Letter Of The MonthRegards to the segment, "Street Racing: Truth and Consequences," in the August '02 issue, you guys nailed the subject right on the head. I used to frequent the illegal races around Kent, Wa. I admit, I raced more times than I can count. I am familiar with the new laws that were implemented in the city and I think they're great. Those "no-race zones" are scaring the shit out of people. If you even drive an import through any industrial park of Kent between midnight and 5 a.m., they'll pull your ass over. Trust me. The quote, however, with the cop saying he's talking to insurance companies is a really low blow. It's none of the cop's business what you do to your own car. With his help, you won't even be able to afford to drive a modified car because the insurance company will have their middle finger up your ass.
Basically, if you live in Kent, save it for SIR (Seattle International Raceway). It gets too pricey in the end, trust me. Bottle up your egos and save it for the track.Brandon H.From the Internet
Better Than PornI recently subscribed to SCC. I was excited to finally receive my first issue in the mail. To my horror, it appeared my magazine had been manhandled by the entire primate exhibit at the local zoo! The cover was ripped and tattered. The pages inside were dog eared, folded and worn at the corners. What gives, man? Can't you guys spring a few cents for a plastic bag or envelope or something? The display issue at my local magazine shop is in better shape than what I got in the mail.Eloy SolisFrom the Internet
While there is a slight chance that resident monkey Jacquot previewed your copy before it went out, chances are the local postmen either really like or dislike sport compacts.
Poopie HondaAll you talk about is HP/Liter and how powerful Honda's B-series engines are. HP/Liter is a meaningless term, as there are very slow cars with high HP/Liter (Civic Si) and much faster cars with low HP/Liter (Mustang GT). No matter what, the Mustang will always beat the Civic in a straight-line race because the Civic will never have the displacement to compete with real sports cars. Even with better handling, the Civic will still lose on a road course because it is heavily outpowered. The B-series engine might be powerful for its size, but that's as far as it goes. The B16A2 puts out an adequate 160hp but at an astronomical and useless 7600 rpm. Torque is non-existent. And the B18C5 is basically the same. It has decent top-end power with no torque, whatsoever. As a result, the Integra Type R, a supposed street racecar, is no faster than a four-door Nissan Maxima.
For the record, I drive a Vortech supercharged Civic Si. The car still feels really slow and has a lot of trouble going up hills or getting off the line with a passenger in the car. It ran a 14.01 my first time at the track.Christian GallagherFrom the Internet
Wow, such a fountain of knowledge. We realize self hate is painful, especially when stuck driving such a "slow" Civic. You didn't perchance read the B18C5-powered Elise vs. Mustang Cobra R story? Torque is nice, in fact wonderful, but if that's all that mattered, well, we'd all be driving American iron. We suggest you take your pile of junk Si to a local autocross or road course and see how it fairs, if well-driven, against the inherently superior Mustangs.
Our methods exposedThe article on the Mini Cooper S was good, but the photography was absolutely pathetic. Please tell the "King of blurry-action photos," Mr. Bidrawn, to switch from the K-Mart throwaway to a more quality Walgreen's disposable.Jim JohnsonSanta Rosa, CA