“Get Down with Belltech” .  Central Valley New Rock Radio listeners and truck lowering fans alike were invited to register to win a Lowering Kit from Belltech that would also include professional installation from the custom car and truck experts at Settin’ Trendz in Clovis.  Hector Lara, a Power Plant Operator from Selma, was the lucky recipient of a full 2 / 4 Drop for his wife’s 2011 GMC Sierra Crew Cab.  On his contest entry when asked why he deserved to win the lowering kit, he had replied that he wanted to put the kit on his wife’s truck as she wanted her truck to match Hectors already lowered 2011 GMC standard cab.  We all know that if Momma ain’t happy, no one’s happy!  Congratulations to Hector and his family and a special thanks to Skippy and the Team at Settin’ Trendz for all the help with this incredible promotion.

Pictured is the finished truck with Roel Garza, Belltech Brand Manager, Hector Lara the Grand Prize Winner and Adam Berg the Owner of Settin’ Trendz.

The goal for this year was simple and clear for the FXMD team, go back and finish what they started.  At the end of the day the mission accomplished with a lap time of 1:40.981, besting the Sierra Sierra EVO record 1:41.046  With this accomplishment the FX MotorsportsDevelopment NSX becomes the fastest time attack car in the United States.

Crew chief Radomir Banda (FES) said, “I am so thrilled that we were able to pull this off!  We made a lot of changes this year and I have to say we are stronger than ever.  The addition of Grant Borman to the team has been huge, and what can I say about Jon Kuroyama he is simply the best.   The motor ran strong all day without any problems.  The team had to really come together for this to happen and in the 11^th hour it happened.  Tyler did an awesome job wheeling this car around the track for what essentially was his first time in the car.  As I said last year at the end of SLB 2010, the number posted by SSE would not last for long!”

Team principle Ken Namimatsu said, “I am really proud of the team, we had to overcome countless hurdles to achieve this goal.  No matter what we do Buttonwillow seems to punish us more than any other track.   I also have to credit Sam Kwa from Yokohama for providing us advice throughout our testing and race day. We are happy but not yet satisfied as we know the car is much faster than the number posted.   Many more advancements on the horizon and I am looking forward to 2012.”

We would like to thank all of our sponsors for their superior track proven products and unwavering support throughout the season and we hope to continue to build on our relationships into 2012

“I think this victory represents what Berk Technology and the team sponsors are all about, we’re definitely starting to see the fruit of all the work put in by the team at Berk Technology. I’m really thankful for their level of preparation and I had a great time at this event.” Carl Rydquist – Driver, Berk Technology

The record wasn’t broken by a large margin but it is an amazing feat considering that the Berk 135i is actually a Street Class car fully outfitted with catalytic converters, registration tags, and insurance.  Due to different tire regulations the team was forced to run in the faster Limited RWD Class instead of their usual Street RWD class.  With the help of their sponsors Berk seems to have assembled an extremely well balanced package that can go fast in a wide array of conditions and track setups.

“I knew we definitely had our work cut out for us running against the Platte Forme BMW M3 with Tarzan Yamada behind the wheel.  We worked through the night to get the car setup for today’s track conditions and in the end the effort put forth by the entire team all paid off beautifully.”  Bryan Min – Team Owner
Berk Technology is wasting no time and new plans are already in motion to make radical changes to their time attack program in hopes of repeating another perfect racing season in 2012.

October 8, 2011 marked a day of hard work, vigilance, and the most interesting Formula DRIFT event in the history of the series.  Daijiro Yoshihara came into the final round of the 2011 Formula DRIFT season as points leader and was looking to take the championship home.  Host of the final round, Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, CA sold out to drift fans from all around the world with attendance records passing previous years.

During Top 32 battles, Yoshihara was paired up with Jeff Abbot.  The competition went flawlessly as Yoshihara blazed through the rigorous Irwindale track eventually advancing him to the main competition of Top 16.  Yoshihara’s unexpected loss against Ken Gushi in the Top 16 round nearly closed the door on the chances of winning the championship.  Fate will now only tell who the eventual champion would be.

Not being able to do anything but be a spectator of the event, Yoshihara and his crew waited patiently to see how everything would unfold.  As the event moved forward, it would seem that Yoshihara would be destined to take the championship home.  Justin Pawlak who sat in second in points eventually was knocked out in the Great 8, which brought Yoshihara back into the chase.  Chris Forsberg who was also in contention to win was knocked out in the Final 4, which left Yoshihara waiting on one last battle to see how his fate would unfold.  Teammates Tyler McQuarrie and Darren McNamara went head to head as Yoshihara and his crew waited in the pits to see the outcome.  McQuarrie’s flawless runs would knock out McNamara, which would finally name Yoshihara the new 2011 Formula DRIFT Champion.

Yoshihara and his crew celebrated as his team in great congratulatory fashion lifted him in the air.  This would be Yoshihara’s first championship since his first competition 8 years prior.  ”I am so proud of my team for all the great teamwork,” explains Yoshihara.  ”It’s because of my team, all my sponsors, my fans, and my friends; I was able to drive my best.  Winning the championship this way was not my ideal situation but it definitely proves that it was a team effort and I am 110% honored to be a part of this team.  I will prepare harder for next year and will try my best to defend my championship title.”

Yoshihara was also crowned winner of Discount Tire’s Triple Crown prize as he was able accumulate the most points throughout the season.  It is the first time in history that a Discount Tire sponsored driver would win both the Formula DRIFT Championship and the Triple Crown.

Yoshihara is expected to continue his drifting later this year at the 2011-2012 SEMA show in Las Vegas.  An announcement of his plans for 2012 will be released later this year.

For more information on Daijiro Yoshihara and Formula DRIFT, please visit www.daiyoshihara.com and www.formulad.com

With these being the initial outings for the Professional Awesome Evolution VII featuring a new MA Performance/Manley powerplant, the pressure was on to see if all the hard work in the offseason would translate into on-track success. With the car running smoothly, the team secured the track records on the initial day of both events. At New Jersey Motorsports Park, O’Donnell pushed the Evolution VII to an amazing 1:11.611 taking first place in street class as well as beating all cars in the next higher class. At Autobahn Country Club, the team reset their previous track record with a 1:34.275 with only two full speed sessions due to a rain-shortened weekend.

According to O’Donnell, “The team was happy with the results especially when a transmission failure mere hours before the Autobahn event put the crew into a mad dash to even participate.” Professional Awesome still believes there is more in the car and looks forward to Global Time Attack’s next event at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. November 12-13 where the team will compete against the best the West has to offer. The vehicle will also be on display with Zeitronix at the SEMA Show November 1-4.

Professional Awesome Racing is proud to utilize KW Suspension’s Motorsport 2-Way adjustable coilovers. 

Professional Awesome Racing is race fabrication, tuning and aftermarket performance shop based in West Lafayette, IN. Started in 2009, Professional Awesome’s primary focus is building time trial race cars with an emphasis on production-based vehicles. To learn more about Professional Awesome, please visit their website at www.ProfessionalAwesome.com

STOCKHOLM, Sweden.

“After I first caught the drifting bug watching Japanese videos, the UK and Irish scene was what really fueled my hunger to start drifting myself,” noted Fredric. “The Prodrift Ireland and various UK competitions and battles have since then been a big inspiration and benchmark for me, and finally being able to get to compete at the very heart of European drifting, has brought it all full circle.”

The Need for Speed teammates first competed September 4, 2011 at Silverstone Circuit for British Drift Championship (BDC) Trax. Qualifying high, with Fredric in 2nd and Darren in 5th, the two drivers would battle their way through the competition only to meet each other in the final four. Fredric would take the win, but D-Mac would finish the event in 4th, and would receive the “Hard-Charger Award”.

“Returning to Silverstone was always on my list of things to do,” says Darren. “My previous performances there gave me a launch path to professional drifting. I remembered every inch of the track like it was the back of my hand, as if I’d never been away. Meeting and competing against the UK guys was a pleasure and is something I look forward to doing more often. Next time we hit Silverstone the D-Mac86 will be fully developed and then sparks will fly!”

Fredric was faced with the #1 qualifier of the weekend and a top UK driver, Phil Morrison, in the finals. The battle was a close one, but Fredric was awarded the win after following with a slightly more accurate line. Team Need for Speed would take the top step upon the coveted podium! Watch this amazing VIDEO by Stephen Brooks from the weekend at Silverstone.

“I couldn’t believe it when we won, I was so happy!” says Fredric. “It felt like an unbelievable victory for my team, sponsors, and friends; and a victory that we had earned! A huge thanks to everyone that put on such an amazing show and made all this happen! Drifting has taken me some amazing places, and Silverstone is definitely one of them.”

One week later, Team Need for Speed drivers slid into Ireland for the Prodrift finale at Mondello Park. Darren and Fredric were not the only Formula Drift stars on-site – current points leader Dai Yoshihara also made the trip out to compete. Fredric was faced with the 2010 Prodrift Champion, James Deane, for his top 8 battle. But a mistake when following would cut this Team NFS driver’s day short, giving Deane the advancement. Fredric would finish the event in 5th place overall.

Chrysler Group’s SRT (Street and Racing Technology) group teams up with Viper Club of America and ViperExchange by Tomball Dodge team for record-setting run

Viper ACR adds to its growing list of benchmark lap times at famous road courses

September 27, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. – The Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) team made history on Sept. 14, 2011, at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife as their ultimate, street-legal, track-ready car – the Dodge Viper SRT10® ACR – recaptured the production car lap record with a 7:12.13 elapsed time.

With no 2011 model-year Dodge Viper cars being produced, SRT joined forces with the Viper Club of America and the ViperExchange by Tomball Dodge team from Tomball, Texas, which supplied two brand-new 2010 Dodge Viper ACR’s off their showroom floor for the record-setting effort.

“We’re extremely proud to set the lap record for a second time at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. “Our team returned to Germany knowing we’d left some time on the track when we set our first lap record, so this effort shows the incredible depth and capability the Viper ACR has by running a full 10 seconds faster than we did in 2008.”

ViperExchange team owner and longtime Viper enthusiast Ben Keating, also was instrumental in securing veteran GT driver Dominik Farnbacher to drive the Viper ACR to the new record lap. Keating and Farnbacher previously teamed up at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2011.

The street-legal Viper ACR is factory-equipped and tuned for outstanding track performance with coil-over racing dampers from KW Suspension that are adjustable for both damping and ride height. The shocks are two-way factory adjustable without removing the wheels – a timesaver at any track configuration – and they include a large range for compression and rebound adjustment. Aerodynamics are also adjustable via carbon-fiber rear wing with seven-position stanchions and an adjustable front splitter.

SRT’s first official visit to the Nürburgring took place in August 2008 when the newly launched 2008 Dodge Viper ACR came to Germany with driver Tom Coronel and established a new production car lap record time of 7:22.1, a record that stood through much of 2011.

As a result of their original trip to Nürburgring, SRT engineering implemented a few specific improvements to get even more speed out of the record-setting supercar.

For the 2010 model year, the Viper ACR received a shorter fifth gear ratio (changing from 0.74 to 0.80) for improved high-speed acceleration and higher straightaway speeds. This helped achieve higher speeds down the front straightaway of Döttinger Höhe and past the Antonius Bridge on the Nürburgring course. The rear-wing profile and end plates also were redesigned to further optimize the vehicle aerodynamics and improve yaw downforce, which allowed greater speeds through the high speed turns such as Schwedenkreuz. A new short-throw shifter also came in 2010 models for enhanced driver control and quicker shifts.

