Why can't I beat my buddie's Celica???

If you can find a banana big enough, you could have one of your friends put it in his exhaust before you take off. Just make sure he does it before a couple of test bursts or he might feel like Richard Pryer heating up a coke spoon.
 
I bet your friend stole Cleveland's aerodynamic "Pony" valvestem covers.
And I think Dreamer is correct; you need more performance stickers - - its a proven fact that those are worth at least 5hp each.

We know it couldn't be driver error - - -