[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by shaffe

I have stayed away from this thread recently mostly because its the same old stuff getting tossed around again. Nothings changed lol

The only thing I will agree on is that if someone was going to visit a track only once, I'd bet a comfortable amount of money that easily over 50% would choose a drag strip than a road course.

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

I was always one of the people who would agree with you. I remember a buddy of mine had a Maxima and he modded the suspension to where it cornered like a beast. I trailed behind him in my 10 2SS/RS one night around some twisty roads and he honestly left me. But I didn't care because straight line work is all that mattered to me at that time. And I figured he was no match for me in a straight line which was true. But that all changed when I got my ZL1. After driving this car and see how well it corners, I gotta say I prefer cornering a little more. There is nothing quite like hitting a corner and going thru it at blazing speeds and feeling those G forces and just when you feel like you're on the edge of losing it you realize that the car has soo much more to give. The GT350R gives you cornering. The Hellcat gives you straight lines. But there is nothing like going thru a corner at speeds like the GT350R hits and then coming out of it and blasting off like a Hellcat. I'm telling you, no quarter mile strip will ever be as exhilarating as hitting a track. Pushing a car thru a corner and going faster and faster and blasting out of it...and you get much more than 10 or 11 seconds of fast driving.

Now 5 years ago, I would have argued tooth and nails with anyone who made these statements. But I can say this car has changed me. Drag strips no longer do it for me. I prefer either an open run on a closed long track where we both can see which car has a better top end pull or hitting a track and seeing which car can go thru it faster.

This is why I was always a Corvette man until Gen 6. I always felt that Camaro / Firebird / Mustang were great straight line cars and Corvettes were the answer in the twisties and I love playing games in the twisties.

I have to agree with shaffe that more people will go to the strip than the track, but for me it’s because strips are easier to find and I can get on a strip for $15-25 on the right days, whereas tracks are farther and few between and will pull a few more bills out of your pocket.

[BlaqWhole]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

This is why I was always a Corvette man until Gen 6. I always felt that Camaro / Firebird / Mustang were great straight line cars and Corvettes were the answer in the twisties and I love playing games in the twisties.

I have to agree with shaffe that more people will go to the strip than the track, but for me it’s because strips are easier to find and I can get on a strip for $15-25 on the right days, whereas tracks are farther and few between and will pull a few more bills out of your pocket.

There is a difference between what you're saying and what Shaffe is saying tho. He is making it out to be that people prefer a drag strip whereas you gave reasons why a person might go to a drag strip instead of a track. Take all the variables (location, access, cost) out of the equation. If the track and drag strip were next to each other, same hours, same distance, same price, which one do you think most people would prefer to go to? People go to the drag strip because there aren't many options available. True there are some drag strip fanatics. But these days you have cars that can do some of everything. The ZL1 is currently the king of doing everything well...at least in it's price range. After driving mine I gotta say if I had the choice between a drag strip and the track I'd pick the track hands down. Going thru a corner at high speeds gives you a thrill like no other.

[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

There is a difference between what you're saying and what Shaffe is saying tho. He is making it out to be that people prefer a drag strip whereas you gave reasons why a person might go to a drag strip instead of a track. Take all the variables (location, access, cost) out of the equation. If the track and drag strip were next to each other, same hours, same distance, same price, which one do you think most people would prefer to go to? People go to the drag strip because there aren't many options available. True there are some drag strip fanatics. But these days you have cars that can do some of everything. The ZL1 is currently the king of doing everything well...at least in it's price range. After driving mine I gotta say if I had the choice between a drag strip and the track I'd pick the track hands down. Going thru a corner at high speeds gives you a thrill like no other.

^^Exactly what I was trying to say. Bold for emphasis!!

All things equal, track all day. But since they are not equal I will probably see more strip days than track days. But I will see both and will probably enjoy my track days the most.

[BlaqWhole]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

^^Exactly what I was trying to say. Bold for emphasis!!

All things equal, track all day. But since they are not equal I will probably see more strip days than track days. But I will see both and will probably enjoy my track days the most.

