Drag Test: 2009 Corvette Z06
Posted at 2:53 PM / March 17, 2009
PlanetLSX.com was recently invited to a private track rental, so we brought our newest test vehicle, a cyber gray metallic 2009 Corvette Z06. This race day took place at Lone Star Raceway, in Sealy, TX. Weather conditions were nice, with temps in the 60-62F range. Track conditions were fair, but our traction issues were mostly related to the stiff radial tires on the Z06. There were only 5 other cars running, so we had plenty of seat time to get used to the Corvette. Here is the vehicle info:
2009 Corvette Z06 - 1,150 miles
100% stock, as-delivered from the dealership.
19" stock Goodyear run-flat tires on the back
3,350 lbs raceweight
Having driven numerous high-powered GM vehicles, we found that the Z06 was a relatively easy car to drag race. The 505hp, 427 cubic inch LS7 engine makes plenty of torque at lower rpm, and has no problems related to bogging off the starting line. The factory 19" run-flat Goodyears had surprisingly decent traction, especially when compared to the slippery run-flat tires used on the base model C6 Corvette.
Within the first few passes, it was learned that easing into the throttle while coming off the line helps to avoid dreaded wheel-hop. When launching with this method, the car never unloaded its suspension, or had any wheel hop, so we got a little more aggressive coming off the line. The TR6060 6-speed manual transmission feels very precise, but it needs to be warmed up a bit before it shifts notch-free. We've found it useful to always do the 1-2-1 shift just before entering the staging beams, this gets rid of the 1-2 notchy feel prior to making a pass. Suspension on the Z06 feels surprisingly soft at the drag strip, as we could definitely feel the weight transfer off the line, which makes it easier to gauge your throttle vs traction. We shifted the car at redline (7000 rpm) on the 1-2 without much fuss from the tires. Just a simple chirp and they gripped well. The 3rd and 4th gears were easy to powershift. These cars really feel impressive in 3rd-4th for a stock car, you can tell they are moving very strongly up the MPH scale. The Z06 isn't geared very well at all for drag racing however, as you can either tap the rpm limiter in 3rd at the finish line, or shift into 4th as you enter the trap. We saw a little better mph staying in 3rd, but better ET going into 4th. These cars would rock with a 3.73 gear to utilize most of 4th gear.
Best passes for the Z06
1/4 mile = 11.55 @ 124.9 mph (2.07 60 ft)
1/8 mile = 7.60 @ 97.5 mph (1.94 60 ft)
Not bad for baseline results. We feel the Z06 is easily capable of running 11.20s with better air and a better prepped track surface. 1.80 sixty-foot times should be possible, which may drop the ET as much as 4 tenths according to calculations. Stay tuned for our ongoing tests of the Z06, including a visit to Texas World Speedway to see how it handles the curves...
