MVPJEFF106

Let me start off by saying I'm disappointed with performance at the Dragstrip but... not at the car. At the face I couldn't get it to hook for anything. I tried Launch Control. No Good. I tried leaving it in Sport Mode and brake on, just throttling it when the last yellow came on. No good. My trap speeds were all 121-126mph with ET's of 12.4-15.0. On the 15.0 run, car actually almost went sideways and had to let off throttle and then continue. That run I still achieved 121mph even after going a good distance before fully accelerating.

Any advice?

I do have a Z07. I was on the Pilot Sport Cup tires with approximately 4,000 miles on them. PSI was set at 25 in rear. Temps were 45-52 degrees and track was pretty sticky.

Should I get a set of wheels and drag radials for track events? If so, any suggestions on what will clear the Carbon Ceramic Brakes and what Drag Radials will fit?

Thanks! Eager to get into the 10's with this trap speed so high for the ET and I know there is more left in the car since I am losing distance when I have to let off to get traction.

Skid Row Joe

Find and hire an expert or two, to teach you how to do the whole drapstrip deal in your car. Ask around the dragstrip for starters, next the Internet.

cyi1

I hear launch mode sucks and feathering throttle is best for AUTO.
Heard some of the guys with quick times were in touring mode so the rear would squat a bit at launch.
45-52degrees sounds pretty cold. I get like no grip in those conditions. Did you do a burnout before?

MVPJEFF106

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Thanks, but lack of experience at the drag strip isn’t my problem. I’ve been drag racing for over 20 years. Unfortunately, each time was with a manual car and never with an auto/street tires combo. I was disappointed from the other states times run by members here that got their cars to hook. I’m curious if anyone has had similar issues with the Z07 package and tires but success when switching to drag radials?

MVPJEFF106

the temps were my worry as of last night but it was a charity event so I went anyway. This was my first time running the car so didn’t have huge expectations anyway although the higher traps with slow ET was dissapointing. I did do a quick burnout as not to completely smoke the tires but smoke was visible.

Mr. Gizmo

i am guessing you have an m7?

Have not had mine to the strip but would guess my m7 z with my level of experience I would be lucky to get to low 12’s at 120-122.

cyi1

Forgot to mention taking off stage 3 aero on the Z07 package if you've got it installed. Opt for stage 2 for slightly better trap speeds. Stage 1 for the fastest if you're able to acquire it online and install it.

MVPJEFF106

sorry, forgot to mention, it’s the A8 Auto!

MVPJEFF106

trap speeds could have been several MPH quicker if I was able to start from the tree and continually increase speed without spinning and having to throttle back. I have another car I’m building for 1/4 mile racing so I want to keep the Stage 3 Aero for autocross events. I do want to be able to take this car to the track though and see why I can really run WITH traction.

Mr. Gizmo

if your a8 hooked you should get mid 11’s at 128 pretty easy. With drag radials low 11’s maybe high tens with a proper burnout.

Faster5

It’s your tires. I had the same ones and could never get it to hook up then I went with Nitto nt05 and made all the difference.

MVPJEFF106

thats what I’m thinking since nothing else makes sense other than “maybe” the temps but even as it warmed up I had same problem. Do you run them all the time or just for 1/4 mile?

Looking for best of both worlds. If it’s tire that I need, I can get set of wheels and drag radials for these events and keep the Pilot Sport Cups for Autocross racing and street. Not familiar with what options there are for these large carbon ceramic brakes as far as rims that will hold a good drag radial and what drag radials are having success on these.

GeorgeR_Zed06

That mph sounds pretty low to get 10's. Tires are the key when drag racing for time, you need a set of rear drag wheels with some good drag radials. It's all in your 60 foot short times, the rest depends on the DA and your mods.

23/C8Z

On the pdr on a desolate old blacktop road I I've run 3.5 to 60
6.8 to 100
Never ran it out to full quarter but it is still in 10s on that crap road.

