Before I get flamed for racing, I swear that I never exceeded the speed limit during this incident and I'd like to think that there is a lesson to be learned about using common sense in this story. By the way, what do those Neons have for a motor?

Every once in a while, a dark green Plymouth Neon with the graphics "expresso" across the sides of the car, will pass me as I'm commuting home from work. I've never been too impressed with Neons, but this one must have headers and a wicked sounding exhaust. When this guy runs through the gears, it really growls.

I've made a couple of feeble attempts of seeing what this Neon had when I was driving my 87 iron duke 4 banger. I could jump off the line ahead of the Neon, but he'd hit second and pull up to me, then hit third and be gone.

Last Friday evening, I was driving my V8 Batmobile and the "expresso" Neon pulled up next to me at the last stop light right where this four lane road turned from 55 mph to 65 mph as it heads out into the open country. Both of my Fieros are silver, so I guess this guy thinks I'm in my 4 cylinder Fiero. He's gassing the Neon hard and grinning at me. I grin back and we both point down the road.

As the light turns green, I launched at 2/3 throttle with no wheel spin. I heard the Neon next to me chirping its tires. As soon as I got a solid bite, I punched it to the floor and kicked the 4 barrels in. He was screaming through the gears, but I pulled quickly away. As I hit 65 mph (the speed limit), I was about 10 car lengths ahead. I lightly pumped the brakes three times to flash my brake lights as a signal that I won and was shutting down.

I settled into 65 mph cruising speed, but the Neon kept accelerating and eventially caught up with me. The Neon was going fast by now and whizzed pass me, with the guy grimly hunched over the wheel. After a few hills and dales, the Neon disappears. A few miles down the road, I saw that green Neon pulled off on the side of the highway by a state trooper with lots of bright flashing lights. I waved as I drove by. Ha!

great kill! i really don't like neons, there right up there with civics but maybe worse. ever taken your batmobile to a drag strip? just wondering what your 1/4 mile times might be in that hot rod.

Gotta do a little more work to the Batmobile before I go to the track. If and when I do go, I'll let you know what the times were.

Actually, I'm not all that proud of beating a Plymouth Neon, I just liked teaching that guy a lesson. Check out my Batmobile web page.

http://sites.netscape.net/batboybain/batmobile

Yeah,it's alot more dangerous to have a slow car and try and race,or race against other slow cars;it takes so long to get up to speed that you wind up enduring more hazards than if you were to race only for a few car lengths as you did.

Looked at a Neon once at a dealer,they have 2.0,4valve,supposedly 135HP,with an optional 150HP motor.I drove one and it didn't feel like 135 or 150HP,more like 125 maybe.
My old 1.8,16valve Jetta could spank'em.
They were trying to sell this "R" model,with an even cheesier interior than normally offered,in an effort to make it lighter or something.
Whatever.
I'll bet that guy was really confused.:)

I would be curious to know what the guy will do the next time you meet and you are in the 4cyl car. I bet that he wont even look at you. Something about being spanked will do that to people.

Just to let you know batboy, I printed this story out to show friends!!!!!

You're gonna get me in trouble, Formula. Lots of people ask me about performance numbers of my car. This week I've ordered Prothane control arm bushings, Suspension Techniques sport lowering springs for the front, Moog ball joints, poly sway bar bushings and ends. This will be my next big project. After that is done and I have a new front air dam, I'm hoping to take the Batmobile to the local dragstrip. Next spring I'm planning some engine modifications, so it would be great to have before and after time slips.