I have an "associate" of mine who keeps riding my butt to get out to the local 1/8th mile track and run him in his Neon. That's right, Neon. He is a local street racer guy who is also in my local SCCA club. (young guy thinks hes Vin Diesel) He has an intake, headers, exhaust, cams, higher compression (10.5:1 I think) and on top of all this he runs a 75 shot of N20. I've seen timeslips of his as fast as 8.5 in the 1/8th.

My six speed 98 coupe with 30kmiles has never been to the drag strip. It is on runflats right now, but I have a set of Kumho V710 race compounds for autocross duty. The car is stock except for the blackwing filter and Borla exhaust.

Should I run this guy and risk being humiliated? Should I make up a lame transparent excuse or should I man up and run him on principle alone?

I'm actually a little scared I might lose. If I do he will put a video of it up on his "car club's" website and all his ricer friends will think he is a god. If I win, I just beat a Neon. Kind of a lose lose situation.

Thanks





[Modified by Ricestalker, 5:52 AM 1/30/2004]

 

Make some test runs and see where you are before racing and take a peep at his times and then decide! :cheers: :thumbs:

 

So I race at 2700 ft over sea level in a 1/4 and I get 1/8 times in the high 8s in my automatic.
The 6 speed manual Corvettes like yours I go against seem to walk away from me after the 1/8. Up to 1/8 it's close.
I say practice your launch from 0-20 mph. That's pretty much the 60' mark.
This Dodge may be pretty close on the short 1/8 run. If you can get your 60ft times around 2.0 or under I think you will prevail mightilty at the end on a short race. No spin you win. Although its not your question, I think if you race a full 1/4 mile it's yours if you're halfway paying attention.
If it's too close on the short race, I say challenge him/her to the 1320 and you will own them. Good luck. Post what happens OK?

 

If he's running 8.5's in the 1/8th, you would still beat him if you were 100% stock, my '95 has run as slow as 8.5 in the 18th and I'm getting low 13's on average, so if you are anywhere near the 12's, you got him no problem, only thing is, doesn;t matter who's quicker, it's who gets teh win light and reaction time will play a big part. If he catches you sleeping at the tree, he just may beat you.

 

It depends on your experience as a drag racer. Even though I am an experienced drag racer, my first time out with my C5 was a disaster!

Your car is definitely faster than his, but if you aren't able to get some practice runs in first, then I wouldn't run him.

 

IF you're really a "Rice Stalker" you'd run him on principle alone! :p:

In all seriousness, I'd go to the strip on one of the test and tune nights and get some experience under your belt. And not just with the car, but with the general track procedures.

Practice your launch on the street a few times before heading to the track, keep this non-spinning technique in mind, and then just work on being consistent once there. Your timeslips should give you a sense of whether it will be close or not. And if it's close, you have to race for bragging rights!

That's why we get fast cars, after all-- to race!

And there's no shame in getting beat by a whatever if it's at the track. I've seen so many wicked fast sleepers that it's almost cool to say that you raced this highly modified whatever and it beat you.

Besides, at the end of the day he's spent a lot of money on his car and so have you, but I'd never take his over yours!

-S.

 

I have a 96 automatic, with a 3000 converter, & drag radials, NO engine work except for 1.6 Rr & 3.73 rear

here are my # for 1/8th

60' 1.65
330' 4.95
1/8th 7.79 @ 87.01 mph

the 1/4 was 12.28 @ 110

My thinking I'd kill you for the first 330' then you'd pull on me like a freight train.. I think I'd have you in the 1/4 only because of my better 60' time. however I am sure you should run much better MPH..

As far as the Ricer.. Bring him ON.. I'll race him 1/8 or 1/4 :D

Your biggest problem is getting a good 60' time I have seen 6M on run flats do 1.90 Also if you have never raced on a track, the adrenalin starts flowing, & the tac. starts going just a little higher, & the clutch comes out just a little faster.. this = BIG TIME WHEEL SPIN and a 60' of 2.2 - 2.3 & you'd be dead in the 1.8..

You said he runs 8.5 in the 1/8th so go one day & see what you can run CONSISTENTLY that will give you an idea.. Good luck :D


PS DON'T Forget Reaction Time !! Remember if if he runs 8.5 & you run 8.4 if you have a .640 light & he has a .530 he wins..

In my experience most FWD Imports have poor reaction times, BUT that is the DRIVER, & "In MY opinion they are not into cutting good lights, only in ET & MPH.. Ya know Bragging Rights..

However at E Town there are MANY drivers who race Imports who are "Deadly" on the tree i.e. .520 -.550 Try & find out how much "experience he has in "Bracket" racing that also will be a factor, not that you will have a dial in, its a heads up race, but you still gotta CUT A LIGHT and anything over .580 is gonna be tough if he is Good on the tree!


[Modified by Red96Coupe, 12:07 PM 1/31/2004]

 

How is he on the tree? You will ned to kill him on the tree if he is slow on the tree. I do see that you have not raced your Vette at the track. Have you ever raced before? I ay, Hit the tree hard and you will be on your way to a victory.

 

I looked back at my times from 400 miles old to a few months into its first summer. My 1/8 mile ETs were between 8.3 and 8.5 with one 8.7, all at an average 85 mph (83.58 to 86.23 mph).