Wouldn't a faster speed = a faster time????
Or
a slower speed = a slower time????
There a few ways to mess up a drag strip time.
1) Too much wheel spin.
This is seen in how slow your 60 foot time is. His 60ft happens to be 2.9, that's terrible, even for street tires. 2.0x is possible on pure street tires but you really have to learn how your car behaves on street tires when attempting to launch it from a standing start.
An easy way to do this is getting some type of measuring device and practice getting your best 0-60 time since that depends on getting a good launch and it requires a 1-2 shift to get it.
2) Fooling around on street tires.
Regular non-performance tires have such a narrow temperature operating window and hard rubber carcass that getting a good launch will depends on other factors like suspension tuning, chassis squat, alignment and how aggressive you are off the line.
I just don't have the patience to get a good launch on street tires since I don't street race.
3) Slow Shifting can affect overall time by up to .5 second
Add all these up and it leads to slow 1/4 times. 98 mph is just an indication he is making a fair amount of power, but it also tell me that mid to high 13's are possible if he can get the power down.
I don't know if I will get a Sonic or a Fiesta ST at this point, but both cars are capable of 13 second ET's, given enough traction for the ST (stock dyno is about 177-179hp, 197hp flywheel) or enough modifications to the Sonic.
The stock 15" wheels you can run a 205/50-15 BFG, Nitto or Mickey Thompson drag radial or 23x7x15 M&H slick.
The slick is worth at least 2 tenths over the drag radial. Cost is roughly the same. Drag Radials can be driven on, so you can bolt them on at home and not worry about leaving your jack and tools in the parking area.
A good 2nd gear burnout should clean them off and give them a good heating up. Caution; 2nd gear burnouts puts the best temp into drag radials and slicks, but its harder on your clutch.
I wanna see more of these cars run 13's!