Yup! I kinda lost my desire to go to the drag strip tho. It just isn't fun anymore. Paying $35 and then sitting around for 5 hours and being guaranteed only 3 runs is more like a waste of a night. I went there one time, sat for 3 hours, didn't get one run, got fed up, requested my money back and just left. And how long do you get to drive fast for? 9, 10, 11 seconds? The problem is that these tracks cater to too many different types of drag racing in a short time span. And they have way too many people showing up. And it isn't spread out over a few days. It's all in one night. And then they don't always open on time. And if it gets rained out then that means that the following week will have even more people. It is very disorganized. and I think they do it this way so that they can get as much money as possible in one night and not have to open on other nights which saves them operational costs and labor costs. So I get it, but it isn't fair to the racers when you show up at 5pm, wait in a long line, and by the time 10pm shows up you're leaving tired and frustrated and only got 3 runs.

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

Yup! I kinda lost my desire to go to the drag strip tho. It just isn't fun anymore. Paying $35 and then sitting around for 5 hours and being guaranteed only 3 runs is more like a waste of a night. I went there one time, sat for 3 hours, didn't get one run, got fed up, requested my money back and just left. And how long do you get to drive fast for? 9, 10, 11 seconds? The problem is that these tracks cater to too many different types of drag racing in a short time span. And they have way too many people showing up. And it isn't spread out over a few days. It's all in one night. And then they don't always open on time. And if it gets rained out then that means that the following week will have even more people. It is very disorganized. and I think they do it this way so that they can get as much money as possible in one night and not have to open on other nights which saves them operational costs and labor costs. So I get it, but it isn't fair to the racers when you show up at 5pm, wait in a long line, and by the time 10pm shows up you're leaving tired and frustrated and only got 3 runs.

Therein lies your problem. If you had a 14.0 @ 100 mph car you would get 25% more bang for your buck at the drag strip!

[BlaqWhole]

Originally Posted by Idaho2018GTPremium

Therein lies your problem. If you had a 14.0 @ 100 mph car you would get 25% more bang for your buck at the drag strip!

I did have a 14.0 car. It was a 2003 GT convertible auto with FBO. At the time it was NA and on the stock heads and cam. I had 4.10s tho. Best I could do in that thing was a 14.01. Stage 2 cams got me a 13.9 with me coming off the gas way before the end of the 1/4 mile because at WOT I had PTV clearance issues like a MFer. Those stock valve springs did not hold well. That was the last time I took it to the track. After that it saw an aluminum block build with forged pistons and H-Bean rods and 15 psi boost thru a S-Trim and Patriot heads with stage 2 cams...it had a 5.4 conversion with high boost...and some of everything. Those were the days but I don't miss it.

[whiteboyblues2001]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

There is a difference between what you're saying and what Shaffe is saying tho. He is making it out to be that people prefer a drag strip whereas you gave reasons why a person might go to a drag strip instead of a track. Take all the variables (location, access, cost) out of the equation. If the track and drag strip were next to each other, same hours, same distance, same price, which one do you think most people would prefer to go to? People go to the drag strip because there aren't many options available. True there are some drag strip fanatics. But these days you have cars that can do some of everything. The ZL1 is currently the king of doing everything well...at least in it's price range. After driving mine I gotta say if I had the choice between a drag strip and the track I'd pick the track hands down. Going thru a corner at high speeds gives you a thrill like no other.

For me, road coarse all the way. I get 4 20-minute sessions on the track, b@lls to the wall. Trying to put maximum power down out of the turn without slipping the back end out is awesome with an LT1! Torque everywhere in the RPM range, so you have the best throttle response you can think of. The chassis is a rock, the suspension flat and tight, but sucks up the curbs with the magnetic ride control like their not there. You can't upset the suspension. Turn in is instantaneous, and super precise.

Overall, this car makes you a much better driver as it's so easy to drive fast, and it just begs you to push it harder. The limit is so easy to approach and control. Plenty of drive modes to custom fit the driver's abilities. Plus, with all the coolers, you are set up for both track and street without any adjustments except tire pressure.

Plus, my experience is a NON-1LE SS. I can't imagine the 1LE!

For anyone who has any Gen-6 Camaro and hasn't taken it out on a road course, do yourself a favor and go have a blast! Even if you can just do one of those follow the leader events, you won't regret it.

