I saw this and had to save it. I'll be heading to the track soon and I've been trying different techniques. Saw this and gave it a shot. Seems to work fairly well for me. Wheelhop was minimal. I'll find out more when I get to the track.
2005 0-60 times
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There seems to be some concern about the 0-60 times on the 2005 GTOs. GM quotes one set of times and the magazines report another, slower result.
From the engineer who runs the test at Milford, here is what he does to produce the 4.6/4.7 second times:
Vehicle prep
Full tank of fuel
Tire pressure checked
Vehicle weighed to ensure baseline
LS2 Manual
Launch at 2200-2500 RPM
Quickly release clutch as accelerator is depressed to WOT
Modulate as necessary (only in first gear)
Power shift to second gear
More Explanation
Launch RPM is higher for the LS2 than the LS1. Launch at 2200-2500, depending on road surface. Once a stable launch RPM is reached, clutch is quickly released and at the same time the accelerator is applied to WOT. This is where the skill comes in. Depending on the road surface grip, it may be feasible to leave the accelerator on the floor and continue with the run, as long as there is is not a great deal of tire slip. Tire slip is a good thing, the tire's coefficient of friction increases with some slip, but too much wheelspin and the coefficient of friction drops off rapidly. If too much slip develops, the vehicle must be "pedaled", this is, the accelerator must be modulated to reduce the engine output but still keep the tires at peak friction. This is the part that takes practice. Depending on surface, it may be necessary to quickly go WOT at the initial launch, then roll off the throttle to 75% pedal and slowly increase pedal, monitoring tire slip. Listening to the engine and tires is key.
When it comes time to shift, continue to hold the accelerator at WOT, apply the clutch, change gear and release the clutch. A powershift is worth about 0.2 seconds over a normal "lift throttle" shift for a 0-60 run.
Wheel Hop
Controlling wheel hop can be difficult. Different tires can cause hop more than others. One way to reduce the chances of getting into hop is to perform the launch as stated above. This quick lauch shocks the tires and produces wheel slip which usually does not go into wheel hop. If the vehicle goes into hop, there are two ways around it. One is to modulate the throttle, reducing engine torque and setting the tire. The other is to apply more throttle, and try to power through the hop.
LS2 Auto Launch
Lightly apply throttle to take out drivetrain lash, but do not exceed 1000 RPMs and do not stall the converter. Release brake as the accelerator is depressed to WOT (depending on surface, it may be necessary to not apply WOT initially, but go quickly to about 75% and roll into the throttle depending on the sound of the engine and tires. Modulate accelerator as necessary (careful not to roll off the throttle too much to cause a 2nd gear upshift).