2004 GTO--First Trip To The Track

[AWESOMO 4000]

Just got back from some track action this afternoon. Big Labor Day Blowout. Only got to make 3 runs (2 time trial runs, and the elimination run) unfortunatley.

On the 3rd run, it wheel hopped REALLY bad on the launch, red-lighted, and missed 4th gear. Short of crashing, pretty much everything that could go wrong DID go wrong on that run.



1st run:
(smooth 2200rpm launch, shifting at 6,000rpm on tach)

60ft: 2.071
330: 5.883
1/8: 8.962
MPH: 80.98
1000: 11.567
1/4: 13.759
MPH: 103.37


2nd run:
(bad wheel hop on launch and on 1-2 shift (6,000rpm), 3-4 shift 6200rpm)
60ft: 2.165
330: 5.951
1/8: 8.995
1/8 MPH: 81.99
1000: 11.579
1/4: 13.751
1/4MPH: 104.14


This was my first time on a drag strip in 5 years, since I last ran my 1996 Cobra. Temperature was about 75-80 when I made the first two runs, with the car sitting for about an hour between arrival and first run, and the 2nd run. No power shifting, car is completely stock down to the paper air filter and sorry excuse for "performance" (MUD & SNOW ?!!!!!) tires.

I'm pretty confident that with a cool early October evening, some practice, and a decent launch, I can wring a 13.5-something out of this thing in bone-stock condition.

This is my first LS1 car. I've driven some LS1 Z28s and T/As on test drives and where I used to work, and while the GTO's fat a$$ dosen't quite let it get up and get going like an F-body, once it gets moving...it gets moving quickly.

[Rob]

Sounds almost like the first time I took the goat to the track. With 600 miles on the clock, it wheel hopped its way to a 13.6. On my 4th trip to the track, I finally started to learn how to launch the thing. 13.25 was the best I got before starting to mod it.

More practice and you'll probably end up doing the same :)

Also my first LS1 car.

[cfp40]

Excellent times for first time out. The GTO is one hard car to get a good launch with.

[FantaZGuy28]

They are good cars but just too heavy. Those times 13.7 seem to be correct though, thats what one ran out at Famosa and a 05 came out to the track and ran a 13.5 so not much of a difference. I guess if the engine gets broken in you will get better track times.

[AWESOMO 4000]

You can feel the weight holding it back out of the hole, but once you get to the top of 2nd gear, it's all systems GO. On my 2nd run, all of my times were slower, but I made up almost .10 of a second and 1mph just by winding 3rd out 200rmp more, in the last 320 feet of the track. Really want to go back on a cooler day before I put any parts on it; maximize the stock package before I start bolting stuff onto it. I only got in 3 runs.........deffinatley need the practice. IRS cars are NOT drag racers. Guys with 99/01, 03/04 Cobras have the same problem with the wheel hop. Stick-axle is the way to go in a straight line.

[FantaZGuy28]

I raced a 04 GTO last week, it was great looking yellow w/ black stripes, 6 speed stock. It didnt get off the line very well but it kept up once it got to higher speeds, never caught me though. Got it by a car and half. Im going to the track tomorrow for the last time til next May and im hoping if the temp could get down to mid 80's by 8pm i will be good, last time i went it was over 100* and i know i will get better times at lower temp, im hoping to hit a 13.4 tomorrow at best.