You get to a point in life when drag racing just doesn't feel as exciting anymore. Of course, that doesn't apply to everyone. But you can go to any quarter-mile (402 meters) race in the world and it will all look the same. And every single race will be over in 15 seconds or less. Things are different with time-attack though. Driver skill is even more important, and the fun won't be over as fast.
The last time we showed you an episode of Driver Battles, we witnessed a GR Supra going up against an Acura NSX. While the Toyota set a fast lap of 2 minutes and 8 seconds around Chuckwalla Raceway, its opponent managed to dip below the 2-minute mark.
That's not bad seeing that we are talking about a 2.68-mile-long (4.31 km) racetrack. But just by looking at the two cars lined up for today's challenge, you get the feeling that some records might be broken.
Jake Rozelle is the driver of the 2003 Corvette C5 Z06, which started as a daily driver for him. You know how car guys tend to get carried away with their projects. Now, the standard LS6 that came in this car from the factory was rated for 405 horsepower and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm) of torque.
Jake wanted to have a more competitive machine, so he opted for a Lingenfelter LS7 swap. The 440 ci (7.2-liters) V8 should be good enough for 800-hp of naturally aspirated grunt, and you can imagine the throttle response on this thing.
Photo: Driving Line
He wasn't going to stop there, so a TR6060 close-ratio transmission was brought onboard as well. Handling-wise, the 'Vette was upgraded with JRI shocks with stopping power being provided by Wilwood disc brakes all around.
Both cars are fitted with massive 315/30ZR18 Nitto NT01 tires, so grip levels should be excellent. The question is, can an old 240SX keep up with a menacing Z06 like that? Well, Peter Hong has been on the show before with this car. But he has since ditched the faulty SR20DET engine in favor of something with a bit more oomph.
JDM fans will be pleased to know that the old Nissan is now running a Toyota 2JZ engine. Thanks to a series of upgrades, including a Comp Turbo 6062, bigger 1,300cc injectors, and an AEM Infinity ECU, this 240SX is now up to about 600 hp.
Photo: Driving Line
The 350Z transmission seems to be the go-to choice for most S-chassis drivers, and it makes even more sense seeing that this car has previously had a VQ engine in it before. Some of you will say that the 240SX should stick to drifting, but with the right upgrades and the correct driver inputs, this can be quite a capable time attack machine as well.
The two drivers have had an entire day for themselves out on the track, trying to set the fastest possible lap. They both seem to be quite fast, but the Corvette just seems to have the upper edge. It doesn't take long for you to notice that the Z06 is slowly pulling ahead of its opponent.
Less than two minutes after the start, we get the results as well. Back when his 240SX was still using the SR20DET engine, Peter managed to cross the line in 1 minute and 58.4 seconds. With the 2JZ, he improved that result by 2.9 seconds. Meanwhile, Jake manages to set a new record for the show, with a time of 1 minute and 52.5 seconds!
The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S. Full profile
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