The hot-lap testing was spread over two days. On Sept. 12, the track was completely wet at the beginning of the four-hour session. By the final hour, the track was mostly dry but peak performance was limited due to a few remaining damp areas at the Bergwerk corner and Fuchsröhre and Wippermann areas. The best lap of the day was a 7:15.6 at the end of the session. By Sept. 14, a clear weather pattern allowed the track to dry and gave the team good conditions for the Viper ACR’s final lap of 7:12.13.

Heading into this year’s final round of GRAND-AM Rolex Series competition at Mid-Ohio, Brumos Racing had a lot on the line. Just three points out of the lead, Brumos set their sights on the GT Championship and were prepared for the challenge of a winner-take-all contest. When the checkered flag dropped on one of the most thrilling races of the season, Brumos Racing proved that they had indeed returned to their roots by bringing the 2011 Rolex Series GT Championship back to their Jacksonville, Florida, home. 

The Mid-Ohio finale will go down in the record books as one of the most memorable comeback races ever. An electronic problem that forced the #59 to sit out the qualifying session placed it at the back of the pack to start the race. Andrew Davis faced the daunting task of getting the #59 Porsche GT3 from 19th place back to the front. He drove a phenomenal opening stint, passing car after car, before going on to lead the race for 12 laps. Strategy calls were executed perfectly and the team used the numerous yellow flags to full advantage. The car was handed over to Leh Keen under yellow, as the crew delivered a flawless stop. During the critical final stop, the crew got the #59 back on track ahead of the #70 Mazda, the only car standing between them and the championship. Keen faced considerable pressure but held his position, ending the race in 4th place and taking the 2011 Rolex GT Championship for Brumos and its drivers in the process.

The race provided an emotional finish to the season for the entire Brumos team, particularly for Andrew Davis, who claimed his first professional championship. “I’m so proud and so honored to be a Brumosdriver and to follow in Hurley Haywood’s footsteps,” he said. “With Brumos’ legacy of winning GT championships, it’s almost unbelievable that Lehand I were able to bring home our own championship for the team. For Dan Davis and Hurley to have faith in us and give us this opportunity, it means a tremendous amount. I have to thank all of our crew members who have worked so hard and fought through thick and thin all season long. I also appreciate all the employees back at Brumos in Jacksonville who are always cheering for us. They may not be here at the track, but they are always there in spirit and willing us along. To say I am the 2011 Rolex GT Champion is awesome, but to be able to say I did it as a Brumos driver is unbelievable.” For Leh Keen, his second Rolex GT Championship was no less thrilling than his first. “Wow, that was amazing – and I’m not talking about just this race, but the whole year,” he said. “It is so special to be part of this Brumos group. At the beginning of the year Dan and Hurley told us we were part of the family now, and I now know what that truly means. There were many things that made it more difficult for us in our first year, but that just shows how hard our team worked to get it done. For me, to win in a Porsche is also special. I started my career and won most of my races in a Porsche, and the Brumos Porsches were always my favorites. To win this championship and win another championship for Brumos and be a part of that organization is spectacular.”

Hurley Haywood has worked with many crew members and drivers in his career, but his team this year was special. “To say I am proud would be an understatement,” he said. “At the beginning of the year Brumos put together a kind of dream team, but the recipe was unproven. We worked hard to get it right and the end result got us to the team and the drivers’ championship. My main responsibility was working with the drivers and they

certainly did not let me down. If I have to give up my seat, I can’t think of two guys I would rather give it to than Andrew and Leh. Every single person on our crew did a tremendous job and made a noticeable contribution to the success of this effort, beginning with the first race in Daytona. I am really happy to see Brumos bring another championship home to Jacksonville.”

Belltech was proud to be on hand as a supporting vendor at this amazing outdoor event.  This was the first trip out for the New Belltech Crew Cab build, which as many of you know has been chronicled here in the Belltech blog, step by step over the last few months. Since it was the first road trip for our new truck,we couldn’t help but make a few stops along the way. As many of you know, driving a custom truck has its own unique advantages, one of which is making tons of friends along the way every time you stop. Filling up for fuel started a complete walk around for several other customers who made a special trip over to check out the blazing hot red paint.  A stop to fill up our bodies with In n’ Out turned into a mini car show as several other truckers stopped to check out the build that they had read about online.  A quick stop under the Bakersfield City Archway created quite a stir amongst the Parks and Rec Crew and lastly, a quick roadside stop at a rally car practice was just icing on the cake. Now on to the show;  temps were hot and the truck and cars were event hotter in this inaugural event.  Hotel parking lots were turned into mini shows and new friends were made and old friends were found. So sit back, pretend you were there and enjoy the photos.

Daijiro Yoshihara returned to Sin City for Round 6 of the Formula DRIFT Championship Series to maintain his lead in championship points.  With temperatures over 110 degrees during the day and cooling off to only slightly over 96 degrees at night, Yoshihara would have to remain cool and composed.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway was again host for drifting action in Las Vegas, and competition commenced on Friday evening with qualifying rounds.  Yoshihara’s first qualifying run was conservative and not a good representation of his normal driving style.  However, his second pass was more his style which landed him a solid 7th place overall in qualifying order. 

A sold out crowd filled the stands Saturday evening as the Top 32 battles were underway.  Yoshihara was paired up against teammate Ross Petty and his Nissan Silvia S15.  After two clean runs, Yoshihara was advanced to the next round.  In the Top 16 round, Yoshihara was matched up with fellow Japanese driver Toshiki Yoshioka.  The battle between the S13 chassis was tight and intense.  After a too close to call first round, the judges called for a “One More Time.”  Although Yoshihara had a solid lean run in the OMT run, his chase run fell short as he came in too hot into the first turn.  This mistake denied Yoshihara from moving on and unfortunately ended his weekend.

Even with the misfortunate loss this past weekend, Yoshihara maintains his lead in overall championship points.  Yoshihara will be entering the final round of drifting this season in the lead, for both the Formula DRIFT Championship and Discount Tire’s Triple Crown.  The final championship round will be at the infamous “House of Drift,” Irwindale Raceway, on October 7.

Yoshihara continued his efforts in raising money for his charity organization, Relief For Japan.  During his breaks from practice and competition, Yoshihara met with his fans and supporters.  Through his fans, Yoshihara was able to raise over $500 to add to his total donation for the relief efforts.  For more information, please visit www.rfjp.org.

For more information on Daijiro Yoshihara and Formula DRIFT, please visit www.daiyoshihara.com and www.formulad.com

Round 5: Throwdown reached capacity as fans came in droves to Evergreen Speedway. Attendance was up over 10% from last season continuing the increase in numbers for the Series. Fans were treated to an exciting round of action from the top drivers in the sport.

“The Pacific Northwest has an amazing fan base, which was proven today,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “We are excited to see the growth of the sport and the Series this season with a continued increase in attendance at each event.”

The competition heated up with the final four drivers aiming to move closer in their chase for the championship. Fredric Aasbo in the Need For Speed / Scion Racing TC riding on KW Race Kit went head to head with Rhys Millen in the Red Bull / Hankook Hyundai Genesis Coupe also on KW Suspension and edged out the former champion earning third place. The Finals matched up the 2009 champion, Chris Forsberg in the NOS Energy Drink / Hankook Nissan 370Z with Daijiro Yoshihara. Yoshihara took the victory and gained the lead in the Pro Championship point standings and remains the leader with a commanding lead in the Tires.com Triple Crown bonus.

“It feels great to be in the lead,” stated Daijiro Yoshihara, winner of Round 5: Throwdown. “After the Top 32 when Justin Pawlak was taken out of the competition I knew I had a good chance to win, but I didn’t want to think about points and focused on winning one round at a time, which worked! We have 2 competitions left so I need to focus on them still before I can think too much about the championship.”

The Formula DRIFT Championship continues for Round 6: After Dark at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on August 26 – 27. Tickets are available to purchase online.

For more information visit: www.formuladrift.com

Brumos Racing was well aware going into Round 8 of GRAND-AM Rolex Series competition that they were entering a particularly critical stretch of the season. Following their first win a few weeks earlier at Watkins Glen, the team was feeling confident, but that didn’t prevent them from putting in many extra hours and the hard work required to thoroughly prepare for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Flying out to the west coast early, the crew spent several days laying the groundwork for a successful race. Their hard work paid off, as Brumos scored their own version of a triple play – qualifying on the pole, getting the fastest lap of the race, and then taking the win. The ultimate payoff, however, was the resulting jump in the points race. Brumos Racing came to Laguna Seca in 2nd place, but headed home as the Rolex Series GT championship leaders.

The team took advantage of a track test day earlier in the week, finding improvements in each session and working their way closer to a race-ready car. By the time the 15-minute qualifying session had ended, Andrew Davis had driven the Brumos #59 Porsche 911 GT3 to its first pole position of the season. Starting the race from the front, Davis never looked back, ending his stint still holding the lead. Following the driver change, Leh Keen had worked his way back up to 2nd place when a good strategy call paid off.  An incident late in the race brought out a lengthy yellow, enabling Keen to conserve fuel and make it to the checkered flag without any further stops. He regained the lead and held it for the finish. The Brumos drivers led an impressive combined total of 47 laps in the race and the results also boosted Porsche to first place in Manufacturer’s standings.

Davis, who enjoyed his view of the track from the front, was proud of his team. “We had just an exceptional car for qualifying and the Brumos #59 was really on the mark for the entire race. I was thrilled with being able to get pole position, and to do it with Brumos meant a lot to me. I was determined to lead my entire stint and that was exactly what happened. We came in and the guys did a great job to get Leh back out there. From there, Leh just drove a phenomenal race and Joe LaJoie did a great job calling the right strategy. For us to have our second win in this first year of the Brumos GT program is really exciting.  Now, having the point lead for the first time, we have a little cushion going into our next race, but we still need to go for race wins and maximize our performance. At the same time, we realize we are now leading this championship and that we can win it and just need to do all we can to make that happen. I’m fully confident that we have the squad to do that – our guys just don’t stop. I want to thank Dan Davis and Hurley Haywood and every member of the entire Brumos organization for this opportunity.”

No stranger to a Championship battle, 2009 Rolex Series GT Champion Leh Keen is also proud of Brumos’ accomplishments this season. “That was just spectacular, what the Brumos team did this weekend. We’ve done so much just getting to this point. The pressure was really on, as far as the championship goes, coming into this race. We were sitting in 2nd for a couple of races and now we have a ten point lead in first. It just goes to show what a championship team Brumos is. Our guys just nailed it – this weekend was really as good as it gets. Andrew took the pole and just drove an awesome stint and handed me a car in first place. Then my stint was really good – the car was great to drive and Joe’s strategy was right on track. The team has the car set up so well now – this weekend’s results just show how strong we are. The guys nailed all the stops, the strategy worked out as planned, and it all just came together in a wonderful way.”

Brumos Racing will head next to Millville, NJ and New Jersey Motorsports Park to defend their championship lead. That 2.75 hour race will be held on Sunday, July 24th with the green flag set to drop at 1:00 PM ET with live coverage on SPEED TV.

