A couple recent Z encounters.
09-16-2006, 07:55 AM
#1
!LS1 11 Second Club
Thread Starter
A couple recent Z encounters. Encounter 1 - a couple nights ago....
On my way home from a decent car meet the other night, driving in the wagon, I pulled next to a 350Z who had just raced a Maserati on the 3 lane road I was on (they had just passed me on the tail end of their spurt and the Maserati made it through a yellow light while the Z got stuck at the intersection). I rolled down my window and asked him "you wanna run?" Guy looked at my car and replied "what are you, nuts?". I replied, "you don't think this ol' wagon can run with ya eh? Let's go right there"- pointing at the street ahead. Dude turned into a gas station instead. Lol.
Encounter 2 - a couple weeks ago....
I was at a road course a few weeks ago, lapping in the wagon.
Got to talking to a 350Z driver about his car and setup. We made decent conversation to pass the time between sessions, then our run group got called out to run.
Deep into my second session, I see that he makes his way through the field and he's lapping behind me (he's pushing his car to about 125mph on the straights, while I let off around 115mph on the straights because I see no need to go faster and subsequently tax my brakes and tires in the brake zones).
So, I get a case of the red mist and decide to see what he can do. I know that if he can only make gains on me on the second half of the straights (once we're at terminal speed), he would not have a chance to force a point by pass. Sure enough, the wagon was running on par with the 350Z through the circuit. In the turns, on par. Powering out of turns for the 1st half of straights, the 350Z could not make any ground on the wagon. We did this for a couple of laps until our session ended.
Back in the paddock, I walked over to the 350Z driver and he was very cool about the whole thing. He commented about how that wagon really moves out coming out of the turns and how he was not able to pull on me.
In summary, to go back to the Encounter 1 350Z owner's reaction;
The funny thing is (after coming from a decently high powered Fbod mentality) that I don't even act surprised when people totally dismiss my vehicle from 1st impression. It is a damn wagon and I bought it so people wouldn't mess with me on the street. I would have laughed at me a few years ago when seeing a guy in a wagon trying to street race me (although I know to not go pick a race with an 11 sec. / 120mph capable car). But what I've learned from all of this is simply to never underestimate your opponent from looks alone (I've always subscribed to this, I simply respect it even more now
).
On my way home from a decent car meet the other night, driving in the wagon, I pulled next to a 350Z who had just raced a Maserati on the 3 lane road I was on (they had just passed me on the tail end of their spurt and the Maserati made it through a yellow light while the Z got stuck at the intersection). I rolled down my window and asked him "you wanna run?" Guy looked at my car and replied "what are you, nuts?". I replied, "you don't think this ol' wagon can run with ya eh? Let's go right there"- pointing at the street ahead. Dude turned into a gas station instead. Lol.
Encounter 2 - a couple weeks ago....
I was at a road course a few weeks ago, lapping in the wagon.
Got to talking to a 350Z driver about his car and setup. We made decent conversation to pass the time between sessions, then our run group got called out to run.
Deep into my second session, I see that he makes his way through the field and he's lapping behind me (he's pushing his car to about 125mph on the straights, while I let off around 115mph on the straights because I see no need to go faster and subsequently tax my brakes and tires in the brake zones).
So, I get a case of the red mist and decide to see what he can do. I know that if he can only make gains on me on the second half of the straights (once we're at terminal speed), he would not have a chance to force a point by pass. Sure enough, the wagon was running on par with the 350Z through the circuit. In the turns, on par. Powering out of turns for the 1st half of straights, the 350Z could not make any ground on the wagon. We did this for a couple of laps until our session ended.
Back in the paddock, I walked over to the 350Z driver and he was very cool about the whole thing. He commented about how that wagon really moves out coming out of the turns and how he was not able to pull on me.
In summary, to go back to the Encounter 1 350Z owner's reaction;
The funny thing is (after coming from a decently high powered Fbod mentality) that I don't even act surprised when people totally dismiss my vehicle from 1st impression. It is a damn wagon and I bought it so people wouldn't mess with me on the street. I would have laughed at me a few years ago when seeing a guy in a wagon trying to street race me (although I know to not go pick a race with an 11 sec. / 120mph capable car). But what I've learned from all of this is simply to never underestimate your opponent from looks alone (I've always subscribed to this, I simply respect it even more now
). 
09-16-2006, 09:20 AM
#3
!LS1 11 Second Club
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by JayplaySS2
I keep forget reading your posts that you no longer have the SS. Nice kill. I am getting so sick of seeing 350z's.
09-16-2006, 11:16 AM
#4
Originally Posted by SouthFL.02.SS
SS has been gone a year and a half now. I'm going to stop going to car meets (all it does is depress me, as I simply can't do the modded street car thing anymore). I hadn't been out to one in a long time and I heard about a decent possible turn out for one this week, so I passed by to see some old faces and see what was up. I used to show up to these things with the loudest (true duals dumped or open dual cutouts, depending on what my latest exhaust setup was like), hardest loping car on the lot. But, modding has gotten so intense that even if I still had my car, it would be a moderate setup these days, as what I saw out there was impressive. Lots of high powered forced induction lsx setups with built internals. Sick.
09-17-2006, 10:18 AM
#5
!LS1 11 Second Club
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by JayplaySS2
Yea, I hear you. Modding is getting more and more difficult and exspensive. When I had my SS, I was at the point where I had to add a forged bottom AND blower/nitrous in fear of running across another 600rwhp Cobra or LS1. Now, 600 RWHP though a VERY strong number pales in comparison to 800-1000RWHP figures more and more cars are having. Gotta be careful with that kind of power and any form of street racing.
I honestly fear what I'm capable of doing with a high powered vehicle on the street again. I have no self control. None. The only thing that keeps me in check is lack of HP and the wagon stigma factor.
My buddies think its hilarious. I think it sucks, but hey, that's life- a guy (father and husband in my case) has to do whatever he can to stay out of trouble. 