Street Racing - '07 Cobra vs. Viper

[WP]

I haven't seen many street racing posts lately, so I think I'll share one of mine that happened last Friday.

Here's my set-up: '07 Shelby Cobra GT500 (black coupe with tungsten side stripes, top stripes deleated), JLT CAI with SCT programer and Eveloution Performance mail order custom tune for the GT500 and JLT CAI, 528 RWHP/504 RWTQ, everything else is stock.

I was hunting on the freeway cruzing at 80 when I saw a '06 GT up ahead about 1/4 mile, it was a Friday around 2:OO in the afternoon and the traffic was light on the four lane freeway so I buzz up some to get a better look at the GT and that's when I spotted him.

Up ahead of the GT and in front of a SUV is a '05 or '06 Viper coupe, I'm up to about 100 now and my attention shifts to the Viper as I blow past the GT. I come up on the right of the Viper and pass him at about 120, I don't think that he saw me coming, he just sat there for a few seconds; I slowed to about 100 to see if he'd come after me...He took the bait and was on my tail in a few seconds, I was still at 100 and in 5th gear. Dropped it to 4th and pounded the throtle to the floor and took off, but the Viper didn't react, or didn't react very quickly??? I redlined in fourth at 140 and shifted into 5th and took my foot off the gas and waited a couple of seconds for the Viper. He came up on my tail again, we were at about 125 and I gunned it again and the same slow reaction from the Viper???

We were doing about 145 when he caught up to me the thrid time so he was playing, I'm just not sure how hard he wanted to play??? So I pulled to the right lane, let off the gas and let him pass, which he did and I pulled in on his tail. He couldn't get away from me, I was drafting him at about 12 feet off his tail going 155. Traffic was light and we didn't have to jockey around too much, there was one left turn that we hit at about 160, he didn't slow and I followed him into it; I saw his tail bounce into a dip and I let off the gas to get over the dip, the Cobra mooshed into the dip and there was a little wiggle in the rear ( the suspension mods comes after the drivetrain mods). The Viper pulled away some through the turn and dip but I caught right up to him once out of the turn, we came into some traffic a few seconds later and we had to slow. We were side by side for several miles, we were both checking eachother out; he pulled off the freeway about three miles later, he gave me a full arm out the window wave as he went down the off-ramp. I'd sure like to know how hard he was trying to keep up with me when I gunned it in front of him those first two times???

Do you have any street racing stories to share?

[WP]

I had a '04 Corvette conv. encounter today. We were headed towards a freeway on-ramp on a three lane street, he came across two lanes to get in behind me as we approached the stop light before the two lane on-ramp; we stoped and waited for the light to change, he could have pulled in on my right and still got on the freeway but he stayed behind me.

I came out of the light slow and got on the ramp, the ramp heads down a slight slope and to the right, I went into second and took a look at traffic and the Vette and then turned it on, the Vette was a car length behind me when I floored it. I pulled onto the freeway and went through 3rd and 4th and got up to 120, the Vette was about 40 yards behind me trying to keep up. I went across the lanes to the fast lane and caught a easy left turn and accelerated through the turn, coming out of the turn I was going about 140 in fifth, the Vette was at least 80 yards behind me. There was some traffic ahead so I slowed, the Vette came up on my right rear and then disappeared down a off-ramp.

Again, I wish I knew how hard he was trying, that's the thing about street racing, sometimes you never know.

WP

[TBDOPEY22]

I was coming back from MD and I was on 422E coming from Reading area. I came across this yellow corvet. I think it was a 04'. I don't know much about them. But anyway I was going about 80 to 100 and I pull up aside the corvettee. And I challanged him and say what the hell. There was light traffic, but we could only get up to 100 from traffic to traffic. He could not pass me. It was funny. He might of had more horsepower, but he didn't know how to drive that car. He got pissed that he could pass me or get around me. See early that day a 96' Grand am Challange me and I let them have a 10 sec head start and I blow there doors away's on a open road.. I was probably lucky for me that he could pass me or bet me.. But I just thou I was funny. I'll tell you one thing it's not only horsepower but how your race it and drive. I bet some fast car's with my 94' truck from right light to right light. That was the key to them wins.

[coppingers]

I'll tell you a street racing story straight from the 80's. It was the days of 501's and sweaters. I was in my 1969 Mach I (same car today) sporting a toploader 4 speed, a 351windsor (a lumpy cam) with edlebrock intake manifold, a dual point mallory (not alex keatings sister) a holley 750 double pumper and accel super coil. This was the day that if you could get 1hp per cubic inch - you were GOD. It was also the day of leaded fuel - yes, compression was cool.

I was going home after work, geek at a geek job. For some reason I decided turn down mainstreet, looked like any other mayberry usa with light poles on the side and 4 stop lights. When I got to the first red light, so here's where the "cool" kids hang out. Guess why this was new to me.. When the light changed I pulled forward just looking around and by the time I got to the second stop light (which was red) I was side by side to a 1980 Z 28.

It was the Highschool Quarterback. He yelled across something about race to the next light. He was trying to impress this girl named Tracy (who was in the car). I still don't know why today I said "ok" but I did. He had the cool car and the girl, all I had was what I could afford with an 8 track. I've messed around with my car but this was my first "real" drag race. The light changed I dropped the clutch and I beat him. We "blew" through the light. At the last light I was shocked, shaking and damn near in tears. Here I just beat "Mr. Popular" in front of the cool crowd. He pulls up talking more smack,I was so hyped I couldn't tell you what he said but I said sure. His girlfriend Tracy got out and got into my car. He's yelling wait through the light so we sat there. In the silence I asked Tracy what was her boyfriend saying and why was she in the car, she said I had an unfair advantage cause he had her extra weight. I was stunned and she saw it in my face, he just called her fat and wanted another race but for his girlfriend to be in my car.
Tracy asked what was my problem and I told her but, I told her she wasn't fat in fact I thought she was the prettiest girl I'd ever known (this was years before I met my wife - insurance) She said thanks just as the light turned green. He took off and I was sitting there and sitting there. Tracy asked if I was hungry,and turn here let's go sonic. I turned and the rest of the night a geek and Tracy was at sonic and I took her home and gained a friend....

Needless to say monday the quaterback was looking to mop up the highschool with me. By the time he caught up with me other football players showed up to save me.
I'd like to say he was afraid of me and my geek friends and the pocket protector club, but truth be known Tracy's friends told their boyfriends if the quarterback laid one finger on me they'd break up with them.

I never got another race, but I did get a friend. I still wave when I see her and think back to that night..

[WP]

Cool story coppingers, thanks for sharing. I remember those "501 and sweater" days as well, that was 25+ years ago, my how time flies...

WP

[MeJay_Racing]

Very cool story and damn what do you mean back when it was 501s and sweaters....that's what I'm wearing today

[MMA]

Take it to the track. You sound like a fatality waiting to happen.

[MMA]

Oh and BTW... you would think someone that actually owns one would know that it is NOT a "Cobra".