Well I wasn't looking for a race or anything but was just driving home from a meet and a new GTI was in front of me. I was just driving like 75-80 on a sweeping merge but I guess he saw me coming from behind so just kept speeding up.
Made a quick exit off the highway and came to a light making a left hand turn and 2 lanes. I wasn't sure he was going to gun it or anything so just slowly went around the turn keeping it in 1st gear. I heard him gun it and he took off a little so I right away hit it in 1st prolly 1.5-2 cars behind. I easily caught up and by end of 3rd shifting at prolly like 7k I was a couple cars ahead easily.
I thought he would try and go again or something but he just hung really far back. I was ahead and kept slowing down more to hope he would catch up to try and do one with us both going at the same time but he kept slowing down even more... idk why really.
I had been nervous before about my car since I raced a new civic si and he kept even and was not sure if he had mods or not but must have since I easily pulled on the gti which should be about the same speed as a new si I think.

But even with the GTI getting the inside lane and taking off first I pulled a couple cars on him right away not even redlining 3rd at all. So reeled him in very easily.

I have 4.77 gears which I'm sure helped with the 1st gear start.

 

i pulled fairly hard on one of these when I was 100% stock.

 

^Yeah they are not very fast. I'm sure if I pulled through the end of 3rd and kept going would have been 4+ cars ahead easily..Also if we took off next to eachother at the same time probably would have put a couple more cars on him. Spent first just stopping his 1.5 car head start.