My '00 vs. '02 Trans Am LS1

[blue00gt]

Last night we cruised by the donut shop to see what gearheads were hanging out. There were a few Mustangs, a couple GMs, and a lot of rice.

We were checking out my buddy's sweet powder blue metallic '67 Fastback when a guy walked up and asked if I wanted to race. He had one of those yellow '02 Special Edition Trans Ams with the WS6 package and the LS1. I think it was pretty stock and he had some worn-looking Z-rated street tires out back. Since mine is a GT with a Saleen kit he thought he had something on me 'til I fessed up that I have an '03 Cobra motor with some bolt-ons. I run 4.10s and a T56 6-speed with DOT R-compound tires. With the roadrace suspension traction is tricky under 70 mph in the first couple gears if the tires aren't heated up good but at least with the torque arm/panhard setup it goes straight. I told him I'd only run him at the 4-lane stoplight where it turns into a freeway and he agreed that'd be the safest way.

We cruised through town toward the freeway and six other Stangs of all sorts ('67 fastback, several Fox bodies, and a '00 vert) followed us out to the spot a few miles away. We caught the light and I stopped a little short and warmed up the tires for a couple seconds. We had our windows down to talk before we ran em and as I pulled up to the line he looked a little nervous as my tire smoke wafted forward and said something about heatin' em up. I launched it from 2500 or so slipping the clutch to limit the spin. I rolled into it gently in 1st and got some wheelspin past 4 grand but he was spinnin' em too so I pulled about a half a car. I had to pedal second once I got in the powerband too but once it hooked I just left him like a bad date. My friend riding shotgun said I had about 15 cars on him when I shut it down after a 1/4 mile or so at 120 in 4th. The highway curves ever so slightly where we raced so all the Stangs behind us had a perfect view of me layin' the smack down. Classic.