn off the nannies and learn to drive. I'll always stick to this sentiment. Sorry for those who don't agree.
Again, it's not impossible to lose control with AH. You need to know what the car feels like and what to do about it if it doesn't feel right.
Turn off the nannies and learn to drive. I'll always stick to this sentiment. Sorry for those who don't agree.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
You may have missed my comment in Post #3
...At the drag strip the safe setting for a C6 or C6Z is Traction System Off. This allows wheel spin but keeps Active Handling in the aggressive mode. This setting is generally equivalent to a C5's Competitive Driving mode.
In the C6 Competitive Driving mode implements a "relaxed" Active Handling that permits substantial movement of the rear before it intervenes. This may be fine for a road course, but it's wrong for the drags where the wall is less that 10' from the side of the car.
I cover the correct setting here: General Launch Techniques
Ranger
In the C6 Competitive Driving mode implements a "relaxed" Active Handling that permits substantial movement of the rear before it intervenes. This may be fine for a road course, but it's wrong for the drags where the wall is less that 10' from the side of the car.
I cover the correct setting here: General Launch Techniques
Ranger
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 2,641
From: Texas Hill Country
Driver who can't save a spin? Yes. Hitting both walls takes some effort at that speed..... I hope the lady is ok meaning I hope she didn't black out and wreck or something to that effect. At 40 something MPH a simple application of brakes would work wonders. She wasn't traveling 100.....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,330
Likes: 518
From: Admit Nothing, Deny Everything, Make Counter Accusations.
I see a lot of people that try to pedal their way down the track when they get loose. Personally, if I get loose I push in the clutch and abort the run. It's gonna be a bad pass anyway.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
In my C5Zs I alway ran in COMPETITIVE DRIVING mode at the drags. Did it on principle...It had no effect whatsoever on my times unless my rear end got seriously out of line, at which point Active Handling would be invoked, thereby saving my a $ $. In such a moment, my ET would be the last thing on my mind. Here is a report I wrote in February 2002...
Ranger
Today I narrowly averted a disaster that was not of my making. AH saved my butt and vindicated my practice of running with it turned on.
I made eight passes at Capitol Raceway in Crofton Maryland driving my 01 Z06. On the fourth pass, I was next in line behind a highly-modified car that spewed tranny fluid on the track a short distance after the 60-foot mark. Unfortunately, no one, including me, noticed the spill as it occurred. AND, I was next....
I had my best launch of the day and slammed 2d gear hard amidst his tranny fluid...whereupon my rear-end moved violently right...toward the wall. Fortunately, Active Handling engaged and cued me to back out of the throttle immediately upon recognizing my predicament...but not before I had come within just a foot or so of the wall.
Had I turned AH off (as a few owners stubbornly advise despite the risk), I surely would have hit the wall HARD. Wouldn't have been my fault; but certainly would have spoiled the day. When that occurred, the last thing on my mind was my ET...in a day of 12.04 and a bunch of 12.1Xs, plus one trap of 118.1...all in COMPETITVE DRIVING mode.
I made eight passes at Capitol Raceway in Crofton Maryland driving my 01 Z06. On the fourth pass, I was next in line behind a highly-modified car that spewed tranny fluid on the track a short distance after the 60-foot mark. Unfortunately, no one, including me, noticed the spill as it occurred. AND, I was next....
I had my best launch of the day and slammed 2d gear hard amidst his tranny fluid...whereupon my rear-end moved violently right...toward the wall. Fortunately, Active Handling engaged and cued me to back out of the throttle immediately upon recognizing my predicament...but not before I had come within just a foot or so of the wall.
Had I turned AH off (as a few owners stubbornly advise despite the risk), I surely would have hit the wall HARD. Wouldn't have been my fault; but certainly would have spoiled the day. When that occurred, the last thing on my mind was my ET...in a day of 12.04 and a bunch of 12.1Xs, plus one trap of 118.1...all in COMPETITVE DRIVING mode.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 2,641
From: Texas Hill Country
Are you lining up too close to the wall? You can do 360s in one lane. If your rear end kicked out, you had a lot more than a foot of clearance. It probably didn't kick out as much as you think, either. Perception is not reality. But hey, we all love heresay and conjecture here. None of us really know what happens in the reality part of this world. Just what people type. I guess your front end kicked out, too....
