Back when I first got my GN, the Dodge Viper had just come out. It was top dog in American muscle. This thing was capable of high twelve second quarter mile times, right off the show room floor. The thought of getting lined up with this monster, motivated me to mod my car into a low twelve second contender. Years past, Porsche twin turbos, 03 Cobra Mustangs, and six figure exotics soon eclipsed these times. Not wanting to get caught with my pants down, I had no choice but to mod my car into a high, then mid ten second street car. My race tune and street tune were the same thing. I would not risk roaming the streets unless I was loaded for bear. Over the years, I have slayed many, very impressive hot rods, exotics, muscle cars and bikes. However, that Viper race, that motivated me to sharpen my sward, has eluded me a few times over the years. Here's one of them.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/two-kills-today.368422/#post-2933793
This morning was a beautiful 65 degree, So Cal day. The kinda day that I can justify the big bucks I pay to live here, in the sunny beach town that I call home. After taking the car cover off the Black Brick, I checked that the big MT drag radials were at 20 psi. Only a few blocks from my house, I was getting ready to make a right turn onto a long two lane stretch of open road. I am very familiar with this road, as it is the wide open strip, I do much of my tuning on. I remember when they repaved this road four years ago. I know exactly how much boost I can throw at the tires before I blow them away on this strip.
Just as I was about to make the right turn onto this half mile long road, I spotted a new white Viper, waiting for the green light, to my left (cross traffic). It was a newer model. It had the small LED lights at the bottom of the headlights, monster spoiler and a Pepsi Blue, double stripe down the hood. No sooner than I spotted him, his light turned green. I slowly made the right turn, to allow him to pull up next to me. As I was slowly rolling into the gas, I eagerly watched my left side mirror, to see if I would finally get my dream race, or if this was just another pretty boy Viper owner, that has never flogged his car past 3500 rpms.
I slowly cruised through 25 mph, as I checked that the shifter was in "D". The Snake was staying back and matching my speed. A rolled past 35, then 40, as I reached down and purged the double nozzle alky pump.
By now, my chance of taking him from a dig or slow speed was long gone. We were now entering his realm of performance. This is what his car is made for. This is why he paid six figures for a car. Why? Because (most likely) loosing is not acceptable.
As my speedo now crept past 45 mph, he now started to quickly close the gap. I rolled into the gas as he now started to make a run at me. As I past about fifty mph, I knew that I could now go WOT and get my tires to hook. As he got to my back bumper, I unleashed all I had. With the peddle smashing the carpet and the boost gauge at 23 lbs, I watched him fall back about three or four car lengths, where he stayed until we shut em down at about a buck ten, while coming up on the traffic ahead.
We slowed to the red light. He changed lanes to get on my right. As we came to a full stop, his window came down, he gave me a big thumbs up and a smile. Then yelled very loudly, "What the heck is that thing"?
At this point, I figured that he had the right to know. I said "it's a Buick". He just kept starring at my car. It was obvious that this was not sufficient information to justify the death of his once proud, Super Snake. I then told him "It's called a Grand National"! He was still just starring into space, with a blank look on his face. I finally said, "It's got a V6 in it"...
At this point, he just hung his head down, shaking it in disbelief.
Our light turned green. He raised his head. Smiled, and gave me another thumbs up. I did the same back as we drove off down different roads.
Well, I finally got my Viper race.
The dude was very cool. He drove it like it was meant to be driven. When it was over, we each had respect for each other's cars. No excuses were given. None were needed...
Happy Spooling...
Mike B.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/two-kills-today.368422/#post-2933793
This morning was a beautiful 65 degree, So Cal day. The kinda day that I can justify the big bucks I pay to live here, in the sunny beach town that I call home. After taking the car cover off the Black Brick, I checked that the big MT drag radials were at 20 psi. Only a few blocks from my house, I was getting ready to make a right turn onto a long two lane stretch of open road. I am very familiar with this road, as it is the wide open strip, I do much of my tuning on. I remember when they repaved this road four years ago. I know exactly how much boost I can throw at the tires before I blow them away on this strip.
Just as I was about to make the right turn onto this half mile long road, I spotted a new white Viper, waiting for the green light, to my left (cross traffic). It was a newer model. It had the small LED lights at the bottom of the headlights, monster spoiler and a Pepsi Blue, double stripe down the hood. No sooner than I spotted him, his light turned green. I slowly made the right turn, to allow him to pull up next to me. As I was slowly rolling into the gas, I eagerly watched my left side mirror, to see if I would finally get my dream race, or if this was just another pretty boy Viper owner, that has never flogged his car past 3500 rpms.
I slowly cruised through 25 mph, as I checked that the shifter was in "D". The Snake was staying back and matching my speed. A rolled past 35, then 40, as I reached down and purged the double nozzle alky pump.
By now, my chance of taking him from a dig or slow speed was long gone. We were now entering his realm of performance. This is what his car is made for. This is why he paid six figures for a car. Why? Because (most likely) loosing is not acceptable.
As my speedo now crept past 45 mph, he now started to quickly close the gap. I rolled into the gas as he now started to make a run at me. As I past about fifty mph, I knew that I could now go WOT and get my tires to hook. As he got to my back bumper, I unleashed all I had. With the peddle smashing the carpet and the boost gauge at 23 lbs, I watched him fall back about three or four car lengths, where he stayed until we shut em down at about a buck ten, while coming up on the traffic ahead.
We slowed to the red light. He changed lanes to get on my right. As we came to a full stop, his window came down, he gave me a big thumbs up and a smile. Then yelled very loudly, "What the heck is that thing"?
At this point, I figured that he had the right to know. I said "it's a Buick". He just kept starring at my car. It was obvious that this was not sufficient information to justify the death of his once proud, Super Snake. I then told him "It's called a Grand National"! He was still just starring into space, with a blank look on his face. I finally said, "It's got a V6 in it"...
At this point, he just hung his head down, shaking it in disbelief.
Our light turned green. He raised his head. Smiled, and gave me another thumbs up. I did the same back as we drove off down different roads.
Well, I finally got my Viper race.
The dude was very cool. He drove it like it was meant to be driven. When it was over, we each had respect for each other's cars. No excuses were given. None were needed...
Happy Spooling...
Mike B.
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