[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by whiteboyblues2001

For me, road coarse all the way. I get 4 20-minute sessions on the track, b@lls to the wall. Trying to put maximum power down out of the turn without slipping the back end out is awesome with an LT1! Torque everywhere in the RPM range, so you have the best throttle response you can think of. The chassis is a rock, the suspension flat and tight, but sucks up the curbs with the magnetic ride control like their not there. You can't upset the suspension. Turn in is instantaneous, and super precise.

Overall, this car makes you a much better driver as it's so easy to drive fast, and it just begs you to push it harder. The limit is so easy to approach and control. Plenty of drive modes to custom fit the driver's abilities. Plus, with all the coolers, you are set up for both track and street without any adjustments except tire pressure.

Plus, my experience is a NON-1LE SS. I can't imagine the 1LE!

For anyone who has any Gen-6 Camaro and hasn't taken it out on a road course, do yourself a favor and go have a blast! Even if you can just do one of those follow the leader events, you won't regret it.

I’m doing it in a non-1LE SS VERT and loved every minute of it. A 1LE or ZL1 must be insane.

[DevilsReject97]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

There is a difference between what you're saying and what Shaffe is saying tho. He is making it out to be that people prefer a drag strip whereas you gave reasons why a person might go to a drag strip instead of a track. Take all the variables (location, access, cost) out of the equation. If the track and drag strip were next to each other, same hours, same distance, same price, which one do you think most people would prefer to go to? People go to the drag strip because there aren't many options available. True there are some drag strip fanatics. But these days you have cars that can do some of everything. The ZL1 is currently the king of doing everything well...at least in it's price range. After driving mine I gotta say if I had the choice between a drag strip and the track I'd pick the track hands down. Going thru a corner at high speeds gives you a thrill like no other.

You'd be shocked at the number of people who love auto-X and do it because the option to get on a road course/track is severely limited. You can setup a quick Auto-X in a parking lot if you have to... The Auto-X at the CF every year is packed, and it's not just all Camaros either...

Originally Posted by whiteboyblues2001

For me, road coarse all the way. I get 4 20-minute sessions on the track, b@lls to the wall. Trying to put maximum power down out of the turn without slipping the back end out is awesome with an LT1! Torque everywhere in the RPM range, so you have the best throttle response you can think of. The chassis is a rock, the suspension flat and tight, but sucks up the curbs with the magnetic ride control like their not there. You can't upset the suspension. Turn in is instantaneous, and super precise.

Overall, this car makes you a much better driver as it's so easy to drive fast, and it just begs you to push it harder. The limit is so easy to approach and control. Plenty of drive modes to custom fit the driver's abilities. Plus, with all the coolers, you are set up for both track and street without any adjustments except tire pressure.

Plus, my experience is a NON-1LE SS. I can't imagine the 1LE!

For anyone who has any Gen-6 Camaro and hasn't taken it out on a road course, do yourself a favor and go have a blast! Even if you can just do one of those follow the leader events, you won't regret it.

+1 - I want a 69 Camaro setup as a Pro-Touring car....because that is just bad ass fun all day!

[rocket403]

I have always been more of a drag racing person, growing up we were involved with street racing. With all tracks more than 1.5h away that was the way we spent out summer weekends, from 90 when I bought my 1st Mustang LX 5.0L till 05 when I moved farther north it was real street racing being more organized than it was in high school, that was the way it was in the Toronto area. Finch and Weston had a Harvey’s burger that was natorious for meeting up for racing from the 60’s to 80’s. When I go to car shows I still see the little Havey’s Sticker on the drivers side rear glass. So I could care less if the Camaro can carve a curve and I know all the car guys and not one cares how well a car does on a track. What they all care about is when you line up and who can win in a straight line. That is the car culture in my neck of the woods and right now Dodge is KING.
I built my Cutlass with that in mind it was just a 450hp build it could take on many, and if that wasn’t enough then my friends 1000hp Olds 520ci monster would take on everything.

[shaffe]

Originally Posted by hotlap

Are those 50% going to want Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, 305/30R19 at all four corners?

Beats the hell out of me but that is why it is an optional package. Those that want it, can get it.