The 51 year old hill climb expert was driving his Judd V8 powered BMW 134 at the time of the incident. Georg was a long time KW family member and had often used the KW 7 post chassis dyno to develop his world renowned BMW E36 as well as his most recent BMW 134.  Georg and his team were consummate professionals and they were very helpful in the support of our brand by allowing the use of his championship cars for display purposes at events like our 10 year anniversary and the Essen Motor Show.

RIP and Godspeed Georg, you will be missed.

Plans for the install included a Pioneer X930BT Head unit that features DVD and navigation as well as Ipod integration, Kicker parts included two amplifiers, a IX500.4 to handle the QS65.2 door speakers, a IX 500.1 to handle the Comp VT 10 low profile sub woofers that will be mounted in a stealthy underseat box.  Kicker was also our source for all of our input wiring as well as our 0 gauge power wire and  dual amp kit.

Frank, our marketing intern and Roel the Belltech Brand Manager, handled the installation duties in house.  The install was a breeze, once the speakers and crossovers were located in the doors, Dynamat extreme was used to improve the sound quality and keep all of that realistic sound inside as we roll to the next event.  We were impressed with the quality of all of the components and were even more impressed by the output of the amplifiers, for being fairly small in size they really produce some great power!  This system rocks!

Take a moment to scroll through the photo gallery to see the details of the install, check out www.kicker.com for product info and as always follow the remainder of the Crew Cab build at www.belltech.com

Andrew Davis continued in his role as qualifying driver and started the race from 7th place on the grid. Rain began to fall just minutes before the start, creating hazardous conditions on track and slowing the pace of the field. As the rain tapered off and the track began to dry, Davis was able to advance several positions in his opening stint. Keen settled in after Davis handed the car off to him and kept the #59 on a steady pace near the front.

Things proceeded according to plan as Davis drove a flawless second stint before pitting for the final driver change. Keen clearly proved his talent as a closer, taking the lead on lap 144 and holding it for the win. Despite all efforts at fuel conservation it became apparent that the #59 could not make it to the end without a splash of fuel. Just as the team readied for the stop, some good luck came their way as the final full course caution of the race was called. Keen was then able to pit under yellow for fuel without sacrificing the lead. He went on to take the checkered flag, waved in by the young Honorary Starter and Brumos fan, Nolan Crowley, who gave the #59 a big thumbs-up as it crossed the finish line for the win.

Andrew Davis described the win as an emotional one, saying, “Growing up watching Hurley race and seeing Brumos win championships, I always dreamed of being able to win the Six Hours of the Glen, one of the crown jewels of sports car racing. To follow in Hurley’s footsteps and to be a Brumos driver in the #59 Brumos Porsche means the world to me.” Davis was quick to give credit to his team, adding, “We couldn’t have done it without our crew. Each and every member of this team has worked tirelessly – days, nights, in the shop and on the road. For our new Jacksonville-based squad to win a race this quickly, it just shows how dedicated and hard-working this group really is. I have to thank Dan Davis and everyone at Brumos, and also all of our fans who believe in us and keep pushing us along. I am so happy to get that #59 Brumos Porsche here in Victory Lane!”

The victory boosted Brumos to 2nd place in Team Championship points.

With the stunning victory by Manthey Motorsport at the 39th ADAC Zürich 24 hour race on the Nürburgring in the number 18 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR equipped with KW Competition, KW again demonstrated amazing expertise on the Nordschleife. This is the sixth overall victory within ten years for KW Competition – after Zakspeed in 2002, KW outfitted the overall victor, Manthey Racing, in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011.

The suspension solutions were prepared at the in-house 7-post test rig at the company headquarters in Fichtenberg, Germany. It is the most modern test facility in Europe. The suspension and set-up can be perfectly adjusted for track and driver, and even Olaf Manthey, the kingof the Nordschleife, relies on it. “The suspension is a decisive success factor for endurance racing. Durability, reliability, quality, and function are all equally important. We have done our homework, and are very happy for Olaf Manthey and his team. Thanks for trusting in our technology and congratulations on their fifth overall win,” said Jürgen Wohlfarth directly after the 24 hour race in a short statement on the overall win of Manthey Racing.

In addition to the numerous national and international racing teams, the end customers also benefit from the competence in motor sports, as the experience gained flows into the development of street suspensions. Last but not least, the company is led by a genuine enthusiast – KW managing director Jürgen Wohlfarth himself sat at the wheel of the Audi TTS from Team Raeder in the 24 hour race, and achieved an excellent 24th place finish in the overall ranking. This passion and know-how make KW Competition a first-class partner for any racing team.

Winner of the 24h race with KW Competition
SP 7: Manthey Racing – Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
driver: Marc Lieb, Lucas Luhr, Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas

Class winners with KW Competition
SP 10 GT4: Pole Promotion – BMW M3 GT4
SP 3: ATS Motorsport – Honda S 2000
SP 4T: Raeder Motorsport – Audi TT RS
SP 5: Live-Strip.com Racing – BMW 330i M
SP 7: Manthey Racing – Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
SP 8T: Schulze Tobias – Nissan GT-R

A leader in exhaust technology and a proven performance improvement were all we really needed to know when we talked to Magnaflow about a performance exhaust on our Crew Cab.  We were so pleased when we cut the old, restrictive and quiet exhaust off of the truck and replaced it with the shiny new Stainless Cat-Back Performance System  (PN17102) from Magnaflow. It fit like stock, using stock hangers and bolted up nice a square in just a few minutes.  In comparing the size of the factory muffler to the Magnaflow part and you might think that it would be loud, but that is not the case, it produces a nice burble at idle and opens up to a low rumble at cruising speeds.  For us it was nice that we can still hear the whine of the Lysholm Supercharger.  Kudos to Magnaflow for making such a great sounding and easy to install performance replacement exhaust.  Check them out at www.magnaflow.com and keep your eye on the Belltech Crew Cab at www.belltech.com.

Round 4 of the 2011 Formula DRIFT Championship Series took place this past weekend in Wall, NJ at Wall Speedway.  A vicious storm had rolled into town a few days before the event, but had passed through just in time for the much-anticipated drifting event.  Due to the storm, Daijiro Yoshihara and his team, Falken Tire / Discount Tire, were left with little practice time to have his V8 powered Nissan 240SX on KW Suspension setup perfectly for the event.

This event was a true test of teamwork and dedication as Yoshihara was still in the hunt for another podium finish to further his chances for the championship.  Through the hard work of his team, Yoshihara was able to secure the number three spot in overall qualifying order.  Qualifying third landed Yoshihara up against Dean Kearny in the Top 32 battle.  With two consecutive spins in both chase and lead runs from Kearny, Yoshihara moved into the Top 16 battle.

Top 16 competition was up against Kyle Mohan and his rotary powered Mazda RX-8.  Yoshihara powered through his lead run creating a gap that clearly gave Yoshihara an advantage.  The chase run from Yoshihara was tight, and although a little wobbly, Dai managed to pull through for the win that landed him in the Great 8.  Up against 2009 Formula DRIFT champion, Chris Forsberg, this round was anticipated to be challenging.  In the first lap, Forsberg’s car under steered into the rails allowing Yoshihara to take another advantage going into the second run.  Although Forsberg was able to get his car fixed for the second run, it was not enough and Yoshihara found himself in the finals for the third time this season.

A repeat battle from Long Beach, Yoshihara was up against his teammate, Justin Pawlak, in the Final 4.  Both drivers drove aggressively creating plumes of smoke with awesome angle.  Although each run was tight, Pawlak came out on top giving Yoshihara the 3rd spot on the podium.  “This weekend was crazy,” explains Yoshihara.  “The storm really had us scrambling to get the car ready.  But my crew worked hard and was able to get my car ready for competition.  I really attribute last weekend’s podium finish to everyone’s teamwork.”  With this third place finish, Yoshihara advances himself closer to the championship as he sits in second in overall championship points.

In a continued effort from earlier this year, Yoshihara continues to show his support for the relief efforts in Japan.  Many fans showed their support this past weekend allowing Yoshihara to raise almost $1000 for his foundation, Relief For Japan.  Since the launch of this foundation, Relief For Japan has been able to raise over $15,000 through the support of his fans, friends, and fellow Formula DRIFT competitors. For more information on Relief For Japan, please visit www.rfjp.org.

Round 5 of the Formula DRIFT series will be held at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA on the weekend of July 22nd.

For more information on Dai and Formula DRIFT, please visit www.daiyoshihara.comand www.formulad.com.

Wanting the biggest drop we had to offer we went with the full 5″ Front and 7″ Rear drop.  This features the 2509 Spindle, 25003 Lifting / Lowering Street Performance Strut and 12463 Coil springs up front. In the Rear the 6521 Flip kit with 2210FF Street Performance shocks were used to get the back end down and level out the truck. We also utilized a 5407 front sway bar to keep the tires planted in the corners and a 4955 alignment kit to make sure we can get everything exactly back to factory specs.  So sit back, take a second to look through the photos and see what it takes to drop GM fullsize truck using the best parts in the business. Remember to consult all installation notes before beginning your project. 

We are so excited to have the truck back in our hands to finish up all the many details and finally get to drive this thing to some shows and events!  Look for several more blogs in the coming weeks featuring  Exhaust, Wheels, Tires, Bed protection, Stereo, Lighting and more!

 Check back at www.belltech.com for more crew cab updates!

ST Suspensions was proud to sponsor and participate in the 5th Annual Wuste Fest in Las Vegas.  Thousands of attendees were on hand to see vendor displays, a scenic event cruise, Friday night WusteFeista Pool party and of course the main event show and shine on Saturday.  Since the event was a few miles off of the strip, the Wuste staff did a great job supplying an official shuttle to and from the strip, just to make sure that those to had a little too much “Vegas” had a safe way home!  Nice job guys!

The ST booth featured product information and the world famous ST Sunglasses!  Check out a few photos and thanks for a great event!  Special thanks to TJ Klaus with his MK4 GTI from Albuquerque, Ben Aldrich with his Audi A4 Avant from San Diego and Jenn with her Cabrio, all on ST coilovers and willing to relocate their cars to the ST booth for the duration of the show!

http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles/articletype/articleview/articleid/1946/suspension-techniques-bmw-e36-m3-street-suspension-reviewed.aspx

Lysholm® Technologies develops and manufactures highly efficient Twin Screw Compressors for supercharging internal combustion engines in automotive and marine applications. The products meet the standards set by OEMs and aftermarket suppliers.

Lysholm® Technologies is one of the leading players in the field of supercharging engines, offering solid market solutions based on extensive expertise within the industry.

The Twin Screw Supercharger was invented by Mr. Alf Lysholm® in the 1930’s, who was then Chief Engineer at Svenska Rotor Maskiner AB (SRM). The twin screw design was developed to replace dynamic type (centrifugal and axial turbine) compressors, for boosted engines.

Lysholm® Technologies was founded in 1995 and has since, been working with the development of superchargers for improvement of power and torque on internal combustion engines.

This development led to a supercharger which was compact and lightweight with increased efficiency for operating conditions of pressure and speed. The Lysholm supercharger of today features several patented aspects, including rotor profiles and bearing arrangements.

Some of the advantages with a Lysholm® Twin Screw Supercharged engine are noted below:

• Considerably increased engine performance in power and torque
• A cost-effective solution compared to other alternatives
• Instant boost
• Possible use of clutch for minimizing part load parasitic losses
• Compact and lightweight design
• Ability to use high boost pressures
• Low emission concepts at all operating speeds
• Low temperature increase on supplied air also at high boost pressure levels
• Supercharger driven with standard belt from crankshaft

Superchargers will always be the best alternative for performance enhancement, not only for the more exclusive vehicles but also for mass produced engines in automotive and marine applications.

