Yeah we got some big pasty white ones around here don't we? Probably the only thing I miss about living in 'Vegas is where people actually cared about how they look. For a whole lot of 'em thier jobs actually depended on it.

 

Yeah Gump now that you mentioned it my comment does have a fast and the furious flare...not what I was going for, I guess I just got caught up in the emotional moment... guess thats what happens when you been you've been listening to too much lite 105.9 haha [&:]

 

The eve of destruction:

Alright guys,,,,,,I appreciate all the advice on how to launch my car. I am doing most of the things that have been suggested. I am pumped for the track. I've been reading some on how to get to the 13's, and have learned, like Gump said, it is pretty hard to shave off .4 seconds. I still have hope, though. Maybe with the weather being cooler will help some.

If I come back tomorrow, having attained the 13's, then I will be a very happy guy. My friend has a C-5 vette, and he, running stock, nailed a 13.5 the last time he went.

This 1/4 mile time thing can kind of get into your blood.

One thing I don't understand about the 1/4 mile thing. If, for example, your speed through the 1/4 mile is 98 mph, then why do they call that a "trap" speed? What is the trap part of it?

Oh,,,saw a Scion TC today parked next to me and honestly, it looked pretty good. It was, as everyone is now, a young guy driving it. I asked him a few questions about it, and it was kind of funny, actually. Here is the jest of our conversation:

Word: Hey,,,,nice looking car you got there. New one? (had temporary license tag so I knew it was a knew one. Just saying that as an ice breaker. I do have pragmatic skills)

Young kid (will call him YK for brevity): Yeah,,,,,got it last week and I already have 700 miles on it.

Word: Is that a factory spoiler?

YK: Yeah,,,,you can get those from the dealership.

Word: Factory wheels?

YK: Yeah,,,,I'm getting new ones next week.

Word: You are already modding it, huh? What size wheels and what mods are you doing?

YK: I don't know what size my wheels are. I'm not sure what size wheels I am putting on it. I'm upgrading to a turbo charger they have that is a 5,000 dollar upgrade and it puts 375 horse power to the wheels.

Word: Oh,,,I thought they had a super charger upgrade?

YK: No,,,it's a turbo charger.

Word: Okay,,,,,sounds like you got it all planned out! Great looking car and try not to get killed in it.

Anyhow, I didn't know that had a stage kit for a turbo for those things. I was also kind of surprised that he knew so little about the wheels. It really seemed like he didn't know that much about his car. I looked inside of it and he had wrappers and stuff all through it, so he may be the type that isn't going to take very good care of it. It really was a good looking car, though. I like the front end on them and like the back end pretty well, but there is something about the sides of the car that I didn't like. For a couple, it just looked kind of funny. Everything I read about them says that they are a good value, though.

 

yes they have performance upgrades for it and no it wont get 375 hp to the wheels....no way in hell will it with the factory upgrades....you would have to do a lot more to it then what they offer....anybody like callin TRD vehicles T-u-RDs like I do ??....LOL

 

The "trap" is another set of photo beams set so many feet just before the finish line and an equal number of feet after it. Lets say 50 fore and aft. So it can calculate your speed by how long it takes you to travel 100 feet and break both beams. Which can be affected to the negative if you are quick to get off the gas as you cross the finsh line because at that point you are still being timed for your speed and have yet to break the second "trap" beam. To get a better trap speed it helps to stay on the gas a little after the finish line.

At least this is the way I understand it to be. I do not know what the actual distances are, but it is probably pretty standard track to track due to rules.