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

I was always one of the people who would agree with you. I remember a buddy of mine had a Maxima and he modded the suspension to where it cornered like a beast. I trailed behind him in my 10 2SS/RS one night around some twisty roads and he honestly left me. But I didn't care because straight line work is all that mattered to me at that time. And I figured he was no match for me in a straight line which was true. But that all changed when I got my ZL1. After driving this car and see how well it corners, I gotta say I prefer cornering a little more. There is nothing quite like hitting a corner and going thru it at blazing speeds and feeling those G forces and just when you feel like you're on the edge of losing it you realize that the car has soo much more to give. The GT350R gives you cornering. The Hellcat gives you straight lines. But there is nothing like going thru a corner at speeds like the GT350R hits and then coming out of it and blasting off like a Hellcat. I'm telling you, no quarter mile strip will ever be as exhilarating as hitting a track. Pushing a car thru a corner and going faster and faster and blasting out of it...and you get much more than 10 or 11 seconds of fast driving.

Now 5 years ago, I would have argued tooth and nails with anyone who made these statements. But I can say this car has changed me. Drag strips no longer do it for me. I prefer either an open run on a closed long track where we both can see which car has a better top end pull or hitting a track and seeing which car can go thru it faster.

I am not going to disagree with you at all. I have never had the chance to go out on a road course (I will touch on that later)

Originally Posted by hotlap

There certainly are better choices for a street car than the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, 305/30R19 tires that Ford put on all four corners of the PP2.

So saying it’s a street car, and most guys drag race anyway, doesn’t rationalize Ford’s choice ...to me. The PP2 was made to run one lap against the 1LE. Put the cars in a 20 minute session or an actual race, it wouldn’t be close. Coolers or not.

Again, that is why its an optional package. and agree. Ford built it so they could say(or actually magazines could say) it can put lap times up like the 1LE

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

This is why I was always a Corvette man until Gen 6. I always felt that Camaro / Firebird / Mustang were great straight line cars and Corvettes were the answer in the twisties and I love playing games in the twisties.

I have to agree with shaffe that more people will go to the strip than the track, but for me it’s because strips are easier to find and I can get on a strip for $15-25 on the right days, whereas tracks are farther and few between and will pull a few more bills out of your pocket.

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

There is a difference between what you're saying and what Shaffe is saying tho. He is making it out to be that people prefer a drag strip whereas you gave reasons why a person might go to a drag strip instead of a track. Take all the variables (location, access, cost) out of the equation. If the track and drag strip were next to each other, same hours, same distance, same price, which one do you think most people would prefer to go to? People go to the drag strip because there aren't many options available. True there are some drag strip fanatics. But these days you have cars that can do some of everything. The ZL1 is currently the king of doing everything well...at least in it's price range. After driving mine I gotta say if I had the choice between a drag strip and the track I'd pick the track hands down. Going thru a corner at high speeds gives you a thrill like no other.

Actually Martin hit the nail on the head to what I said. My exact words were "if people were going to choose to go to a track just once, more than 50% would choose the strip" I didn't say they would prefer the strip, I said they would probably choose the strip over a road course and martin hit on the exact reasons.

Cost is the biggest one. Around me, I have 4 different drag strips I can go to, within an hour- hour half range. 1 one of them, which Hotlap has also been to GLD is open 6 days a week. I could go after work, pay at the time its was like $25 and make as many runs as possible. And at GLD you go during the week you could probably make 10 to 15 passes if you want, especially as it gets later in the season. So what did that cost me, 25 bucks to get in, gas, tolls and food. Maybe 75-100 bucks.

The nearest road course to me, the autobahn of Joliet is $350.00 just to get on the track. That is quite the chunk of change to just get on the track.

Then there is the whole going in a straight line vs turning. Not going to lie, that was always in the back of my mind. I know I can handle my car on the strip but what if I mess up around a turn and put into the wall.

Those are the reasons I have as to why I would bet more people if they were only going to once, would choose a drag strip over a road course.

And again, not arguing that strip is more fun that road course. I would probably have to agree with you that taking highspeed turns is an amazing thrill. It's just drag strips are at least around me, more plentiful, cheaper, easier to just decide on a whim oh what the hell lets go to the track!