Lysholm® is now an AirPower® Group company along with Vortech Engineering, Paxton Automotive and Vortron Industrial.

We wanted to go the route of what would be a clean, functional vehicle that any family would be proud to drive and still enjoy all the comfort that a large SUV offers.  We had a rendering put together with the team over at  KEG Digital Garage; and that is the drawing that we wanted to share today.  You will note a new lower stance thanks to our 3″, 5″ drop.  New 24″ wheels and tires. New lighting all around, a full set of blacked out billet grilles and badges, plus removal of the roof rack and a little paint work will round out the package.  Stay tuned to www.belltech.com for additonal updates as we build our Suburban.

But, the truck project must continue and the very same day the truck hit home, it left for Vortech to recieve its brand new Supercharger.  The truck made it Safely to Oxnard where all of the install, tuning and dyno work will be completed on the project.  Be sure to check out  www.vortechsuperchargers.com for product information as well as project updates on vehicles of all types, not just our Crew Cab.

We thought you would like to see what it looks like so far.  We can tell you one thing, public response has been awesome.  When the truck driver called to report that the truck was delivered, he also told us of people honking and giving thumbs up for the truck! So, enjoy the photos and see you in a week or two with an update on our new found horsepower!

Streets of Long Beach provided fans with action and excitement through the weekend.  Friday practice in the damp conditions kept things interesting as well as the debut of many new vehicles and several new drivers.  The always tight Long Beach course offers only a small margin of error for the drivers and makes for an exciting event for the sold out house.

Matt Powers with his newly LS7 powered S14 seemed right at home with the new found horsepower and torque curve at his disposal. All smiles after the event, his season looks bright and KW is proud to be part of his success.  Dai Yoshihara was also on his first outing in a completely revised car that was built to meet all of the new rule requirements but he still looked comfortable in the car on his way to a 3rd place finish.  The changes affected the entire suspension geometry but yet the KW coilovers offered enough adjustability and performance to work perfectly. My favorite thing about Dai’s car is that he has a car that works amazing in drift as well as being able to be set up for handling, as we saw at the gymkhana event where he won the rear drive class earlier this year. All of this peformance and the car still sits just right,  tucking just the right amount of tire and looking super aggressive even when it is just sitting still.   Need for Speed’s newest driver Fredrick Aasbo, fresh off of his Rookie of the Year status in 2010 also found himself in a brand new Scion TC riding on KW Suspension.  KW drivers Rhys Millen and Ross Petty rounded out the Top 16 with Mike Essa and Joon Maeng just missing the big show.

Round 1 in the books, it only gives you a quick glimpse of what the season might bring, new cars and drivers fill the field and you never know what hungry young driver or team might step up and get the job done.  But you can never count out the experienced drivers and teams. They have many seasons under their belts and many tricks up their sleeves, all I can tell you is that it will be an incredible ride, so settle in for a great season of Formula Drift excitement.

The 2011 Pro Championship season continues for Round 2: Road to the Championship at Road Atlanta on May 6-7. Tickets are available to purchase.

Photo Credit to John Zhang of 1013mm.com

BOLD DESIGNATED KW EQUIPPED VEHICLE

Once the shape is right, the outline is then defined in a “negative” mask so that the painting can begin.  In our case, the silver graphic requires a black base coat for even coverage as well as allowing for a natural looking bleed thru when performing the brushed effect.  We also had the added bonus of this black base coat also would allow us to tape off for a solid black pinstripe around the entire stripe. The entire truck is masked and the painting begins, first the black, then the tape stripe edge, then the silver.  Allowed to dry, the silver is then ready for the brushed effect.  I thought that there were a couple of cool things to note, with a very careful hand, Adam scuffs the paint, in spots, you can see the black undercoat, this effect really adds to the realism of the graphic and when covered in clear will look like we inset brushed aluminum in the sides of the truck.  Secondly, if you look a the detailed photo of where the graphic changes direction you will see the subtle effect of a direction change where Adam taped off the sections and created a movement within the graphic.  Again, adding depth and realism to the brushed look.

The design turned out incredible and we can’t wait for the truck to get its final coats of clear and head back to Belltech for the completion of the project.  Remember, you will be able to follow the build here at www.belltech.com

The brushed aluminum theme that graces the new front end will continue down the belt line.  Interior pieces have already been painted and when all the individual “brushed” sections come together in one clean design the results will be outstanding and eye catching.  We also get our first look at the Street Scene Generation 2 rollpan in it’s new red hue, made from tough and flexible Urethane this rollpan will really clean up the rear of the truck.  We also see the Leer 550 Bed cover that has been painted its red base coat and just needs to get a nice glossy top coat to be complete.  Stay tuned to www.belltech.com for updates next week as the graphics go down on the Belltech Crew Cab Project.

The team at Jay’s autobody continues to work hard on our newest project here at Belltech.  Today was an exceptionally fun day to see the truck going back together.  Once they get all of the parts back on the truck and every panel aligned and every gap perfect, wet sanding will begin, then the application of the belt line graphic topped with a few more coats of clear.  As always we will follow along each and every step of the way.  Keep your eye on www.Belltech.com for the next update.

We called on the talented crew at Settin Trendz in Clovis California to carry out this important and very unique detail, and after my visit yesterday, they did not disappoint.  In talking to Adam about our project, one thing became clear, at Settin Trendz they are passionate about the work they do and they will only do it right.  The custom metal work on the floating grille bars is top notch and the attention to detail second to none. If you take a look at the back of the bumper you can see that they removed the factory rolled edge that surrounded the opening, this allows them to replace the panel with a new piece of flat stock, and since there is no lip to get in the way, they can work a traditional hammer and dolly to get the panel perfectly straight and eliminating the need for any type of plastic body fillers.

As you can see the floating bars are going to set this build apart from a sea of others.  One cool detail that will be very subtle but distinct will be the background to the floating bars.  Stainless steel sheet is being laser cut as we speak with thousands of tiny Belltech logos, the laser cut line length for just the background is something like 50,000 linear inches!

The build continues, we want to thank the crews at Settin Trendz and Jays Auto Body for all of the hard work and putting up with our tight timelines and photo shoots.  Remember you can follow the build here at www.belltech.com

P&L Motorsports 2007 STI DragCar
 

Franklin Park, IL (Jan 21, 2011) P&L Motorsports adds KW Suspension as an official Suspension Sponsor of their 2007 STI Dragcar for the 2011 racing season.

“We are very excited to be working with a company such as KW Suspension”, said P&L President Paul Szuba. “KW’s quality, durability, years of racing experience and suspension knowledge will play a key role in allowing our STI to set more records in the quarter mile.”

The P&L Motorsports 2007 STI Drag has netted a best of 9.5sec @ 153mph in the quarter mile. Due to some mechanical issues, the end of the 2010 season was an uneventful one, the P&L team has worked out all the bugs and the STI has undergone a transformation. It will be piloted once again by non other than Edgar “fast eddie” Torres.

“KW Suspension is looking forward to working with P&L Motorsports and expanding our market base to the drag racing world,” said KW marketing manager George Ciordas “P&L’s professionalism and extensive knowledge of Subarus is second to none and I can’t wait to see what they can accomplish with our Suspension” added Ciordas.

P&L 2007 STI Sponsors include: AEM Engine management, CP Pistons, Driveshaft shop, KW Suspension, Vibrant Power, X-treme Graphics.

Vehicle Owner
- P&L Motorsports
Driver
- Edgar “Fast Eddie” Torres

General Specs:
- 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Technical Specs:
-Engine: RAW Performance 2.5L
-Heads: P&L Motorsports “P1″ CNC cylinder heads
-Trans: STI 6MT
-Clutch: Exedy
-EMS: AEM EMS
-Turbo: Precision Turbo Garret GT series
-Fuel: P&L 1600cc units
-IC: P&L racing A/W supercooler

With the body of the truck completely  and meticulously disassembled, the tailgate and third brake light have been shaved.  All of the body panels massaged back to perfection it is now time for the fun part; the color change.  We chose an eye searing shade of red sure to turn heads and will never be confused for a stock GM color. The main part of the chassis was rolled into the booth, the truck was cleaned and tacked one last time, and they fired up the spray guns!

Jay’s autobody continues with modifications on our project.  In today’s photos you can see that the minor bodywork on the doors is complete and that the bed off of the frame. You can also see the tailgate handle opening has been filled and the relocator will be in place soon.  The Rollpan from Streetscene is out of the box and will be mocked up soon for final installation.

As an added bonus,  Jay happened to be driving his new Camaro with the wide body kit and flat-blue metallic paint, this car rides on Belltechs Muscle car coilovers to get that just right stance.

Check out the in progress photos and continue to follow the build at www.belltech.com

Just two days ago we dropped off our 2009 Crew Cab at Jay’s Auto Body for our complete bodywork, modifications and full on color change.  Look how much has been done in less than two working days.  They have the entire front clip off of the truck, the doors are removed and gutted and the bed will be off before the end of the day.  I think that the most interesting part was how well organized the parts were that came off of the truck, its a far cry from just putting them in boxes and coffee cans.  I guess that is why you count on professionals like Jay and his team to get the job done right.

Next comes the modifications that we have requested and the remainder of the bodywork.  If you look close in a few of the photos, you can see where they have already circled any problem areas or minor dents in what looked like a fairly straight newer truck.  Its this type of detail that will really make this paint stand out when this truck is complete.

Stay tuned for the next installment in our series on this build!  www.belltech.com

Jay will be performing some subtle smoothing of the body, as well as a few little tricks along the way, and lets not forget a full color change.  Yes he has his hands full and with our self imposed deadline just a few weeks away, we really appricate the extra time and effort that it will take to make this all happen!  We plan on following this process every step of the way with updates every few days of all of the changes and improvements to our newest project.

Stay tuned and watch the build here at www.belltech.com

ST Suspensions takes in the sights and sounds of Wek’fest at Fort Mason.  The crew a Wek’sos did a great job promoting the event as the line to get in was 10 people wide and a quarter of a mile down the block!  Fitment is where it is at and getting a car to the proper “Stance” has always been the goal of anyone who cares about what they drive! 

ST was on hand to support these efforts with Sales and Technical support on our German Engineered coilover systems that feature Galvanized housings and a Five-year Warranty. Thanks to those who stopped by the booth, we appreciate your interest and support.  If it was just too busy to get to the front to talk, call or email and we will answer any questions that you might have about our products or brand. 

Black Swan Racing will continue its partnerships with KW Suspension and Project Mu, as well as Renewable Choice Energy, which will be the fourth year of the partnership with the carbon-offset provider. “I am most proud of the fact that all of our partners, both commercial and technical, will return for 2011,” Pappas said. “It’s a testament to how hard we work to keep our supporters engaged both on and off the track. I am looking forward to announcing some great new partners for the upcoming season as we defend our team and drivers titles. 2011 is going to be a tough year for GTC with a lot of great teams, but we’re ready to prove that our wins last year were not a fluke.”

One change that was not originally planned is the loss of team co-driver Jeroen Bleekemolen for four races in 2011. Bleekemolen’s schedule in 2011 includes races in several different series and will now feature an LMP1 entry to Le Mans, Sebring and Petit Le Mans in Rebellion Racing’s Lola-Toyota. Though the team was disappointed about losing its ace, the chance to drive an LMP1 car was the kind of opportunity neither side could allow to pass.

