If you see a Dragon Green Rabbit Pickup next to you at the next stop light
and you are in your Vanagon... I'll win!  Unless your Vanagon can do 0 to
60 in under six seconds that is!  :P

At 14:15 4/7/98 -0000, Larry Carter wrote:
>Hello;  Our subject for today will be stoplight drag racing.  Ever since I
>started to drive, (63 or 64) I have had the urge to drag race the guy
>beside me at a stoplight.  It doesn't matter if it's a beetle or a
>trans-am, the race is on as soon as the light changes, assuming the road is
>clear ahead.  The Vanagon driver has the advantage of surprise over the
>un-suspecting rival.  Hardly anybody is sharp enough to beat me off the
>line. I know all the tricks, watching the other lights, and timing the
>yellow, keeping the revs low until the last second, leaning back and
>looking asleep.  Most people won't race with me, but the occasional "sport"
>will step up.  Teenagers with mommies car will usually go for it, but
>usually back down quickly once they fall behind.
>it's the 40 something's that give me the best races.  European cars are
>more likely than Japanese.  The whole subject kind of supports the theory
>that most people are asleep, and barely notice subtle little changes around
>them like the changing light.  My other car is a BMW 535i, a wonderful drag
>racer.  You can jack up the back end by holding down the brake while adding
>throttle.  Then when the light turns, release the brake, nail the throttle.
> You win.
>The etiquette of the drag race says if your tires squeal, you lose, so it's
>cool to force your opponent to lose.
>All those front wheel drive cars/vans don't have a chance.  The weight
>during acceleration is forced back, unloading the front wheels and reducing
>traction.  Even if they try to beat you, they can't.  All those SUV's out
>there are dead slow, no contest.
>Yep, I'd say this is just about the best time in history to be a frustrated
>drag racer with a 87 Vanagon GL.  I don't think I've lost a race in 3 years
>now.
>
>This is another way I enjoy my Vanagon, that I've never seen mentioned.
>Larry Carter
>
>

-- David Marshall, Quesnel BC,  david@volkswagen.org --
-- 78 1.8L VW Rabbit, 80 2.0L VW Caddy, 87 Audi 5KQ  --
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