Import Show Showdown
05-23-2005, 09:19 AM
#1
Import Show Showdown This past Sunday something that all modified V8 enthusiasts dream of happened to me, so I figured I would share.
I was traveling south on 146 from Mass after finishing some tuning up at NED. I had just left the dyno shop and was doing my usual check of the gauges and such while I pulled onto 146 south and slowly merged into traffic. The supercharger changes from a scream to a gentle whine at freeway speed, so I was settling the car into 80 mph in 6th getting ready for the hour-long cruise back home. There were two large cars infront of me, a large SUV and a yellow mini-van with something motorsports written in HUGE letters on the back. I couldn't make out which motorsports due to the crazy font the sign was in. The yellow van had an import exhaust on it. I thought nothing of it and simply shook my head at another poor rice victim. I followed the minivan close to try and clue him in that I wanted to pass. He was doing that annoying speed of 70 mph - right inbetween 5th and 6th gears, and after any amount of time in 5th, the supercharger whine/blowoff is droning. The minivan wouldn't move over. After several minutes traffic cleared on the right so I dumped the car into fourth, moved to the right, and punched it. If your going to pass an obnoxious rolling road-block, might as well do it with some authority. The car quickly spiked to 5-6 psi and I shot past the rice minivan.
As I cleared the minivan the left lane opened up into a view that nearly brought a tear to my eye. An entire column of modified import cars were moving in the fast lane back to back: WRX's, 300 ZX, S4, Maxima's, S2000, Accord, the list goes on. I figured it was some sort of car club.....come to find out there was an import car show in Providence.
The car had some momentum on it from the mini-van pass so I squeezed the brakes a bit to come along side several of the import cars. I downshifted to 5th and brought the supercharger speed up to see if I could get somebody's attention. Several of the cars looked over. Discension errupted in the ranks as several of the front cars began to accelerate. A lion stumbling on a group of gazelles was the analogy that popped into my head. I let the front cars go and kept pace with the mid-pack at about 70 until the crowd cleared up some running room.
A WRX pulled along side and punched it. I dropped it into fourth and squeezed the throttle, not yet into boost. I kept pace at his rear panel to see what he had to offer. His car was pretty quick, but lost some of its spunk up top. I mashed the throttle, closed the bypass, and brought the car to its full 16 psi. The The tires squealed a little and the car shot forward. The WRX quickly passed from my front quarter panel to about 1/4 mile behind. I made a quick shift to 5th and let the car coast back down.
In front of me was a 300Z with the ZTURBO written on the back. Twin turbo, most likely, probably pushing mid 500's to low 600's...... on race gas. I didn't smell any race gas. I kept trying to position next to him, but everytime I got close he gunned it. I didn't feel like chasing him down at 180, so I let him go and decided to wait for the rest of the pack to come from behind. I slowed to 65 and pulled over to the right lane.
An S4 turbo pulled up on my left. I downshifted to 5th and glanced over. I was staring into a portable video camera.......perfect. The passenger yelled "3 beeps". I motioned for them to bring the starting speed down. I slowed to 50 and dropped the car into 3rd. The supercharger belted up to an ear shattering 50k. I could barely hear the first beep over the supercharger. The second beep, I stared at the front panel of the S4 waiting for that tell-tale rise in their suspension. The third beep, the S4 hit it. I let him get the jump, don't want any excuses on the footage, and then matted the throttle. The boost shot to 12 psi and began its steady climb to 16. The back tires spun a bit and the S4 instantly moved to my rear quarter. I shifted to forth, the boost bobbed to 12 and the back started coming around. I briefly lifted to and opened the bypass to keep her straight then back into the throttle. The S4 was several car lengths behind when 4th gear came in. The TA began making that terrific pull as the supercharger spins to its max and the speedo quickly rockets towards 130. I let out at the top of 4th. The S4 was way back.
I played with several of the other cars on the way home. Some would line up, some would just keep a comfortable distance infront. All in all, it was good fun, nothing crazy, and a hell of a ride home.
I was traveling south on 146 from Mass after finishing some tuning up at NED. I had just left the dyno shop and was doing my usual check of the gauges and such while I pulled onto 146 south and slowly merged into traffic. The supercharger changes from a scream to a gentle whine at freeway speed, so I was settling the car into 80 mph in 6th getting ready for the hour-long cruise back home. There were two large cars infront of me, a large SUV and a yellow mini-van with something motorsports written in HUGE letters on the back. I couldn't make out which motorsports due to the crazy font the sign was in. The yellow van had an import exhaust on it. I thought nothing of it and simply shook my head at another poor rice victim. I followed the minivan close to try and clue him in that I wanted to pass. He was doing that annoying speed of 70 mph - right inbetween 5th and 6th gears, and after any amount of time in 5th, the supercharger whine/blowoff is droning. The minivan wouldn't move over. After several minutes traffic cleared on the right so I dumped the car into fourth, moved to the right, and punched it. If your going to pass an obnoxious rolling road-block, might as well do it with some authority. The car quickly spiked to 5-6 psi and I shot past the rice minivan.