“When Jeroen asked me to allow him to leave I was initially bummed because he’s the best GT driver I have ever seen and I consider him irreplaceable,” Pappas said. “But when he explained the opportunity, I knew I had to let him go. In the end we are friends and I want the best for his career and family. I wish him the best for 2011 and we will certainly have a blast at the races where he’ll join us.”

In his place, the team has hired Porsche Cup ace Damien Faulkner, a man whose resume is as impressive as any in the racing 911. Bleekemolen was instrumental in selecting his substitute and is confident that his sparring partner from Supercup will help defend the GTC title.

“My agreement to run in LMP with Rebellion Racing came so late in the season that I knew I had a responsibility to make sure that Black Swan was in a good position to win in the races I have to miss. I have raced against Damien and feel that he is the best person for the job,” said Bleekemolen.

Pappas says he feels in better shape than ever as the start of the ALMS season approaches. He was part of a BSR entry that led in class at the Daytona 24 Hours and ran second when it was forced to retire in the 20^th hour due to incidental contact.

He also traveled to Dubai to take part in the Dunlop Dubai 24 Hours, finishing 12th in a new Mercedes SLS GT3.

“I purposely chose to take part in two endurance races in January so that by the time the ALMS kicks off at Sebring, I’ll be in great shape,” Pappas said. “Some guys are using simulators and working out, but by adding actual racing miles to my regimen I think I will have an advantage over my competitors that haven’t had a chance to run since last year, save for some testing.”

Stay tuned for more Black Swan announcements and as always you can follow Tim on Twitter @tpap54 and www.blackswanracing.com.

The American Le Mans Series’ annual Winter Test is set for February 9-10 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla. General admission tickets to the Winter Test are $10 per day with no paddock admission or overnight camping.

The first race for the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is the 59^th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on Saturday, March 19. The race, set for 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 19, will be shown live and in its entirety on ESPN3.com and americanlemans.com. ABC will provide coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 20. Visit the American Le Mans Series’ schedule page for information on tickets and area accommodations.

You can follow the Series on Twitter (almsnotes) and on our Facebook page and the official YouTube channel.

Starting off, with the handling aspect of the ride, George ditched the stock suspension for KW Clubsports coilovers. Ride has been lowered several inches, giving this menacing 335i an aggressive stance and better handling in the corners. The Clubsports are an all-around set up that can be driven on the streets with its firm, comfortable ride, yet has the versatility to hit the race track on the weekends. 

Being a long time enthusiast of the sport compact scene and seeing the natural progression of the car trends, from JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) to the high end European sector,  George has definitely  learned a thing or two along the way when it comes to what works and what doesn’t. When it came to setting the Beemer up with the right kind of stopping power, Rotora 6- piston calipers up front and  4- piston rounding out the rear paired with slotted rotors and  stainless steel braided lines  rounding out all four corners .

To cope with the weekend canyon craving and the abuse of daily driving, he opted for the lightweight Advan RS-D wheels (F: 19×8.5, R: 19×9.5) wrapped in some sticky Falken FK 452- 235/35/19 up front and 265/30/19 in the rear.

Any BMW enthusiast could tell you that 3-series has always had a distinct exhaust sound ever since the first generation till the latest  .. yet making the 335i  sound ever so sweet can be harder than you think, Meistercraft was commissioned for the difficult task, giving that OEM fit and finish, they fitted their Gt Racing line dressed with dual round 90mm split tips. Providing a sound that is fitting of the blue and white roundel badge, that very well could be the best sounding 3-series ever produced, in my opinion.

Keeping the power additives to a minimum George wanted a very useable car yet, unrestricted from the handicaps that were put in place by BMW during its assembly. Opting for the Active Autowerkes stage 2 and E.C.U program that maximizes the engines potential gains by fine tuning the air and fuel ratios to feed those dual vain KKK Turbo’s under the bonnet. Power gains are an additional 71+ rwhp  and 85+ ft lbs of torque to an already potent engine.

When asked what the most unique factor of his 335i was, George noted that would have to be the Wraptivo vehicle vinyl wrap. Being that the 335i came originally in alpine white, George went to the dealership for a pair of BMW M- sport LCI bumpers which in this case came in blue from the factory. Which was then fitted with an APR front splitter and LCI hood and tail-lights to finish things off a VRS boot-lid was added. So when it came to finishing the whole car off, the most cost effective and practical thing to do was to wrap the thing. 

Just by look at the car, the color scheme, the very selective chosen parts, done to the red colored stickers , you can tell that the owner of this ride, is very passionate about cars and knows a thing or two about what he’s doing.  For some, as we get older, the passion fades as other responsibilities take over, but for George Ciordas and his menacing 335i passion is still shining bright.

The KW coilover suspensions for the 2006+ Audi R8 enables the owner to lower their vehicle 0-20mm on the front axle and 0-25mm on the rear axle and retains enough travel to handle maximum load and dynamic loads during driving. Adjustable (and independent reacting) rebound and compression damping allows a truly individual performance driving setup for those technically demanding drivers. Compression dampening adjustment is conducted in the low-speed range, while the high-speed set-up, so decisive for driving comfort, has been pre-set by KW engineers. All KW coilovers come with a lifetime warranty and pass stringent German TUV safety & quality testing standards. Each kit is TUV approved.

KW automotive North America, Inc. is the distribution base for KW automotive, GmbH, a manufacturer and distributor of KW suspensions performance coilover systems. Also home to sport truck lowering component manufacture Belltech Sport Trucks and ST suspensions.

Part#:35210088 MSRP:$4,795.00

The ST suspensions coilover for the VW Golf Mk6 series enables the owner to lower their vehicle 1.6-2.6 inches (0.4-1.6 inches GTI) on the front axle and 1.6-2.6 inches (0.6-1.6 inches GTI) on the rear axle and retains enough travel to handle maximum load and dynamic loads during driving. ST suspensions coilover with its preset dampening rates permits customized lowering of the suspension and creates an optimized balance of sportiness, comfort and safety.

Important characteristics such as safety, quality and performance are all taken into consideration with each ST suspensions coilover design. Each vehicle application is specifically designed and engineered for a proper range of motion, min/max weight loads and min/max lowering. All these requirements are met while retaining its performance handling characteristics. Each ST suspensions coilover is constructed of zinc plated threaded strut housings and utilized a compression bumpstop with integrated dust boot for additional ride comfort and long term durability.

All ST suspensions coilovers pass stringent German TUV safety and quality testing standards. Each kit is TUV approved.

Golf Mk6 incl. GTI Part #: 90892 MSRP: $ 1,034.99

Golf Mk6 TDI Part #: 90893 MSRP: $1,034.99

 The ST suspensions coilover for the 08+ Audi TT (8J) enables the owner to lower their vehicle 0.8-2.0 inches (0.4-1.4 inches Quattro) on the front axle and 0.8-2.0 inches (0.4-1.2 inches Quattro) on the rear axle and retains enough travel to handle maximum load and dynamic loads during driving. ST suspensions coilover with its preset dampening rates permits customized lowering of the suspension and creates an optimized balance of sportiness, comfort and safety.

Important characteristics such as safety, quality and performance are all taken into consideration with each ST suspensions coilover design. Each vehicle application is specifically designed and engineered for a proper range of motion, min/max weight loads and min/max lowering. All these requirements are met while retaining its performance handling characteristics. Each ST suspensions coilover is constructed of zinc plated threaded strut housings and utilized a compression bumpstop with integrated dust boot for additional ride comfort and long term durability.

All ST suspensions coilovers pass stringent German TUV safety and quality testing standards. Each kit is TUV approved.

Audi TT (8J) Part # 2WD & Quattro: 90873 MSRP: $ 1,034.99

 The KW coilover suspensions for the Mercedes E-Class Coupe (C207) enables the owner to lower their vehicle 20-45mm on the front axle and 15-45mm on the rear axle and retains enough travel to handle maximum load and dynamic loads during driving. Variant 1 with its preset dampening rates permits customized lowering of the suspension and creates an optimized balance of sportiness, comfort and safety. With the Variant 3 drivers are able to adapt the suspension to their driving style, by using the fully adjustable independent rebound and compression technology to achieve the maximum of performance, driving comfort and safety. All KW coilovers come with a lifetime warranty and pass stringent German TUV safety & quality testing standards. Each kit is TUV approved.

KW automotive North America, Inc. is the distribution base for KW automotive, GmbH, a manufacturer and distributor of KW suspensions performance coilover systems. Also home to sport truck lowering component manufacture Belltech Sport Trucks and ST suspensions.

Variant 1 Part#:10225029 MSRP:$1,999.00

Variant 3 Part#:35225029 MSRP:$2,699.00

As a sponsor of the event, it was only natural for Discount Tire to ask their drifting professional, Dai Yoshihara, to come out to compete.  For this event, Dai came out with the same V8 powered Nissan 240SX (S13) he had been competing in for the 2010 Formula D season.  However, although the exterior was the same, the technical specs had changed completely to help compliment the demanding gymkhana style track. 

During practice and into qualifying, Dai had been running one of the fastest lap times in the RWD class, and he was even seconds away from the fastest lap times of the faster AWD class.  With the fastest lap time of 55 seconds, Dai landed the number 1 qualifying spot for the RWD class.  During the first elimination round, Dai was paired up with fellow Formula D competitor, Joon Maeng.  With a 53 second lap time, Dai moved onto the second round of competition with ease and confidence.

In the Great 8 round, Dai went up against another Formula D competitor, Tony Brakohiapa who drove his Ford Mustang.  The competition between the two started out very close but the Mustang was no match for the dialed-in Nissan 240SX.  Dai secured his victory with another fast run of 54 seconds.  The Final 4 round was probably the most competitive Dai was going to face in the night.  Young driver, Kevin Abbring, was driving his Nissan 350Z in sub-55 second lap times and was consistently becoming faster throughout the night.  Both cars ran slower times than their previous runs but at the end, Dai came out on top with a 55 second run. 

In the finals, Dai was matched up with privateer, John Russakoff, in his Honda powered Toyota Corolla (AE86).  John was running fast, clean runs all day and was a concern for Dai.  In the first lap, the two cars were neck to neck with Dai having a slight edge over John.  In the second lap, a miss shift slowed John down considerably; and although he had caught up to Dai, he was no match as Dai drove through the finish line with a lightning fast 52 seconds.  With this last pass and the help of his sponsors Falken Tire and Discount Tire and running on the KW Competition 3 way adjustable coilovers, Dai was crowned champion of the RWD class.

“The car was awesome,” explains Dai.  “In an event like this, it’s really important to make sure the car is set up properly.  There’s a lot of racing styles – drag racing, drifting, and time attack – you have to make sure your car can do all that the best and it did thanks to my crew.  I had so much fun!” 

For more information on this event, please visit www.gymkhanagrid.com and please visit www.daiyoshihara.comfor my information on Dai Yoshihara.

KW automotive and ST Suspensions were on hand at the innagural Car Show that featured such a wide range of car types and styles the moniker “mass appeal” was definatly well deserved.  You could find your street and drift style cars parked right beside a drag car or bagged mini truck.  Whatever style you were looking for, it could be found with just a short walk through the vendor area.  In between talking to customers we were able to snap a few of the cars in attendance so that we can share them with you.

