Race-the -runway

[Nefarious]

I took the Cerb down to a drag racing event at Edinburgh airport called Race-the-runway.

Weather wasn't looking too good - after two weeks of wall to wall sunshine I was woken up to the pitter-patter of rain, so I wasn't holding out much hope, but it dried up nicely, and that runway tarmac is grooved and really grippy, so there was only my own useless starting technique to blame.
In the end, I got knocked out in the semis to a Ford Model B running an 800bhp big block with nitrous and fk-off great Mickey Thompsons.
I was fifth overall fastest (out of 32), beaten by the above Ford, a Mk3 Granada running a supercharged LS2 with nitrous, an LP640 Superleggera and a V10 R8.
Scalps along the way included a F430, a Gallardo, an Aeromax, a Supercharged VXR8, a Tamora, a few 911s and a couple of Bentley Contis (inc a new Supersport), so overall I was pretty chuffed

Here are a couple of pics









Edited to removed the R8 from the list of scalps now I've seen the full time sheet

Edited by Nefarious on Wednesday 7th July 11:12

Edited by Nefarious on Wednesday 7th July 13:49

[Gazzab]

Cant see the pics as am at work - but lovely car you got there ;-)
Well done on the scalps! I was reading EVO this am on the train wondering how a Cerb wold fair against some of the metal featured in this months mag (incl the R8 V10). Good to see you do so well !

[FarmyardPants]

Nice work
what was the distance? I imagine the lambo might've been clawing back some ground towards the end

nice pics.

[Nefarious]

The distance between the start line and the timing beam was 1 mile.

You're not wrong about the Lambo - the Ford was geared for 1/4 miles, so was hitting top speed of 130-ish after not very far, and stuff like the Lambo was then catching up towards the end.

That Granada was awesome though - terminal speed of 186mph compared to 166 for the Lambo (and 152 for me)

[VPower]

Was that a standing start 1 mile run then???

If do, what was your best time??

Something I really would like to do one day!

[Nefarious]

Yep - standing mile.

My best time was 24.53, and my best terminal speed was 152 (although these were on different runs).
I didn't get one good launch on the day though, and on the fastest overall run, I just walked it off the line and then fed in the power, so I reckon I could have dipped into the top 23s with a perfect getaway.

[longbow]

Neil, something a bit awry with those results. Anything that breaks 30secs for the mile is very quick - a very good Cerb might just do it. Take a look at the results from FT last year.......

http://www.fightingtorque.org/torque/images/storie...

Sounds more like about 3/4 mile or a bit less. At FT 07 I ran 25 secs with a terminal of 155mph and that was 3/4 mile.

[VPower]

That's interesting, as at that old Top Gear shoot out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmlv7Zoj_Sk

the 4.2 Cerbera did the standing 1 mile in 31.2 secs.

Something I always wanted to know (and try) was if a 4.5 (remapped of course) could beat the 30
seconds!

[longbow]

Fighting Torque 2010 is open for entries - why not enter and have a go!

www.fightingtorque.org

[headcase]

VPower said:

That's interesting, as at that old Top Gear shoot out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmlv7Zoj_Sk

the 4.2 Cerbera did the standing 1 mile in 31.2 secs.

Something I always wanted to know (and try) was if a 4.5 (remapped of course) could beat the 30
seconds!

Wasnt that actuslly a 4.7 in disguise?

[VPower]

longbow said:

Fighting Torque 2010 is open for entries - why not enter and have a go!

www.fightingtorque.org

Cheers!

Just joined and looking forward to it!!

[VPower]

Quick question about Fighting Torque.

Is a Austec remapped Cerbera with an ACT sports exhaust considered "Modified"???
Still has standard induction!
Just need to know which category I need to register in,

[VPower]

headcase said:

VPower said:

That's interesting, as at that old Top Gear shoot out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmlv7Zoj_Sk

the 4.2 Cerbera did the standing 1 mile in 31.2 secs.

Something I always wanted to know (and try) was if a 4.5 (remapped of course) could beat the 30
seconds!

Wasnt that actuslly a 4.7 in disguise?

?? I did hear it was a Tuscan Series race tuned motor!

[Nefarious]

longbow said:

Neil, something a bit awry with those results. Anything that breaks 30secs for the mile is very quick - a very good Cerb might just do it. Take a look at the results from FT last year.......

http://www.fightingtorque.org/torque/images/storie...

Sounds more like about 3/4 mile or a bit less. At FT 07 I ran 25 secs with a terminal of 155mph and that was 3/4 mile.

I wouldn't argue - I'm only reading the the results as I recieved them. Truth be told, I was a bit surprised that the Granada was only showing 1 sec quicker (and the Ford drag car on 2 secs) than me - subjectively both seemed to demolish the straight in half the time.

There'll be an 'official' set of results in the early days the week, and I'll post as soon as they're available.

Edited by Nefarious on Saturday 3rd July 22:57

[Byker28i]

Nefarious said:

Yep - standing mile.

My best time was 24.53, and my best terminal speed was 152 (although these were on different runs).
I didn't get one good launch on the day though, and on the fastest overall run, I just walked it off the line and then fed in the power, so I reckon I could have dipped into the top 23s with a perfect getaway.

longbow said:

Neil, something a bit awry with those results. Anything that breaks 30secs for the mile is very quick - a very good Cerb might just do it. Take a look at the results from FT last year.......

http://www.fightingtorque.org/torque/images/storie...

Sounds more like about 3/4 mile or a bit less. At FT 07 I ran 25 secs with a terminal of 155mph and that was 3/4 mile.

Something very wrong there. Longbow's launch technique was best of the day on the first fighting torque, but that was run over 3/4 mile and nearly all the cerberas were in the 25, early 26 secs range. Longbow dipped into the high 24's from memory. Speeds were around the 150-157mph.

Doesn't detract from the result though! Hope you made sure everyone knew you didn't need exotic, expensive cars

[s5tvr]

Byker28i said:

Longbow's launch technique was best of the day on the first fighting torque.

ahem...one of the best !

[high52kojak]

headcase said:

VPower said:

That's interesting, as at that old Top Gear shoot out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmlv7Zoj_Sk

the 4.2 Cerbera did the standing 1 mile in 31.2 secs.

Something I always wanted to know (and try) was if a 4.5 (remapped of course) could beat the 30
seconds!

Wasnt that actuslly a 4.7 in disguise?

No, I am sure it was just a good 4.2 driven well, I think the media at the time got hold of the car and tested it as they didn't believe it, and it made around 360hp.

[BCA]

high52kojak said:

headcase said:

Wasnt that actuslly a 4.7 in disguise?

No, I am sure it was just a good 4.2 driven well, I think the media at the time got hold of the car and tested it as they didn't believe it, and it made around 360hp.

Truth. Only mod was a decat. Driver was IIRC Mark Hales and the car made 359bhp when Autocar tested it soon after, as they were suspicious of how quick it was.

[WorAl]

BCA said:

high52kojak said:

headcase said:

Wasnt that actuslly a 4.7 in disguise?

No, I am sure it was just a good 4.2 driven well, I think the media at the time got hold of the car and tested it as they didn't believe it, and it made around 360hp.

Truth. Only mod was a decat. Driver was IIRC Mark Hales and the car made 359bhp when Autocar tested it soon after, as they were suspicious of how quick it was.

A little ex-factory birdy who was working there when that car was sent out told me that the engine had been "played" with a little, he didn't go into details but he said it wasn't bog-standard.

Edited by WorAl on Monday 5th July 13:09

[Byker28i]

Well, a standard-ish 4.2 with a crap driver protecting his clutch can do the standing mile in the 32's IMHO