I have a question
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From: Houston
Some people think that 1/4 mile drag racing is nothing more than mashing the gas pedal when the light goes green. Launching requires some skill (balls too if you're dumping the clutch at 7K). I like watching drag races because very often, I'll see cars that are supposed to win come up short because of a poor launch.
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From: 8100 RPM
People will do whatever they want with thier cars. The entire poit of the S2000 was for it to be driven. On the straights or in the corners, it doesn't matter as long as its not sitting under a car cover in climate controlled storage. I'm sure the fact that road courses are few and far between in the States compared to drag racing, for example the closest decent course to me is in the DFW area but I have a 1/4 and 1/8 strip withing 40 minutes of me. I find that most of the people that downtalk drag racing are the one's that suck at it. It's harder than might might think.
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Originally Posted by Bo_Vien,May 16 2005, 05:18 PM
Some people think that 1/4 mile drag racing is nothing more than mashing the gas pedal when the light goes green. Launching requires some skill (balls too if you're dumping the clutch at 7K). I like watching drag races because very often, I'll see cars that are supposed to win come up short because of a poor launch.
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Woah! You live in the UAE! I used to live in Abu Dhabi (my Dad worked at the embassy). My family used to rock out at the Hilton and stuff all the time. I have been to Dubai a bunch, but apparently it has really blown up in the last few years (we left in '93 or '94, something like that). Guess its been more than a few years now! Do they still have that restraunt Pancho Villa's in the Hotel Astoria? It's so weird because my favorite mexican restraunt of all time was in the middle east, weird.
How hard was it to get an s2000 there? I also don't get drag racing. Sure it isn't just mashing a pedal, but it still is a reduced number of functions. I guess each has to be more precise, where as in auto-x or track racing there are more opportunities to recover from mistakes. Of course you also could end up making a lot more mistakes too..
Sorry for the thread jack..
How hard was it to get an s2000 there? I also don't get drag racing. Sure it isn't just mashing a pedal, but it still is a reduced number of functions. I guess each has to be more precise, where as in auto-x or track racing there are more opportunities to recover from mistakes. Of course you also could end up making a lot more mistakes too..
Sorry for the thread jack..
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the drag strip does have some benefits (forgive me if i repeat anyone, i only skimmed through).
First, I agree, drag strip isn't near as fun.
The dragstrip provides a driver to better their driving skills on their own car in a legal matter. As one stated before, there is much to launching a car correctly. Also, shifting can be learned at a dragstrip (I know shifting at a road course is much different).
It can also help in tuning a vehicle. For those with AEM EMS I'm sure you can attest to this. If no dyno is obtainable the local dragstrip may be your solution (and a cheaper one at that!).
But, I still believe my signature says it all....or used to.
"Happiness isn't around the corner, it IS the corner"
First, I agree, drag strip isn't near as fun.
The dragstrip provides a driver to better their driving skills on their own car in a legal matter. As one stated before, there is much to launching a car correctly. Also, shifting can be learned at a dragstrip (I know shifting at a road course is much different).
It can also help in tuning a vehicle. For those with AEM EMS I'm sure you can attest to this. If no dyno is obtainable the local dragstrip may be your solution (and a cheaper one at that!).
But, I still believe my signature says it all....or used to.
"Happiness isn't around the corner, it IS the corner"
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From: Milwaukee Area
Originally Posted by Asterix,May 16 2005, 05:49 PM
As you said, it's an opinion based comment. I'm glad mine is respected as is yours.
I feel that running from lights or a quater mile is only exploiting 15% of it's true performance, and boy, if there was ever a car that begged to be exploited, this is it!
Btw - Power & speed do not relate to handling. Last time I looked a top fuel funny car was a bit rubbish round the twisties. It's all about balance, hence why the Miata, or MX5 as I prefer, won best roadster in many a respected journal for quite a few years. Don't be a snob.
Anyway, as you said, it's all personal reflection.
I feel that running from lights or a quater mile is only exploiting 15% of it's true performance, and boy, if there was ever a car that begged to be exploited, this is it!
Btw - Power & speed do not relate to handling. Last time I looked a top fuel funny car was a bit rubbish round the twisties. It's all about balance, hence why the Miata, or MX5 as I prefer, won best roadster in many a respected journal for quite a few years. Don't be a snob.
Anyway, as you said, it's all personal reflection.
When I said that if the S2k was less powerful it would just be a miata, was not meant as a knock. But, my friend, there is a reason the S2000 dominated B-stock and is now in A-stock again, while the miata remains in B. Quite honestly, the miata simply does not have the power/speed to compete in A-stock, or to beat the S2k when it was in B-stock. Last year's (or maybe the year before) national championships had what.... 8 of the 10 ten were S2000's in B-stock?
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From: Southern California
Originally Posted by Asterix,May 16 2005, 02:50 PM
I have to ask this here as this is the part of the site that is frequented mostly by my American brothers.
