Boost Controller – Craig Lue

This is the first in a series of interviews with drivers, tuners and other influential players in the local motorsports fraternity.

Craig Lue

Craig Lue has been at the forefront of drag racing in Jamaica for a number of years. Craig and his brothers have formed a race team known as Lueboyz Racing and they are blazing a trail on the dragstrip with their impressive, crowd pleasing, 9 seconds Evo and other fearsome Evos from their camp, including Adrian Randle’s 10 seconds street Evo!

Q&A – Craig Lue

Gleanerblogs: How did you get involved in motorsports?

Craig : “Like everyone else watching, seeing the speed and as a result of going to the street races with my cousin Washington Wong I got hooked”.

Gleanerblogs : Which car was your first racecar?

Craig : “1989 turbocharged Toyota Starlet. I got this car in the early nineties when the importation policy changed. This car basically put me on the map, when I won a race against a prominent race car driver at that time. I remember racing against Chris Reckord who was driving his Evo III and he could only beat me by a fender”!

Gleanerblogs : Did you modify the car (the turbo starlet)?

Craig : “Yes The car had a stroked 1500cc motor, a front mount intercooler and more boost (than stock)”.

Gleanerblogs : After the Starlet which car was your next race car?

Craig : “The Banana (Yellow Honda Civic).My decision to get this car was largely influenced by the import scene in the USA at the time. The car had a B18 Ls Vtech setup to give more torque”.

Gleanerblogs : What is your best et. in the ‘Banana’.

Craig : “10.0 seconds. This was done at both Vernamfield and Jamwest”.

Gleanerblogs : Your current race car is an Evo .Why did you choose the Evo?

Craig : “Because of the four wheel drive platform. The car is more balanced, it has the launch, it has braking, it has handling, it comes turbocharged – it is a better all round package /platform. When my brother bought his car (an Evo) and I drove it – we took that car to the track and in stock form it ran high 12s ”!

Gleanerblogs : Tell me a little about your current race car.

Craig –“ Mitsubishi Evo VII acquired from a friend of mine. We tore down the car, discarded the motor it had and Derek and myself built it from scratch with assistance from Gregory of Machines Gone Wild from Florida”.

Gleanerblogs : How much horsepower the car has?

Craig : “On the dyno, the car reached a high of 900 whp at 35lbs of boost”.

Gleanerblogs : How long did it take, from acquiring the car to making a nine seconds pass?

Craig : “Approximately a year and a half. The car has been racing for only a year now and it is currently the quickest four cylinder car in Jamaica”.

Gleanerblogs : What is your quickest et. in that car (the Evo VII )?

Craig : “9.5 seconds at 148mph ”!

Gleanerblogs : Did you have a goal in mind when you started building the car?

Craig : “The goal was to make 1000hp and run 9 seconds consistently (1/4 mile), but we got there much quicker than expected so we are now aiming for 8 seconds, very difficult but it can be done”.

Gleanerblogs : How did you feel when you made the first nine seconds pass.

Craig : “I knew I had done a good time, just stopping the car at the end of the track, I knew the car did a fast time, a very fast time and when I came back and saw the faces I knew that we did a good time. I felt really good –just to get the monkey off my back”!

Gleanerblogs : What next for Craig and the Lueboyz ?

Craig : “We are now gunning for an 8 seconds pass and with a few changes we may get there at the meet (at Jamwest Speedway). I would like to say thanks to the following individuals (and entities) for their assistance: Dwight Lue, Steven Lue, Nicholas Lue, Derek, Gregory Gutzmore, Adrian Randle, AWD Motorsports, Extreme Turbo Systems, Machines Gone Wild and Sparktec Ignitions”.

Craig Lue and the Lueboyz may be contacted at their tuning facility located at 8 Ruthven Road.

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-line Writer