2012 Shift S3ctor Airstrip Attack Brings Out the Big Boys

on November 13, 2012 at 8:56 pm

A few months back, during a discussion with a close buddy of mine on racing events/venues out of the ordinary, he happened to mention the Shift S3ctor functions. I had only some (very) rudimentary familiarity with this event which is held variously at racetracks, airport runways, salt flats and any other location where speed and the terrain have a particular affinity…

So, when I heard that there was a Shift S3ctor shindig coming up “locally,” I made arrangements to travel up north from Los Angeles to see some of the most powerful cars in North America duke it out over a half-mile stretch of concrete runway at the New Municipal Airport of Coalinga. This desolate aeronautical outpost, about halfway between LA and San Francisco, is tucked inside an isolated hamlet of about 16,000 residents (not counting the patients at Coalinga State Hospital for Mental Health or the inmates in the Pleasant Valley State Prison).

Apparently, the event organizers searched far and wide for an airstrip which the FAA would be willing to close for a weekend. And Coalinga– surprise, surprise — was the only one between San Diego and San Francisco that was granted permission. But it turns out that the runway was a perfect venue for this event, both wide enough and long enough for some serious side by side action.

Most of us drove up (or down) Friday night for the two day weekend event. We stayed at the Best Western Kettleman City, one of the two designated hotels. The parking lot and overflow area was filled with a smorgasbord of tuners and covered trailers and I was absolutely amped to see what the next day had in store.

Saturday began with a long line of vehicles waiting to check in and get set up. The weather was perfect for those running forced induction, with early morning temperatures in the low 40s and highs in the upper 50s.

The field of vehicles was an incredibly impressive array of highly-modified tuners. The cars spanned the performance gamut from a 480hp Acura Integra to a 1500hp Underground Racing Gallardo. It used to be that any production car over 400hp was considered a brazen beast. However, these days kids in their parents’ garages are juicing up their rides with turbos, superchargers and NOS, on the hunt for Mo’ Powa,’ with impressive results.

2012 Shift S3ctor Airstrip Attack

When you add to the equation solid companies like Switzer Performance, SP Engineering and Evolution Motorsports who provide bolt-on kits and packages for cars such as the Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 and Mitsubishi Evo, you have daily drivers that are easily equipped with 800hp+ and are just as comfortable on the track as they are running to the local Ralphs.

After a drivers’ meeting that set the ground rules for the on-track action as well as safety precautions, the cars were divided into two groups – high horsepower and lower horsepower. With the HP rating written on the side window of every vehicle, it was up to the individual driver to pair himself/herself against his/her running mate. Most drivers chose to keep it pretty close but, of course, there were some uneven and sometimes unexpected match-ups.

After finding the right pairing, folks waited in queue side by side just like planes waiting in line for takeoff. As they approached the launch point, many cars attempted to do quick burnouts to warm up the tires, some having better success than others. Once given the go ahead by Shift S3ctor staff, the vehicles proceeded down a 50 foot stretch before taking a 90 degree angle and hitting the runway.

Drivers were instructed to try and keep speeds around 30 mph but most drivers were up around 40 or 50 before hitting the first cone markers. At this point, each car was maxed out for roughly a 1/2 mile stretch before reaching the braking cone and bringing down speeds before heading off the runway.

Unlike many events such as the Moscow Unlimited 500 and the Texas Mile, there were no speed or time records on the line. This event was all about having fun and pushing the ultimate limits of your vehicle. Because the runway was dusty, traction was a constant problem, especially for higher horsepower vehicles. There were also a fair amount of folks who mis-shifted. But the action was non-stop and truly exciting as each driver pushed and willed his car to out-perform even his wildest expectations.The highlight was when a 900hp Evo managed to outrun the 1500hp UR Gallardo in spectacular fashion. A true David vs Goliath matchup.

Most drivers reported that they hit at least 160 mph, with the more powerful vehicles reaching north of 180 mph. And some cars, like the EVOMS 911, managed to break 200 mph.

Saturday Results:

Unlimited:

1st Place: Nico Nissan GTR Tuned by Jon Drenas from 5150-Racing

2nd Place: Jason Boulder Nissan GTR Tuned by Switzer Performance

Tier 2:

1st Place: Charlie AMS Alpha 7 Nissan GTR

2nd Place: Matthew Chevrolet C5 Corvette Z06

Tuner Shootout:

Unlimited

1st Place: Todd Porsche 997TT Tuned by Evolution Motorsports

2nd Place: Jason Boulder Nissan GTR Tuned by Switzer Performance

Tier 2: