subfloor@centurytrans

Top three worst ways to lose a race:

1. Crash
2. Have something break
3. Redlight against your opponent's ABSOLUTELY crappy non-redlight

Number 3 is what happened to me in the first round of elims last night. Adding insult to injury is the fact I ran .008 off my dialin.

I was lined up against a BMW M4 and after seeing he cut a .183 light in the last practice round, I (somewhat stupidly) figured that all I needed to do was basically NOT redlight in order to win the race.

His tree started but when his green light came on he basically just sat there. I mistakenly looked over to see if he broke or if there was a timing equipment malfunction before finally realizing my lights had also started and eventually reacting just a hair too soon.

I later realized that I could have just sat there and waited for him to leave before leaving myself and still won the race.

Definitely a sucky way to lose.

BIGMAC

I will add #4: Have an .000 light against your opponent's .104 and break out by a mile even after dumping to lose (see time silp on right attached)

Fuzzy Dice

Sigh....I have done both....lol...stuff happens...one time I raced a guy who was slower...he launched and then stopped...I left on time and figured he was broke and for some goofy reason I never lifted and broke out...he cruised through later for the win...not broke...I am sure the announcer had a lot of fun with me on that one...sheesh...

TLS_Addict

I would rather lose than never get to race. Lots of folks either do not that the *****, the means, or any ability.

Once I lost to a 16 year old girl. Me in my Camaro and she had a late 70s Monte. I couldn't hear my freaking car running. It was brackets, of course, well I green lighted because I was so nerved up and she blew the tires off and ran slower than my dial in. She dialed in two seconds faster than I did.

She had a car, her mom had a car, and so did her dad. I was 19 and was all interested till I realized she was 16 and losing the race was going to be only the start of my losses as her dad was a very large fireman who I am sure would have had no issues shoving me in my trunk.

mackeyred96

It a hard lesson to learn, we have all done it. Treat every run like a bye run, and do the same process on every run! You must run your own race! There is alway next week!

WelshInIzmir

The real thrill racing is on the German autobon where there's no speed limit (except in designated highly populated areas) and there are no track fees. I've lost count on how many BMWs, Lambo's, Ferrari's, Mazerati, etc. I've raced going 160+ mph. During the first couple weeks it's a rush that's insane and if you do it enough you're just normal. Did this for six straight years while stationed there in the USAF... Driving in Germany reminds me of driving in America in the 1960s and 1970s...a time where if someone tailgates you it means they want to race you and you're a coward if you don't respond. I have a 2017 Z51 that I never turn down a race with. I cannot believe I only have 4 points on my driving record.....I have Hellcats, Demons, Audis, Pick-up trucks etc stop me at various gas stations just to ask me if I want to race and my typically tell them that if they cannot go past 200 mph I'm not going to waste my time. This usually shuts them up but I did have one Hellcat owner who took me up. He slowed down at about 155 and I was at 170 and I still had 2K rpm before I was going to redline. I really think he was wet behind the ears e.g. never been super fast before... P.S. Twisted my dial to Track Mode and launched it into StabelTrack (No traction) mode and hit it hard in the very beginning to ensure gear ratio was as tense as it could be for the rest of the way. At the end of the 4.5 minutes ordeal the sound of the downshift was awesome...all the while I kept it in automatic not even touching my paddle shifters! (I usually use them for more shorter races and I start out in second) -- but I wanted to give this guy and chance...I rarely race like this but again this guy was talking a lot of trash which got me talking trash to the point where I finally said "Ok, I'll race you and tear a new ******* in your Hellcat"....So it ended well on a gentleman's handshake and I think it really sobered him up as he had a different look on his face as I was shaking his hand. The time in Germany was an extremely valuable experience. Also spent two years in Italy before that and four years in the Middle East where when you drive you can create your own lanes where stabbing and steering is common practice. Anyways ...rambling on too much....On Corvette # 9 now 1976,1995,2001,2005,2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017. To say I'm a Corvette freak is an understatement. Have driven over 1 million miles in Vettes. Drive them in the winter as well (Only when there's no ice or snow on the roads...) You still have to go slower on the turns due to the black ice and cold thin film of oil on roads. I know it's bad due to salt getting in the undercarriage of the bodies but I'll take the sacrifice !

Jerseyvinny

I’ve learned the hard way. Once you’ve lit the bottom staged light, never take your eyes off the tree. I’ve been caught several times glancing at the tach to check on my launch rpms only to look back and see the yellow sequence has started. That disruption in concentration and timing never ended well.