A New Year's Eve Kill for an FC and a SE
12-31-06, 11:16 PM
#1
A New Year's Eve Kill for an FC and a SE
Driving with one of my fellow rotary brothers tonight, an RX-8 owner, we decided to have a final cruise before the new year. I had to get some gas, so I called him and said let's test the differences between the two cars on the way to the gas station. His car is stock, I believe, and he said sure. I told him we'd go on 3 hazards. When we got on the freeway, I hit my hazards.
1.....2......3
I took off in 2nd, and started walking him in the lower gear. 3rd was about the same, but a bit less of a walk. He started gaining as I hit 4th, but our exit ramp was coming up to another highway. We held back a little to make sure that the ramp was clear, but once we saw that it was, he punched it again. A 20 mph hairpin finished off the exit ramp and we both braked and downshifted, he downshifted 5-4-3, I downshifted 4-3-2, and both dove into the corner. He gained right at the entrance on braking, but I pulled away mid-corner and exit. However, the next highway was pretty straight so my initial advantage gave out once I hit fourth and I signaled my defeat. The exit to the gas station came up and we both got off the freeway.
On the way up to DPA for the night, we had a Mazda3 mess with us, but accelerating in top gear was enough to take care of that annoyance. I guess everyone stayed at home tonight, since DPA was pretty much empty so we decided to head back after a drink.
On the way back, there was a Acura 3.2 TL that tried to show that he could drive by zipping out in front of us. We flexed our 80 cid muscle (=P) and downshifted to 3rd and 4th respectively. A mild sweeper came up on the highway, and apparently he panicked and slowed down. Both of us wondered what was going on and passed him. He ended up realizing his place and stayed behind us the whole time, even when we slowed down.
After a couple of minutes of me complaining that there was no one on the road to play with, my friend said over the cell phone, "Hey, we got someone behind us closing fast, it looks like a BMW." I replied with a, "Sweet, looks like this trip wasn't a total waste." I saw him coming up in the slow lane, but when I downshifted to 3rd, he stopped gaining. I cut over to the slow lane and started pulling. I cut back over to the fast lane and saw it was a Mercedes S 500. I was surprised that he wasn't walking both of us, but I didn't let that stop me. I punched it and shifted into 4th. Sweepers came up and the S 500 started dying back, the FC and the SE leaving him behind in the corners. I will give props to the powerplant in the S 500, since he started gaining on us on the straights. However, there were too many 100+ mph corners for him and he quickly died back at the end. We ended up 10 seconds ahead and shut down because traffic was approaching.
The SE and I split ways since I had to take another highway home, but the S 500 followed me. This time, I let him get in front of me and was pleasantly surprised when I matched him in acceleration for all of 3rd and most of 4th. Near the end of 4th, he started walking me, but once again, turns saved my ***. He was about 6 or 7 cars ahead, when I started gaining on him again. He cut over to the slow lane, so I went over to the fast lane and gunned it. The next left-hand sweeper spelled the end of the S 500 as he had to get off shortly afterwards. I drove the rest of the way home with a slight grin, and with the realization that the S 500 isn't as fast as previously thought to be.
1.....2......3
I took off in 2nd, and started walking him in the lower gear. 3rd was about the same, but a bit less of a walk. He started gaining as I hit 4th, but our exit ramp was coming up to another highway. We held back a little to make sure that the ramp was clear, but once we saw that it was, he punched it again. A 20 mph hairpin finished off the exit ramp and we both braked and downshifted, he downshifted 5-4-3, I downshifted 4-3-2, and both dove into the corner. He gained right at the entrance on braking, but I pulled away mid-corner and exit. However, the next highway was pretty straight so my initial advantage gave out once I hit fourth and I signaled my defeat. The exit to the gas station came up and we both got off the freeway.
On the way up to DPA for the night, we had a Mazda3 mess with us, but accelerating in top gear was enough to take care of that annoyance. I guess everyone stayed at home tonight, since DPA was pretty much empty so we decided to head back after a drink.
On the way back, there was a Acura 3.2 TL that tried to show that he could drive by zipping out in front of us. We flexed our 80 cid muscle (=P) and downshifted to 3rd and 4th respectively. A mild sweeper came up on the highway, and apparently he panicked and slowed down. Both of us wondered what was going on and passed him. He ended up realizing his place and stayed behind us the whole time, even when we slowed down.
After a couple of minutes of me complaining that there was no one on the road to play with, my friend said over the cell phone, "Hey, we got someone behind us closing fast, it looks like a BMW." I replied with a, "Sweet, looks like this trip wasn't a total waste." I saw him coming up in the slow lane, but when I downshifted to 3rd, he stopped gaining. I cut over to the slow lane and started pulling. I cut back over to the fast lane and saw it was a Mercedes S 500. I was surprised that he wasn't walking both of us, but I didn't let that stop me. I punched it and shifted into 4th. Sweepers came up and the S 500 started dying back, the FC and the SE leaving him behind in the corners. I will give props to the powerplant in the S 500, since he started gaining on us on the straights. However, there were too many 100+ mph corners for him and he quickly died back at the end. We ended up 10 seconds ahead and shut down because traffic was approaching.
The SE and I split ways since I had to take another highway home, but the S 500 followed me. This time, I let him get in front of me and was pleasantly surprised when I matched him in acceleration for all of 3rd and most of 4th. Near the end of 4th, he started walking me, but once again, turns saved my ***. He was about 6 or 7 cars ahead, when I started gaining on him again. He cut over to the slow lane, so I went over to the fast lane and gunned it. The next left-hand sweeper spelled the end of the S 500 as he had to get off shortly afterwards. I drove the rest of the way home with a slight grin, and with the realization that the S 500 isn't as fast as previously thought to be.
Last edited by Roen; 12-31-06 at 11:28 PM.
01-01-07, 12:03 AM
#3
Sounds like you had a great time, and everybody made it home safe.
But... I don't think the Benz owner was either really trying, or just afraid to push his car.
Those 500's (especially the AMG's) are nothing short of amazing, and are DESIGNED for high speed runs. Think Autobahn.
But... I don't think the Benz owner was either really trying, or just afraid to push his car.
Those 500's (especially the AMG's) are nothing short of amazing, and are DESIGNED for high speed runs. Think Autobahn.
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