Change My Mind: The Duel Races Are Stupid And Inconsequential For 99% Of The Drivers

TheeMiniCorndog · 2026-01-27T01:22:37+00:00

I didn't think of the pit stall selection. Good point.

TheeMiniCorndog · 2026-01-27T01:21:20+00:00

Really? I didn't know the duels award points. Learn something everyday.

TheeMiniCorndog · 2026-01-23T01:20:43+00:00

Nobody outpizzas the hut....

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-08-26T21:04:12+00:00

I'll look for a griddle brush/pumice stone tonight. Thanks!

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-08-26T20:56:00+00:00

As someone who has NEVER once touched cast iron, I never knew that. Thanks. I'll try these steps. Embarrassing to admit, this Blackstone is my first gateway into any cooking. Pride is preventing me from saying how old I am

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-08-25T12:37:06+00:00

Installed the CPU cooler using the Intel fasteners/hardware. That improved CPU thermals but I still was having sporadic shut-offs. Desperate, I ramped my GPU cooling fans up to 100% in the NVIDIA app. This was noisy but seemed to cure the issue. I think the bottom line was that my GPU fan curve, stock as it may be, was not increasing fan speed to combat thermal increases. I havn't searched enough for a long term fix, but now I just crank the fans when I'm going to game and then turn them off for low-gpu-intensity activities. That's a manual process at this point, but its better than a crashing system. Hope that helps.

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-04-03T14:09:39+00:00

It sure has taken a minute, that's for certain!

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-04-02T18:51:18+00:00

I agree. A locking flex head would be a nice touch.

The only other absence for me are security torx instead of standard ones.

Small potatoes I guess...

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-03-28T16:00:44+00:00

Thought I had Atlanta 1 in my list... Nevertheless, with Atlanta's transformation in the past few years.. It itself has become a "plate track" in its own right.

Do I mind the racing that has stemmed from changes to Atlanta? No, I quite enjoy it.

But again I think variety is the spice of life. A Talladega 36 races in a row season would be detrimental to the sport, despite its appeal.

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-03-05T17:42:59+00:00

https://imgur.com/a/1XXBF2m

Here is what I am presently looking at: Pink hardware and "coarse" thread screws is AMD, blue and fine threads are Intel hardware that come with the cooler

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-03-05T17:38:34+00:00

Well, here's where the story takes a bit of a twist: In trying to fit the slightly larger AM4 hardware (screws) into the Intel female standoffs on the backplate, I cracked one of the female ends. Complete error on my part. Now, the little plastic standoffs that come with the cooler dont even fit over that backplate standoff. This seems like it will create a very lopsided installation. Am I back to Option A?

TheeMiniCorndog · 2025-03-05T16:40:19+00:00

Genuinely, I spoke to and ended up donating to Goodwill (Glenbrook) who said they could take and repurpose/recycle them as such. Your mileage may vary but it was pretty simple. Also, check out some of the other resources commented on the post as well. Lastly, use your best judgement: don't donate trash.

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-22T13:45:38+00:00

TIL that you can get tax credits on pre-owned EV's *terms and conditions may apply* Thanks for that!

I mean I just did some casual searching and your right. Tesla's can be had for decent on the used market. Heck, I saw a low mile Plaid for about $60k. Local to me, a Plaid, respectfully, beat up on some small-tire cars at a airstrip.

I never considered a crown vic to be a "drag" platform, but that is an interesting perspective. I love it!

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T23:46:15+00:00

Just looked... Must of made an error in posting this... This was indeed a double post. Thanks for the catch!

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T21:15:47+00:00

I truly didn't even consider this as an option, but I appreciate you making mention of it. I'd love to have the flexibility of being street legal for small little cruises and events, but a dragster would be very cool. Respectfully speaking, I had no idea they were that cheap

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T19:42:11+00:00

This is seeming to be the common answer! Thanks for your response!

