I was 10 years old and at an impressionable time in my life when my father decided to take me to my first Long Beach Grand Prix back in 1984. At the time I had no idea what an Indy car was and had never been exposed to the sounds and smells of race cars. The fastest car I'd ever seen was on my Saturday morning cartoons of Fred Flintstone peddling the Flintstone mobile. You can imagine the shock I experienced that day as race cars flew by in a blur exiting Turn 5. My preconceptions of the Flintstone mobile being the fastest car I'd ever seen was quickly put to rest that morning as I sat in the grandstands with mouth agape, clutching my dads hand as he sat there kicking back a few cold ones with his buddies.
Mario Andretti, who the hell was that and why would I care if he ended up winning the championship that year for Champ car? I was 10 years old, didn't know squat about the cars buzzing right past me, or better yet, the names of each of the drivers, but one thing I will always remember was the distinct sound of each engine shifting through the gears followed by the raucous backfire.
It's been 24 years since my first experience with motorsports and I've never looked back. This past weekend was my first opportunity in five months that I was able to get back on the track, but this time I was piloting my own car rather than spectating in the grandstands. Soon the official Super Lap Battle event, highlighting the Evo versus STI showdown, will unfold (although by the time you read this, it will have already taken place). I plan to partake in this competition, representing the good ol' boxer engine family. I, along with a few co-workers and the TEIN USA staff, took our weekend opportunity to shakedown our cars and make minor adjustments before the Nov. 11 event. Throughout a case of major brake fade, a severed radiator hose, blown charge pipes after every three laps, and tire clearance issues, the track day, held by NASA, went on without a hitch. To say my car was a complete success and plans to snatch the record held by Nobuteru Taniguchi in the HKS CT230R of 1:43.523 is a long shot. To be able to say I out-drove some of my fellow co-workers and Mitsubishi's competitors at the event is another story.
We hope you look forward to the series of suspension upgrades we plan to take you though that won't break the bank in terms of budget along with safe, proper suspension modifications that will increase your vehicle's handling and driveability. Whether you drive a Subaru, Mitsubishi, or Nissan, the fundamentals of suspension theories apply to any vehicle looking to hit the local track in the near future.