The basic idea behind the event is to take the driving skills that have been showcased in the last few Ken Block Gymkhana videos and put them to the test, side-by-side in front of a live crowd and let some of the best drivers in the world battle it out, testing limits of grip and slip to see who is the master of car control.

Starting side by side and competing on identical but mirrored courses speed is the goal and mistakes like tapping barriers result in time penalties. Speed and precision are key and these hand picked drivers were the best in many separate fields and driving disciplines, whether Formula Drift , Rally, Sports Car racers and Drag Racing pros, they all were standouts in their individual types of motorsports.

Cars were broken down into two classes, All Wheel Drive and Rear Wheel drive.  Other than that, the cars were unlimited, powertrain and transmission choices ran the gamut with many drivers sticking with what they have used in previous seasons of their individual motorsports disciplines.  Several drivers struggled in practice rounds trying the find the fast way around the course.  Since the entire course can be seen from one location, the crowd has visual access to both drivers at all times, this really increases the excitement and spectator involvement.

Overall event winner in the AWD class and winner of this round of the energy drink war was Tanner Foust in his Rockstar backed Ford Fiesta.  Bringing in the gold for the RWD class was KW supported Dai Yoshiahara in his Falken Tires Nissan S13, other than a gear change and a few shock setting changes on his KW Competition 3 way adjustable coilovers,  turning his drift car to a grip car!  KW wants to give a shout out to Matt Powers for his forth place finish in the RWD class also riding on KW suspension.  Let’s not forget Mike Essa in his V10 Powered, KW supported,  BMW M3 blowing away the competition in the Burnout contest.

Starting off, the engine bits that really help this car from all show to all go, comes by way of a Active Autowerkes Stage 2 Supercharger kit, we’re talking about the whole shebang, from a reworked E.C.U, to custom intake manifold designed in-house by Active, an air to air intercooler, colder heat range Spark plugs that can cope with the up rated power from the supercharger.

The Supercharger unit was outsourced from a company called HKS better known for their forced induction and building uber’ cool cars, but that’s all beside the point, the supercharger is a HKS GTS8550 system with custom brackets for a factory finish fit. Believe it or not, Active Autowerkes actually has a two year unlimited mileage warranty, if anything were to go wrong, they’ll fix it. The whole systems can contribute up to a 30% gain in horsepower with a moderate increase in torque. At 6.5-7 psi, power output, is in the 620hp range, with 360ft. lbs of torque.

With the engine obviously taken care of, Vorsteiner ditched the stock, heavy exhaust unit for a lighter Vorsteiner VTS Titanium exhaust to freeing up some extra horse powers, also adding that infamous growl that we all love from the 4.0L V8 engine.

After that was taken care of , stopping all 620horsepower would be a bit stressful on the stock brakes, opting for a Brembo Big Brake kit, 6 piston mono-block GTR calipers and a 4 piston units outback.

But the piece de resistance’ of the M3 is the Vorsteiner wide body kit, the M3 is fitted with 5 piece wide body,  the GTRS3 series, highlights the M3 aggressiveness , captivating even the faintest show attendee, into a serious fan. The M3 is fitted with the GTRS3 carbon fiber front bumper, front over-fenders, side-skirts, rear fenders, and rounding things outback the rear bumper integrated with a rear diffuser. Picking wheels on an already wide car can be hard, but with an even a taller task of finding wheels for the widebody can be difficult, and throwing on just any wheel wasn’t going to cut it. No problem, however, Vorsteiner hooked up the ride with Vorsteiner V309 3 piece concave (20×10.)F, (20×12.5)R.

 Like the cherry topping on a cake, the one thing, sealing everything together, would be suspension, KW Variant 3 Coilover, give the M3GTRS3 its aggressive stance, and allows the car a more performance over the stock units. Looking at the car, you might be scratching your head, as to whether its painted, well the answer to that question is unfortunately it’s not.  Wraptivo came on board as one of the sponsors, covering the car in its 3M vinyl metallic gray wrap. To get all that power down to the asphalt, super sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 2’s round everything off, to make this 2010 BMW M3 GTRS3 one hell of a ride.

 Build a track can be time consuming in the hands of amateurs but in the hands of owner Nicholas Ashby, no task is too tall. Only having about a month to complete the project, Nicholas was focused on one thing, and one thing only, to have this car ready by this years 2010 SEMA.  One of the unique factors on the car is the AEMX- WiFi custom Ipad that has the ability to control both the engine and audio systems, whether it’s starting up your car with the auto start feature, or playing D.J at a car show. . There really is an app for everything now a day. This SEMA Showcase will show some new enthusiasts how you can turn an average car into a track and ready car in matters of months.

To start the heavy stock restrictive exhaust was taken out for the more free-flowing light unit from Stillen, combined with the Stillen Supercharger.  After the  go fast bits were taken care of , the stopping power had to be sorted, as it came in the shape of a large sized dinner platter, Brembo Big brake kit front and rear  has ample of stopping power to get out of any sticky situation on the track.

In every race car, getting rid of the stock suspension is always the main priority; the 370z was fitted with the KW coilovers and swaybars to allow the car the adjustability to conquer any track that is in its path. The rolling mass take shape as Work Emotion XC8 wheels with a 19×9 f  and 19×10r with a +20f and +25 in the rear.

The Exterior of the car is enhanced by the more aggressive Stillen Front bumper and roof wing also the rear apron add on. In any race car the number one rule is weight savings, Nicholas put the 370z on a strict diet regiment losing the extra pounds in lue of Seibon carbon fiber hood, tossing the stock. Next on the agenda was the rear hatch and pillar bars, b-pillars , mirrors covers and sideskirts. Rounding off the interior is the Ipad integration unit combined with AEM X-WiFi controller.  To help keep the occupants in check  Sparco racing seats help get red of some of the extra weight that the stock units have and for the added control around the track , Sparco steering wheel was added.  Be sure to check out the SEMA Showcase at the KW Suspension booth.

Without factory support from BMW – it was actually bought and paid for by his sponsor, at GSR Autosport. Rather than fit a Corvette LS-7 V8 and call it a day, Mike realized that BMW purists would probably hate him for it, so he decided to go the more difficult (and more expensive route) yanking out the stock inline-6 N54 engine. In its place, Mike installed a BMW M5 V10  engine, which puts out 500 horsepower and 380 foot pounds of torque on a good day.

Sourcing the engine and installing it didn’t come with its own set of issues, purchasing an entire E60 BMW M5 from an auto auction for $20,000! The M5 was wrecked, but the engine was just fine, so it would be perfect for his build. Simply dropping a BMW V10 S85 engine into an E92 chassis BMW isn’t found in a book for dummies. First of all, there isn’t much information or documentation out there regarding this swap, there are probably only four cars in the entire world that have done this swap, according to Mike.

 There really isn’t too much information or parts out there for the swap. Mike decided against using the factory H-pattern transmission in this newly built drift car. The reason behind Mike’s choice to go with the Quaife sequential transmission, because he wanted a higher end transmission that was cool and would match the high end specs of the rest of the car’s build. Also  the Bimmer forum guys would probably like it more, since it would be a bit more aspirational with the sequential tranny… this isn’t going to be your normal, run of the mill swap.

A sequential transmission has performance advantages, and a lot of the other cars being campaigned in Formula D have them as well. Mike didn’t wanna didn’t mess around with a normal H-pattern transmission, so this sequential was the way to go. Mike ended up shelling out $14 grand for it. And on top of that, nobody even makes a bellhousing to match the M5′s V8 engine to the sequential trans.

Keeping in true Drift car fashion, the car is equipped with the basics, GSR autosport Roll cage. Racing bucket seat and a fire safety unit, as you can tell Mike’s car means business. Keeping everything in check , the M3 was outfitted with KW suspension Clubsports, lowing the car 3in. Stopping power is assisted by Wilwood 6 Pot up front and 4 piston calipers out back.

Starting things off things with the engine, a Paxton V-power supercharger system was installed alongside a air to air cooler to keeping things from overheating. Next on the agenda was some loud pipes, JBA dual 3” exhaust systems with High flow mid pipes and catalytic converters. Transfer all that power to the wheels can be challenging without the right clutch ACT performance Clutch took care of things alongside a ACT heavy duty pressure plate.

Nicholas decided to opt for KW Suspension Variant 2 coilovers, because of its precision engineering and proven race technology that goes into every coilover design, with the added rigidity of KW anti-roll sway bars, providing minimal body roll.  Brembo 4 piston calipers combined with drilled rotors and Brembo high performance pads get you to a halt in a hurry.  Rolling mass are custom one offs CH-R 1 P cast wheel (20×9)F (20X10.5)R wrapped in Hankook  V12 Series  tires.(245/40/R20)F(275/35/R20)R.

Adding its aggressive track style, Seibon Carbon fiber vented hood, and full trunk, rear valance , front lip,side skirts and fenders all add to the strict diet that Nicholas put on the Camaro.

Now whats a SEMA Showcase car without insanely over the top audio system, outfitted with Memphis car Audio two 12” subwoofers in a custom box,  one 6” component audio head unit, 6×9 full range rear deck , 500watt mono shallow channel amp, all connected with Monstercable power cables for that impeccable sound quality.

Santa Ana, CA, November 22, 2010:  This year has been an exceptional one for the Berk Technology Time Attack Race Team.  Although this was not the first year Berk Technology has competed in the series with their now famous BMW 135i, they came into the season with a personal best of fifth place in the Street Tire RWD class.  They assembled a new team for 2010 and came out swinging at the season opener at Buttonwillow taking first place in their class and setting a new track record.  From that point on there was no looking back. 

Berk Technology finished on the podium at every event they competed at in the season, setting new track records at both Buttonwillow and Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch.  They also broke the 2009 track record at Willow Springs and came within a second of the current track records at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway.

The successes they had in 2010 did not come easy though; they had tough competition from numerous teams throughout the year.  Most of the time the top three finishers at each event were mere tenths of a second apart, but through consistency and determination Berk Technology finished with the highest win percentage in their class and on top of the leader board in the championship points race! 

The Berk Technology Time Attack Race Team finished the 2010 season with a commanding 76 point lead over second place finisher, Dave Lemon in the Mazdatrix RX-8.  With the Championship title, the track records, and all of the wins and podium finishes, Berk Technology surprised even themselves with what they were capable of. 

Berk Technology truly believes they have assembled the best team in time attack.  From the pit crew to the sponsors, they could not have done it without everyone’s support.  Berk Technology would like to thank the following people and sponsors for their support throughout the 2010 Redline Time Attack season:

Sponsors:
Berk Technology
OS Giken
Hankook Tire
KW Suspension
VFiber

Performance Friction Brakes
SEIBON Carbon
APEX Wheels
APR Performance
GIAC
Velocity Motorcars
AEM Electronics
Macht Schnell
European Auto Source
Vivid Racing
DRIFTENVY Clothing

Residing in Bakersfield California, Chris, built this ride with one thing in mind, functionality; being a daily driver and work horse for the shop ride quality and the creature comforts of the Tahoe had to be kept intact. While still making the modifications that truly stand out to make this one unique vehicle. One of the main goals Chris set as a goal was to keep the modifications obtainable by the average consumer.

Being a vehicle that was displayed at this year’s 2010 SEMA in Las Vegas, the stock rollers had to be tossed for some Lexani LSS10 (26 x 10 all around) wrapped in some sticky Toyo Proxes S/T’s (305/30/26).  Stopping this massive, half-ton SUV is no small task, Wilwood 6 piston calipers and dinner plate sized 16in rotors all –around is more than capable of handling that challenge.

