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Normally I don't post stories about racing on the street because I try not to. But trying not to accept a challenge on the street is like trying not to take a piss all day. Eventually you just have to go!
Last Friday night I met up with a buddy of mine, Matt, to finally get in on the local weekend cruising/racing scene. He's got a 2001 Cobra, so it's not supercharged but it's got independant rear suspension. He just got done putting in 4.32 gears, removed the cats, and put on a CAI, and it's mildly tuned. I didn't really want to race because at the moment the car is running pig rich and I can hardly afford to kep gas in it. So we hung out for a bit, then a bunch of ricers turned up. Well they all wanted to race each other, one of our mutual friends was in on it, so we followed them. Out here we've got tons of open freeways so everyone does roll runs.
We got back from that, and Matt wanted to race something. Everyone was talking about a white rice Civic that had a built up B18 motor and no interior. I was told the Ciivc didn't even want to race Matt because it would be a waste of his time. Matt didn't take to kindly to that, so we hit the strip to try and find him. Eventually we did, and caught up to him at a gas station. Matt convinced him to make a 40 roll run between the two of them.
I followed behind them, and when we got to where they were going to race they slowed down and made a gap in traffic. I noticed the left lane was open so I thought, "What the hell, this would be a good benchmark." I can't hear the countdown, so I'm in third gear waiting to hear that classic ricer windup noise. I hear it, slam it into 2nd, 5000 RPM. By the time I got to redline, I had a fender on the Civic. But even more amazing, I was dead even with Matt's Cobra! Slam home third, 4600 RPM. The revs are building, that Civic's not moving! Matt is slowly creeping ahead. By the time we got to 90 and had to slam on the brakes, I still had that same fender on the Civic, and Matt's Cobra got maybe a fender on me!!!
Now Matt knows how to drive. He just ran a 13.5 in the Cobra BEFORE he put the gears in a week ago! Needless to say, I was grinning from ear to ear. And I give credit to that Civic, it was no slouch. He definitely had some spicy soy sauce under the hood, but he had to be smarting from getting beat by a four door family sedan when he wasn't even supposed to be racing me! Then for a little icing on the cake, we had to turn around and use an on ramp with some nice tight S-corves, and I hung with Matt's Cobra the whole way no problem.
After that, everyone wanted to know about the Grand Prix. Even the ricers were showing respect. Two things have now changed: I am no longer afraid of ANY ricer. At all. And, I can't wait to get my car tuned right and run that 13.x I know it can run.
Last Friday night I met up with a buddy of mine, Matt, to finally get in on the local weekend cruising/racing scene. He's got a 2001 Cobra, so it's not supercharged but it's got independant rear suspension. He just got done putting in 4.32 gears, removed the cats, and put on a CAI, and it's mildly tuned. I didn't really want to race because at the moment the car is running pig rich and I can hardly afford to kep gas in it. So we hung out for a bit, then a bunch of ricers turned up. Well they all wanted to race each other, one of our mutual friends was in on it, so we followed them. Out here we've got tons of open freeways so everyone does roll runs.
We got back from that, and Matt wanted to race something. Everyone was talking about a white rice Civic that had a built up B18 motor and no interior. I was told the Ciivc didn't even want to race Matt because it would be a waste of his time. Matt didn't take to kindly to that, so we hit the strip to try and find him. Eventually we did, and caught up to him at a gas station. Matt convinced him to make a 40 roll run between the two of them.
I followed behind them, and when we got to where they were going to race they slowed down and made a gap in traffic. I noticed the left lane was open so I thought, "What the hell, this would be a good benchmark." I can't hear the countdown, so I'm in third gear waiting to hear that classic ricer windup noise. I hear it, slam it into 2nd, 5000 RPM. By the time I got to redline, I had a fender on the Civic. But even more amazing, I was dead even with Matt's Cobra! Slam home third, 4600 RPM. The revs are building, that Civic's not moving! Matt is slowly creeping ahead. By the time we got to 90 and had to slam on the brakes, I still had that same fender on the Civic, and Matt's Cobra got maybe a fender on me!!!
Now Matt knows how to drive. He just ran a 13.5 in the Cobra BEFORE he put the gears in a week ago! Needless to say, I was grinning from ear to ear. And I give credit to that Civic, it was no slouch. He definitely had some spicy soy sauce under the hood, but he had to be smarting from getting beat by a four door family sedan when he wasn't even supposed to be racing me! Then for a little icing on the cake, we had to turn around and use an on ramp with some nice tight S-corves, and I hung with Matt's Cobra the whole way no problem.
After that, everyone wanted to know about the Grand Prix. Even the ricers were showing respect. Two things have now changed: I am no longer afraid of ANY ricer. At all. And, I can't wait to get my car tuned right and run that 13.x I know it can run.
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