At Woodburn, Team Horizon had its first backup engine. Leslie's 10.32 at 129 mph gave her another top-qualifier honor. In eliminations, the CRX body-slammed the all-motor record with a blistering 10.13-second lap. In the finals, a come-from-behind 10.15 at 130 mph put the finishing touches on a dream weekend; another Wally and the NHRA record.
Being the first female record holder in the NHRA sport compact series means there are sure to be Lisa Kubo comparisons on the way. Rivalry? No, not only are they in different classes, but the Kubos and Dursts are long-time friends.
"We had met once in 1999 when were just testing with the Honda, " says Lisa Kubo. "In 2000 Lyn would bring us food and cookies and stuff at the races so we wouldn't starve. We had a chance to win the IDRC championship that year; we had a car and a trailer but no truck. Michael lent us their truck and we barely knew them. We have come a long way since then and it's cool now they come to our pit and eat. Seriously, Gary and I have never forgotten their kindness and we would not hesitate to help them out."
So far, as is customary for imports in general, Team Horizon has gotten a lot out of a little. In fact, there is plenty left on the table as the Honda spun its tires hard; we saw four quick revolutions off the line on its 10.15-second pass.
The kind of help they do need is sponsorship. Sponsorship will allow them to participate in more races and go faster than they're already going.
Is there a 9 in the cards? We think so. Could the Horizon Motorsports CRX be the quickest All-Motor FWD? We think that would be one hell of a race.
The first 9-second All-Motor car and current world record holder is Erick Aguilar's Civic, which turned a 9.991 at 133.95 mph at an NDRA race in June. Aguilar was running a minimum weight of 1,500 or 1,540 pounds while Leslie tipped the scales at 1,660 pounds at Woodburn. Check the Weighty Issues chart for more on that.
With what Leslie has left in the car it would be a race of pay-per-view proportions.
Weighty IssuesAll-Motor Minimum Weights By Sanctioning Body
|
| NHRA | 1,650 |
| IDRC B Series | 1,525 |
| NDRA | 1,500/1,540 |
| IDRA | 1,500/1,550 |
The NHRA's All-Motor minimum weight for a FWD Uni-body car is 1,650 pounds. The IDRC bases its weight on engine type. For a B-series engine like Leslie's the minimum is 1,525 pounds. The NDRA uses a .70-lb-per-cc displacement formula, which means any FWD four-banger under 2.0 liters of displacement receives a minimum weight of 1,500 pounds and a 2.2 liter gets 1,540. At IDRA Battle of the Import events, All-Motor racers with a B-series FWD combination are allowed 1,500 pounds with the full O.E. chassis, or 1,550 pounds for "backhalved" cars.
Horizon Motorsports CRXMoTeC M4 engine managementMoTeC instrument displayMSD ignition systemNGK spark plugs and ignition wiresTWM individual throttle bodiesBosch fuel injectorsWeldon high-performance fuel pumpCustom headers by Elite MotorsportsCustom head work by JG Engine DynamicsJG Engine Dynamics sleeved blockJG Engine Dynamics camsAEM cam gearsAEBS head studsCosmetic head gasketsCunningham connecting rodsMoroso Motorsport oil panNuformz rear spindle kitDrive Shaft Shop performance axlesDyno tuned at Trackmasters in Santa Clarita, Calif.Paint by Starbucks