After the wheels and tires were sorted out, the heart of the Tahoe needed some more extra horsepower. No problem, the 5.3L V8 got all the bells and whistles as it came in shape of a Vortech Lysholm Supercharger, paired with a better free- flowing Magnaflow  Performance exhaust system.  With these things on the car, any owner would be content, but it doesn’t stop there.

Inside, the interior got rewrapped in Katzkin Midnight Tuscany Leather and plush Fog suede. Adding to things the SEMA showcase Tahoe was fitted with Webasto Hollandia 940 Twin Vent Sunroof for the added benefit of keeping the cabin cool on those hot California summers. The electronics on this car would  make most homes entertainment center look pitiful, Pioneer P4200DVD 7’ indash touch screen takes  care of things up front, two Realm Car Audio 500watt amps control the sound from the two  Realm 12’ Subwoofers with a custom fiberglass enclosure; four Vizualogic 7’ headrest monitors in addition to 2 Realm LS6c component speaker sets.

Getting the right height dialed in came way of Belltech 1-2” Pro Coil springs, 2” drop spindle in the front a 4” drop with Pro Coils in the rear with Street Performance shocks. The reason behind choosing Belltech suspensions, as Chris noted “I chose the Belltech kit because of its recognition that is known to ride like or better then the factory ride with a lower more aggressive stance.” Taking into consideration for what the general consumer would be willing to spend Belltech fit the bill perfectly.

With the East Coast Championship locked in at Sebring International Raceway, Professional Awesome Racing traveled to Southern California with a goal of proving that a small and dedicated group from the Midwest could compete with strong West Coast teams.

With the car running smoothly all weekend, the team was surprised with having a minor boost controller issue in the first timed session. This limited the power output from the Professional Awesome Evolution VII and with both Stoptech’s Stephen Ruiz and Cobb Tuning’s Jon Drenas beating the previous track record of 1:47.678 (+1) set by Reese Tuning’s Jeremy Toye; the pressure was on for Professional Awesome to perform in the final timed session of the weekend. After a quick repair was made in the pits, the team took the car out for the second session and on the opening lap, driver Daniel O’Donnell pushed the Evolution VII hard to finish with an amazing 1:46.674!

The team was extremely happy with the results and after the victory, crew chief Mike Lewin said, “This victory confirms what we have felt all along. That with preparation, hard work and a positive mindset, any goal can be accomplished!” Testament to the dedication of both Mike Lewin, and head mechanic Grant Davis, the car performed flawlessly all year with no major mechanical issues and showcased the strength of the Mitsubishi Evolution platform.

Professional Awesome Racing would like to thank all our friends and family as well as our sponsors, without whom this season wouldn’t have been possible.

5Zigen

Amsoil

Blox Racing

Cosworth

DBA Brakes

Essex Parts/CL Brakes

Exedy USA

Girodisc

JM Fabrications

Kognition

KW Suspension

MA Performance

Sparco USA

T1 Race Development

Zeitronix

Professional Awesome Racing is race fabrication, tuning and aftermarket performance shop based in West Lafayette, IN. Started in 2009, Professional Awesome’s primary focus is building time trial race cars with an emphasis on production-based vehicles. To learn more about Professional Awesome, please visit our website at www.ProfessionalAwesome.com

 Besides the fun history lesson, the Porsche 911 964 chassis, has been treasured by many, and even till this day, it’s one of the  more prized 911’s among car guys for its air-cooled horizontally –opposed flat six engine.  Cameron Adams 1989 Porsche 911/964  “Paris Dakar 2” version pays homage to the golden era of Porsche rally cars that were the epitome of the rally program during the early 80’s. The Porsche 911 rally pretty much put up a good fight against some of the greatest cars that were ever built, the Lancia Stratos, Fiats, Mitsubishi EVO, Audi Quattro 90.  The goal of this project was to take advantage of the modern racing, fabrication and all wheel drive technology of “Paris Dakar1”. Cameron designed and constructed this representation with a new all wheel drive system that will debut at this years 2010 SEMA auto show.

Like every racecar, for that matter rally car, the interior is all business; everything inside the cabin has been removed and fitted with a weld-in roll cage complying with the modern off-road/rally specification. The unibody chassis has been substantially reinforced to allow for the massive high speed jumps and racing over some of the roughest terrains man has ever seen. Keeping the occupants safe and sturdy, the 911 has been fitted with competition seats and harnesses for both the driver and co- driver.

 The Air-cooled flat six unit has been bumped up to 3600cc. paired with a G-64 Synchromesh 5- speed manual transmission. To give it that beefy sound that all Porsche enthusiast love to hear, the 911 was fitted with titanium Meisterschaft exhaust system provided by GT haus. The oil cooler has been placed on top of the roof, to prevent from puncture during racing.

Keeping the suspension in check the Paris Dakar 911 got hooked up with KW Clubsport Coilovers, as suspension travel is a must during a rally to allow clearance over some of the treacherous terrain, the vehicle has been lifted substantially to the Paris Dakar ride height. The reason KW suspension was chosen was specifically for its stainless steel coil-over shock bodies. As this technology was not available in the Prodrive Rothmans era and is a significant benefit to a rally car which runs in some of the toughest conditions. Other Modifications to the unibody chassis is all suspension end points have been thoroughly reinforced. An electric front mounted winch, is for insurance just in case the guys find themselves in a sticky situation. Aluminum skid plates in the front and rear help protect the underside of the chassis from the large rocks and other off road intrusions that comes with rally racing. 

Be sure to check this new age version of the Paris Dakar2 Porsche 911/964 version of the Prodrive Rothmans rally car, as this will be an attention grabber.

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  The venue hosted a traditional car show for the buff and polish crowd, Vendor midway for those looking to find just the right Holiday gift for that gearhead on their list as well as an autocross for those in attendance who value performance as much as appearance. Belltech was excited to be on hand to discuss our full line of truck lowering and performance suspension as well as the exciting offerings in the Belltech Muscle car line. Sit back and take a minute to enjoy a few photos of cars and trucks that caught our eye.

Check out the latest and greatest from Belltech at www.belltech.com

Crew chief Radomir Banda (FES) said, “I had a great deal of concern going into the race as we made some significant changes to our platform.  During testing we ended up losing a head gasket, so we worked all through the night to rebuild the engine.  On race day we struggled with set-up and on the last session we ended up having an engine failure cutting our time short and possibly costing us the overall victory.  I am disappointed, proud, and excited at the same time.  Congrats to Sierra Sierra on the victory but, that time will not hold up for long. ”

Team principle Ken Namimatsu said, “I am really proud of the team, we had to overcome countless hurdles to even get to this race.  More than any other track we run, Buttonwillow seems to punish us on a consistent basis.  This race was no different.  In the end we are happy that we smashed the previous record that has been held by HKS for the past three years but, we are absolutely not satisfied!  Many more advancements on the horizon and I am looking forward to 2011.”

We would like to thank all of our sponsors for their superior track proven products and unwavering support throughout the season and we hope to continue to build on our relationships into 2011.

Claus Ettensberger having started a very successful business such as CEC and leading Brabus North America LP to the states and help it become a very popular tuner in the states had a very humble beginning. Born in Germany, near Stuttgart, Claus has been involved in customizing throughout his life. Ever since he was young, he has shown a passion for personalizing and tuning his rides.

Starting from 50cc-motorized bicycles that he rebuilt for greater performance to his early cars, to the amazing creations of today, everything was and is tuned and personalized. Hard work, dedication, and inspired strategic development and positioning enabled Claus Ettensberger Corporation to enjoy exceptional growth since its inception. Claus leads a capable and dedicated team of people in Los Angeles and Miami. Today CEC represents eight premium brands, all of which are leaders in their respective market segments in North America.CEC is recognized around the world as the leading customizer and tuner of premium European and other luxury passenger cars and SUVs in North America.

For SEMA 2010 Claus selected the Mercedes SLS AMG to represent his CEC wheel line. The vehicle had been outfitted with the new CEC c883 Forged wheels in Matte Black/Machined finish with staggered fitment of  9.5×20 upfront and 11×21 in the rear, wrapped with Michelin Sport 2 tires. When it came to the perfecting the ride height, Claus contacted KW suspensions for their new Variant 3 application for the SLS. The first SLS Variant 3 coilover kit to reach American shores quickly found its way on vehicle and provided the perfect balance of ride quality and visual effect.

Winning products were selected by an international panel of media judges and are based on the overall level of consumer appeal.

Capturing one of the awards was the KW suspensions BMW E30 Variant 2 coilovers. Utilizing OEM spindle construction and implementing KW V2 adjustable rebound damping technology provides a ready to install, all in one solution for E30 enthusiasts.

ST suspensions, which appeared at SEMA in a new color scheme, followed suit by claiming two awards. One award was given to the ST suspensions coilover for the BMW E90 platform. The coilover offers a perfect balance of performance and comfort in terms of ride quality. With the intention to offer a larger variety of applications for European vehicles, ST Suspensions was rewarded for their VW Golf VI GTI Application, which provides the best balance of handling and driver comfort.

KW automotive North America, Inc. is the distribution base for KW automotive GmbH, a manufacturer and distributor of performance coilover systems founded in Germany in 1995. Today KW automotive, with its five locations all over the world, is a leading manufacturer, supplier and developer in suspension systems. Covering a large variety of aftermarket applications, KW automotive is also a partner of OEM manufacturers such as Roush, Chrysler USA and Mercedes-AMG. KW Automotive North America is also the headquarters for ST Suspensions and Belltech Sport Trucks & Muscle Cars.

Usually there’s a star vehicle stealing the spotlight on the show floor as we’ve seen in the past, such as the Mustang or the Camaro. The closest vehicle meeting that criteria was the Honda CRZ, unfortunately it’s presence was limited to their booth. Overall we found it was more of a blend of the two vehicles mixed in with other models both domestic and import. KW automotive had a good selection of product supported vehicles throughout entire show. A partnership with  Seibon (carbon) increased brand awareness with numerous selected vehicle spots outside the main convention center walkway.

The strong flow of attendees throughout high points of the week provided a positive atmosphere and outlook to next season for the industry. Manufacture’s attendance also reflected this trend as this year’s show floor was adequately complete. The increased traffic and participation provides an optimistic outlook into 2011. A definite and welcomed boost to the specialty automotive aftermarket industry.

Alan is the one to deliver this novelty. This is a self-taught creative technician/builder with decades of experience in all the necessary aspects of art, engineering and technology elevating DIY to the next degree. The exciting thought is what it will look like, especially when the man is one of a kind?

The SuperCar that is his soon to be claim to fame, is called the Kamae. It will be under Alan’s one-man, one brand called the Calypso. The car is the summary of his decades of experience. It is a representation of his cosmopolitan worldview and know-how. Like the talent, it is one of a kind. The planned power will come from  a 3.2 liter V8 Ferrari Modena managed by a Ferrari Modena 6 speed paddle shifter. The result will be 750 to 900 HP at 11,000 RPM. All dyno testing R&D and electronics are done by Alan. But at the current moment at SEMA attendees will witness the standard 8.0L V10.

