Don't Estimate -- Race It

[98GSX-WI]

One thing striking that I noticed from my first time at the track, is that everyone quotes their best time they ever ran when answering the question of what times they run or how fast their car is... Is this totally acceptable and honest? I feel that it is very common, but it just seems like the person should frame the answer with "my best time ever was...and specify the conditions" and not just say that the car runs 11s or something.

Examples:
Even my fellow DSM drivers that were kindly offering me advise as to why I was running so slow, said that they run 11's. Well...when the guy took 3 runs...two 13's and one 12.

I was talking with a guy in an 03 Cobra and he said that he ran a best of 13.3 on that day, but indicated that he was taking it easy because he broke half-shafts the last time out...this is understandable...but my brother who hasn't raced his 03 Cobra (440whp dyno'd) is sure that he will run 12's and probably 11's....I'm really not too sure now after having raced for my first time at the track that a first time driver will be able to race their car to it's potential...

A lot of people breaking stuff....a lot of people missing gears...a lot of bad launches...
I must say though, that someone that can run good times CONSISTENTLY get a hat-off from me...

 

[TurBoGs-T]

I think a person's best time is acceptable because that would be what they are capable of doing with the right conditions.

 

[yo2001]

I call it bench racer.

 

[TurBoGs-T]

I call it bench racer.

Your definition of bench racer is totally different than most people. I figure a bench racer to be someone who claims their car is capable of a time that it has never ran. Or tells you what it "should" be running.

 

[gsxtacy]

the person SHOULD day "best it has done is X"

NOT

"It runs 12's" but can't prove it with even (1) timeslip. I tell everyone, when the moon and Mars align, and the wind is blowing gently from the East, My car WILL run 12's., but its gone 13.2 @ 104 already., so it must be soon.

gsxtacy

 

[dsm4life]

yes i dont think you are using the bench racer word the correct way. I am what you call a bench racer. I havent went been to the track yet even with all my mods done and people are like what would that run at the track. I give them an est. but quickly tell them i dont know cause i never been to the track.

Also yes if you say what does your car run at the track then the best time is totally fien , why ?? BECAUSE THATS WHAT YOU RAN !! Its not like your lying. Now the only way you would be correct is if you said what is your AVERAGE track time.

 

[DSMeclipse4G63]

your brothers cobra should run loooow 12s with normal to bad driver, with a normal driver he shold dip into the 11s pretty easily.
Andrew

ps if your car runs 11s and you see them running 12s or 13s then there is something going wrong with thier car, they changed or are messing up thier driving, or the weather is messing up the runs.

 

[pneumo]

your brothers cobra should run loooow 12s with normal to bad driver, with a normal driver he shold dip into the 11s pretty easily.
Andrew

^^^ Now that's bench racing! Shoulda, woulda, coulda, it's all BS until you run it.

I had the opporitunity to race a slightly modded 03 Cobra at the track and the best he did was a 13.1, and that was with drag radials. Why didn't he go faster? Because he stood on the gas and spun the tires all the way through first gear. IMHO he was a bad driver, but not the worst. A high powered RWD car on street tires is not easy to drive fast.

 

[98GSX-WI]

^^^ Now that's bench racing! Shoulda, woulda, coulda, it's all BS until you run it.

I had the opporitunity to race a slightly modded 03 Cobra at the track and the best he did was a 13.1, and that was with drag radials. Why didn't he go faster? Because he stood on the gas and spun the tires all the way through first gear. IMHO he was a bad driver, but not the worst. A high powered RWD car on street tires is not easy to drive fast.

This is exactly what I was talking about...I agree with the comments above... You can have a car that THEORETICALLY can run 11's or 12's, but until the driver can actually pull it off, I'm just saying that I wouldn't go around telling people that my car can run 11's.

Next time someone asks me I'm going to say, "My car will theoretically run 12's, but just not with me driving" :laugh: "And it will only run 12s if the wind is from the south, it's 55 deg.'s out, with 30psi of boost, with slicks on, and if I lighten it up a bit." Doesn't sound as good when you're honest about it....

 

[BoostinAWD]

Just like my friends supercharged 89 mustang 5.0 should of been running 13's. 7psi and drag slicks and I was witnessing him run low 16's all night.

 

[DSMeclipse4G63]

^^^ Now that's bench racing! Shoulda, woulda, coulda, it's all BS until you run it.

I had the opporitunity to race a slightly modded 03 Cobra at the track and the best he did was a 13.1, and that was with drag radials. Why didn't he go faster? Because he stood on the gas and spun the tires all the way through first gear. IMHO he was a bad driver, but not the worst. A high powered RWD car on street tires is not easy to drive fast.

No I am saying that cause TWO count them TWO people at my work run consistant looow 12s high 11s with about that hp in a 03 cobra. One is a vert the other is a coupe, the vert is now making alot more power but with the same mods the vert ran 12.2 and the coupe went 11.9. But assume its bench racing I guess seeing timeslips of all their runs isnt enough.

 

[ldstang50]

my first time at the track once i got used to my car (3 runs) i ran 12.68, 12.63, 12.618, 12.614. I was very consistent. I have time slips to prove it. But I know my car is faster.
The last time I went I ran 3 runs. The first run I missed 4th. The second run was a 12.58, the third was a 12.54. My car should be faster. I just need cooler weather.
What cars should run and what they do run is all relative talk. Until you bring it to the track and run it, I say keep your mouth shut. When someone asked me what she ran before I took it to the track I just plain told them I don't know, I've never had it at the track.

 

[pneumo]

No I am saying that cause TWO count them TWO people at my work run consistant looow 12s high 11s with about that hp in a 03 cobra. One is a vert the other is a coupe, the vert is now making alot more power but with the same mods the vert ran 12.2 and the coupe went 11.9. But assume its bench racing I guess seeing timeslips of all their runs isnt enough.

I'm not calling BS on the guys who actually ran their cars, I believe you. I'm just saying that when you tell someone they have an 11 second car just because your friend has the same car with the same mods doesn't mean he will run those times, too. There is more to running good times than just big HP. What about tires? Does the driver know how to warm them up? Manual or auto tranny? Does the newbie driver know how to shift fast, and where the best shift points are? What about suspension setup? None of these questions are answered on a dyno run, but they do matter on the track. It matters a lot. That's what this thread is about. (BTW those questions are all rhetorical, I don't really need an answer).

When I was racing my FWD Laser I had it in the mid 13's at 111 MPH. Then I worked on the tires, suspension, and driving practice, and hit a 12.9 at 109 mph. Same car, less power, better time. I see cars doing poor times at the track all the time: STi's doing low 14's, SRT-4's doing low 15's. It's difficult to run the time the car is capable of without knowledge and practice.

FWIW when someone asks me what my Talon runs, I say," It usually runs mid 12's." Or if they ask about my FWD daily driver I say," It'll cover the 1/4 mile at over 100 MPH".

 

[Ludachris]

All these kids driving around spitting out hypothetical guesses... doesn't it make you laugh? 99% of the time, when they actually get to the track, they don't get within a second of those guesses.

 

[Gooberlog]

When i go to the track with race gas, i manage to get about 4 outa 5 runs with in about 3tenths. My car manages to run low 12's with ease now on racegas...in 75degree heat.