Aquineas

Okay folks, I've been really hesitant to post this because what did happen wasn't supposed to happen. I am well aware of how much B.S. goes on on car forums, and I make a conscientious effort to not only not participate, but to also refute, some of the nonsense. Some on this board might even feel I'm overly critical of our TL. I'm not really, but what I am is a realist, and I will always call things the way I see them. If you want a truthful perception of a car, you'll be hardpressed to find someone more unbiased than I. What you perhaps don't see is that just as I've called people out for Honda or Acura worship on this site, I've called people out for Nissan worship on Altimas.net, or Ford worship on mustangworld.com (when I had my Cobra). I'm just not a big fan of people making subjective or unsubstantiated claims. Hopefully my pursuit of truth and my love for cars will help make my occasionaly outspoken observations a little easier to accept. Having said all that, hopefully it's clear that I don't B.S, and that might make this story more believable.

On to the race. It's Friday evening in Austin, about 9:30pm. Through lots of jockeying, I end up being the first car in a long line of cars on a surprisingly crowded-for-that-hour 3 lane stretch of road that has lights every mile or so (Whomever designed the traffic pattern and timing lights really needs to be shot, as you will stop at almost every light). For those of you familiar with Austin, it's eastbound on Ben White, about two miles before you get to the 183 interchange. For those of you who are not familiar with Austin, it's a three lane road that, two miles up ahead, becomes a two lane road because the far right lane exits unto another highway.

I come to the next redlight (Grrrrrrr..). On my right is a white M3 convertible, with top down, driven by a moustached early 60s fellow deep in the midst of a midlife crisis. I didn't pay attention to what was on my left, but I later found out it was one of those wedge-shaped celicas (you know, the ugly ones that make you wonder why anyone would buy that over the gorgeous Scion TC). The light turns green and I kind of accelerate normally, but the M3 guy punches it. I mean he's out of there like a lying, cheating, stealing incumbent president.

Obviously, he easily wins the race to the next stoplight, as I wasn't trying very hard, and even if I was trying, I figure there's no way I've got even a remote chance. This being Austin, there's always another light up ahead that you'll likely get stuck in. So we get to the next light, and I move the shift lever into "sport shift" mode, while turning off VSA. I know he'll cream me, but I figure I'd see what the old 3.2l mil will do.

I watch the opposing lights, poised and ready to strike. The light changes and I'm off. I get the jump on him by the front 1/3 of a car. He takes off a split second later and falls to about 1/2 a car length behind me before he slowly starts gaining ground back. At shift time, the ground he's gained quickly evaporates, as he appears to shift really slow. His car lurches noticably when he shifts. By the time we've completely stretched our legs, the lane he's in is the exit lane and he's either got to pass me real-soon-now or slow down (we've got maybe a 1/4 mile befor the exit).

The remarkable BMW inline six begins to compensate for this driver's particular performance, and he begins to slowly pass my TL, slowly as in inch by inch. He's got me perhaps by a wheel when he realizes he's not passing me quickly enough in order to get over in time to avoid taking the 183 south exit. He does the wise thing and breaks off the race, getting behind me. He wasn't a jerk at this point, riding my ass. He kept a respectful distance considering the other traffic.

Had this race have gone on a bit longer, he would have won for sure, I have no doubt. Still, when we were both stretching our legs, he didn't walk me the way I expected to be walked. In the end, I got the distinct impression he came away impressed with the TL, as did the driver of the WDP Auto TL.

Aquineas

This being my first race, I thought it would be fun to post a link to my first race that I had in my previous car (also a loss, unfortunately). Link to first race in my last car.

cvajs

the M3 would have taken your TL easily with right driver and with top up.

te3point5

As efficiant as you guys think the TL engine is, (and it is a great engine) That M3 engine is amazing!

savageTL

Goes to prove pretty much every race is a drivers race! Excellent job handling a true low 13s car, heck a good driver can get a stock three pedal M3 coupe well into the 12s. This guy should definately considered SMG. It is always better to hang with a much quicker car than summarily dispatch a much slower one.

Vandy

trey39

Good story... pleasantly surprised!

Also surprised that it ended well.... I live in the DC area.... there is NO WAY something like that would have ended without someone being a "jerk" (or worse)!

DallasTL

Damn... that's a long story to hear you outraced an old guy in an M3. Sounds like he may have been taking it easy as I doubt a TL could run with it from a stop. The fact the top was down would do little to affect acceleration, more apt to affect top speed that anything else.

Ron A

Cars & Bikes

terse

you should've smoked him..like fast and the furious style..

Seattle Cl-S

The M3 is an amazing machine, nobody denies this. But to say the guy was "taking it easy" is silly. If you go to the 1/4 mile track you realize that a 0.1 second difference in your first 60 feet can affect your 1/4 time by 0.5 seconds! When I get a 2.3s 60' I run 14.0 times. When I get a 2.2, I run 13.6. I cross the 1/4 mile mark at about the same speed (106mph). Now, at 106mph, 0.4 seconds is about 5-6 car lengths!

The TL had the jump so I'm sure he was at a decent enough advantage to keep the M3 at bay as least through half of 2nd gear. If this race had stretched out longer the M3 would surely have no problem passing the TL. But that wasn't the case. The M3 driver launched late and shifted poorly = loss to slower car.

I agree, top down wouldn't do much at these speeds to affect the race THAT much.

Azuki

Good job to you, shame on the old guy hehe.