But this man’s pure insanity, or call it  pure genius is the SEMA ShowCase of his  1999 Dodge Viper RT-10. Started in March of 2010, the project is on its way to becoming a neck-breaking thrill of a ride.  Powered by the 8.0L V-10 Alan Lee decided to   add a little bit more power by way of a twin- intercooled Supercharger by Procharger. With a target horsepower mark of 950hp+ , there is no doubt that Alan would shatter that goal, and could very well break 1000horsepowers. Handling all that power, Alan had to find some quality suspension for this torque monster, KW Variant 2 coilovers took care of that as it added better traction during acceleration and minimal squatting.

Wheels are a one – off custom made Alan Lee Designs wheel measuring in at(20 x 13)R and a (20×9.5)F, pretty wild. As for the unique factor, “Mostly everything is reworked, from the aluminum firewall, to the doors and convertible tonneau cover, to the 3 pieces Alan Lee designs modular wheels.We had to completely rebuild the front end to showcase the KW shocks absorbers and finally the Peas de resistance’  the twin intercooled superchargers (Procharger) said Alan Lee. Be sure to stay tuned to KW Suspensions for more info on this eclectic person and build.

Powered by turbocharged 2.0L 3 rotor 20B motor, the RX-8’s output is 700hp to this drift machine, with 500ft.lbs of torque, as this screams around the track at triple digits speeds.  Putting all this power to the ground is no small task, matted to a HKS Sequential 6spd box. The goal behind the RX-8 is to build the most technologically advanced Drift/Road car that is both pleasing to the eye in craftsmanship as well as provide unsurpassed performance on the track.  And in the simplest terms …… To WIN.

Starting back in August 2008 the build took a total of 9 months to complete the vehicle, as sourcing the parts and having the engine built took up much of the build time, but was able to make its debut before the drift season. Suspension set-up was kept simple as Bergenholtz Racing decided to go with a set of KW 3 way adjustable competition coilovers.

Keeping true to the cleanliness of the stock body lines of the RX-8 , the body kit is factory Mazda RX-8, however the doors and trunk lid are Seibon Carbon fiber units to add to the weight savings. Troy Sumitomo over at 5 Axis designs helped with the design and installation of the custom rear quarter panels.

Rolling stocks were tossed in light of Enkei PF01 measuring (18×9)F and (19×10.5)R with a +35 offset all around.   Drifting can be expensive on the pocket for any person just getting started, however if your sponsored by Nitto Tire, drifting around on Nitto NT05 (245/40/18)f (295/35/19)R is no problem.

The interior is all business keeping true to the racecar theme, besides the racing bucket seat, roll cage done by Steen Chassis, and the fire safety unit, that’s pretty much it. Don’t believe me, check it out for yourself over at this years 2010 SEMA.

All the bells and whistles came after, a short throw shifter, light weight pulleys, a Brian Crower Stroker kit that brought the displacement down to 8.5:1.  Bringing down the displacement was only a hint for what was to come next. The naturally aspirated engine only lasted for so long till Nicholas got converted to the dark side from one of his buddies.  Comp Turbo triple ball bearing was added to the mix along side with all the plumbing that is needed to make this a screamer.

What did you think you were going to expect from a full on racecar.

Besides all the power mods, the exterior got treated with only the best, in a full carbon body with a custom airbrush military design. To add that show flavor, since this is a SEMA Showcase vehicle , the ride is fitted with Ashanti 144 5 spoke (20×9)f and (20×11)r. The addition of the Ashantis really is a great addition to the car for any show seeker.  On a racecar keeping the wheels on the road can be a ordeal at times, but no problem the task was left in the hands of KW Suspensions, as KW  hooked up the ride with  one of their top of the line KW Variant 3coilovers. After being fitted to the car, they ride and control of the car , was a night and day difference , best put it by Nicholas “I went over it with the KW specialist and they provided exactly what I needed, and KW Suspensions are the best I have ever used, Im hooked for life!”

For more information and or pictures,  stop on by the KW booth at this years 2010 SEMA trade show.  If you can’t make it, be sure to follow KW suspension website as there will be updates from SEMA.

If you’ve never heard or witnessed it before, it’s the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile club of southern California, this was the 19^thrunning to be specific. Sights and definitely sounds filled the weekend at the historical drag-strip known as Famoso Raceway in Bakersifield, Ca. Tens of thousands of people drove in and  some even flew from continents as far away as Australia and Europe just to take in the spectacle that is Californian nostalgia drag racing.

After wiping the tears from your eyes and the burning in your nose had disappeared from the nitro and tire smoke, spectators could take in the fabulous show-n-shine in the grove that featured everything from period correct front engine dragster to the ever popular rat rod culture cars. The swap meet was enormous and had something for everyone. Old magnesium wheels to used blowers could be found  just by walking down to the big end of the track where all the sellers were located. Still didn’t find what you need? Walk on over to the manufacturers midway to find brand new products ranging from T shirts from the guys at “Big Belly Crew”, powder coating services from Cap’s in Fresno, or a new narrowed nine inch from Currie and everything in between.

Needless to say there was something for everyone. With great weather and fantastic food to boot it was a great weekend had by all, old friends and new friends alike. If you didn’t get the opportunity to get there this year be sure to mark it down for next so to be sure to get your NITRO fix! 

Going into the final round at Irwindale, Discount Tire Direct and KW Suspensions supported Dai Yoshihara trailed series leader and Falken teammate Vaughn Gittin Jr.  Hopes were high in the pits as Dai’s Rocket Bunny clad S13 was ready for battle.  Testing and qualifying were excellent, the car was hooking up so well that the car would actually wheelie the banking, ala sprint car style. In the Falken pit, spirits were high and mechanics from the team, Chris Marion from KW and handling guru, chassis dynamics expert Mike Kojima of MotoIQ fame swarmed the car to make sure that everything was just right and that the car would handle to perfection in the upcoming rounds. 

The day long activites of practice, pro-am, autograph sessions and press duties were done and it was time to take the Top 32 and trim it down to the world’s best 16 drifters.  Dai attacked the course, amazing angle, fast transitions everything looked great in the run, then unexplicitly, while running the lead on the first round Dai spun into the track barriers right in front of the scoring tower and judges.  It was a love tap into the lightweight barriers at best, the car was still running but you could see that when Dai tried to pull away, the two front wheels were not in agreement as too which way they wanted to go.  Dai removed himself from the car, smiled and waved all while on the walkie with the pit crew, they called for five minutes and the race was on to fix the car.  Sitting on the banking that comprises the staging lanes they begun the mad thrash, while crew members disassembled the front end trying to find clues, Mike and Dai had a very animated discussion about what the car actually did in the corner that might point to a solution or a quick fix.  Unfortunately time ran out, Vaughn Gittin Jr was crowned Formula D’s 2010 Champion.  Moments later, out of the Discount Tire Direct S 13, came a simple broken bolt, Mike examined it very closely, shrugged and handed it off to another anxious crew member nothing more needed to be said, championship hopes of all involved crushed by one small inexpensive bolt. At this point, nothing you can do but load up the car and start preparing for the next event, series or championship run.

Follow Dai Yoshihara at  www.daiyoshihara.com  

In looking through this photo essay, you will see a brief glimpse into the standard engineering procedure for new product development at KW Automotive in Germany.  Coilover development can be a tricky and complicated process, although is can be broken down in three categories; first is the design and fitment of the product, followed by the shock valving and spring selection, then finally to the ride and performance evaluations.

Eighteen engineers comprise the Research and Development team begin an extensive and comprehinsive measuring session of all stock components.  This not only includes point-to-point suspension measurements, dimensions of travel, motion ratio, and deflection, but baseline performance standards on the controlled environment of our 7-post chassis dyno. All of these measurements are absolutely critical in the development process as each coilover application uses unique shock lengths and specific housings. This research also includes ride-and-drive evaluations by seasoned chassis and suspension engineers.  Once all of those baseline numbers are established, the actual prototype versions are produced using our vast, well defined technical suspension performancedatabase.  These prototype products are installed, checked for clearances with all stock componants and the vehicle is tested and data logged throughout the entire frequency range.  The product is refined with the tried and true testing procedure until all performance goals are met and vehicle dynamics are maintained. Once all standards are met and the prototypes finalized, production begins.  All of the individual components are machined with state of the art CNC manufacturing equipment that offers high speed and exacting performance, parts move quickly to the assembly process. Final product assembly is spread across indivdual specialty stations where experienced technicians ensure that the highest industry standards are maintained on each and every part that leaves the factory.  These streamlined operations are designed and maintained to ensure the maximum in efficiency, resulting in a World-Class suspension product.

The production of the Belltech / KW coilover kit for the Camaro is the result of a fine-tuned engineering process, meticulous design and serious testing in the lab, on the road and even on  the famous Nurburgring. You can watch a video on this very interesting process at Youtube.com and search KW Camaro.  

This is just a small glimpse into the world of KW Automotive. Please visit www.kwautomotive.comfor additional information, news releases and product updates.

I’m not sure that there could have been a better day for a drift event, the sun shining, light clouds occasionally filtering the sunlight. Sure it was warm, but coming off of the event in Vegas, when I was sure that my shoes had started to melt as I crossed the parking lot, it was like a day in the park.  As I made my way around the pits, taking in the sights and sounds, I saw the phrase repeated time and time again, “keep drifting fun”, I think it is, want some proof.  How about Daijiro Yoshihara in his Discount / Falken Tire, KW supported Nissan S13, while waiting his turn in the Top 32 eliminations doing smoky donuts around Falken teammate Darren McNamara in his Saturn Sky, or how about young, but destined for greatness Fredric Aasbo, pitted way out in the boonies, ( how do you roll a floor jack on gravel anyway? It’s not fun, but they were doing it!), coming back from winning his round, his car held together with hopes dreams, bailing wire and zip ties, hops out of the car, pulling off his helmet to reveal his wide relaxed smile.  How about Matt Powers of Team Need for Speed, grabbing an impact and changing out his own tires, all while rocking out to the background music from the booth.

The KW booth had its usual offering of the World Renowned Variant 3 and Clubsport Coilovers on display, but it was sister brand ST Suspensions trying to steal the spotlight with new application swaybars on display and available in a brand new color combination. We also had many of the German engineered and tuned Coilovers on display that offer the standard ST Features of a Galvanized body and 5-Year warranty.

Congratulations to Top Podium finisher’s Vaughn Gitten Jr. in First Place, Ryan Tuerck in Second, and Tanner Foust rounding out the Third spot.  The ”Title Fight” Round 7 is just around the corner in Irwindale on October 8th-9th.  With the Top 3 drivers in the points chase within still in the hunt, its going to be a shootout, or maybe I should say a smokeout!  KW will be there, stop by, check out the product on display, hope to see you there.

www.formuladrift.com

We had great support and participation from sport truck enthusiasts worldwide. Owners far as the Middle-East and close as our neighboring country Canada.
The enthusiasm and brand loyalty means a lot to us here at Belltech and we’re glad to support you. Stay tuned to our website as we plan on having more
contests and promotions in the future for all our fans out there.

Drive safe and enjoy the ride.

Sincerely,
Belltech Sport Trucks

Belltech would like to congratulate Matt Ochoa and his 2005 GMC Canyon on being August’s Winner of Belltech’s Truck of the Month.

Winner’s Trucks – Tech specs.

August’s second winner is Abraham Ditson and his Ford F-150 V8 5.4l. Both get one of our exclusive Belltech Jackets. Congratulation Guys, good job!