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Focus is not a 1/4 mile car ...

18K views 106 replies 52 participants last post by  SMITHBOY76908 
#1 ·
Just take it to a nice road course and you'll more than hold your own with just about anything stock that comes in under 25 grand --- At least in the SVT you will. Drag racing isn't even racing to me ... it requires very little skill compared to other forms of racing. I admit, it is fun to watch and fun to do but it is not real racing.
 
#4 ·
coleslaststand said:
Just take it to a nice road course and you'll more than hold your own with just about anything stock that comes in under 25 grand --- At least in the SVT you will. Drag racing isn't even racing to me ... it requires very little skill compared to other forms of racing. I admit, it is fun to watch and fun to do but it is not real racing.
i agree that the focus is not a drag car, and if you are dragging the focus, it's kinda pointless................but i dissagree when you say that there is very little skill involved compared to other forms of racing, especially when you get into professional drag racing, like the NHRA, etc..............
 
#7 ·
so i guess anyone that cant spend 30 grand on their car shouldnt drag race [rollseyes]




^^^^^^^
Who said anything about drag racing and money? I am not really trying to stir the pot, just pointing out that the Focus is a drivers car not a drag car ... it should be appreciated for what it is, and not criticized as much for what it's not ...
Don't get me wrong, I like drag racing ... I had an '85 Z28, and she would lay rubber from here to eternity but it would also end up around a tree if it tried to chase a Focus up a curvy road ...
 
#8 ·
This topic has been debated many times, the focus is not built for straight lines from the factory, it's a twisties car. That's not to say that it can't be built into a straight line car. However, I'm havin more fun makin my baby a corner demon. [:)] TO EACH THEIR OWN.
 
#10 ·
i agree 100%, now with the exception of the upper professional levels of the sport, any old moron with a car can go to the local strip and drag. Car And Driver proved this when they successfully bracket raced a H2. REAL driving is what my focus was built for, and it gets its fair share of it. And, I have suprised more than one fellow autocrosser with how fast my car is around the cones, the last race of the year i got 13th overall out of lik 110, in the rain. look at the results and see some of the cars below me and look at my really good friend finishing 8th overall in his svt. www.autocross.com/texasregion
 
#12 ·
It sucks not having any autox events around here........DAMN
 
#13 ·
coleslaststand said:
Drag racing isn't even racing to me ... it requires very little skill compared to other forms of racing. I admit, it is fun to watch and fun to do but it is not real racing.
lol? How can it not be real racing, when 2 people are going head to head to see who breaks the traps first or who gets the better time? lol. You have stated a fallacy. And I think some more of us gear heads should be offended. I believe both autoX and Drag are racing. I just prefer drag, cuz id rather have a car that can run low 10s in a quarter than have some pocket rocket mobile that can take a fast turn, lol. To each his own i guess.
 
#39 ·
I have to agree with this and with doing both drag and road tracks I feel the Focus is good for both

Anyone that thinks drag racing isnt racing should go do a few events to see how challanging it really is , what the OP said about drag racing could also be said about the focus isnt a good road car that it isnt real racing to just go in a circle , its a nuts statement

Tom
 
#14 ·
I completely agree, the Focus is not a drag racer that's not what it was built for. It's built for the track and nice, easy, smooth driving around town. And I love my SVTF for it!!


Now on the other hand most challenges don't come up on twisties but during stop lights and highways. SO i guess there is an argument in that respect.
 
#15 ·
I hope you're all talking of the SVT...
I think the regular (not SVT) Focus is build to get your groceries. Then, if you want to track or drag race, the Focus is a good platform to upgrade; handling and power.
I personally prefer drag racing because I like to see quick raw power.
 
#16 ·
I think the focus is a perfectly good drag car. Race heads up against any other 4 cyl and you can make some money. If you don't think it takes skill you haven't been to te drag strip and ran a run worth counting. The concept of a road course it to go as straight as possible even thru the corners.
 
#17 ·
jerryzx3 said:
The concept of a road course it to go as straight as possible even thru the corners.
He has a point, I'd choose drag racing over any other kind of racing anyday. I love the atmosphere, the smell of the burning rubber, the fact that the guy with the most power wins, although drag racing isnt all about power. A good driver and suspension setup, so you can hook up are also important.
 
#18 ·
yellowzx3R said:
well is not a drag car, but is fun in light to light duels.
that's 100% how I feel about it too. you race things in your class and the focus holds its own. you stray away and race things that you probably shouldn't, and you'll lose. i think we need to stick to racing the civics (unless your in queens NY [;)] ) and the lesser VWs. I've actually been doing less and less dragging and been hitting the twisties pretty hard. just got the eibach pro dampeners and pro sway bars installed last week, on top of the sportlines and some nice new rubber and my cars bites like its on rails. but to each his own.
 
