I want to start this thread off by saying a couple of things:
#1 - A Camaro SS is definitely a faster car in a drag race, has more power, etc, etc. I am NOT trying to say that the Z is faster
#2 - In this race, I started from the perfect gearing/rpm (he 'may' have not)
#3 - I don't know if his car was an auto or not

I was headed to work this morning and as I turned on to the freeway, a 'brand new' SS convertable (either this years or last years) pulled on in front of me (he came from the other direction). I was not going to try to race him as I just figured it was pointless, so I hung about 2 car lengths behind him. Well, I decided that I would try setting him up and seeing if I could keep up. I was in fourth and came right up behind him (about 1 car length) and as we got on the freeway I was right at 4100 rpm (I figured that this was just about the perfect spot). Well, I heard him start to give it gas, so I gave it a little and then he DEFINITELY punched it and went into the fast lane. I hit it too and stayed right with him all the way till just past the fifth gear shift when we ran up on the next guys bumper. He did not pull away AT ALL and I didn't catch him AT ALL. I could then tell he was pissed/surprised because he started driving like a maniac (cut a guy off, went into the breakdown lane, etc) to get away from me. I did nothing and just watched him go... he then quickly got off the highway at the next exit.

I was quite suprised by the outcome as I expected him to just pull away. Again, I am SURE that in a drag from a light he would have killed me (I know what these cars are capable of), but I definitely kept up all the way through 4th & 1/2 of 5th before hitting traffic.

Please don't call BS, etc. This is true and I would DEFINITELY admit defeat... as that is what I expected and I feel that there is NO shame in loosing to an SS or even a regular Z28 for that matter.

 

There is no '03 model F-body, so it wasn't "this year's model." Also, how did you know that it was "brand new?"

Good kill...

 

Nice Run!

 

This is the car I raced - although the one I raced was white with blue stripes.

I also would not call this a kill... just a good race.

 

I had the same experience with a Camaro SS last week. He had an CAI and something else he said (spoke to him a few lights up). I punched it in 2nd (I hit it a second late) and I was pretty much at his rear door the whole time then he pulled away a little bit. I thought I was going to get killed but I was really shocked that I kept up that much with him. At the light he said he was pretty surpised that I kept up with him and told me good run. I got beat but I was still pretty happy for being stock and 19's, just had them installed 10 minutes prior to the run.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that I am bone stock with 1280miles. I (obviously) have no idea if he was stock - I would assume he was.

I too am amazed at how I kept up. I know the SS's are high 12/ low 13 second cars stock so I expected that he would pull very hard on me. I guess this just goes to show that if you are in the right gear (and maybe they are not) you have a chance against almost anything.

Please keep in mind that this also goes the other way... meaning that if a 14 second car can keep up with a 13 second car, a 15 second car can keep up with a 14...

 

yeah, it looks like he was highly disappointed with the race and decided to maybe to go visit a Chevy dealer for modifications.

Damian 2003 350z SS Enthusiast

 

The convertible weighs around 3700+ pounds which does not help then add the driver and whatever else...good run.

 

nice run!


what MPH were you going? when he took off?

 

I'm going to feel like an idiot, but I really don't know how fast we were going. I just know that I was at 4K in fourth (it may have actually been third now that I think about it more)... I would guess that we started around 60 and finished around 90-100.
When I go home, I can check the speeds/gears again and let you know for sure. I just know that I had the Z waiting in the sweet spot (4K rpm) when the race began. I really expected that I would stay with him at first - as I was in the perfect spot and he may have not been at the perfect rpm for the car - but that he would pull away after we got going and definitely when I had to shift.... it just didn't happen. Believe me, I am only willing to race a v8 camaro (especially an SS) if I think I may have caught the driver off guard (but so he is at least racing) or I may be in the right position. I KNOW that they are faster... so my only advantage is the guy behind the wheel :-)

 

yea, most of the time i also forget at what MPH i go....but i try to stay away from 40-50 in my Auto.

Also, why do you say: " am only willing to race a v8 camaro (especially an SS)" ? The Z28 and SS both make the same power +- 5rwhp or so

 

You're right... I think the SS thing is just mentally intimidating :-)

I said that I don't want to race them because I know that they are faster than me... I have no unreal expectations of my car... but I do have high expectations of myself :-)

I keep meaning to post an article that I saw in (I believe) autoweek where a staffer (who at one point was a pro race car driver) had taken a new boxter s out on the windy roads in CA. The article was about how many current race car drivers live out there and that a BMW came up on his tail and they got into a race. Well, the BMW hung with him and he eventually let the guy pass... it ended up being a wagon! The guy basically said how the driver makes all the difference (especially on the twisties)...

 

Good run

Maybe i'm just guessing here but sometimes when i'm trying to merge on the highway 60mph or so I'll just leave it in 4th gear or maybe third and it pulls pretty dang strong with plenty of power to quickly get out in front of cars doing 75+ mph...drop it to 2nd and it really pulls like a bat outta hell

If that was the case and he was just trying to see if you could keep up that way then shame on him for underestimating your car and props for hanging with him.

 

That is definitely possible, but I don't think that is what happened. You see, I came up behind him, I heard him downshift once (or, if it was an auto, it downshifted for him) and I gave it a little and kept up. At this point, he knew we were racing and he downshifted again and punched it.

I'm not saying that you are wrong, but he definitely downshifted twice before we both really hit it. Also, I could hear his car winding out as we accelerated (his car was much louder than mine and my windows were down).

 

Personally, I think that it was probably an auto and it was a convertible (top up). Maybe these two things make the car a high 13 car??? Has anyone seen a stock one of the auto convertibles run at the strip??

 

Well being I wasn't there I can't say for sure

If you could hear his exhaust he probably has aftermarket exhaust...most people that i've run say they can't hear mine at all.

I don't know what the guy was doing and he probably didn't either.
Good run

 

All could be true...

Let's chalk it up as a mystery :-)
I'm just glad it wasn't you and your WS6!! I really like the poncho's.

 

One time I had a run in on the highway with a 275hp Z28(modified exhaust,? He took off first from 80mph. I was behind him and started to reel him in. At around 95+.

 

Unless you talked to the driver it would be hard to know if it was the 275 or 285 HP version.

93-95 used the completely red tailight (no amber turn signal) and were rated at 275........96 cars used the same tailight but were rated at 285.......switched to the amber turn signals for 97.

Not that it really matters but just a little info

 

Yes I know silly I used to drive the 275 LT1!