As I cleared the minivan the left lane opened up into a view that nearly brought a tear to my eye. An entire column of modified import cars were moving in the fast lane back to back: WRX's, 300 ZX, S4, Maxima's, S2000, Accord, the list goes on. I figured it was some sort of car club.....come to find out there was an import car show in Providence.
The car had some momentum on it from the mini-van pass so I squeezed the brakes a bit to come along side several of the import cars. I downshifted to 5th and brought the supercharger speed up to see if I could get somebody's attention. Several of the cars looked over. Discension errupted in the ranks as several of the front cars began to accelerate. A lion stumbling on a group of gazelles was the analogy that popped into my head. I let the front cars go and kept pace with the mid-pack at about 70 until the crowd cleared up some running room.
A WRX pulled along side and punched it. I dropped it into fourth and squeezed the throttle, not yet into boost. I kept pace at his rear panel to see what he had to offer. His car was pretty quick, but lost some of its spunk up top. I mashed the throttle, closed the bypass, and brought the car to its full 16 psi. The The tires squealed a little and the car shot forward. The WRX quickly passed from my front quarter panel to about 1/4 mile behind. I made a quick shift to 5th and let the car coast back down.
In front of me was a 300Z with the ZTURBO written on the back. Twin turbo, most likely, probably pushing mid 500's to low 600's...... on race gas. I didn't smell any race gas. I kept trying to position next to him, but everytime I got close he gunned it. I didn't feel like chasing him down at 180, so I let him go and decided to wait for the rest of the pack to come from behind. I slowed to 65 and pulled over to the right lane.
An S4 turbo pulled up on my left. I downshifted to 5th and glanced over. I was staring into a portable video camera.......perfect. The passenger yelled "3 beeps". I motioned for them to bring the starting speed down. I slowed to 50 and dropped the car into 3rd. The supercharger belted up to an ear shattering 50k. I could barely hear the first beep over the supercharger. The second beep, I stared at the front panel of the S4 waiting for that tell-tale rise in their suspension. The third beep, the S4 hit it. I let him get the jump, don't want any excuses on the footage, and then matted the throttle. The boost shot to 12 psi and began its steady climb to 16. The back tires spun a bit and the S4 instantly moved to my rear quarter. I shifted to forth, the boost bobbed to 12 and the back started coming around. I briefly lifted to and opened the bypass to keep her straight then back into the throttle. The S4 was several car lengths behind when 4th gear came in. The TA began making that terrific pull as the supercharger spins to its max and the speedo quickly rockets towards 130. I let out at the top of 4th. The S4 was way back.
I played with several of the other cars on the way home. Some would line up, some would just keep a comfortable distance infront. All in all, it was good fun, nothing crazy, and a hell of a ride home.
at your numbers. Good kills!! like falling into a treasure trove! 
05-23-2005, 09:40 AM
#4
Launching!
That is just awesome. I wish I could have been there to see that. Maybe on the other forums you're in a vid. I travel that road everyday commuting from Providence to just below NH. I never see nice cars, and if I do they never want to run. Good kills!
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05-23-2005, 02:51 PM
#13
Wow Im gonna have to talk to one of my buddies. He was at the Import Show in Providence and was comin home last night back towards Worcester. He has an evo and he has a buddy who has an S4 and another with a maxima and they always roll around with their digital camera so ill see if it is him and see if I can get the video if it is. Nice kills though and your TA sounds absurd!
05-23-2005, 03:28 PM
#14
I bumped into the camera man and one of the WRX drivers at the Import Show. They all seemed like a good group of guys. Unfortunately, they had the music so f-in loud at the show you couldn't hear yourself think. I checked out the cars and mosied around for a bit.
If you can get them to post the footage that would be pretty entertaining to see it from the other persons point of view.
If you can get them to post the footage that would be pretty entertaining to see it from the other persons point of view.
05-23-2005, 08:13 PM
#16
Hey Nogo yea that was one of my buddies friends with the S4. My buddy's name is derek, he had the dark grey evo, he said he talked to you for a little bit at the show. Yea they are good guys who appreciate both imports and domestics and just love to race. Im gonna see if I can get ahold of it or find out where they post it and will send you either the link if they post it or the footage if I can persoanlly get ahold of it. They said it came out pretty good and that your car was an absolute beast.
05-24-2005, 11:56 AM
#19
Originally Posted by 86SWB
Good kills. I'm sure you are aware that the 300Z beat you.....or at least that's how it will end up.
I guess a no-contest in any other sport is considered a loss.
The problem isn't that I won't catch the guy, 99% of the time I will. But if I'm playing catch-up by the time I go by I'm usually doing their speed +30 mph. New England roads are crappy at 80 mph, so I just let them go.
