sometimes when I'm getting on it hard, I'll grind hitting 2nd, could it be the clutch not releasing fast enough? they're is a good amount of "dead travel" in the first 2-3 inches of the clutch pedal.........

 

Verrrrrrrrrrrrry common. The only suggestions so far are slowing the shift slightly, get the clutch pedal all the way down, and ride the left side of the shift gate. The rotational speeds involved are very high and the unfortunate truth seems to be that the driver can overload the synchros by moving too fast. A switch to GM Synchromesh Friction Modified has made things work better for some. For more information on this just do a search on 1-2 shift grinds.

 

One other suggestion is to let the transmission warm up before driving hard.

 

I think some have also raised the engagment point of their clutch to help this. The extra time helps to make a smoother shift to 2nd.