Being from bonny Scotland, I have never had the opportunity to witness any drag racing. We heard about the Middle East drag race finals and couldn’t resist! We turned up early not releasing how near Um Al Qwain drag strip is from Dubai. In true fashion brandishing only an SLR camera I managed to talk my C5 and my way into full unhindered access to the pits and track free of charge. This would prove to be slightly to my detriment later not realizing how ear popping loud the cars can be at close quarters!

The pictures I hope speak for themselves! The main sheikh “team Fazza” has a team of assorted American staff both to import build and maintain his hobby. The American gents pictures seen below, were exceptionally hostile individuals and not at all friendly to those who had blagged their way into their lavish pit empire.

Revenge was to be had however when team Chevrolet Sheikh of Qatar’s team in that purple monster at the end, nailed it with a 6.5. It also managed to pop my ear drums so I was suitable impressed. Some of the other engineering is well rubbish. People with turbos larger than engines ripping holes in hood for air intake - sigh. I got lots of questions for you all on drag racing but first enjoy the pictures!




























Anyone know the guy below... straight out of deliverence.





Big Arab man crammed into a little pink car



Team Chevy - does us proud



Anyone famous? He was driving the Ice blue car for team Fazza ang got ripped a new one by the Chevy boys.





The run of the night made the hairs on my neck stand up and my ears bleed. It also socked one to the less than polite American chap above


Would love to get my stock C5 Auto down the track to see what it would do

 

Image sizes have been fixed, you can see these images and more by clicking on any one of the pictures!

 

Awesome!

 

 

On to my questions:

What does a stock 2004 C5 A4 vert run 1/4 mile in?
What would it do it in with Drag tyres on the rear
What would it do it in with Twin Turbos
What would it do it in with Super Charger
What would it do it in with NOS
What would it do it in with new gears

I wanna go play!

 

If you want to really get into it you need a car with a solid rear axle. A vette is fun at the strip but not great because of the rear end.

 

thanks for the pics

 

Great shots

Chuck

 

 

Great pictures and good to hear you had a good time, minus the bad expierence with the "American Attitude". Sorry about that, sometimes drag racers can be rude because they don't want people just snooping around in their pits and being in the way. You have to remeber, these guys look like they are in it for the money. They are in a competition and time is of the essence.

Many a time at the track I have expierenced this, but for the most part, most drivers are helpful when you let them know that you are not thier competition, just trying to learn a little about the hobby/sport.

Anyway, check out the track events schedule and see if they have a sportsman class or test and tune day. This would be a more relaxed event and more for the fun of it. Take a shot at running your C5 down the track to see what it can do.

Stock C5 all depends on rear gear ratio, tires and driver abbility, but you should see ~13 sec. or so.

Don't use sticky tires unless you have beefed up the rear end.

I have a '99 FRC that whem I first ran stock, it ran at 13.1. I now have got that down to 11.879 and can just get the front wheels off the ground (barely). It is a heck of a ride and still a very streetable ride. Puts the biggest smile on my face everytime down the track.



Give it a try.

Again, thanks for sharing.

 

Oh, and the American that ran the Ice Blue car I think is Shannon Jenkins, A.K.A "The Iceman"

Looks like his car when he raced for Torco, and I think that is still his name on the side windows.
He was the first driver to ever ran a sub 4 second run (1/8th mile) on nitrous.

Here's a few links.

http://www.ihra.com/profile/promod/shannon_jenkins.html

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2384...38079276xVaOFc

 

If you ever get the chance ,try to catch a NHRA national event in the USA. Cost a bit,but you get to wander all over the place.It's a rea entertainment experience.Mind and body numbing when the Nitro cars run Great photo coverage from over there

 

Very cool. Next time be sure to wear your ID. Maybe they will be nicer to you.

 

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mmmmmmm, I have a pass toooooo...

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Great pics!!!

 

hehe glad you enjoyed them! It was a fun weekend and the coast drive to and from the event with the roof down was the highlight!

I shouldn’t have been in the pits or the starting grid, I just used my car, my camera and fast talking to good effect Some people loved you taking pictures and welcomed you in and talked you over everything. Some didn’t, no big deal but it does effect who you root for

The chevy team was great; is 6.5 good? They had a small garage with everyone else. Team Fazza and the American guys had huge trailers, designated areas and tons of staff; I guess they fly in for the event? They probably had a lot of pressure on them to win but snuffed out with a 9sec run in the final.

The 280Z Datsun was the star for me, it come off the line without much roar, but as its turbo wheezed to life it was like someone had just hit the flux capacitor and decimated the Skyline next to it with a 8.9 run.

It also looks good to boot! A lot of the cars in my opinion didn’t really enter into the spirit of things. Ripping holes in hoods and shaping panels with hammers doesn’t do it for me. I don’t care if it can run sub 10, if it isn’t clean, well engineered with a sexy paint job I don’t want to know

Mainly the event missed the mark because it didn’t contain all the fun of the fair. I think if they modified it to incorporate this and let it become a full family spectacle it would have been packed out.

Still great drive, great blag and great event

 

 

Hehehe I never seen this before classic

 

Some rides there and the Chevy does look very good.