"The amazing thing about the Hyper Carbon clutch is the ability to withstand insane amounts of heat and not be affected in any way. In fact, the more heat you throw at the carbon clutch, the better it works. I have to slip the clutch between the burnout box and the staging beams to get some heat in it. Forget heating the tires with a smokey burnout, I gotta cook the carbon. Many starters think I don't know what I'm doing until I rip an 11.
"Also, a key advantage of the carbon clutch is its ability to endure under the harshest conditions. Before, with traditional twin disks, I was changing clutches after three or four race events. With the carbon clutch, it can last for an entire race season and more with ease.
"Finally, the carbon clutch has the ability to speed your shifting because the disks are very light weight and when you disengage the clutch, the input shaft of the transmission can slow more quickly. Due to the low inertia of the carbon disks, the shifting is almost 50-percent quicker than a standard clutch without plunging into the abyss of driveline damage.
"The Exedy Carbon Hyper clutch is without a doubt my biggest advantage on the track and it keeps my car a very fast daily driver that can drive home after the race on its own power and not wind up on a flat-bed tow truck."
Al has 21,000 miles on the car as of this writing and is still on his original tranny and diffs. Ten miles of the total are timed, full-boost blasts down the quarter mile. In these 40 passes, the EVO has evolved into a low 11-second performer with a best of 11.14 at 130 at its last event before press time. At our photo shoot, the car dished out 11.273 at 127.39 and 11.258 at 126.87 mph before facing a 10-second car in the Sport RWD finals; it was also awarded the Meguiar's Best Appearing Racecar award. Al is eyeing the 10s and still expects to take his daughter to preschool every day in his ultimate EVO.
"I'm going to leave the car just like it is over the summer and enjoy it profusely," says Al. "During the winter, I may consider a bigger turbo." Look out 10s.
| POWER TECHNIK |
| Car | 2004 Mitsibishi Lancer Evolution VIII |
| Engine | 4G63 |
| Pistons | Pruven 9.0:1 |
| Valvetrain | Ferrea 1mm over |
| Camshafts | JUN |
| Cam Gears | HKS |
| Fuel Pump | Walbro 342 |
| Injectors | Buschur Racing 870cc |
| Turbo | HKS 3037S |
| Intake Manifold | Magnus Motorsports Sheet Metal |
| Max Boost | 35 psi c-16, 22 91-octane |
| Wastegate | HKS |
| Boost Controller | Buschur MBL |
| Intercooler | AMS FMIC |
| Engine Management | AEM EMS |
| Exhaust | Buschur Racing 3-inch |
| Ignition | HKS Twin Power |
| Clutch | Exedy Hyper Carbon |
| Suspension | Tein Flex coil-overs |
| Wheels | Advan TCII |
| Tires | Toyo RA1 |