Hey Guys, one of my roomates drag races a 1250hp rail car, and has a 2002 Camaro with $18,900 worth of Engine and Trans upgrades, wtih QA1 shocks and drag radials for his street car. He thinks he can get around a road racing track faster than me in my '89 Honda Civic Si prepped for ITA in SCCA Club Racing. Before he and I go at it at Mid-Ohio (he wants to go head to head, but we'll go for lap time), what do you think? He obviously has way more power, but I have the handling...who's going to win? (and why)
Steven
Bring him to the Patriot Course at VIR. I'll guarantee you a win.
How good of a driver is he, how good of a driver are you, and how tight is the track?
With, or without The Keyhole? 
Steven, you're a licenced SCCA Club Racer, right? If he doesn't have equal driver creds, you'll probably mop him up. Big power can lead to big mistakes without training..Turn One at Mid-O comes to mind.
I hope he has good brakes 
I've only been to Mid-O once but I'm thinking that 750hp is pretty much useless especially in a car that's been modified to go in a straight line.
Unless he has lots of road course experience he will either off or spin.
make sure he sees this http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/23/aston-martin-flies-farther-than-wright-bros/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl2UUunlI2Q
Story time...
Many years ago when my friend Jon still had his 355 Challenge car, he decided to give some rides to people at Summit Point. One such gent was a drag racer who I guess drove one of those cars that goes 300 mph. Jon and him strapped in and Jon said if you have any problems just tap my leg. So Jon goes out and is doing a recon lap at about 80% when this guy just starts tapping his leg furiously by the time they reach turn 9. So Jon pulls into the pits, guy gets out and runs to the bathroom and comes back a few minutes later white as a ghost. Jon asks him if everything is ok, the guy says "Listen I've gone 300 miles in a straight line but I really thought you hated me and wanted to kill me because I've never gone that fast through a turn."
Relevant, no but still a funny story.
JFX001
SuperDork
9/9/10 1:16 p.m.
Please let us know when this will take place...I'd like to see it.
The Civic will win, more consistent speed over the course.
StevenFV19 wrote:
wtih QA1 shocks and drag radials
Assuming he's running the drag tires I think you'll win.
Apexcarver wrote:
make sure he sees this http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/23/aston-martin-flies-farther-than-wright-bros/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl2UUunlI2Q
cool, I used to have a Pedro Lamy Minardi pic on my bedroom wall when I was younger. 
Vigo
HalfDork
9/9/10 3:19 p.m.
Sadly, i also think you will win because he will probably end up hurting himself. You have to have real restraint to take that kind of car around a road course without getting into trouble.. And judging by the fact that this guy feels sufficiently threatened by a civic that he's challenging you to a race, i dont think he will be a Zen Master on the track..
He's not going far with drag slicks on that car. I'd also lay a wager the Civic would die of fright on a dragstrip. Different tools for different jobs.
I'll bet his Camaro still has the stock brakes on it. DoctorBlade has hit the nail square on the head.
If you are evil, start first with just enough of an interval that he will pass you right before you start braking for the first turn. Hit the brakes and watch hilarity ensue! 
MrJoshua wrote:
If you are evil, start first with just enough of an interval that he will pass you right before you start braking for the first turn. Hit the brakes and watch hilarity ensue!
I'd MUCH rather watch him sail off into the grass from my front windshield, than have him be within four feet of me in a braking zone.
StevenFV19 wrote:
Hey Guys, one of my roomates drag races a 1250hp rail car, and has a 2002 Camaro with $18,900 worth of Engine and Trans upgrades, wtih QA1 shocks and drag radials for his street car. He thinks he can get around a road racing track faster than me in my '89 Honda Civic Si prepped for ITA in SCCA Club Racing. Before he and I go at it at Mid-Ohio (he wants to go head to head, but we'll go for lap time), what do you think? He obviously has way more power, but I have the handling...who's going to win? (and why)
Steven
There are plenty of guys at track day events all over the country that curse Miatas for beating their EXPENSIVE sports cars.
If this guy has no road-course experience, he should really attend some HPDE-type events before attempting this. He should also upgrade the brakes and get more road-course friendly tires- not as a performance upgrade but for safety reasons. Like everyone else here has pointed out, inexperience + lots of HP - effective brakes = disaster.
That being said, mount up a GoPro or something in each of your cars and record your laps- you know, for posterity and hilarity's sake!
I think the sane and reasonable thing to do would be to do the contest at an autocross first so he can comprehend what cornering is about and how terrible his car is going to be... Then make him understand the abuse that braking systems take on a road course.
hes banking on making up what he will loose in the corners in the straights, that means brake (ab)use
StevenFV19 wrote:
Hey Guys, one of my roomates drag races a 1250hp rail car, and has a 2002 Camaro with $18,900 worth of Engine and Trans upgrades,
$18,500? Sounds to me like you've already won this contest.
two weekends ago, i (with a 150 hp track-prepped 90 civic) passed porsche GT3s, super charged NSXs,wild wild z06's, track prepped mustangs, s2000s, and other things.
i was more familiar with the courses (autobahn south and full course, one day each , i was instructing), i got DESTROYED in the straights, but in the end, i didnt get passed by much other than a few very experienced guys in very expensive cars.
make sure he doesnt hurt himself. please. hes going to have a bad day.
Where is the Xtranormal video about the guy taking his Z06 to his first AutoX... Sounds right for the situation
Vigo
HalfDork
9/9/10 10:29 p.m.
$18,500? Sounds to me like you've already won this contest.
No its 18,900 get it straight! And also LMAO!!! 
