KpaBap

My friend has been talkin **** for weeks on end about how fast his car (Altima) is and how nice it is and blah blah blah. I'd always respond with "Let's time you on the twisties.... let's time you on the twisties..." and he'd always scoff at me... But, yesterday he came over to pick up some cd's I'd burned for him and we looked at my newly installed intake and talked general nonsense about cars. One thing led to another, and I challenged him to a race (thinking he'd beat me but what the hey).

His car is 5-speed manual, all stock, pushing 150 hp on a ~2800 lbs body. My car, as we all know pushes ~135 hp (given it was a fairly cold night - 50-55 degrees F and I'd just installed my CAI) on a ~2600 lbs body. The power-to-weight ratio leans in favor of the Altima.

1st race:
Anyway... we're at the light to get on the main street that's next to my house. I gun it and totally lose him on the left turn, I got a great take-off, no tire spin, and about halfway through the left turn I shifted to 2nd gear and spun the tires a bit. My friend spun his tires on take off and as I was coming out of the turn I looked in my rearview mirror and I see the Altima scrambling through the turn, begging for more grip. I don't call this a win because it was on a turn and the purpose here was to compare straight-line speed.


2nd race:
We're at a stop light and we both act like general dumbasses, flipping each other off and laughing at each other's miserable econoboxes. Light turns green, once again I get a very nice clean start (no tire spin at all), my little 4-banger is pushing me very nicely into the seat. I immedately gained about a car length on my friend and kept gaining on him through every gear. By the time I'd hit 60 I'd gained about 3-4 car lenghts. Kill #1.

3rd race:
We're at another stop light, this time on the expressway. I roll down my window and tell my friend "Race me this time!" thinking he was just playing with me last time. He's like "Alright, you're on!" Light turns green and again I get a nice start, this time I chirp the tires for a split second. My friend spins his tires a little more than I do. As the tach sweeps past 5500 I have gained about one
half car length. By 60 mph I have gained 2 car lenghts. Kill #2

Some thoughts:
The older 150 hp Altimas DO have more power than our cars. That does not necesarily translate into more off-the-line speed. Our cars are at about 3300 RPMs at 70 MPH in 5th gear. My friend's Altima is at about 2700 RPMs at 70 MPH in 5th gear. Meaning -- his gear ratios are spaced wider apart than mine, therefore acceleration = less than mine. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Oh and another thing, this 1999 Altima can't even TRY and hang with me on the twisties...

KpaBap

Do you honestly think I do not know that street racing is wrong and dangerous? Do you think I need every self-righteous, law-abiding citizen such as yourself to tell me that? Please....

Edit: Besides, do you know how many cars are out at 3 am in the morning in Sunnyvale, California? I'd be willing to bet that at 3 am, in the 20-25 square mile area that Sunnyvale covers, there's not more than 50 cars out on the streets (excluding cops). 50 cars in 25 square miles = 2 cars / square mile. That's empty enough for 3 russian tanks to roll through town and go unnoticed.

KpaBap

lol, you know me ... THE SLAUGHTERER OF MOTHERS!

KpaBap

So I guess street racing is like masturbating. Everyone does it but no one ever talks about it or admits to it....

nightowl

LMAO......good kills, but those altima's are pretty quick...i have a buddy that has a 98 altima SE i think it is, and he can keep up to me

THEGOLDPRO

i hate when people preach about how bad street racing is. in my opinion, its not hurting anybody, as long as you do it safe, and your not swirving in and outa traffic.

leungwingkei

Just don't rush across red lights. If there is one then stop for it, because thats how most collisions happen.
And just know when to shut down, no one knows when they'll lose control. Like up to 80-100km/h is plenty fast.

Some people on other forums are just plain dumb, they talk about highway racing because their cars has more "top end", a lame excuse for no bottom end, or any speed whatsoever, and race at 160km/h, that's just nuts.

redrims

I agree. Plus I was talking to a State Trooper tonight(whose a friend of mines) about street racing and he says it is WAAAAY over rated. He said deaths related to street racing are very rare. I had to ask him since I do it 'safely' every once in a while. He says once one death occurs the media makes a huge deal out of it and even add all the deaths of street racing in one subject to make it sound worse than it seems. I'm not saying street racing is good, I'm just saying stop hyping things up more than it needs to be.

Makaveli

I agree 100%%%%%%

mito7878

I DO IT!!!!! see --->

project626

NOOO COMMENT

project626

The specs on that car is pretty weird. My wife has a 99 Altima SE and it handles pretty good around turns. It comes with stiffer supension and a front strut brace from the factory. When launching though, it sucks. But the top end is incredible. If we're doing 70 on the highway and floor it, it'll take off like a V6. The top end is awesome but starts are really crappy. Especially in an automatic.

ricedoutride

what up Ivor ill see ya at school tomorrow late dg

Elchulo