New performance standard of 60mph to 130mph replacing the quarter-mile drag race

A 300 car night at the author's closest track. Take a half-day for 3 runs

The quarter-mile drag race has lost some relevance, especially among modern ultra-high horsepower cars. The 60-130mph measurement is easier to obtain and consistently more representative of the car's capability. The quarter-mile will always exist and rightfully so because of the all-around nature of measuring a cars straight line performance. Of course, it's a lot of fun and its always great to see a large variety of different cars race. But many times its simply easier to get a 60-130mph measurement. I don't condone speeding on public roads but this is the reality.

Instead, a VBOX result of a 60 to 130mph run gives a very accurate depiction of the performance of the car. Traction and surface preparation issues are minimal and heat soak is no longer a factor. The 130mph speed separates the big boys from those that perform better at lower speeds due to gearing or AWD. It also represents what happens in racing on road circuits - a rolling drag race when exiting a turn. And it's much easier to find a stretch of road with no traffic that fits the bill. Again, obey your traffic laws...

Check out these links to see how its structured and the results. All most likely done in Mexico or on private roads:  6speedonline and at bimmerforums.

In this day of 600hp+ cars, low profile tires and intrusive emission controls, an optimal quarter-mile result is becoming more and more elusive. We all want to know how cars are capable of performing. But how many of us can go to a dragstrip with a well-prepped surface for excellent adhesion, a negative density altitude (cold dense air) for highest potential horsepower output, no long waits while idling to approach the staging lights, and time to practice launch techniques with various tire pressure in order to achieve the quickest elapse time and highest trap speed possible?

If you have a modern high performance car, especially in the 500+hp range, it has stiff, low-profile tires and is very difficult to launch. Is your track even open when the temperatures drop into the 40s or below? How is the surface preparation? How many runs do you get in? At 600+hp, it becomes an even greater exercise in power and wheelspin management, especially on stock (low profile) tires that are designed for handling and braking vs. drag radials or slicks.

Magazines must continue to use the quarter-mile as the benchmark for a car's straight-line performance potential. But the magazines have certain benefits racers at many tracks do not. First and foremost, they have easy and open access to the tracks. That is not the case for tens of thousands, especially during the work week. They do not sit in a line of 10, 100 or even 300+ cars while engine temps climb beyond normal operating temperatures, robbing precious horsepower. They are able to practice various launch techniques because they can get multiple runs. Finally, many tracks are closed to the public during the colder seasons. The track should always be our preference, but the alternative is quite frankly, easier.

What about the magazines as a source? They must keep testing, and always test to 130mph but preferably 150mph. That way comparison data can be easily extrapolated.

Drag racing at the tracks is still a blast. The competition, sights, sounds and camaraderie can make a great time even if getting only three poor runs. More tracks should open to address the public demand and street racing should be discouraged.. However, brief a 60-130mph blast in a high performance car on a clear multi-lane road is far safer than the daily 60-70mph commute millions have every day. So now, the 60-130mph is becoming a new standard of measuring acceleration