Originally posted by enginjim
Autocross. Roadracing, or Drag racing I will go turbo everytime. If the engine is set-up with the correct turbo match and and the right set-up BOV lag will not be a problem. Even in autocrossing a good driver will keep the engine in its optimum power band in any corner. One of the important parts of autocrossing is your ET from the start line to the first corner, autocrossers are always trying to make more power to reduce their time.
How many turbo cars have you autocrossed, and how many N/A? Because I would have to disagree with you there. Even a turbo system that was engineered from the factory to be completely transparent (almost no noticable lag in street driving) will lose to its less powerful N/A counterpart. Examples of this: N/A mr2s typically lap about 1-2 seconds faster than turbo mr2s, a Saab 900S will always beat a 900 turbo. Even automatic N/A mark IV supras can be a match to 6-speed tt's. (all of these are examples which I've either driven or ridden in w/ good drivers) And those are factory engineered turbo systems, designed for quick spool and close to emmediate power. Aftermarket turboed cars get worse from there. I'm not saying its impossible to do well in a turbo car... I've seen a few fast ones, but its a lot harder. And in all the RMD events, the first turn is typically about 30 ft from the starting gates. :dunno: