Got smacked down by a 1st gen Eclipse at the track

I went up to the Orlando track friday night to get some runs in. The weather was perfect ~58-60. Apparently my friends and I weren't the only ones with this idea. The track was more crowded than I have ever seen it. On my first run of the night I was in line waiting and a a guy walked up to me and wanted to know if I wanted to race his car. I looked over and saw he had an Eclipse Turbo AWD. Great, this car could be anywere from a low 15 sec. car to a low 12 second car. I asked him what he had done and he said "Ummm, not really that much, I mean its stock except for an exh." Sure budy that why I see a boost guage in your window and controller sitting in your dash. Anyways I agreed and we lined up. I hate AWD car because they always get me off the line. We staged and the lights started flashing down and I got a .499 reaction time to his .898, but that is about all I won. I spun way to heavy and got a horrible 2.38 60 ft. to his 1.9. After that I just couldn't make up the difference. He didn't pull on me anymore but I couldn't make it up either. He ended up getting a 14.3 and I got a 14.9@93. Pretty fun race, after that I sat in line for 2 hrs to get another run in and then left because there were 500+ cars in line.

[Racing Rice]

14.3... he had a little bit done.. but I doubt he had much.. Sounds like a fun race though.. at least it wasnt a complete a$$ whoopin..

Yeah, he didn't have a lot done, but he wasn't stock either. I figure he had an intake, Exh, and upped the boost a little. That is about all it would take to run low 14's.

[Racing Rice]

Originally posted by 97lude
Yeah, he didn't have a lot done, but he wasn't stock either. I figure he had an intake, Exh, and upped the boost a little. That is about all it would take to run low 14's.

Thats about it... and maybe some good tuning..::

well an AWD eclipse isnt as fast as a GST... b/c it looses power having to turn all 4 tires...
Sure AWD's will hook up and smoke everyone off the line.. and a turbo to spool..

But i must say.. you running a 14.9, and him running a 14.3.. i am very impressed!!!!

congrats!!

In stock form the GST's are a little quicker, especially from a rolling start. That is correct, but once modified the AWD becomes very potent in allowing a good start with no traction problems plus gobs of power once spooled. Personally I fear AWD turbos a lot more than regular GST's. But that is just me. Thanks for the compliments, I was hoping for a 14.6 but I have to get that 60ft. down first.

was it just a bad launch???? or just your top end isnt like your bottom end.
I know in my prelude.. my 3rd and 4th gears... are strong as all hell.. but i my top end SUCKS...
You'll get your speeds.. i have faith ::

good luck!!

I'm pretty sure it was a bad launch. I just have to figure out if I am launching to high or not high enough. I think I need to launch higher and use the gas to modulate wheel spin. I launched at 3500 for the 14.9, so I figure I could probably get away with a 4k or even 4.5 on a warmer day. I'll get it worked out.

14.9! props dood... most 5th gen ludes i know cant do that! 14.3 is about rite for ebc, exhaust, intake in a 1G awd... his 60ft kinda sucks tho for awd

Thanks,

The guy said he just bought the car a week ago, so he was probably still trying to figure out how to launch it.

[ChrisCantSkate]

97 lude, how offten to you go? cause i live just south of you, and i got a lude friend up in cocoa that goes to bithalo sometimes, its a 4th gen silver vtec. well, hit me up sometime if you wana meet up. i still havnt run my car yet

I haven't been going that often but with the cooler weather I will start going at least once a month. Next time I plan on going I'll let you know.

97lude- do you have stock wheels on your car???
if so try letting out some tire pressure... that normally helps get a better launch while your at the track. Avoids your car pulling to the right (if you have that problem b/c of the torque)

I launch at like 3 grand and a kinda feather the clutch instead of dumping the clutch.. thats the best way i can figure out..
The least amount of tire spin. I found out when i launched higher then that i spun the tires too much and racked up the RPM's too quick for 1st gear.

But i saw a kid on a video on hondaprelude.com he launched his 5th gen at 5grand.... hehehehhe it was sick...
but i think ill stick to my 3 grand launch w/ 5lbs less of air in my tires

haha, you saw the famous LC launch video. He can launch at 6500 on the street and said he usually launches at 4-4.5k at the track. I had my stock tire pressure lowered to 24psi. I just need to do some more runs to get a better time. I really wasn't spinning all that bad so I am pretty sure I can go up without a problem.

heheh yeah you know the video that im talkin about... well... im sure you can get your times down... good luck!!!!

A 14.3 is decent in a 1G but with a Full exhuast/MBC/Intake.....he could run mid 13's with those mods and about 22psi and some 116 octane, advance the timming. :-) I know one individual who had MBC/K&N, droped the exhaust (turbo back) 22psi 104 octane and ran 13.4's-13.6's all day long.... Guys run 12's on stock turbo all the time.. with a few more mods....especially in an AWD. We had a guy in my club running 14.7's in his lude with basic bolt on's, i/h/e keep up the good work.

Derek