After looking at many posts, I see some forum members are after BIG MPH & Low ET ... whereas others don't give a damn about how fast their car is as long as they can boast ... I was on the dyno & made 500 -or 600 hp.. but the car has never been on a drag strip, or road course.... Sort of confusing to me....

What would you rather have a 600 HP car that was never on a track, or if it was it ran 12.90 (bad wheel spin)

Or a car that made 410 HP but had the RIGHT set up and was able to put all the 410 HP to the track & it run 11.0

Speaking for myself, I would love to have a car that ran 11.0 - 11.2 but it would have to be "CONSISTENT"

as it is now my car made 392 RWHP and has run a best of 11.98 @ 117 mph..

However that run was in "Ideal" conditions..!! Now in the heat its running 12.3 - 12.4 BUT I can make 4 or 5 runs and every one will be within .005 - .008 ..... 95% of the time... & that is the "Key" to winning Bracket Races...

I know many of you guys prefer to just run a new PB (Personal Best) and I think that is just fine... BUT you are limiting the days you can run.. forget about late June, July, Aug. You have to wait for Oct. or Nov. to run a new PB (unless you have engine work done over the summer)...

I say to each his own.. I prefer to Drag Race .. because I can do it from March, through late Nov. And yes in July & Aug. I run slower, but so do all of the cars I race against, and I still have the chance of winning a few $$ ... Yes I'm well aware some of you guys don't need the $$ from winning a drag race, but to me (on a fixed income) when I win a $300 - $500 bracket race its like Christmas in July

I'm just trying to get a feel for how most of you guys want your cars... for a PB. or for consistency to run Bracket or 11.50 Index races... I think I am in the minority..by wanting a Consistent car, & not too worried about a PB .. although I do like it when I ran the 11.9 & am looking to do it again in 2 months...

 

I want the most power I can realistically put to the ground - and just a little bit more for ***** and giggles.

<giggle>

 

I'd rather have an overpowered car that is docile as a kitten on the street... where 99.9% of my driving is done.

I've done the dragstrip thing for 20+ years and quite frankly I'm just tired of taking perfectly good street cars and making them undriveable on the street... just for the .1% of the time it's driven down the 1320.

Yeah... I could probably run some decent times in my car if I changed a few things for the track, but I'm just not willing to sacrifice the street manners anymore. I like driving it to work... letting the wife drive it... taking it on vacation, etc...

 

I am currently building my 05 LS2. Car has never and will probably never see the track. I don't street race it, and if I do its only a 1 gear pull. I am just trying to build a fun street car. Not looking to win any races, not looking for a specific HP number, just a fun car. I ideally for what I am doing I would like to break 515WHP, but more than anything.... as I said, just looking for a safe, fun, reliable toy.

P.S your cars is pretty quick, it was one of the ones I looked at before you bought it from Prestige Mini.

DG

 

DG

Wow small world.. I wonder how long that car as on the lot? I bought it w/ 6,000 miles on it @ the salesman told me it was traded in on an AMG Mercedes..But that dealer already had a Vette on their lot & it was moved to the Mini dealership.. (same owner I guess)

Was there anything you didn't like about it because u wound up with something else..

I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it..

 

The part of the country and the business plan of the track are a big influence on how auto enthusiasts tend to participate.

Consider Ohio with 10 tracks, 44K square mile area, a population of 11.5 million spread all over the state, about 300 miles being the longest drive and still stay in the state, and surrounded by 5 states who collectively have 26 tracks.

Compare that with Arizona, with 3 tracks, 113K square mile area, a population of 6.4 million of which 5.2 million are either in the Phoenix or Tucson area, you could easily drive 500 miles in one direction and never reach the border, and the 3 states surrounding it have a total of 18 tracks (13 in CA).

If you live in the Phoenix area there are 2 tracks for the 4.2 million people. The Tucson track is ~130 miles away and the next closest is in Las Vegas at 300 miles.

