We thought so, because we’ve seen almost 150 of your rides at night, most of them in the first 24 hours of the sweepstakes. We’re thrilled, because we love seeing Mazdas lit up on the road after dark — and we know you like taking night pics, because we’ve been seeing them tagged with #CorkSport for years.
Well, now’s the time to take advantage of all that photography, and enter your night ride to win if you haven’t yet! The winner’s chosen at random, so you’ll have as good a chance as anyone if you enter today.
Just remember to hurry up. We’re picking a winner from one of these gorgeous entries on Monday, October 19:
And hey: Don’t worry about those votes. If you missed the rules and didn’t catch that random part, they won’t affect your chances of winning, just of being featured at the tip top of the contest page.
Cheers,
CorkSport
The CorkSport Night Ride Sweepstakes September 13th, 2018CorkSport
Most of my car parts were purchased from local and distant NATOR and installed with local or distant NATOR. None of the work on my car, outside of an oil change or two, has been done by a car dealer of any kind.
What does being a car girl mean to me?
It means you’re willing to get your hands dirty, walk away in clothes covered in dirt, coolant, and maybe even some oil, shed some blood, tear some skin, get gasoline in a few cuts, get frustrated, cuss a bit, and want to give up. It means you’re going to get frustrated, throw a few things, make some stupid mistakes, ask some stupid questions, and you’re going to get laughed at. But even after all of this, at the end of the day, you’re still there trying to help others, trying to learn, and not trying to please anyone but yourself. You’re not trying to get attention from everyone or impress everyone, but you’re there because you’re working towards a goal — whether it’s for speed, the look of your car, or just to make some friends that share the same interests. It also means you’re thankful for the help that was given to you and willing to give the same help in return.
Three years ago, I wasn’t the same person I am today and I can thank these guys and gals I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for over three years for that. They’ve helped show me what it means to be a true car girl and they have accepted and loved me even through my stupid mistakes and questions. Now I have a friend group that is more like a family.
Cheers,
Lindsay Cardwell
Occupation: Administrative Assistant/IT Help Desk, Car: 2012 Mazdaspeed3
Think back to the first day you bought your Mazdaspeed. I’m sure for most people, it’s a day you’ll never forget. What was your first thought about the car? I know my first thought was, “What aftermarket parts can I install on my speed?” Let’s be honest, when it comes to the boost bug, the bug always gets you. One can’t simply own a Mazdaspeed and not modify it. It becomes an addiction, a way of life. If you’re like most Mazdaspeed owners, you can’t settle. You want to make sure you’re getting the best parts possible. So, where do you start when it comes to adding modifications to your speed? There are many ways to increase power with the Mazdaspeed platform, but finding the correct path can sometimes be a challenge!
Once you’ve bought your Mazdaspeed and you’re looking for the correct path to take, there are some specific modifiers you want to make sure you do first. If you have a goal of making your speed a fully bolted machine, the first thing you want to do is upgrade the fuel pump internals.
Everyone wants more boost, and with more boost comes the demand for added fuel. With that demand, you need to make sure your fuel pump pressure doesn’t drop below 1600psi. Some people can get away with doing big power modifiers without upgrading the fuel pump internals, but it’s highly recommended not to push your luck. A small investment to upgrade your fuel pump internals or drop the cash for a new motor because your fuel pressure dropped below 1600psi at WOT. Take your pick! The CorkSport Max Flow Fuel Pump Internals Kit is the safety net you need on your builds list. This kit adds up to 50% more fuel, which is perfect for people looking to get their speed fully bolted. Once you’ve installed the fuel pump internals, you’ll be able to safely reach horsepower numbers of around 350-380whp without any other modifications to the fueling system.
Now that you’ve successfully upgraded your fuel system, you’re ready to start making some power. One thing to keep in mind when doing modifications, is that the ECU needs to recognize your added modifiers such as a FMIC, down pipe, full intake, or any other performance part that will increase hp/tq. There are a few ways you can do this, but using an AccessPort is the most popular tool used on the Mazdaspeed platform.
