I have a vivid memory of meeting a Renault Fuego on the road once while sat in the back of my Dad's 131 Sport.
We were stopped at lights at Hassett's cross in Limerick (heading from Thomongate towards Woodview for any locals reading this).?
We were at the head of a traffic queue patiently waiting for the green light with Mum in the passenger seat and heading home from the shops. The lane to the right was empty and was reserved for traffic turning right. Suddenly a Fuego white lined it past the long row of cars behind, to join us at the stop sign. I could see that his wheels were pointed dead ahead and he was intent on going straight on instead of turning right. I warned my pilot about the driver's intention, the make and model & engine capacity and Dad to his credit snicked it into first, rested his left hand on the handbrake and coolly gazed at the red light. His head never even twitched left but I'm sure his peripheral vision was working overtime!!
The seconds ticked by and junior's mounting excitement couldn't prevent him from being very uncool by looking from the Renault driver back to the lights and back again.
GREEN !!- BANG - An instantaneous and joint reaction as both cars violently unleashed themselves at the gentle rise ahead of them. What were 2 lanes at the lights became one after the junction so no time was to be lost and one car had to get a decisive early advantage.
However still in first gear they were neck and neck. Engines racing towards the red line I can still see the fronts of both cars dip simultaneously as both drivers changed to second at precisely the same time. Up went the noses, again in tandem, as pedal was re-applied to metal.
Inches separated the cars as they competed for the lead and as neither driver was prepared to give way. However at this stage the 2 litre twin cam's greater lungs (the Fuego was a GTS 1647cc you see) began to ease in front and the Renault driver conceded defeat and pulled in behind but not until we had travelled at least 200 metres and reached at least 40/45mph - Job done!
The whole incident probably lasted about 15 seconds and was very touch and go but I can still remember the exhileration and was probably the inspiration for many a similar drag strip encounter in my early driving days!
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