Barett’s 1/2 Mile Mazdaspeed 3 Build – Part 1

Hey Everyone, if you don’t know me already I’m the engineering manager at CorkSport Performance & @Halfmilespeed3.  I want to make a formal greeting and invite you to follow along as I take the next huge step with my personal build.  I drive a 2009 Mazdaspeed 3 that has been through many iterations.  I bought it nearly 6 years ago and have since used it in excess to support CorkSport R&D.  Hundreds if not thousands of passes on the dyno with so many parts…it’s been a beaten test mule.  The time has come to set a focus.

2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Crashbar

Now, with the 4th engine going in it, I’m setting the build focus for ½ Mile Drag Racing.  Power, Aero, and some “Mad Scientist” R&D is going into this build.  (see WTF is THAT)

Mad Scientist Add-ons
600hp Mazdaspeed Build Path – CorkSport Barett’s 2009 Mazdaspeed

My goals are 700whp on the CST6 stock flange (with Will @ PD Tuning giving it the sauce) and 180mph in the standing ½ mile.  I plan to play in the 1320, but half mile is the focus.  My first event was going to be Never Lift @ Coalinga Munical Airport in Late March, but with recent events, this was canceled and a new date has not been set.  Fingers crossed the country gets through this and the next events hosted by Shift S3ctor Airstrip Attack in June and November hold.

Back to the build…I know that pushing a Mazdaspeed through the air at 180mph is a lofty goal and that physics are against me.  With the help and advice of Aaron O’neal @ English Racing I am exploring high-speed aero design. 

Gen 1 Mazdaspeed Parts

The primary goal is stability at high speed.  I want to be safe in this type of racing so I need to do what I can to make the car stable and predictable at speed.  This means I need the car to cut through the air as smoothly as possible, and if possible, generate downforce. 

To do this I’ve made a prototype drag wing (which I will share more detail on in a later blog) per the advice of Aaron and my research.  This wing is two feet long at the top! And with the closed sides, this should reduce the amount of lift generated at the back of the car.

There is still a lot more work to do here but you get the idea so far.

Splitter Mount
CorkSport

Upfront I am still very much in the conceptual phase of design.  Nearly the whole front bumper will be sealed off with a single sheet of ABS plastic formed to the front of the car.  The only opening will be a rectangle about the size of the intercooler for cooling airflow.  I also plan to build a chassis mounted splitter.  The red parts in the image above are the one-off brackets I designed to mount the splitter to the chassis and still be able to adjust the height (Again I’ll share more detail in future blogs as the prototype comes together).

CorkSport

The other less intuitive aero bit I’m doing on the front of the Speed is hood venting.  Thanks to Jonathan Castro @ JC Speedworks for the hood vent I’m able to kill two birds with one stone here.  If you’ve done any type of racing you know heat is a killer and must be managed.  With this hood vent, I am both evacuating any high-pressure air build up in the engine bay and promoting more efficient airflow through the intercooler and radiator. 

With the 300 miles I’ve put on the car, I can already see a huge difference in normal operating temps.  Maybe more vents are in the works? 😉 Oh and shout out to @mz_rawr (Aaron Maves) for cutting holes in my hood.

CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3 Transmission Mount Blog

In the process of getting the engine and transmission together, I wanted to fix a 2nd gear drop out issue I had.  Over a weekend @thatonepnwguy (Bryce Peterson) and I split my transmission and replaced the shift forks.  We certainly did it the wrong way and had to chase some balls around and get them back into their respective locations; despite all that, don’t be afraid to tear into things and learn the hard way. 

How To Achieve 400 WHP In Your Mazdaspeed Blog

The powerplant made it in the car and is running great.  Right now I’ve got about 300 miles on the engine.  I’ve been working out some little details with heat management and setup of the Vacuum Pump (WTF is THAT).  I am just now starting to do logs and tuning with Will Dawson at Purple Drank Tuning.  With these goals, I still intend to keep the car street legal and driven on a nearly daily basis (I wish you could see the stares I get from people).  I’m putting this out to all of you as an invite to follow along with the build on Instagram @halfmilespeed3.  All the inside info and goodies are there for you to see along with @corksport for other stories and build updates.  I’m stoked for this season and to explore a racing series that has largely been untouched by the Mazdaspeed community.  I will be finding limits and new challenges for the platform that I hope to overcome.

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2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Crash Bar

Mazdaspeed 3 FMIC

Want Big Power from your GEN1, but your Intercooler is holding you back?

This was the case for our Engineering Manager Barett and his Mazdaspeed3, so he created his crash bar for a big front mount intercooler; we liked his setup so much that we made it for everyone.

Introducing the CorkSport Mazdaspeed Crash Bar for 2007-2009 Mazdaspeed3; constructed of high-quality laser cut steel with a durable powder-coated finish, it can stand the test of time while giving you room for the big front mount you want.

2007-2009 Mazdaspeed 3 Crashbar

Now let me start off by saying this is not a typical CorkSport part. It is not an easy bolt-in install like most of our other parts.

There is no easy way to remove the OE crash bar without cutting it off. As a result, this install is extensive and more or less permanent. Don’t let all of that scare you off though; this is still a CorkSport part. That means the same great quality and customer service that you’ve all grown accustomed to.

We have made this as easy as we possibly can. Once the OE crash bar is cut off and some trimming done to the headlight surrounds, the bar is located in the correct position based on the OE hood latch support. Then holes are drilled in the OE crash bar support rails to securely mount the CorkSport Crash Bar. No welding required for install.

Mazdaspeed 3 Front Mount Intercooler with carsh bar installed

Now I know what all of you are asking, what about a big FMIC to fit the bar?

Well, we are offering the crash bar by itself and with our 23 ½” x 11” x 3” intercooler that’s been proven on a 550whp car. Since the CorkSport Mazdaspeed3 crash bar was designed to fit this FMIC, brackets come pre-welded in the correct locations to mount to the top of the FMIC.

Also, stainless steel side brackets are included to attach the IC’s lower mounting locations to existing holes on the radiator core support for added stability.

Mazdaspeed 3 with FMIC and carsh bar

This entire package fits well behind the OE bumper with little to no trimming or modification. OE fog lights stay functional, and you even can utilize the OE toe hook location as it is retained with the CorkSport crash bar.

Black Mazdaspeed 3 with Front Mount Intercoole and Crash bar
Mazdaspeed 3 CorkSport FMIC

If you’ve been looking for that final component to complete your GEN1 big power build and have been trying to avoid the headaches of creating your custom crash bar, the CorkSport Crash Bar is for you.

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