Having browsed the highly amusing "Street Encounters" threads and watching a few vids in the gallery, what is the fixation with dumping the clutch at 6.5k and getting the perfect launch? Why the need to do the quater mile in less than 14 seconds? Why thrash some heap of junk at the lights?
Please humour me and educate me.
I have always believed that an accomplished sports car will be greater than the sum of its parts and provide the driver with a well rounded and capable package - this the S2000 does well out of the crate, especially for what you pay!
The way I see it is the S2000 is about focused engineering. It's about taking the elements of handling, acceleration, braking and dynamics. Linking turns, hitting the apex, taking the car to the edge so she sings back to you.
I'm interested how you can compare a Trans Am with the S2000 when the two cars are poles apart - this is a "for instance".
I've found that hitting a linked set of roundabouts or a particularly twisty road provides me with far more pleasure. It also really embarrasses some far more expensive machinery that may be faster in a straight line but is left wanting when it's balls to the wall.
Your opinions please.
J
Having browsed the highly amusing "Street Encounters" threads and watching a few vids in the gallery, what is the fixation with dumping the clutch at 6.5k and getting the perfect launch? Why the need to do the quater mile in less than 14 seconds? Why thrash some heap of junk at the lights?
Please humour me and educate me.
I have always believed that an accomplished sports car will be greater than the sum of its parts and provide the driver with a well rounded and capable package - this the S2000 does well out of the crate, especially for what you pay!
The way I see it is the S2000 is about focused engineering. It's about taking the elements of handling, acceleration, braking and dynamics. Linking turns, hitting the apex, taking the car to the edge so she sings back to you.
I'm interested how you can compare a Trans Am with the S2000 when the two cars are poles apart - this is a "for instance".
I've found that hitting a linked set of roundabouts or a particularly twisty road provides me with far more pleasure. It also really embarrasses some far more expensive machinery that may be faster in a straight line but is left wanting when it's balls to the wall.
Your opinions please.
J
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From: San Diego, Wess-Side!!
I have found that in most cases........NOT ALL......that less experienced drivers prefer the drag race over the twisties...
I'm not saying that 1/4 miles are easy......it's just easier for people to think they are actually good when they bang gears, dump clutches and go in a straight line really fast....
My point is......it's harder to be a good driver in the twisties cause this requires technique, experience and coordination that the majority of younger drivers just don't have yet.
A fast car is more likely to be used to go fast in a straight line, hence the facination with some to drag other cars not in the same class from light to light....
I enjoy both aspects of the S......
This is purely my opinion and not meant to offend in any way.... Wisconson I'm sure is good at both as are other S owners... and then there are those who just want to race!!!
I'm not saying that 1/4 miles are easy......it's just easier for people to think they are actually good when they bang gears, dump clutches and go in a straight line really fast....
My point is......it's harder to be a good driver in the twisties cause this requires technique, experience and coordination that the majority of younger drivers just don't have yet.
A fast car is more likely to be used to go fast in a straight line, hence the facination with some to drag other cars not in the same class from light to light....
I enjoy both aspects of the S......
This is purely my opinion and not meant to offend in any way.... Wisconson I'm sure is good at both as are other S owners... and then there are those who just want to race!!!
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From: Dubai, UAE
Thanks guys.
Some very good points made. One that especially struck a chord was the apparent lack of road tracks that you have (I promise I won't make any jokes about Nascar "racing").
The UK, where I'm from I just work in Dubai for the time being, has a heritage of hill climbs and country tracks just about everywhere. Also the road system and countryside as to that as well.
This also worries me a little - Should they be driving a car that they can't handle?
Nice turn of phrase there V-Techie, considering the part of the world I'm in
Dubai is OK - virtually untouched by the drama being played out in neighbouring states. Like any place it has its good and bad points. Very liberal and tolerant although it is still a backward 3rd world country in a few respects.
I believe there are only about 30 S2000s in the whole country which makes them rare and most people don't have a clue what it is, while some know exactly what it is - I call them the Enlightened Ones.
Temperatures are getting hot now - minimum day time temp is 40C rising to a constant 50C in about 6weeks. Sorry - don't know what that is in F.
Some very good points made. One that especially struck a chord was the apparent lack of road tracks that you have (I promise I won't make any jokes about Nascar "racing").
The UK, where I'm from I just work in Dubai for the time being, has a heritage of hill climbs and country tracks just about everywhere. Also the road system and countryside as to that as well.
My point is......it's harder to be a good driver in the twisties cause this requires technique, experience and coordination that the majority of younger drivers just don't have yet.
I have been to Dubai a bunch, but apparently it has really blown up in the last few years
Dubai is OK - virtually untouched by the drama being played out in neighbouring states. Like any place it has its good and bad points. Very liberal and tolerant although it is still a backward 3rd world country in a few respects.
I believe there are only about 30 S2000s in the whole country which makes them rare and most people don't have a clue what it is, while some know exactly what it is - I call them the Enlightened Ones.
Temperatures are getting hot now - minimum day time temp is 40C rising to a constant 50C in about 6weeks. Sorry - don't know what that is in F.