Vengeance Racing is a pioneer in late-model GM performance, so when they became amongst the first shops to start using the sequential transmission gear system for one of their builds, we weren’t really surprised. In this video, we get a peek at how quickly you can shift with the sequential transmissions, and get to check it out in action on the dyno.
To understand the ‘why’ behind the use of the sequential transmission in Eddie Blackwell’s C5 Z06, it’s important to get to know the car first. This is the current 1/2-mile naturally aspirated record holder, and Vengeance isn’t going to let the C5Z they build shake that title anytime soon.
It’s built with a VR spec RHS tall deck 474 cubic inch long block, All Pro single plane intake and 4500 throttle body, VR custom spec fuel system, American Racing 2-inch stainless long-tube headers, and VR custom true dual 4-inch exhaust. The car puts down 744RWHP and 646RWTQ, and reaches 179.77 miles per hour in the half-mile.What does the sequential transmission have to offer that others don’t? As Ron explains to us:
“The 1:1 ratio stacks the gears and allows for very little engine drop” -Ron Mowen
Basically, it has a lightening fast shift rate that wastes no time between gears. Since the conventional H-pattern is eliminated, there’s no lag in shifting times. It also takes any guess work out of shifting since you push forward instead of over and up or down. The shift pattern is also safer for the engine since you can’t accidentally hit a “two-too-low down gear” while shifting.
The design was inspired by a dog-ring conversion that allowed for upshifting, but it wasn’t quite evolved enough. That’s why the inline 6-speed sequential gear system was developed. It’s new technology, but it makes a lot more sense than traditional gear systems.
Vengeance Racing is currently working hard to dial this record holder in with the new transmission. They spent the last weekend at the WannaGOFAST event in Hot Springs, VA, where Eddie Blackwell and his car finished best in the N/A class. The real show of the new setup will be a few weeks at the WannaGOFAST Georgia 1/2-Mile Runway Shootout in Clayton, GA — we’ll have our eyes on this showdown and report back on the exciting highlights of the weekend.
Elizabeth is a hardcore horsepower enthusiast with unmatched intensity for making things faster and louder. She wakes up for power and performance and only sleeps to charge up for the next project that’s heading to the track. From autocross to drag racing, Elizabeth is there with you, so stay tuned for her unique perspective on horsepower news, builds, tech info, and installs — with her, it’ll never be boring!
