Z06 Corvette gets a slow start, but still walks away from a Hellcat Challenger and an Audi S7.
The C7 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was designed to be an all-around performance vehicle, but it still holds its own on the drag strip. The combination of the supercharged LT4 and the 8-speed automatic transmission leads to quarter mile times in the low-11-second range in stock form. More importantly, some simple modifications will quickly move the C7 Z06 into the 10-second range and the video below from the Grip Media YouTube channel is a fine example.
In this video, two different C7 Corvette Z06 models are tearing up the drag strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Included in the list of on-track victims is a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, an Audi S7, an AMG SL 55 and a modified Honda Civic.
The Red Corvette Z06
The first C7 Corvette that we see in this video is the red Z06 shown above. Its first action is against a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and while we don’t have details on any of these vehicles, both the Challenger and the Z06 look relatively stock. Based on their elapsed times, the Dodge might be stock, but the Corvette definitely has some upgrades.
The Challenger gets off of the line a little better, but the Z06 catches and passes before the 330-foot mark. Had the two left together, the Chevy would have likely crushed the Dodge, but even with the slow start, it still wins by a large margin. On the top end, the Z06 runs a 10.58 at 133.78 miles per hour to the Hellcat’s 11.67 at 121.
Next, the red Z06 takes on a white Audi S7. The Audi is all-wheel-drive, so you would expect it to leave the line better than the rear-drive Corvette, but that is not the case. The Chevy gets the better launch and hops out to an early lead, but it appears to lose traction around the 60-foot mark. That allows the Audi to catch up, but once the Z06 gets grip, it roars to an easy win. With the traction issues, the Chevy runs an 11.65 to the Audi’s 12.57.
Grey LT4 Chevy
After the Hellcat Challenger beats an old GM G-Body, we meet another Z06. This one is grey and it begins its racing night against what appears to be an AMG SL55. It is barely a race, with the Corvette running an 11.63 to the Benz’s 14.72.
Finally, this supercharged Z06 takes on an old Honda Civic wagon. While the compact is clearly modified, the driver isn’t wearing a helmet, which serves as some foreshadowing. The Honda manages to stay alongside the Chevy for the first 25 feet or so, but from there, the Corvette cruises to an easy win with an 11.74.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
