The drag strip at Crail is an old runway next to the sea. There is a Portakabin containing the computers connected to timing gear on the track. When you race two cars line up behine the line. When a set of mini traffic lights go green then it's time to move. Past the 1/4 mile timer there is a circuit back to the start car park. For £16 you could do as many runs as possible. It turned out to be a great laugh. There was a very friendly atmosphere, with plenty of smiles in the queue up to the line. I managed to do 20 runs. The three best times were 15.98s ,15.96s and 15.95s which is better than I expected (calculated as 16.1s). The other 17 times were between 16 and 18s. Most of the difference comes down to the launch. Getting away without spinning the wheels is the secret. And then it's just a matter of flooring it and changing gear quickly just before the rev limiter comes into play. The 16v Astra GTE had test results of 15.6-15.8s so my tuned 8v is not far behind.
I lost to most of the cars there. But they were Cosworths, Imprezzas, 16v Novas and tuned 106s. The 16v Novas were making about 15.5s. I did beat a few things: another 8v Astra (by miles), Saxo VTS and VTR, 160BHP Civic Jordan. I was particularly pleased about the Saxos since their owners were the most miserable and didn't speak to me. A sub 16s 1/4 mile time puts my humble 8v GTE well ahead of most hot hatches.
The rest of the track at Crail was very entertaining. On a wide runway you can turn corners fast enough to get all four wheels squealing without any worries about crashing or losing your licence. Top fun.
A few weeks later I went down to Santa Pod 1/4 mile strip. It was much more busy, and combined with a late arrival I only managed five goes. Apart from a time of 17.5s when I missed a gear change I was getting times around the 16.4-16.5 mark. This was somewhat dissapointing.
A few days later when at the rolling road it was discovered that no2 cylinder was getting a weak spark because of the forgotten about bodged repair I'd made when I pulled the end off a lead.
A few months later I visted Santa Pod again. This time I managed to get a best of 16.25s. The other times weren't far off too, suggesting that my technique was improving. (That's apart from a 17.5s where I changed from 2nd back into 2nd). The 16.2s is about what I calculated , but I still felt that a more adventurous starting technique should have knocked 0.1s off the time. Best bit was a side by side race with a GTE 16v. He got away a bit better at the start, but from then on in my trusty 8v held on all the way. I ended up about 1-1.5 car lengths behind. He was getting times around 15.5s.
| McLaren F1 | 1994 | 627BHP | 11.1s |
| Porsche 911 Turbo | 2000 | 414BHP | 12.3s |
| Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI GSR | 1999 | 276BHP | 13.3s |
| Subaru Impreza WRX STi | 1998 | 280BHP | 13.3s |
| Subura Impreza Turbo | 1998 | 208BHP | 14.2s |
| Porsche Boxter | 1999 | 252BHP | 14.3s |
| Lotus Elise | 1996 | 118BHP | 14.4s |
| Vauxhall Calibra Turbo 4x4 | 1992 | 201BHP | 14.6s |
| Lancia Delta HF Integrale | 1992 | 210BHP | 14.7s |
| Ford Sierra RS Cosworth | 1987 | 201BHP | 14.8s |
| Vauxhall VX220 | 2000 | 145BHP | 14.8s |
| Ford Escort RS Cosworth | 1993 | 227BHP | 14.9s |
| Rover 220i Turbo Coupe | 1994 | 197BHP | 14.9s |
| Porsche Boxter 2.7 | 1999 | 220BHP | 14.9s |
| Ford Escort Cosworth | 1994 | 224BHP | 15s |