#19 ·
Drag racing is definitly a skill.....dropping tire pressure, putting ice on the intake or valve cover, heating up the tires, launching at certain RPMS, then getting a close reaction time to .000 as possible, isnt a SKILL????.......you guys dont no crap then....ok the focus isnt a drag car cuz its slow, yeah.....but to say drag racing isnt a skill....lol you know nothing then about it.....the svt focus isnt much of a drag car either.....in my automatic ive beaten 2 svt's in a 1/4mile at the track....why?.....because ive gotten way better luanches and traction than them, because i know what it takes to drag race, i only run a 16.0......but i know what im doing............so to say it isnt a skill, stick to getting your grocerys.......Also, about autox'ing....when u have a car with alltypes of suspension it kind of makes it not fun to watch and not much more of a skill then drag racing.......when u have a car that can handle the turns great how is it the driver that has the skill???.....if u take a car that doesnt handle as good.....and some1 can take turns great.......than it is a skill and fun to watch
 
#20 ·
Not a drag car?/ Well let me ask this then what is? A ten second mustang or a lowely 8 second bracket car or only just nitro cars, or maybe only pro stock.. You get my point. The focus is a drag car if you are in it at a drag strip..
I have roadraced motorcycles for the last 16 years and primarily consider myself a roadracer, now I have been to the dragstripo a few times for fun as well as a few other types of racing..
I go to the drag strip to see what my machine and I can do, I may even go back later after some modifications to see how we have improved. I have dragged my facus 3 of my bikes and 3 other cars, including a buddies old escort one night... Why not? It was fun, and 8 dollars to spectate or 20 dollars to run....easy choice for me!!
I used to be quite snobby about roadracing, I figured drag racing was for knuckle dragging goofballs, till I went a few times..Now without bragging I am pretty good at roadracing ( for a big guy), I usually finished toward the front of the pack, that being said.. I SUCK at drag racing.. How do I know, a friend let me drive his chevy that normally runs 11.20, I got a 12.1 the first time and the best I could muster was a 11.60....HMMMM must be some skill there.

Have you ever watched the SERIOUS bracket racing guys, these guys get upset if they cut a light worse than 5.12 or so ( 5.00 is perfect), on a good night I cut a 5.4 or 5.5 light!!!These guys are consistant down to the hundreths of a second, they will win or lose the finals often by a hundreth of a second.. How can you say that is not skillful. Maybe it isn't your thing ( not really mine either), but there is some skill envolved!!

WOW rant now over...LOL
 
#21 ·
I might not be Turbo Tom but from when I got my Focus stock, up to this point. The Focus has gotten to be a lot more fun on the 1/4. The Vortech just steals the show. I just love hearing that 2.0 work! Also with the suspension, I feel like I can out handle a Ferrari.[thumb]
 
#22 ·
Viney, I think the point trying to be made is the Focus right out of the box is more suited at the track than at heads up drag racing. Backet racing has very little to do with the car, and more on driver consistancy.
 
#23 ·
Egz said:
Viney, I think the point trying to be made is the Focus right out of the box is more suited at the track than at heads up drag racing. Backet racing has very little to do with the car, and more on driver consistancy.
You are right, and I agree with you.. But you do see mypoint don't you?? If you want to drag your civic or focus or elantra you can still have fun doing it. Drag racing is very easy to get people involved in and it often convinces folks that other types of racing may be within their reach as well..
 
#24 ·
I understand and cede that drag racing does take definite skill. I would never deny anyone their passion for a form of racing, I only question their choice of vehicle. If you really love drag racing, why pick the Focus, especially the SVT. Unless you have a deep-seated need to be different there are MANY cars better suited to the 1/4 mile than a Focus. Even amongst FWD cars, there are plenty of vehicles much easier and cheaper to make fast in a straight line. There are very few parts to make it an effective dragster, especially when you are talking about the SVTF.
The entire point of the Focus is it's fantastic chassis and suspension, not it's OK engine. That is what makes it such a great car, pure and simple. And straight line acceleration is fun, to be sure, but it doesn't come close to holding on at the knife-edge of control through a road course or AutoX for me. Not to mention that I can actually be racing for far longer on course than I can at the strip.

So tell me, drag racers, why use the Focus to drag race when there are so many other more appropriate and fast cars out there?
 
#25 ·
QuikHAtCH said:
that's 100% how I feel about it too. you race things in your class and the focus holds its own. you stray away and race things that you probably shouldn't, and you'll lose. i think we need to stick to racing the civics (unless your in queens NY [;)] ) and the lesser VWs. I've actually been doing less and less dragging and been hitting the twisties pretty hard. just got the eibach pro dampeners and pro sway bars installed last week, on top of the sportlines and some nice new rubber and my cars bites like its on rails. but to each his own.
I'm with you man[thumb] .
 
#26 ·
Carrera26 said:
So tell me, drag racers, why use the Focus to drag race when there are so many other more appropriate and fast cars out there?
I drag race my focus because its the only car i have, and since its the only car i have and i enjoy drag racing i will use the focus
 
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