When you turn 16, go to a local drag racing track and practice takeoffs and fast shifting. Knowing when to shift is very important and that takes practice. Another thing is to put premium gas in the car, put some octane booster in the gas and advance the ignition timing until it pings under hard acceleration and then back it off some. The knock sensor might do that on its own, but the timing will help alot.
Another thing you could do is to retard the cam gears a few degrees, 5 is a good starting place. That will give you more top end, but the lower end will suffer some. Just replacing the mufflers with good freeflowing items will give you more horsepower too.
Make sure your tires are in good shape and DON'T remove the powersteering belt. It doesn't cause any drag while going straight. Take the spare out and any other stuff you don't need that weighs extra. Take out the air cleaner just for that race too, unless you are on a very dusty road, but that again will help a bit.
Practice your shifts and don't get stupid. Make sure you have good brakes too. You will have to stop at the end. Don't just rev it up to the red line and shift, by then your power will have fallen off and your times will suffer and don't carry a passenger!
Have fun but be smart, think it through and if it doesn't feel right yet, then wait a while.
Russ
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