SubSolar

So went to the track today with my new LS3 A6, bone stock. Haven't raced for about 9 years so I was excited. But I almost lost it on the first pass! I'm not sure what happened and am looking for some insight.

Rear tire pressure was about 26-27 psi. I put the shifter in S and hit the traction control button once to turn off TC but keep active handling on. The lane I had to go in didn't allow you to go around the water box so I went through it and did a burnout after the water (dry part) to clean off the tires and hopefully get most of the water off. I powerbraked it and got the revs up to about 1,000 rpm then nailed the gas while letting off the brake. Car came out of the hole good (later found it was a 2.01 sixty foot) but when it went through the 1-2 shift it was like I was racing on ice all of a sudden. Rear end lost traction and wanted to come sideways so I let off the gas and managed to save the car from hitting the rail. It was definitely a sphincter tightening moment and for a split second I thought for sure I was going to hit the wall and was already envisioning expensive fiberglass repairs. On my way back on the return road one of the track officials smiled and said he thought for sure I was going to lose it there.

Anyway, I was wondering what exactly happened. I don't think there was a wet spot on the track cause no one else seemed to have problems after me, and there were a lot of mega horsepower trailer queens. I know these C6's are fast, but are they too much for stock tires to handle? I actually didn't think traction would be a problem because I have weak 2.56 gears in the rear and the upgraded Supercars tires (only 7,000 miles on them and lots of tread). I've floored it a few times on the street and never even chirped the tires, although they were from rolls not from a stop.

I didn't do any more passes and am wondering if I should wait until I get a set of drag radials before I got back to the track. I never had such a close call before when I raced my Grand National and 2000 Camaro SS for years, although they weren't as fast as this car. I ran those cars on street tires too and they were skinnier, I always just punched the gas to the floor and never had issues. I know the Vette has a lot more power but is it so much that you have to ease on the gas and not have it floored until 2nd gear? Below is the timeslip, I'm on the left.

silvervette05

Glad to hear you saved it..I've had the same thing happen to me, only my car is a mn6..I went right back around to run again and it did just fine..I assumed it was a nasty spot on the track..Best advise i can give you is try and get a set of dr's before you go back.they can only help..Also if you were running at night time and the humidity was up that can make the track sweaty and and slippery..

blu00rdstr

Similar thing happened to me, but as the tires were spinning, I let off the gas, and the rear tires locked as if I had downshifted. I didn't save it.

BOB EAGAN

I and several other members here have had the same problem. In my case it was the autohandling. I missed the curb by inches, in second gear(h/c ls2 m6), the rear end broke loose and the car pulled extremely hard to the right. Scared the hell out of me. It happened once before but didn't realize what had taken place till the second time. Since that time, when driving aggressively, I take both nannies off and have not since had that problem. Hope this helps.

bps999

Sounds pretty unusual for a stock auto to break loose downtrack like that. I would think it would have to be surface related. I went to Irwindale once (mine is a stock LS2 manual), and lost traction and got a little out of line on the 2-3 shift. Not enough to be worried about the wall, but my car has never gotton loose on 2-3 before or since...

bps999

huh? AH will help you recover if you start to get out of line. Why would you drive aggressively in a modded car with it off?

BOB EAGAN

Like I said, in my case, the autohandling was overcorrecting. Dam near smashed the car twice. I don't know the rocket science of how it works, but what it was supposed to do and what it did was two different things. Also had 390 gears. After turning off a/h, I could spin the tires in first, second or third and aim the car with the steering wheel. With a/h on I couldn't do that.

SubSolar

Funny, I was racing at Irwindale too. Didn't know Active Handling could be the cause of this, I will have to do some more research on this. I never had problems on the street with TC off/Active handling on. Some say that active handling saved them at the track.

With drag radials, there shouldn't be any worry about traction issues in between gear shifts on a stock powered car, right?

SpinMonster

For those unaware, most insurance policies dont cover accidents at a race track.

SubSolar

I know, that's the reason it was super scary and why I want to know what caused it.

SpinMonster

What caused it was that its bone stock and thus the suspension was set up by a woman working on an assembly line in Kentucky.

Seriously, you need to have these things checked by a professional that knows track suspension tech.

dennis50nj

some will come on hear and say it isn't true, but it is.... turn tc&ah off and drive the car, not a computer, only one driver at a time

glennhl

I couldn't agree more. I've run all my cars at both Solo 2 events and drag strips since I was 16 years old. Hate to say that is over 40 years!!! I have never had a car do such squirrely things to me in my life than my Vette with Active Handling on. I always hold the button down for 5 seconds to turn off TC and AH before I run a Solo 2 event or run at the drag strip and I've never had an issue. But once I forgot to hold the button down before a Solo 2 event and the car fought me the entire run. It was like it was possessed!

AeroJim

Good point Guy, I just recently changed to Grundy ( great rates $456 per year with full coverage and agreed value of 29.5) but this company clearly excludes any kind of race track events.. Works for me...

BOB EAGAN

I didn't intend to ignore your comments, but did so discribing my statement. I have found under normal and somewhat agressive driving that the nannies work quite well, as the were intended to. However under WOT it's a different story. I know one member that crashed into a freeway wall because of this. If you do a search, you may be able to find the previous discussions we have had on this topic. Please be aware, the nanny is not your friend at WOT. Everyone's comments are always appreciated and thats what makes this a great forum.

Mike Campbell

Actually the last time I went to the track and I had borrowed a buddies DR's and when it shifted from 2nd to 3rd my A6 slid a little sideways. I still turned a nice time, but, it cost me .02 secs. and scared the heck out of me. I was in CM and it was the first time it's ever happened to me. I think there may have been a little oil or some other stuff on the track....I hope so.

SubSolar

What's CM?

SgtRod

Invos are nice tires too not only DRs.

I have a gremlin in my AH and have to run without it always. I have broken traction pretty bad on the 1to2 shift and could always control it with the wheel or end it by letting off. Although one time I didnt break traction with both tires and was jerked to the wall. It was an eye opener for sure. Fighting AH is a loosing battle.

pettvette

I would say damp spot on the track or you got out of the groove. I had that happen once in my 08 a6 2.56 geared car. I stagged slightly to the right of the groove to avoid dampness on the track that some ricers that ran before me dropped on the starting line. When the car hit second it jumped sideways, I was still to the right of the groove. I had all the nannies off.

Based on your 330 foot time you would have been in the 12.6 range in the 1/4 mile...

SubSolar

Hmm, if that's the case, do you think maybe the Active Handling saved me from spinning out of control when I hit the wet spot?