Not only does the AccessPort allow someone to customize a tune based on modifications made, it’s also a great tool for monitoring different kinds of parameters as well as reading and clearing check engine light codes. You’re able to fully customize a tune for your car and make sure the car is running safely. Whether you want to have a fun street car or a full-out track car, the AccessPort is a must for any speed owner looking to add power modifiers.
Now that you have the proper fueling, and an AccessPort to make tuning easy, you can do anything you want to your speed. With that being said, my next modification recommendation would be a full intake for your vehicle.
Besides the fuel pump, the intake has one of the biggest restrictions for the turbo. Not only are there too many hoses running the stock intake, the turbo inlet pipe is designed flat like a pancake which chokes the turbo under load. By installing our stage II SRI, you remove the hoses, air box, and pancake turbo inlet pipe making the overall efficiency of the turbo much better. You may also see an increase in boost psi which is something we’re always trying to increase. After you’ve purchased and installed the intake, you will notice an overall increase in power and sound. A must-have for someone looking to start with a great power modifier.
These recommended first mods would be considered the good, better, and best modifications to start with if you’re ready to start modifying your Mazdaspeed. With fueling no longer an issue, having a way to tune your car, and allowing the turbo to breathe, you will definitely start to notice a gain in power, sound, and overall love for your Mazdaspeed!
Cheers,
Luke
The Good, the Better, and the Best Upgrades for Your Mazdaspeed February 11th, 2021CorkSport
I have always enjoyed cars. I had a large Matchbox collection growing up, but I never really considered myself a car enthusiast prior to meeting the group of Nator locals that I have the pleasure of knowing now.
Honestly, I wasn’t aware Speed3s (or Mazdaspeeds of any type) even existed prior to helping a friend car shop and talking them into getting a 2012 Speed3 we had looked at. From that endeavor, I was brought along to my first Nator meet. At first I was kind of boggled at the concept. I’m sorry, you wanna go to some random person’s house that you met on a forum and let them put parts on your brand new car, in exchange for some beer? That was almost 3 years ago. Now I own my own Speed3, which I learned to drive manual for (a feat I thought would always be lost on me), and have made friendships near and far. I have traveled to parts of the country I wouldn’t have seen unless I had a Nator meet calling me there. I’ve learned so much from this community in the 3 years I’ve been involved, none of which would ever have crossed my mind.
As you can imagine, although I appreciated cars and lusted after the ones I dreamed of owning, I was not handy with a wrench in the slightest. All of the mods on my car are explicitly possible because of my friends in Nator. I helped with the installation of many of them, but would’ve been lost without a mentor looking over my shoulder, telling me exactly what to do and having the patience to work with me. For that, I will always be thankful and hold a lot of respect for them, and most importantly, cherish the type of brotherly love that comes from bonding over a mutual interest.
The Speed is a badass car. Every day I drive it, I smile. I think of where I am now, where my car is now and what trials and tribulations that have brought Cosmo (yeah I named my car, step-off!) and I this far. However, THE COMMUNITY is what really sealed the deal. I wasn’t looking for a car when I bought my Speed — I wanted to bond with this amazing and knowledgeable community of people from all different walks of life, and geek out over these cars!
It’s not about the free/damn near free parts from my Nator Bros (this is a blanket term for EVERYONE within the community male and female alike), it’s not about labor at the price of some beer and food, it’s not about being noticed, it’s not about being the best whatever, it’s about realizing there is knowledge, BOAT LOADS OF IT. It’s about respecting that and helping with whatever you can. Whether you’re a parts runner or looking at a car for someone not in the area, or loaning/giving parts and services to others in need, you know you’re helping the community. You’re paying it forward in the ways you are able to and doing your best to grow yourself. THAT is what being a Car Girl means to me.
I have seen intense days and nights of labor on jobs, that would take most people weeks to complete, be completed within hours or days simply because a brother was in need. MULTIPLE times. I can include myself in this count, my car needed an emergency clutch job unexpectedly. Between the community scrambling to get me a list of parts I needed and lending the ones they had already laying around, to working late into the night to get the job done, I had my car back within a day of it going down.
It’s the real deal. Respect it and you’ll have a family to laugh, cry and share stories with for years to come and all you need to do is just be cool. Be one of them. Nothing special. The community is already special as a whole.
Cheers,
Fae Lunsford
Fae is a Systems Integrity Rep (Inside Sales/Administrative) and owns a 2008 Mazdaspeed 3.
Modifications: COBB V3 Accessport, Corksport Intake and TIP, Fidanza Flywheel, Autotech Internals, Damond Motorsports RMM, Ultimate Racing Test Pipe, Bilstein B8 Shocks/Struts, COBB Lowering Springs, Forge V1 BPV, Rally Armor Mud Flaps, Maisonvi Custom Shift Knob & Phate Tuned.
Car Girl is More than Just a Title, It’s a Way of Life October 6th, 2015CorkSport
Recently our marketing team sent out a Dear Car Guy email newsletter, instead of just posting it in the blog like they normally do. Simple click, and apparently a larger number of people see my ridiculous antics/blog. End result… my inbox FLOODS!
Floods, I say for a reason. It was a flood of email replies, the majority of which merely stated:
“Dear Car Guy, I’m a Girl.”
So, of course the consensus was to write a reply… to you, Car Girl.
We’re a rare breed, Car Girls that is. There are many who claim to be purebred, but it’s like being Irish on St. Patty’s day… you either are, or you’re faking it for the attention. Either way, no one will call you out, and you’ll get through the night just fine, but it’s not entirely true.
Being a true Car Girl is a lifestyle. It shows up in random ways throughout our lives, and can be misinterpreted by those who just don’t get it.
1. We really want the driver seat.
If we are going on a date and we let him drive, we really (and I mean really) like him. However, one wrong move, or one boring ride, and it’s likely he’ll lose the privilege for quite some time. We don’t judge guys by their car… ok, yes, yes we do… but even more so the care they take of it. It’s not about the income, it’s about the attention to detail, organization, and cleanliness. (Speaking of: If the car is dirty, and we’re truly a car girl, we IMMEDIATELY KNOW he doesn’t have what it takes to take care of us.)
2. We’re not afraid to get dirty.
We may have control issues, this is probably where it stems from, but we would rather do it ourselves than have you do it for us. Which is why, whether we know how to fix it or not, we’re the ones handeling the tools (despite a recent $50 manicure). More likely, you’ll never get to be the ‘lead mechanic’ again, especially after we’ve seen you do it once or figured it out ourselves. “Thanks for the help, I know how to do it now…”
3. We’re in it for the community.
It’s not about what we look like, or if our car is the best. For a Car Girl, it’s about the people. We love our cars and will always take great care of them, but we go to install days, Nator meets, cars and coffee, or weekly Red Door meets for the people. We know you’ll love our car and of course we’ll talk crap about yours, but we’re there to hang out and talk cars. Not many people get us but once we’re hanging with our Car People, we remember where we belong.
4. We get offended by fake.
Guy OR Girl, if you’re faking it, we can spot you a mile away. So please, don’t spout off all the facts you randomly heard from a boyfriend you once had, or repeat an opinion that you read on a forum. We’ve read it as well and are more interested to hear what you’re learning, even if you’re a noob. Tell us about YOUR MODS, not what you watched your buddy or bf do last weekend. Own your knowledge, even if it’s limited, be real, and you’ll fit right in!
5. We’re pretty freaking protective.
We have our guys. NO, it’s not likely we’ll be dating any of them… EVER. However, when a new girl shows up on scene, don’t be surprised if your first impression of us is that we’re kind of bitchy. It’s a natural reflex. Waiting to find out if you’re a real Car Girl too, and if you are, you know the drill so be patient. We’ll probably end up best friends. If you’re not, we will only respect you after you’ve settled down into the group and picked just ONE of our guys to hang out with.
We’ve seen girls come and go in the car scene. Like I said before, we’re a pretty rare breed and finding a purebred is like finding a unicorn.
So,
Here’s to you, Car Girl! You’re a rare find, and we’re happy to know you!