| Nissan 200 SX Turbo | 1994 | 197BHP | 15s |
| Renault Sport Clio 16v | 1999 | 166BHP | 15s |
| Nissan Sunny GTi-R | 1992 | 220BHP | 15.1s |
| VW Corrado VR6 | 1992 | 190BHP | 15.1s |
| Honda Integra R | 1997 | 187BHP | 15.1s |
| Renault Clio V6 | 2000 | 230BHP | 15.2s |
| VW Golf V6 4Motion | 1999 | 204BHP | 15.2s |
| Audi Quattro | 1981 | 200BHP | 15.2s |
| Honda Prelude 2.2i VTEC | 1994 | 183BHP | 15.3s |
| Nissan 200SX Turbo | 1992 | 164BHP | 15.3s |
| Fiat Coupe 16v Turbo | 1994 | 195BHP | 15.3s |
| Vauxhall Cavalier Turbo 4x4 | 1992 | 201BHP | 15.4s |
| MG Maestro Turbo | 1989 | 152BHP | 15.4s |
| Porsche Boxster | 1997 | 204BHP | 15.6s |
| Vauxhall Astra Coupe Turbo | 2000 | 187BHP | 15.6s |
| Toyota Celicia 190 | 2000 | 189BHP | 15.6s |
| VW Golf VR6 | 1992 | 174BHP | 15.7s |
| Porsche 944S | 1987 | 190BHP | 15.7s |
| Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v | 1987 | 156BHP | 15.7s |
| Alfa Romeo 156 V6 | 1998 | 190BHP | 15.8s |
| Honda Civic VTi | 1991 | 158BHP | 15.8s |
| Ford Puma Racing | 2000 | 153BHP | 15.8s |
| Honda Accord Type R | 1998 | 209BHP | 15.9s |
| Vauxhall Astra GSi 16v | 1991 | 150BHP | 15.9s |
| Saab 900 Turbo Coupe | 1994 | 185BHP | 15.9s |
| Ford Mondeo ST200 | 1999 | 202BHP | 15.9s |
| Toyota MR2 1.8 VVTi | 2000 | 138BHP | 15.9s |
| Vauxhall Astra GTE 8v Tom Stickland! | 1991 | 145BHP | 15.95s |
| Nissan Sunny 2.0GTi | 1992 | 143BHP | 16s |
| Vauxhall Vectra GSi | 1998 | 195BHP | 16s |
| Rover 200 BRM | 1998 | 143BHP | 16s |
| Honda CRX VTi | 1992 | 158BHP | 16s |
| Alfa Romeo 156 | 1997 | 155BHP | 16s |
| Citroen Saxo VTS | 1997 | 120BHP | 16.1s |
| Renault Clio Williams | 1993 | 150BHP | 16.1s |
| Ford Mondeo 24v Ghia | 1995 | 168BHP | 16.1s |
| Nissan Almera GTi | 1996 | 143BHP | 16.1s |
| Audi A3 1.8T Sport | 1997 | 150BHP | 16.2s |
| Vauxhall Vectra Super Touring | 1997 | 195BHP | 16.2s |
| Peugot 206 GTi | 1999 | 137BHP | 16.2s |
| Seat Ibiza 1.8 GT 16v | 1994 | 130BHP | 16.2s |
| Renault Megane Coupe 16v | 1996 | 150BHP | 16.2s |
| Ford Probe V6 GT | 1993 | 164BHP | 16.2s |
| Seat Leon GT | 2000 | 180BHP | 16.2s |
| Ford Escort RS Turbo | 1987 | 132BHP | 16.2s |
| Peugot 306 Ralleye | 1998 | 167BHP | 16.3s |
| Peugot 205 GTi 1.9 | 1987 | 130BHP | 16.4s |
| Peugot 306 GTi-6 | 1996 | 167BHP | 16.4s |
| Honda Civic 1.8 Vti | 1997 | 167BHP | 16.4s |
| Fiat Bravo HGT | 1997 | 147BHP | 16.4s |
| VW Golf GTi 16v | 1993 | 150BHP | 16.4s |
| Citroen Xsara VTS Coupe | 1998 | 167BHP | 16.4s |
| Vauxhall Astra Coupe | 2000 | 147BHP | 16.4s |
| Ford Escort RS2000 | 1991 | 150BHP | 16.4s |
| Renault Clio Sport 172 | 2000 | 170BHP | 16.5s |
| Ford Mondeo ST24 | 1998 | 168BHP | 16.5s |
| Peugot 106 GTi | 1997 | 120BHP | 16.5s |
| Vauxhall Calibra V6 | 1993 | 167BHP | 16.5s |
| Ford Fiesta RS1800 | 1992 | 128BHP | 16.5s |
| Vauxhall Astra SRi | 1998 | 134BHP | 16.5s |
| Ford Cougar V6 | 1998 | 168BHP | 16.6s |
| Nissan Primera GT | 1997 | 150BHP | 16.6s |
| VW Golf V5 | 1997 | 150BHP | 16.6s |
| Peugot106 Ralleye | 1998 | 103BHP | 16.6s |
| Fiat Barchetta | 1998 | 130BHP | 16.6s |
| MGF 1.8i | 1995 | 118BHP | 16.6s |
| Ford Puma | 1997 | 123BHP | 16.7s |
| Renault Clio 16v | 1991 | 137BHP | 16.7s |
| Ford Escort XR3i | 1992 | 128BHP | 16.7s |
| VW Golf GTi 1.8T SE | 1997 | 150BHP | 16.8s |
| Seat Ibiza Cupra Sport 16v | 1997 | 150BHP | 16.9s |
| VW Golf Gti MK1 | 1981 | 110BHP | 16.9s |
| VW Polo GTi | 2000 | 125BHP | 18s |