Invader
September 29th, 2002, 04:05 AM
I was cruising east down I4 headed downtown, and had almost made it without incident, when I spot a bright yellow '96-'98 Cobra convertible ahead in traffic. The driver is driving with the top down, is switching lanes, and pulling ahead in spurts...so, of course I take notice. By the OBT exit, I had found a hole in traffic and had made my way around him in time for us both to exit onto Amelia. A full-sized GMC van had pulled pole position at the following red light, the car in front of me pulled into the left-turn lane, while the bright yellow mark pulled in behind me. As we sat at the light, the frisky pony owner blipped the throttle once or twice...probably offended by what I consider a muffler. ;)
As the light turned green and the van pulled away, I rolled into 1st slowly and pulled right, not going WOT until my shift to 2nd. I guess the Cobra driver was planning the same since he got into the throttle hard at first, but as I looked back before I shifted 3rd I could see that he had backed out already. Doh! I think I may have scared him off...
I let the Galant push through the first corner of the S-curve, roll smoothly through the next, and I pulled up to the right turn onto Colonial hoping he would bite and pull up quickly. Unfortunately, I was to be disappointed as the van reached me first... Pissed, I pulled briskly away and up to the following red light at Orange Ave...I haven't raced anyone in weeks and I screwed that opportunity up? Luckily, my rearview rewards me with a set of Cobra fogs a few moments before he pulls up on my right.
Figuring on a civil run-confirmation nod, I look over to see two young kids and the driver leaning over to the center console... What do I hear? A purge? Yep...spraying, this should be an interesting run...
The light turned green, and we both let traffic clear out some before accelerating. As my tach skated it's way past 5k, the pony boy floored it and I followed suit with the instant spool of a 14b at that RPM. The half-car I lost to letting him have the jump was already taken back by the time I hit 2nd, which I ran out before shutting down just a few car-lengths from the traffic ahead. He pulled back alongside and we made another short 2nd gear run with the same results...him losing ground quickly.
As we stopped for a red light a few more blocks down, I had less traffic ahead than he, so I stopped short to chat...
Me - "We need to find a light, this on-the-run shit is killing me."
His jaw hung open, I'm not sure he had gotten past the multiple losses to a four door...it just didn't seem to be registering with him.
Him, hesitating - "What's your car run?"
Me, guessing - "Low 13's???"
At this point he just blanked out, blinked once, and looked forward. I made my way to the front of traffic quickly, but he didn't follow...he didn't even pull forward in traffic. I had passed my destination, so I made a U-turn and headed back towards I4...the snake's owner didn't even notice as I passed in the opposite direction...
As the light turned green and the van pulled away, I rolled into 1st slowly and pulled right, not going WOT until my shift to 2nd. I guess the Cobra driver was planning the same since he got into the throttle hard at first, but as I looked back before I shifted 3rd I could see that he had backed out already. Doh! I think I may have scared him off...
I let the Galant push through the first corner of the S-curve, roll smoothly through the next, and I pulled up to the right turn onto Colonial hoping he would bite and pull up quickly. Unfortunately, I was to be disappointed as the van reached me first... Pissed, I pulled briskly away and up to the following red light at Orange Ave...I haven't raced anyone in weeks and I screwed that opportunity up? Luckily, my rearview rewards me with a set of Cobra fogs a few moments before he pulls up on my right.
Figuring on a civil run-confirmation nod, I look over to see two young kids and the driver leaning over to the center console... What do I hear? A purge? Yep...spraying, this should be an interesting run...
The light turned green, and we both let traffic clear out some before accelerating. As my tach skated it's way past 5k, the pony boy floored it and I followed suit with the instant spool of a 14b at that RPM. The half-car I lost to letting him have the jump was already taken back by the time I hit 2nd, which I ran out before shutting down just a few car-lengths from the traffic ahead. He pulled back alongside and we made another short 2nd gear run with the same results...him losing ground quickly.
As we stopped for a red light a few more blocks down, I had less traffic ahead than he, so I stopped short to chat...
Me - "We need to find a light, this on-the-run shit is killing me."
His jaw hung open, I'm not sure he had gotten past the multiple losses to a four door...it just didn't seem to be registering with him.
Him, hesitating - "What's your car run?"
Me, guessing - "Low 13's???"
At this point he just blanked out, blinked once, and looked forward. I made my way to the front of traffic quickly, but he didn't follow...he didn't even pull forward in traffic. I had passed my destination, so I made a U-turn and headed back towards I4...the snake's owner didn't even notice as I passed in the opposite direction...