I have run. As quick as 3.3 on good blacktop and can run. 3.4 3.5 anywhere decent.
I have an A8 non Z07.i use track mode with Launch control engaged. It works amazing on the street.

The track you ran on was prepped like garbage or you weren't in groove or just not enough heat in track (still going back to the prep and lack of glue).

Your mph will come up big time when you can put power down. Probably 6 or 7mph imo.

MVPJEFF106

That's a glimpse of hope. Judging the 126mph run when I had probably 200feet less of track to run, I would also assume a good more mph left in the bag. I'm chalking it up to cold temps, tires not heated up enough and not having enough tread left on them. Even on the street, the car gets squirrely if I gas it in a low gear.

This car is such a different animal than I'm used to with all of my previous cars.

123sugey

Stock tires.... cold weather.... tires not heated enough.... lots of low rpm torque.... = bad 60’ time. Bad 60’ time is a wasted and bad pass. The mph is low for quite a few reasons. Every time you lift you are losing mph as well never mind ET. Get sticky tires and go back out on a prepped track in 65 degree + weather and have at it.

Mikec7z

oddly enough the stock A8 takes no special tricks, they all hurt performance..

the computer protects the drivetrain from too much torque...

so what you want to do is set at a perfect idle, foot on the brake,

let go of the brake, roll easily but quickly to full throttle.

If you go to WOT too quickly then the car will close TB angle and protect its self from too much torque.

if you go to WOT a bit slower, the car will let you have full TB angle and not be worried about you harming the drivetrain.

Its all the the tune, both engine and transmission.

If you really want to be a rockstar and have the 1.3 60 foots at the dragstrip, then just know you will need to get your car tuned, and specifically, your transmission.

2nd thing, your rear caster...

get something like the DSC alignment done on the rear of the car... makes a night and day difference.

The cars exit the factory like a lottery when it comes to rear alignment. The guys who get lucky and have good caster in the back of the car, they think they are talented, meanwhile, your car wont hook up... has nothing to do with you, has everything to do with GM not seeming to have any kind of quality control on their rear caster settings.

I see you are in st lucie, there is a tire shop up there that has the caster tool. The other shop that has it is down here in west palm called Ernie Bello Motorsports. It takes them a few hours. (edit, i realized that was the other guy, not you, call around and ask for the caster tool for the rear of the vette, a shop will know if they have it or not, ask them specifically if they have that tool, if they seem clueless, call the next shop in jersey until you find one that does. If i were you, i would ask over in the DSC threads for an alignment shop in Jersey who has the tool, they will tell you)


May as well buy the Granatelli rear end links while you are at it, makes the alignment process much simpler.
https://www.granatellimotorsports.co...s-3070-28.html

I would bet a lot of money that your rear caster is off on your car as it currently sits. Its not you.

SLEEKVET

Cold spinning wheels is what I would guess. I was on stock tires in warmer weather and ran 11.4 -11.5 all day long, spinning at the line (A8 no launch control). Just mashing the pedal and go....
Based on your mph, your times should be better so you are probably spinning at the line.

Mike Jesse

The stock tires require an aggressive 3-4. sec. burnout to bring them up to temp.

Cold surface temps., and a lack of track prep will not help your efforts either.

I've been able to run pretty consistent 10.70's-10.80's with the long burnout and launching the car from an idle.

Having the car in either Touring or Sport doesn't seem to matter with mine. I also try to arrive at the track with less than 1/2 tank of gas.

Mine is not completely stock, as I've added the Mamo TB and BMS filter. Probably doesn't help a great deal.

383vett

I agree with the need for a longer burnout. Especially if the temperature is cold. Just barely heating them up is not good enough. You should be able to get into the high 10's with MPSS tires. Cups even quicker. Were there other cars similar to your running that night? If so, how were their times. Even if the car doesn't hook, your mph should be higher. An automatic is a lot easier to launch than a manual.