Dodge Neon SRT4 - blew the doors off

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

http://www.fantasycars.com/sedans/html/srt4.html

I normally dont race...but today I came up to a completely empty straight away where 2 lanes converged into one near Marina Del Ray on Culver... this Neon SRT4 pulled next to me and wanted to race me... so I figured what the hell...

The guy didnt have a chance, my 86 120K mile Carrera was on top of it from the start and he ended up 1.5 car lenghts behind...I took the center lane and I think the guy was impressed.... He was driving like a nut. Once we got into traffic, I eased off..but he was trying to get the most out of his car.

I guess that my car is still pretty quick

RallyJon · 03-15-2005, 07:59 PM

Hmm, car vs car, from a rolling start, you shouldn't have had a chance. Must have really gotten the drop on him.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Yeah...we were at a dead stop at a red light. He came up next to me revving his engine...I knew that he was going to try and blow by me and take the lane... so we both hammered it on the green... I do think my 911 can break a 6.0 0-60...but his should be faster.

kaisen · 03-15-2005, 09:59 PM

The difference was in the driver. Are you sure it was a SRT-4 and not just some riced-up Neon?

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

The insignia was on the back of the car, and it had the hood scoop and spoiler... car sounded good...but it was very WRX looking...and the ride was very high.

speeder · speeder's Garage

The SR-T should be able to walk all over a stock Carrera in a drag race. That said, I'd much rather own your car.

targa911S · 03-16-2005, 08:31 AM

Let's see...would I rather own a POS Neon or Carrera? Hmmmm

84porsche · 84porsche's Garage

The SRT-4 is a sweet car but that being said Carrera all the way. With the weather this week so far, I have not had this much fun with my Targa in quite awhile.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

I have "beaten" cars that "should have" beaten me a number of times... it is all about the driver, and all about knowing how to get the most out of your car (rev band sweet spots, when to shift, etc)

island911 · 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RallyJon
Hmm, car vs car, from a rolling start, you shouldn't have had a chance. Must have really gotten the drop on him.

I don't see why you say that. First, apparently he did beat the coughNeoncough. Second; rolling start? Third; turbo'd fwd cars suck-ass getting off the line. (0-60 in 5.6 seconds . . .I would like to know the conditions which allowed that! -- I smell burnt clutch, and massive tire-spin for warm-up)

I'm chalking this up to the 911s engineering design and configuration.

legion · 03-16-2005, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CJFusco
I have "beaten" cars that "should have" beaten me a number of times... it is all about the driver, and all about knowing how to get the most out of your car (rev band sweet spots, when to shift, etc)

Haven't raced anyone in my 944...

But, I did blow the doors off a Roadrunner three stop-lights in a row when I had my 2000 Grand Am GT. No way my car could have been faster...

(That was back during the last time the Bloomington Gold Corvette Show was actually in Bloomington...)

RallyJon · 03-16-2005, 12:20 PM

Right. Rolling start minimizes the Neon's weaknesses: FWD, skinny tires, hard to launch turbo, dumb kid driver. With a standing start, the driver's more of a factor and the Neon's massive torque doesn't get used to best effect right away.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

Well, as we all know, the 944 isn't exactly fast off the line... but get it up in the rev band (and the FRWilk chip helps, too), and it can move. I am definitely craving more power lately, though...

Also, with a turbo FWD car, wouldn't torque steer be a BIG problem?

island911 · 03-16-2005, 12:24 PM

torque steer problems pretty much go away with the right offset wheels (they pivot about the center of the contact patch.)

island911 · 03-16-2005, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RallyJon
Right. Rolling start minimizes the Neon's weaknesses: .. .

sure it would; but what i read was the guy was reving his engine (implying stopped) . . so thats why it seems completley resonable to beat that thing with a 911. (not to mention the Neon weighs ~3000lbs.)

JonT · 03-16-2005, 01:22 PM

I would guess that a stock Carrera should be a Neon 0-60 by a tenth or two--which is what car length would be at 60mph. A good win nevertheless.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Completely stopped at a red light...no rolling start.

I did get the most out of the Carrera Power Bands....t

hats the great thing about the 915 tranny (at least in my car): You learn to shift it optimally at the perfect sweet RPM Spot.... otherwise it could get a bit crunchy.

It was a fun ride...I expected him to pull past me but once i hit third gear...I was gone.