Drag Racing 9
You certainly made me raise an eyebrow on this one. Granted, on the West Coast it's extremely rare to find a watercooled European car at a drag racing event. Sometimes I find I'm the only one at an import drag race (NHRA Xplod Series, IDRC, Battle of the Imports, etc). Now take the aircooled fans out there, and drag racing to them is as common as finding Lambo doors at a Honda show. The platforms the cars are based on, combined with acceleration weight transfer, makes them more suited to drag racing than autocross or road racing.
The eurotuner GP definitely plays on what most of the Euro tuning world is turning to - autocrossing, track days, etc. So to exclude drag racing in the GP just meant you guys are keeping up with what's popular.
I've always been into drag racing personally because of my background, but I gave autocross a shot last year at Dubwars and Dubfest. I had fun and will give it a go again this year. But don't be surprised if a few East Coast guys raise some hell over your views, since many of the quicker watercooled Euros that drag race come from over there.
Brad Harvey
socaleuro.com
Tearful
I nearly cried after reading the 11/05 issue and seeing Chauncey Kuhl's Scirocco 16v. Three weeks ago I was rear-ended in my own Scirocco. I picked up the car on a Saturday after having new pistons, bearings, dual springs, Autotech Eurocam and a ported and polished head installed. I also had an Optima red top, new radiator, Eurosport shift weight, Techtonics short shifter and racing mounts, a top-notch Alpine system and 17" Alessio rims. That week it was hit from behind, with all of 500 miles on my goodies. Look closely at the photo and on the left you can see the guy's license plate buried in the ass of my car!
I live for old skool Dubs, so I've bought my friend's '83 8v, but after blowing my bank account on the 16v, all I've been able to afford is a tune-up, oil change and new fuel filter. Of course, my insurance says the car is virtually worthless. Life sucks. All you crazy drivers and cell phone-using drivers, please be more cautious!Perry Jones
Oxnard, CA
Combat Correspondent
Kudos to you guys for publishing something on the positive reinforcement of our troops overseas. I'm not a typical reader of your magazine, but I recently read an issue with a report from a soldier in theater, and I have to say it's good to hear from somebody who has something positive to say about the great job being done each and every day by our fighting men and women over there. Our media only focuses on bombings and the death toll of American soldiers to put a negative spin on things. Not to diminish the individual sacrifices these casualties have made for the advancement of freedom in a region where the people haven't even tasted the freedom we take for granted in America.
Please let your man overseas and his fellow soldiers know the true Americans are behind them every step of the way, and appreciate the fine work they do.
The tuner demographic seems to be the younger generation, and this type of coverage goes a long way to cut through the misinformation out there.
Keep up the great work. I'm a '70s muscle car restorer with a '73 440cid four-speed street-modified Plymouth Cuda and your coverage reached me. No telling where your good work will reach...
Michael N Mildner
Ocala, Florida
We've said all along we don't necessarily agree with the war but we certainly support the guys out there dodging the bullets. Sgt Cloward became our self-appointed Combat Car Correspondent in Iraq and gave us his side of the conflict. In fact, he still writes for us, and you can read about his Project Jetta on p78 of this issue.