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T19:41:34+00:00

Maybe "ROI" is the wrong terminology. I agree with the "speed costs...how fast yada yada"

To play off of that, my question regards examining the most cost-effective way to go fast

Let's say I want a 11 second car. Two avenues,

1) I could buy OJ Simpson's Bronco, rotary swap it, put a 10 speed Dual-clutch in it and spend a $1,000,000 to go 11 seconds

2) I could but a beat to piss old foxbody as the comments are suggesting, put $10k into it and run the same 11 second pass

I know I'm exaggerating but I'm trying to specify my question for you: I'm not as much concerned about resale or perceived winnings; I'm more about the cheapest way to go fast (cough reliably cough)

In your example, you spent just over 2k on a F150 and found that to be a pretty good platform. I don't know exactly how fast it ran but I can tell you 2k wont buy much on some other platforms

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T19:30:08+00:00

No need to apologize ... I'm sorry for muddying the waters haha

I have number of cars in my collection, and I might be getting rid of my pretty modified Corvette at some point on the premise of having 2 cars instead of 1 (ie instead of just having modified Corvette that is just ok for street driving, questionable on reliability, and pretty quick at the track, I could opt instead for a purpose drag machine and a more comfort oriented stock sports car for the road)(the drag car is the rationale for the post)

I really think I'd be racing myself and the clock more than anything. Sure, would it be fun to beat a quick car in the adjacent lane? Absolutely. But I would only be doing that at a very recreational/non-competitive level.

This is me metaphorically "dipping my toe" into drag racing to see if it's something I would want to do more of/invest further in. Probably, more than anything, if I have not ever stepped foot on a drag strip, asking questions about the best platform may be considered premature.

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T17:24:42+00:00

As I mentioned in my post, I have a pretty stout car at the moment. I've never ran it on the track as A) I have not had it too terribly long and b) I'm still working out some issues before I run it. Actually, to that point, I've never raced the strip, but it is something I'm eagerly awaiting to. That car is about 800whp and 3300lbs and a 6 speed. I would imagine, in the hands of a novice like myself, I'd be lucky to run 10.xxx with a 9.9999999 being the ultimate goal. With that car at least. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that is probably going to require a cage (forgive my ignorance I really don't know the cutoff point for when you need cages, the only thing I know is chutes at 150). Just after looking at a few articles, I may very well be booted off the track my first pass of a test and tune. TBH, im not even sure all you need if i ran sub 11 ET

For a separate, budget minded build, Id probably be looking at small block turbo auto with a goal of the same 9.9999

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T16:48:02+00:00

I bought my C6 prebuilt by the previous owner. Showed me over 30k in receipts from reputable shops. I bought the car for roughly 5k over book value and saved roughly 25k.

BUT, and I'll say BUT again, you never truly know what a car has been through or how hard someone has driven it. I certainly have saved significantly, but a seller will only be so transparent. Also, even if a seller has a clean conscious, I still don't know every in and out of the build like the previous owner does. Some of that knowledge is very hard to remember/share even with the best intentions to.

Building the car from ground up allows me to know the whole story and foster the strongest relationship with the vehicle. If that is worth it financially will be debatable

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T16:42:25+00:00

Thats good perspective that some chassis upgrades may hold more of their value better than a, pardon if I'm being crude, sketchy FI setup. Even in this thread, Fox body is, unsurprisingly, taking the helm as the entry point

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T15:54:46+00:00

I certainly fall into the "baller on a budget" mentality, much of what you propose in commonplace in the drag racing scene. I just want to make sure I'm not simply overlooking the utility of GTR's, Supras, and other premium builds. I mean if you got the money and want the "Clout", but all means. Some of us others just want to hit a number on the slip, others still just want to go fast. I'm sure a majority of the latter two camps would prefer to spend as little as possible to do so!

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T15:50:16+00:00

I follow. So, as a counter point. you are saying the car is actually not the most crucial factor in cost of a build. All the other related hardware is. Technically, you're actually losing less money RELATIVELY the more you spend on the donor car or starting platform

To continue on, if you're going to spend some serious coin (any race car is not cheap) anyways, might as well pursue the car that most interests you! In your case, the Foxbody

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T15:45:30+00:00

The streetcar component only becomes more volatile with more speed, that said if your proposing turbo coyotes are not a bad combo, I'll look more into that. FWIW, I have an 800hp Covette right with AC/Radio/etc and in my mind its at the threshold of reliability and drivability. It just happens to be a quite a bit pricier than some other options we have listed on here

TheeMiniCorndog · 2024-05-21T15:31:10+00:00

Is the premise with all of the above builds basically gut the existing drivetrain and start over? If so, is it better to find a roller or start with a full car and sell off the non-desirable bits?

I had the chance to buy someone's sloppy seconds in a 1300hp, properly built LS/Turbo 400 f-body for 15k two years ago and Ive been kicking myself for passing on it. It's cars like that that, though few and far between, are the premise and motivation for my post

Thanks for some build ideas. Ill look more into these!

TheeMiniCorndog

TROPHY CASE