C6 Drag Radials

[Robert and Elizabeth]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to update you with the results of our drag radial research. Currently, nobody has a streetable drag radial for our cars We wrote Nitto tires regarding them making 19 inch drag radials for our C6 ZO6. They wrote back that they have been getting lots of inquires and requests from C6 owners. They also wrote that there is a lot of research and testing that has to happen before they can release them. So, I suppose we will still be waiting with baited breath for when we can get our hands on a pair or two. Hoosier does make drag slicks for our size tire, but they are not streetable, track only. This will be too much of a hassle for us seeing as we want to run drag radials full time. For all of you C6 owners, please write Nitto tires and let them know that you are interested in the drag radials for your cars. There is power in numbers, and maybe it would give them the extra shove to get it out faster Thank you all...Robert and Elizabeth

[MOTV8]

Hey Robert & Elizabeth! I read this and got to thinkin' that I'd read somewhere about C6 Z06's running great times on just drag radials over on CF, and my mind being the steel trap it is...with a little oxidation, I was right. Here's a quote from drag-boy superstar 'Ranger' about his stellar run:

"I grew up relishing the stories on Zora’s specially prepared ZL1 Corvette running in the 10.90s on slicks. Love those stories. And it’s almost hard to imagine that 35 years later, a showroom stock Corvette, albeit a 2006 Z06, with no change to the car other than using DOT drag radial tires could eclipse the times posted by that fabled ZL1. But it happened today at Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek, Maryland.

On my first pass of the day, after an hour-long cool-down and change of rear tires to the BFGs, I ran a clean pass with the type of launch and 1-2 shift I’ve been looking for. Here are the splits:

60'........1.679 3650 launch rpm with a fast clutch release and fast throttle squeeze

330'......4.625

660'......7.046 102.61

1000'.....9.114

1320'...10.856 129.50

Density altitude at the time of the pass was negative 850 feet on my TAG weather station. Air temperature was 51 degrees. Barometer was excellent and humidity was low.

Track surface temperature was 60 degrees, kissed sweetly by full sun.

Soon after returning to the pits, amid a mild celebration, I was visited by a track official on a motor-bike for a discussion of the safety equipment in my car. He noted it was apparent from the tower that my UnderArmor compression top wasn’t a fire-jacket. And his check inside the car found no roll-bar. He complimented the pass and I took the hint, agreeing to slow down. In keeping with that pledge, I made one more pass. After bogging the launch to comply with guidance, was then somehow unable to keep from driving the rest of the pass…well…fast. I picked up the slip, 11.03 129.22 1.80. And that was it for the day.

Special thanks to dgdoc, Steve, and bill for their moral support and assistance crewing the car, today.

For the record, nothing has been changed on my car since delivery other than the driver’s experience. ECU/PCM is stock. Air filter is original. Nothing after-market at all.

I did dismount the stock rears and strap on three-year-old BFG 315.35.17 DRs, graciously lent to me by Dick Link. These tires are perfect for the C6Z in that they don’t overwhelm the finicky LS7 clutch. And, if properly heated, they can provide excellent traction. I also raised the stock front tires to 40 psi; above that the DIC starts nagging on start-up.

If anyone wishes to draw a distinction that “bone stock” must include “stock tires,” he/she may wish to revisit scores of threads I’ve started over the past six years describing adventures at the drag strip with bone-stock Z06s either on (1) stock tires or (2) drag radials. I’m always clear about the tires on the car any particular day, in the thread title.

As for powershifting, I eased the throttle on the 1-2 and 2-3 but did powershift the 3-4. My experience has shown that you can shift fast while still easing the throttle. Takes practice.

I’ve written frequently that it takes 30-50 passes for a driver to approach his lower limit in a new plaform. That 10.85 was my 52d pass in the car.

I have some video footage of uncertain quality (new guy on the camera) and some audio files of the exhaust on the pass, plus a spreadsheet with split/incremental analysis. I’ll work on these over the weekend and edit them into this post. I can post the slip of the record pass, certified by an MIR official. Be up in a few.

I close by offering my continued appreciation to the Corvette Team and extended family, for this C6Z, a truly an amazing car and the new legend. And somehow I know, Zora is be pleased.

Edited in the timeslip in the thumb below.

Best to all,

Ranger "

Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, huh?

So I guess until they do make a 325/30-19 in a DR, you could pick up a set of "track" wheels with the above referenced 315/35-17's on 'em. Just a thought. I'm positive your Z would hook better than last time!

