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Finding "How Fast Will It Go?" at Shift-S3ctor's Airstrip Attack

airstrip_attack_029 copy It's a thought that's run though everyone's mind at one point, whether they drive a Honda Civic or Lamborghini Aventador, "How fast can this car go?" airstrip_attack_006 While 1/4 mile dragstrips let you go fast, for some people that's too short. Road racing offers thrills as well but rarely enough straightaway to reach top speed. Then there's places like Bonneville and El Mirage for land speed racing - but if you want the ultimate asphalt thrill, there's Airstrip Attack. airstrip_attack_048 airstrip_attack_017 Organized by Shift-S3ctor, Airstrip Attack is where the big boys and girls come to play. Holding various events, mainly in California, Shift-S3ctor organizes not only Airstrip Attack but other track days as well. airstrip_attack_049 airstrip_attack_045 airstrip_attack_044 This event was held between Los Angeles and San Francisco, taking over the Coalinga Municipal Airport and letting speed freaks take a pass down an airplane runway. Opponents aren't necessarily racing against time, but more so to see who crossed the line first and who had the top speed. airstrip_attack_039 airstrip_attack_057 airstrip_attack_040 The competition was mainly a field of cars you would expect to see tucked away in a garage. From a 1972 Datsun 240z to not one but two McLaren MP4-12Cs, the pit area was its own Cars & Coffee. airstrip_attack_004 airstrip_attack_024 airstrip_attack_053 Parking is where the similarity ends -  these cars weren't for display, they were here to see how fast they could go. airstrip_attack_051 Airstrip Attack offers two kinds of racing; drag racing from a complete stop... airstrip_attack_007 or a roll race where both cars leave the line side by side at about 50 MPH and once they pass a marker, the race begins. airstrip_attack_016 Most drivers wrote horsepower numbers on their windows, but since there's no real way to confirm that organizers use classes and a bracket system to keep things fair. airstrip_attack_015 airstrip_attack_020 This drag EG Civic and DC2 Integra were the only front wheel drive cars in attendance and could hang with the best of them. airstrip_attack_037 Commonly seen in drag racing, duct tape over the headlights was used to help with aerodynamics - which helped this 750 hp Integra hit 187 MPH. airstrip_attack_059 This may have been the first time I've seen a Aston Martin DB9 Convertible outside of a mall parking lot! airstrip_attack_026 airstrip_attack_041 Pro skateboarder, Josh Kalis brought his 900 horsepower twin turbo '69 Camaro. s14_r35 Looked like a close race for this 2jz powered S14 240sx against the GTR. airstrip_attack_047 There's gotta be a certain sense of gratification to take a brand new BMW M5 off the dealer lot and down a runway to see how fast it can go. airstrip_attack_038 To keep intercoolers ready on this 80+ degree day, bags of ice were used to keep the heat from robbing horsepower. airstrip_attack_019 The E90 M3 sedan isn't a common choice for racing but the interior on this one was strictly business. airstrip_attack_008 One of the fastest cars of the day was this 1500 horsepower Alpha 16 GTR which was clocked at well over 200 MPH. Alpha16_GTR Carbon fiber and titanium were used to shave weight where possible. airstrip_attack_010 The Alpha 16 GTR wasn't alone in the 1000+ horsepower & 200 MPH club. ETS/English Racing hit 219 MPH in their 1500 hp GTR. airstrip_attack_009 The Heffner twin turbo Gallardo hit the highest trap speeds of the day at 222 MPH at the half mile mark. airstrip_attack_055 Pushing the limits always involves a great risk. This SP Engineering tuned GTR crossed the line at 213 MPH but then flipped at the end of the runway. Thanks to a proper roll cage and safety equipment, the driver walked away without a scratch. After confirming that the driver was OK, Fire and Rescue reported back saying, "The driver wants to know what his trap speed was." airstrip_attack_056 With many cars exceeding the 200 MPH mark, limits are bound to be continually pushed. Whether you like looking fast or driving fast, the question of "How fast will it go" will always be asked... and Airstrip Attack is here to help answer that. The next Airstrip Attack will be at Pike's Peak Airstrip June 27th & 28th, check Shift-S3ctor's website for more details. id 16047
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