I have owned a moddified 2002 WRX that I bought new and an 05 STi that was fully prepped for STU autocrossing. I now own a 2000 Boxster and have test driven many Boxsters and Boxster S's over the last month before buying.
With that being said, you were obviously racing a WRX with a 2.0 flat 4 turbo that puts out 227hp (175whp). With just exhaust and tuning they put out 270-280hp (225whp).
The STi wasn't sold in the US until 2004. It has a 300hp 2.5l turbo flat 4. They put down 240-250whp and with just exhaust and tuning 350-360hp (300whp). Add meth injection and you get 330whp and 450+wtq.
If you friends car had the round headlights, you were not racing an STi. If infact he does own an STi, then he doesn't know how to drive very well. I love Boxsters. They are wonderful cars to drive, but the STi was a brutal machine and will eat Boxsters all day long in a straight line. 0-60 4.5 sec, 1/4 mile 13 sec stock.
Also, it is a lot cheaper to plan a night at the drag strip or a day at a local autocross than to get a triple digit ticket. I got one of those when I was young and stupid and it cost driving for a year and over a $1000 fine.