Pro
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 572
Likes: 0
From: Wentzville Mo
I dunno if Ive seen a car do a 360 in a lane, mabey on video, not sure. on the street it is entirely possible, more than likely not the track. the car would more than likely get some grip in the spin and shoot it in whatever direction it is pointing, especially at 60mph or less. just my opinion
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
Here is a Feb 2002 report from Tracy who's on the racing circuit with a couple cars. His post was in response to mine (Post #14):
Ranger
Originally Posted by TLewis4095
We had a situation similar to Ranger’s last month with different results.
Our driver (my 15 year old daughter) was tied for first place in points at Sunshine and on a wednsday nite T&T. The car broke loose on the 1-2 shift....rear kicked out to the right (just like you described), she did not lift quick enough & over corrected. She missed the right wall, but came around and tagged the left wall hard (the driver in the left lane saw her get loose & was able to brake hard) with the rear. This sent her into about 4-5 spins and nailed the wall agin with the nose before coming to a stop. New nose, Rear, Drivers quarter, and left headlight assembly plus fender repair & paint. Had her back the next nite with the pieces taped up & she went on to tie for 2nd. She has broke loose a bunch of times since & handled it like a pro. Wish we would have had AH!
Our driver (my 15 year old daughter) was tied for first place in points at Sunshine and on a wednsday nite T&T. The car broke loose on the 1-2 shift....rear kicked out to the right (just like you described), she did not lift quick enough & over corrected. She missed the right wall, but came around and tagged the left wall hard (the driver in the left lane saw her get loose & was able to brake hard) with the rear. This sent her into about 4-5 spins and nailed the wall agin with the nose before coming to a stop. New nose, Rear, Drivers quarter, and left headlight assembly plus fender repair & paint. Had her back the next nite with the pieces taped up & she went on to tie for 2nd. She has broke loose a bunch of times since & handled it like a pro. Wish we would have had AH!
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 2,641
From: Texas Hill Country
I dunno if Ive seen a car do a 360 in a lane, mabey on video, not sure. on the street it is entirely possible, more than likely not the track. the car would more than likely get some grip in the spin and shoot it in whatever direction it is pointing, especially at 60mph or less. just my opinion
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 2,641
From: Texas Hill Country
I'm just saying that if you are going to wreck, you just are. As I have mentioned before, AH CAN (not WILL) increase the limit at which an out of control situation occurs. However, if the car crosses said limit, AH WILL make it more difficult to recover. It takes a portion of the vehicle away from the driver, and IMO, that is never a good thing.
Regardless, if a person learns to drive their car, it's better than not and beleiving AH will save you. It won't.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 31
From: Central Florida
Last one today.
Ranger
Originally Posted by chad4msu
I'm one of the few that wasn't aware of Comp. Mode in time...
Luckily I regained enough control so that I didn't hit the wall head on. (a glancing blow) Only cost me around $2k to fix but I have yet to live it down... Unfortunately, around here nobody forgets the day the Z06 "hit the wall".
I get comments all the time like, "I can't believe you are going to drive that thing on a road course! You can't even drive it in a straight line!"
Of course, the "incident" happened a couple of months after I got the car. Since then, I have learned a lot. And still learning! I love it!
Luckily I regained enough control so that I didn't hit the wall head on. (a glancing blow) Only cost me around $2k to fix but I have yet to live it down... Unfortunately, around here nobody forgets the day the Z06 "hit the wall".
I get comments all the time like, "I can't believe you are going to drive that thing on a road course! You can't even drive it in a straight line!"
Of course, the "incident" happened a couple of months after I got the car. Since then, I have learned a lot. And still learning! I love it!