Motor Trend, Car & Driver 1/4 Tests
Jul 6, 2002, 03:44 AM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Motor Trend, Car & Driver 1/4 Tests
I have gone down the 1/4 mile over 200 times in the last 9 years and I have filled a couple shoe boxes worth of time slips. But the times that these magazine publish are sometimes unattainable by the normal driver.
I have seen the 16.9 1/4 times that the magazine drivers get, but when I see the US Lancers go down the track here in Las Vegas, Nevada, they are in the consistant neighborhood of 17.6-18.2 range. The Lancer is not the only car I have seen this with. The Corvette Z06's are suppose to run deep in the low 12's, but I saw a pack of them run side by side posting 13.1, 13.2, 13.0 etc... Camaro's, Trans Ams, Mustangs, Civics, Supras all run about .6 secs slower than published
Here is my theory!!!!!!!
1) Las Vegas Motor Speedway is @ 2700ft elevation. Good deal of power loss. These magazines always test their cars at sea level.
2) These guys are professional drivers. Everybody, including myself
thinks that we are the pros, but we aren't. They have driving experience and skills most people don't have. I am saying this after I have gone down the 1/4 mile 200 times.
3) The times that are published are the best time out of maybe 20 trys. Now think about this. The professionals that are already better drivers than us get to pick even their best time to print.
This is why those times are sometimes so far to reach. You have to have some God like launch, with super fast shifting reflexes, with the wind behind you, and 20F degree intake temperature to imitate that time.
Jeff
JUST MY 2 cents
I have seen the 16.9 1/4 times that the magazine drivers get, but when I see the US Lancers go down the track here in Las Vegas, Nevada, they are in the consistant neighborhood of 17.6-18.2 range. The Lancer is not the only car I have seen this with. The Corvette Z06's are suppose to run deep in the low 12's, but I saw a pack of them run side by side posting 13.1, 13.2, 13.0 etc... Camaro's, Trans Ams, Mustangs, Civics, Supras all run about .6 secs slower than published
Here is my theory!!!!!!!
1) Las Vegas Motor Speedway is @ 2700ft elevation. Good deal of power loss. These magazines always test their cars at sea level.
2) These guys are professional drivers. Everybody, including myself
thinks that we are the pros, but we aren't. They have driving experience and skills most people don't have. I am saying this after I have gone down the 1/4 mile 200 times.3) The times that are published are the best time out of maybe 20 trys. Now think about this. The professionals that are already better drivers than us get to pick even their best time to print.
This is why those times are sometimes so far to reach. You have to have some God like launch, with super fast shifting reflexes, with the wind behind you, and 20F degree intake temperature to imitate that time.
Jeff
JUST MY 2 cents
Jul 6, 2002, 10:49 AM
#2
Evolved Member
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: TB, FL
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Actually, some of those track times are done on superspeedways.
There are a couple of elements that may be involved. They may cheat a bit reading the G-tech and your point 3.
Pro drivers may have some factor but not all. You can't get great times in the econobox cars w/ stock tires and trying to light them at 3K rpm.
I'm in FL. A stock C5 vette runs in the low 13's while WS6 and similar F-bodies run wild mild mod floats in the 14 sec range.
That's why I never trust Mag times . . . they are adding some unknown elements into the equations to drop time.
17.6-18.2 range is the right range for a stock lancer . . . anyone dropping under 17 sec must be subtracting their R/T, which isn't even added to the final ET. That may explain the super fast times on a stocker. It sounds logical.
There are a couple of elements that may be involved. They may cheat a bit reading the G-tech and your point 3.
Pro drivers may have some factor but not all. You can't get great times in the econobox cars w/ stock tires and trying to light them at 3K rpm.
I'm in FL. A stock C5 vette runs in the low 13's while WS6 and similar F-bodies run wild mild mod floats in the 14 sec range.
That's why I never trust Mag times . . . they are adding some unknown elements into the equations to drop time.
17.6-18.2 range is the right range for a stock lancer . . . anyone dropping under 17 sec must be subtracting their R/T, which isn't even added to the final ET. That may explain the super fast times on a stocker. It sounds logical.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
fromWRXtoEVO
Evo General
85
Jul 16, 2007 03:13 PM
