As I wait my turn looks like I got an '02-'03 Saturn Redline next to me. I think it's a girl and she's got an exhaust, can't see what else. We line up. I'm "rusty" so creep too far during prestage and have to back up a little. As I get back in gear, the tree starts. GREEN "Oh ****" I'm caught off guard and punch it late. I cut a 1.28 Reaction Time (R/T). "Okay, I'll be ready next run." But wait! Second gear is loooong, and third doesn't hit til the 1/4 marker which reads "17.261". I'm being slapped in the face with a CEL (check eng light). "Dammit!" VRIS #1 is at it again. There's a vacuum leak somewhere but it's a bitch to find as the car has dozens and dozens of vacuum hoses. I'm completely screwed... Can't run for nothing now since only one valve will open during WOT (wide open throttle) which is suffocating the IM (intake manifold). "I'll just work on my launches then." I tell myself, in order to not blow a gasket. I can smell the richness now, the 93 octane stinks. Yep, definitely not getting enough O2 in there.

7:45pm. I'm back in line, CEL is still mocking me but whatever. I've got an old school Sentra next to me now, SE-R? or fake?. I'm not concerned with them, only my R/T's at this point. This pass I get a 16.976 on a .541 R/T but still can't pull going into 3rd. Next 3 passes are 16.9's and -500 R/T's so the consistency is there. I think I've got the secret now though. I'm gonna get a .000 R/T this run, I know it. There's' an '02+ Si next to me. It's partially gutted and sounds like he's got at least I/H/E but no boost. "BLAT!!, BLAT!!, SKREEEEEECH!! He burns out a little in the waterbox. "No slicks? Those are street tires." BRUUM!!, BRUUUUM!! As I rev to see if the RPM needle drops instead of falling back but it still doesn't. Brake on, 1300rpm, and waiting for that 3rd yellow like a starving man in a buffet line. Yellow, Yellow, Yellow...CHIRRRP! I'm off the line thinking it HAD to be perfect cause I didn't redlight it. ET board shows .086 on my lane and .078 on the Si's. "Nice Launch." I think as I race to the 1320 mark. The Si got 2 cars on me but my 6 is trying to pull a little. I'm reeling him in and he's about 1/2 car ahead as we pass the 1/4. Time slip shows a 16.955 which isn't too bad for a crippled car 95% stock.

The best pass was a 16.932 off a .512. I cruise home thinking I need to tear the block screw from screw to find that leak and fix it. I still had fun and proved to myself that I CAN get a near-perfect launch with more practice and a working car. I'll annihilate that time on the next trip for sure!

END

I hope you enjoyed the story and if you want to share a story from the track or the streets, email it to fast-rides@sportcompactmiami.com