Speedworld is the old (1960's) track that's had very few updates in 50 years. I've seen as few as 20 cars on a Wednesday TnT night, on more than one occasion. I don't remember the last time anyone broke the 200 MPH mark or ran sub-7's. There are a couple of groups who conduct 8 or 10 events for bracket racing each year and draw 30-40 cars per event. There are several track events that may exceed 100 participants, but the bread and butter for the track is Joe Blow and a couple of his buddies and GFs who drive in and make a couple of passes racing each other when possible. There's a lot of occasional Joes, but very few regulars. Getting 6 Passes on a TnT is easy. I've had 10 and left early.

Firebird is newer and has quite a few major events. The track makes their money from thousands of spectators at the big events. Smaller events aren't as often as Speedworld, yet will draw 100+ cars for a TnT, even though 2-4 passes is the average night.

Since real competition is not promoted well for the grass roots racers at either track, the result is a hodge podge batch of misfits who's quests are simply beating their friend or some other random car or trying to make their car run quicker to achieve a PB.

I'm guessing the Ohio guys and other places with lots of tracks and big populations have greater opportunities for competition.

 

Hey,

I responded to you with a PM. Car was just out of my price range at the time unfortunately however i am thrilled with the one I did end up purchasing. I always keep an eye out when driving down Route 17 for anything that catches my eye. Saw it on sitting on the lot, over by the fence on the left hand side, and decided to stop and take a look at it.

DG

 

Tom

I'm only guessing, but if "every" track in my area only ran TT or runs for PB I'd never hit a drag strip again..

I go to race for the "COMPETITION" & $$ to me (speaking for myself) I get no enjoyment just trying for a PB... Hell if my car ran 10.30 I could take it to one of the better known race shops and drop $4-5k and ask for a 9 sec car..

$$$$ Money talks when it comes to "Heads Up" racing (and I don't have it) thats why I Bracket Race my 12 sec. car

 

I may be the outlier, but if I hose to drag race, I would want the lower Hp car who beat the higher Hp car. I like the idea of the underdog...

On the road course, it feels good to have a car worth $25-30k being able to get around the exotics (last one was a V10 Audi R8).

 

Straight line performance and 1/4 mile ETs are far more important to me than mere dyno numbers (though the two can be related of course).

I'd rather go (and have gone ) 10s with under 400rwhp then have 500rwhp (which can feel quite awesome on the street/highway no doubt) but with no time slips to show for it.
But that's just me.

 

I am ALL about driving!!! I bought my 07 new with 2 miles on it and now it has over 138,000. I am always on the back roads zooming around.

 

Horsepower is worse than drugs.....

 

I prefer to have a solid ET with a respectable trap speed to showcase the power the car is making.

I personally think it's really silly when I see a 'dialed-in' car at the track running a consistent 11.5@105mph. . .

"Hey bro, cool suspension work, that thing really hooks..."

I want a ride that thrills me and puts a smile on my face when I push the gas pedal. I want to feel the power the car is making and have a timeslip to backup any dyno numbers I have put down.

Just my $.02

 

I have friends who are only interested in the HP number and brag about that but never go to the track. If thats what they like to do, its fine with me. Personaly, my goal was just to accomplish something I always wanted to do but couldnt years ago when I was into the muscle cars. That is to have a car that looks stock, that I can turn on the AC and stereo and go on a trip any distance I want with total reliability, and at the same time go to the track with buddies and have some fun running good times. So far I have accomplished that but as was said, its an addiction and I have a few more mods in the works.

 

Big dyno numbers usually mean big mph.

I'll take the car that dynos big because it should obliterate the ET car at highway speeds, and most of my driving is not done at a 1/4 mile track, so being able to rocket from 40-100+ is way more important to me.

 

AKA: No driver skills required

 

lol...I agree

It's cool that your slow car is "dialed in"

 

Exactly... cool suspension work bro

 

Driver skill is never needed with an auto though , so in my case, I'd much rather take the higher horsepower car than the car that ET's well.

It's pretty much exactly as your "dialed in" statement says....I'd rather have a car running 10s in the 140s than 10s in the 120s.

 

Couldn't agree more--just bustin chops

I like a car that is balanced. Good ET with respectable mph is the best combo in my opinion.

12s@140 are just as goofy as 11s@100