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

Yup! I kinda lost my desire to go to the drag strip tho. It just isn't fun anymore. Paying $35 and then sitting around for 5 hours and being guaranteed only 3 runs is more like a waste of a night. I went there one time, sat for 3 hours, didn't get one run, got fed up, requested my money back and just left. And how long do you get to drive fast for? 9, 10, 11 seconds? The problem is that these tracks cater to too many different types of drag racing in a short time span. And they have way too many people showing up. And it isn't spread out over a few days. It's all in one night. And then they don't always open on time. And if it gets rained out then that means that the following week will have even more people. It is very disorganized. and I think they do it this way so that they can get as much money as possible in one night and not have to open on other nights which saves them operational costs and labor costs. So I get it, but it isn't fair to the racers when you show up at 5pm, wait in a long line, and by the time 10pm shows up you're leaving tired and frustrated and only got 3 runs.

That sounds like a crappy track to me lol. I learned long ago that when going to the strip, if I wanted to make a lot of runs only go during test n tune nights. Going to a strip where they have actual payout or points based racing on and open lanes for test n tune is a waste of money.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by BlaqWhole

There is a difference between what you're saying and what Shaffe is saying tho. He is making it out to be that people prefer a drag strip whereas you gave reasons why a person might go to a drag strip instead of a track. Take all the variables (location, access, cost) out of the equation. If the track and drag strip were next to each other, same hours, same distance, same price, which one do you think most people would prefer to go to? People go to the drag strip because there aren't many options available. True there are some drag strip fanatics. But these days you have cars that can do some of everything. The ZL1 is currently the king of doing everything well...at least in it's price range. After driving mine I gotta say if I had the choice between a drag strip and the track I'd pick the track hands down. Going thru a corner at high speeds gives you a thrill like no other.

Having done both with both close to me, I agree the road track is more thrilling, but I do not agree that all would choose the road track over drag racing. The first difference is cost of the fun. A track day with insurance can easily be way more than $500 per day considering you can go through a set of tires and brakes in one day in a ZL1. And then consider how many times you will have to refresh the brake fluid. And if you get that A10 too hot a Transmission fluid swap is a real PIA. As to cost I had a friend flip my TT 1LE at Millville. Totaling a car is rare but more common than drag racing.

I also agree drag racing can be boring with only a few runs. So on a night like that just leave. Also I find just tracking your MPH and ET is super boring. What is fun is trying yo find a good match up where the competition is close or even better, beating a faster car with skill. Any night where I can get a couple of fender to fenders on the big end is a great night. Or a 2 out of three match. The cost here is much lower and no one I know of buys drag strip track insurance. That is a risk, but the risk and cost is much less than a road track unless you want crazy HP.

I know I am over generalizing here, but it is my opinion that there are more full of themselves people road tracking than the more approachable (usually) drag racers.

[shaffe]

Originally Posted by Fraxum

Having done both with both close to me, I agree the road track is more thrilling, but I do not agree that all would choose the road track over drag racing. The first difference is cost of the fun. A track day with insurance can easily be way more than $500 per day considering you can go through a set of tires and brakes in one day in a ZL1. And then consider how many times you will have to refresh the brake fluid. And if you get that A10 too hot a Transmission fluid swap is a real PIA. As to cost I had a friend flip my TT 1LE at Millville. Totaling a car is rare but more common than drag racing.

I also agree drag racing can be boring with only a few runs. So on a night like that just leave. Also I find just tracking your MPH and ET is super boring. What is fun is trying yo find a good match up where the competition is close or even better, beating a faster car with skill. Any night where I can get a couple of fender to fenders on the big end is a great night. Or a 2 out of three match. The cost here is much lower and no one I know of buys drag strip track insurance. That is a risk, but the risk and cost is much less than a road track unless you want crazy HP.

I know I am over generalizing here, but it is my opinion that there are more full of themselves people road tracking than the more approachable (usually) drag racers.

Definitely agree that just going to the track to track your times can get old quick. It was always fun to test n set ups and go for personal bests. What really got me hooked on drag racing, was when I got into a local series that went to 3 different tracks and had a 10 race season.

[RobbyBeefcake87]

Originally Posted by Idaho2018GTPremium

Therein lies your problem. If you had a 14.0 @ 100 mph car you would get 25% more bang for your buck at the drag strip!

Mild blown, I'll now start taking my Miata to the strip instead of the Camaro lol