L8R, Dean

[Robert and Elizabeth]

Hey Robert & Elizabeth! I read this and got to thinkin' that I'd read somewhere about C6 Z06's running great times on just drag radials over on CF, and my mind being the steel trap it is...with a little oxidation, I was right. Here's a quote from drag-boy superstar 'Ranger' about his stellar run:

"I grew up relishing the stories on Zora’s specially prepared ZL1 Corvette running in the 10.90s on slicks. Love those stories. And it’s almost hard to imagine that 35 years later, a showroom stock Corvette, albeit a 2006 Z06, with no change to the car other than using DOT drag radial tires could eclipse the times posted by that fabled ZL1. But it happened today at Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek, Maryland.

On my first pass of the day, after an hour-long cool-down and change of rear tires to the BFGs, I ran a clean pass with the type of launch and 1-2 shift I’ve been looking for. Here are the splits:

60'........1.679 3650 launch rpm with a fast clutch release and fast throttle squeeze

330'......4.625

660'......7.046 102.61

1000'.....9.114

1320'...10.856 129.50

Density altitude at the time of the pass was negative 850 feet on my TAG weather station. Air temperature was 51 degrees. Barometer was excellent and humidity was low.

Track surface temperature was 60 degrees, kissed sweetly by full sun.

Soon after returning to the pits, amid a mild celebration, I was visited by a track official on a motor-bike for a discussion of the safety equipment in my car. He noted it was apparent from the tower that my UnderArmor compression top wasn’t a fire-jacket. And his check inside the car found no roll-bar. He complimented the pass and I took the hint, agreeing to slow down. In keeping with that pledge, I made one more pass. After bogging the launch to comply with guidance, was then somehow unable to keep from driving the rest of the pass…well…fast. I picked up the slip, 11.03 129.22 1.80. And that was it for the day.

Special thanks to dgdoc, Steve, and bill for their moral support and assistance crewing the car, today.

For the record, nothing has been changed on my car since delivery other than the driver’s experience. ECU/PCM is stock. Air filter is original. Nothing after-market at all.

I did dismount the stock rears and strap on three-year-old BFG 315.35.17 DRs, graciously lent to me by Dick Link. These tires are perfect for the C6Z in that they don’t overwhelm the finicky LS7 clutch. And, if properly heated, they can provide excellent traction. I also raised the stock front tires to 40 psi; above that the DIC starts nagging on start-up.

If anyone wishes to draw a distinction that “bone stock” must include “stock tires,” he/she may wish to revisit scores of threads I’ve started over the past six years describing adventures at the drag strip with bone-stock Z06s either on (1) stock tires or (2) drag radials. I’m always clear about the tires on the car any particular day, in the thread title.

As for powershifting, I eased the throttle on the 1-2 and 2-3 but did powershift the 3-4. My experience has shown that you can shift fast while still easing the throttle. Takes practice.

I’ve written frequently that it takes 30-50 passes for a driver to approach his lower limit in a new plaform. That 10.85 was my 52d pass in the car.

I have some video footage of uncertain quality (new guy on the camera) and some audio files of the exhaust on the pass, plus a spreadsheet with split/incremental analysis. I’ll work on these over the weekend and edit them into this post. I can post the slip of the record pass, certified by an MIR official. Be up in a few.

I close by offering my continued appreciation to the Corvette Team and extended family, for this C6Z, a truly an amazing car and the new legend. And somehow I know, Zora is be pleased.

Edited in the timeslip in the thumb below.

Best to all,

Ranger "

Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, huh?

So I guess until they do make a 325/30-19 in a DR, you could pick up a set of "track" wheels with the above referenced 315/35-17's on 'em. Just a thought. I'm positive your Z would hook better than last time!

L8R, Dean

Hey Dean

Thank you so very much for this information . I had heard and know that some people including Viper owners were doing this (changing their rear tire size to an 18 or 17 inch) in order to get DRs. This would require us to get new rims to match the smaller tire size. We do not want to change the look of the car in order to get better times at the track. We really love the look of the car as it is now. We will wait till a 19 inch DR comes out. Thank you for responding to our thread, it was very educating, insightful and thoughtful on your part. This is why we love being members of ACE. Someone within ACE always knows something about what we want to know about

Elizabeth

[Eddie44]

This is why we love being members of ACE. Someone within ACE always knows something about what we want to know about

Elizabeth

And if we don't we'll well enough that you'll think we do