There are at least three aspects to building a quick car
parts combination
tuning ability
driving ability
Some guys do it relatively cheaply...others spend a ton of money.
This is a daily driver
Melissa's "secret" 9.94 @ 138.17 combo
I would not expect most to have the same performance, but, having a firm understanding as to how things work, and some experience to go along with the knowledge really helps.
Jim (GNCOL) is a classical advantage of a guy that runs quick without a ton of money.
Pacecarta is another.