car racing on straight streets?

Question

in the first movie Fast and the Furious there was a "race " on a straight street. Apparently yhe winner was called "really good driver" I don't see why, can you explain. Everybody can sit in a car, turn the engine on, push the accelerator.

Answer 1

because its a movie!!!! they have inane scripts!

Answer 2

First of all, using "The Fast And The Furious" as a reference point to anything car related is a little like using old Flash Gordon serials for modern technical reference! You really aren't going to come away with anything useful.

However, what you are talking about is ultimately the issue of skill in different forms of racing. It comes up often when talking about the differences between road racing and oval tracks and (as in this case) drag racing. There are some skills common, and others specific to different cars and formats. The total number of skills involved in running (for example) a 24 hour endurance race around a road course will be greater than the skills involved in running a 1/4 mile drag race that will be over in seconds. That doesn't mean there is no skill involved in getting a good, and timely launch. And while car control may be more understated in this venue, the more powerful the cars get, the more this becomes a factor.

Yes, anyone can sit in a car, turn on the engine, and push the accelerator. But not anyone can do that in a fashion which will maximize the car's acceleration and win a race.

Answer 3

What a bad movie. What fast car has a fancy stereo in it? Or NOs bottles hidden under the seat? All someone had to do was copy his car - and strip out all the extra weight. Then you could beat him easily.

Anyway, that terrible movie notwithstanding, here are the deciding factors in a drag race: who reacts fastest to the signal to go, who makes the most use of traction without spinning their tyres (spinning tyres makes for a slow getaway), who can shift fastest, and at the absolutely perfect time for their particular engine (silly, really, since drag cars generally use autos. No stick shift can change gears as fast as an auto), and who can control the car at speed when they approach the end of the run. However, it doesn't mean that the winner was a good driver - just that he was better, and luckier, in that style of racing. It doesn't say anything about whether he knows how too turn a corner.