Racing Smart Cars?!

[Scott Liggett]

Today while crawling along in afternoon traffic, I look over in the next lane and see a Smart Car with racing stripes, wide mini-lite-like wheels, performance tires, Hankook windshield banner, and numbers on the doors. I burst out laughing so loud the driver heard me. Who was he kidding with all that hoo-ha on his rolling phone booth? Did he think people would think he was running his car on open track days?

In between fits of laughter, I had visions of the new Smart Car Racing Series. They would run on go cart tracks after the kiddies got done on Saturday afternoons. The cut throat door to door beating and banging as they moisied around the track at speeds up to 28 mph on the long front straight.

Then a truly horrifying thought crossed my mind. What if the Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday would get other car manufacturers in the game? What if GM, Ford, Chrysler, and all the others wanted to get in on the fun and started building more racing golf carts? The streets would be filled with wanna be Eco Racers.

Thank goodness traffic moved a whole car length and I was knocked back to a happy reailty. Oh look, Mr. Badboy Hankook racer revved his Briggs & Stratton. I almost could hear it with my windows down.

[SuperBuickGuy]

they handle like a go-kart (albeit a very slow go-kart that sounds like a kabota) - so, of course someone is going to race it. They race mini coopers too - and once in awhile it even gets exciting.

[nesabo]

Imagine a roll cage in there? there would be no place to sit..

[Bamfster]

Golfcart racing .... now there's an idea that's long overdue.

Fartcar drivers around here are just jerks ....

[Monster]

Not sure they need a roll cage. Some show I watched, possibly MythBusters, where they put a Smart car into a concrete barrier at high speed. The cabin survived the wreck almost intact, but the dummy driver measuring electronics showed that a human would not have survived, due to internal injuries caused by the forces of the sudden stop.
Interesting though ...

[SuperBuickGuy]

Imagine a roll cage in there? there would be no place to sit..

those things have a super-strong cage already - so I wonder it'd even be necessary?

I save my rage for the fart-canned cars - in fact a few days ago, I was laughing like you did, Scott, at a Honda w/fart can (and oily back window) that got stomped by a stock early 90s explorer.... he didn't seem too thrilled at my laughing-to-tears but who cares? he drives a hoopty

[oletrux4evr]

Now why would you insult hoopties like that......?

[Lon_H]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAM3gswitxQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gfnqx4Vzzc&feature=related

There are some sick people out there.

[Gary 351C]

Careful Scott, I'm sure someone laughed at the first Pinto with a big 'ol honkin' turbo under the hood right before it left them in a cloud of tire smoke.

[Thumpin455]

While driving through Madison Wisconsin on my way home last year, I was stopped at a light next to a Prius. Kid was out with moms car and decided to race the bright red LS1 urged Formula, unbeknownst to me in the Formula. I am in the save gas because I am on a 850 mile road trip, so I am taking it easy away from stop lights. So yeah a Prius got a holeshot on me, and its the only way I knew he was racing. I swear he got up to at least 45 mph in a 35 zone, well after a block or so.

One brain donor my idiot ex brother in law dated said all cars about the same, its the driver that makes the difference. She drove a 5.0 Mustang with stickers and stuff all over it.

[PatricksDad]

I could probably be convinced to race this:

[jcharliem]

Sleeper...