EK_Nine

"A front-wheel drive running 12s in the quarter mile…that's impossible." That was the mentality of the drag racing community when Hondas would frequent the drag strips on weekends and at early Battle of the Imports events back in 1994. Not long after the "impossible" proved to be just a matter of time. Timeslips in the 11s, 10s, 9s and ultimately 8s would be attained. Today, the big question surrounds the 7s. When, where and how can a front-wheel-drive break into that elusive and exclusive range? From all estimations, a front-wheel-drive running in the 7s would have a trap speed in excess of 180mph. Zero to over 180mph in just seven seconds, it may be better than sex, but it definitely doesn't last as long.

While the AEM DRAG Civic Team accepts the challenge to be the first front-wheel-drive into the 7s, we recognize that someone following a completely different path may get there first. We have been extremely fortunate to be able to have the right support and sponsors to be the "favorite" to break into the 7's. On November 11th, 2001 at the IDRC Long Horn Nationals, the AEM DRAG Civic ran an 8.12 at 180.00 mph. This was the quickest and fastest performance from the car to date. At the start of the 2002 season, expectations were high and the 7's didn't seem that far away. Now seven months later, if the first half of 2002 has proven anything, it is that the 7's are definitely going to be a challenge.

Not being what I would consider a professional writer, I asked DRAG Sport for some direction and advice. They suggested that I talk about how we learned from our first tube-frame front-wheel-drive Honda and how we used this knowledge to build the AEM DRAG Civic. If there is anything that a beginning racer needs to understand about drag racing, it is that you rarely get things 100-percent right on your first racecar.

Timeline---NuFormz '99 Civic Hatchback

Thinking out loud, "If the front-wheel-drive configuration means that you can't transfer additional weight on the front tires when the car launches, then we need to put as much weight over the front tires as possible. With the highest weight bias toward the front, we'll be starting with the most traction possible. If we can also put more of the weight ahead of the front axle (the drive axle), we should be able to keep more weight on the front tires during more of the run for better traction."

Run after run, the frustration begins to mount. The more attempts to go quicker the more we begin to say "damn front wheel drives." It's so aggravating. Every time the car launches, it transfers the weight back away from the drive tires. That is exactly why all of those nostalgic hot rod racers think we are crazy. We are fighting the laws of physics when we drag race a front wheel drive.

As I fixed my eyes and mind on my 1999 Civic, I tried to figure out what changes could be made to make the car quicker in the quarter mile. Two things seemed obvious, perfecting the wheelie bar to limit weight transfer and improving the weight bias by making the car as light as possible behind the drive wheels. I began to think even more, "What would be the next innovation that would help a front wheel drive racecar to break into the 7s?"

For more of this article and images of Steph's badboy please pick up a copy of our premiere issue at newstands or tuning shops nationwide.