TacDoc
Enthusiast
I have returned my from the Labor Day Corvette Celebration in Bowling Green and had a great time. The Chevy guys were great hosts. It was the first time I went without a Vette. This year I took my ’00 GTS and had the best time ever. I arrived with 3 friends in Vettes and was promptly directed to the grassy parking area. I spotted a great spot next to the Main Museum Sign over looking the Vettes and slipped into it. What a photo-op, the main entrance with a Steel Grey Viper looming over the Vette corral. As I locked the car and walked away, a crowd was already forming to take pictures, <grin>. Saturday was spent looking at the new ZO6’s on display, go faster parts and talking to the Corsa Guys about the new 3” Viper exhaust. Sunday was the dragstrip. I did not intend to drag and let my bone stock GTS get spanked by a bunch of tuner vettes, but the temptation was too great. As I pulled onto the strip, a 65 Vette pulled into the other lane and did a burnout. It was an imposing sight; tubbed, Mickey Thompsons smoking, the front wheels lifting slightly off the ground, uh-uh. The roar from the crowd was deafening. Our launch was near simultaneous, RT’s only .01 different. Launching at 2500 RPM, my GTS hooked immediately, and carrying 2 suitcases, souvenirs, travel trash, and an Autoform speed brake (wing) I watched as the 65 pulled away. In the end though I was not terribly embarrassed, the 65 ran a 12.0 at 118mph, I ran a 12.7 at 115 mph. The great thing was how the GTS looked in the rankings against the days participants. As the time-slips were posted it was apparent the Viper was a force to be reckoned with. The fastest C5 at 10.9sec was a ’00 coupe with a laptop controlling multistage NOS in real-time. The fastest ’01 ZO6 ran a 13.1sec at 108mph and there was a ZO6 sporting 405 HP badging that turned a 12.9sec at 110mph as its best run. I will assume from the guys around it wearing the GM polo shirts it was one of the new ’02 ZO6’s. I guess they were thinking lets go spank the Viper, NOT. There also was a ’00 Lingenfelter 383 that ran a best 13.1sec trip. I ran for about an hour, without losing another duel before deciding to pack it up for the trip home. The outcome was the same each time. The C5’s would do well until I hit 3rd gear, then the viper would visibly walk away by 4-5 car lengths. I need to add though that I never staged directly against a ZO6, I just had their time-slip postings for comparison. The run against the 65 was my best. I said my goodbyes and headed out. As I turned for home I hooked up with a couple of tricked C5’s for an uneventful drive until we saw a Prowler being picked on by a couple kids in a 99 Mustang Cobra. I was feeling my oats from the drag strip and rolled up on the cobra with the two C5’s abreast behind me. I don’t they think they liked his p_ss on Chevy window decal much. We embarrassed the Cobra badly for about 5 minutes before it took a dive into a rest area. The Prowler driver tooted and we drove on. What a weekend.
Lessons Learned: the new ZO6 is quick, but the Viper still wins, Cobra’s should stay clear of Vipers, and I NEED THE 3” CORSA EXHAUST <grin>.
Greg
96 RT/10
00 GTS
Lessons Learned: the new ZO6 is quick, but the Viper still wins, Cobra’s should stay clear of Vipers, and I NEED THE 3” CORSA EXHAUST <grin>.
Greg
96 RT/10
00 GTS
