Event | CorkSport Mazda Performance Blog

April 23, 2014December 17, 2018

Mazdaspeed EPIC NATOR MEAT 2014 – Spencer’s Review and Wrap Up

Oh, the wonders of the East Coast. Potholes, 80mph in a 55 zone, Toll Roads and EZ Pass, humidity and some of the greatest people you will ever meet!

Kim, Brydon and I had the wonderful, nay, EPIC, opportunity this year to attend the EPIC NATOR MEAT put on by a few members from mazdaspeedforums.org . Sadly we had only a day and a half to hang out with hundreds of people, watch some drag racing, and join everyone for a Dyno Day. This is one of the greatest events you can attend and has arguably the most knowledgeable people currently driving Mazdas all in one place. Not only did we get to see 500+ horsepower speeds at the event, but we got to witness some of the cleanest looking, most original, most unique and even the world’s fastest Mazdaspeed 3, all in one place.

Here are some of my Highlights.

Hanging out till 3 am in the parking lot and back patio of the hotel and learning more than I ever thought possible about Mazdaspeed’s, among other things…
Rolling from Philadelphia to the Dyno Day and running into a crew of 6 or so Mazdaspeed’s who had no idea who we were in our weak little Honda rental.
Eating some Killer food at Buca di Beppo and hearing so much passion and love of cars during the conversation.
Finally getting to meet so many people that I’ve had such wonderful conversations with on the phone, through email, through PM, or in threads.
Getting out of the Northwest rain and finally getting some Sunshine!

Some of the Worst Parts

Arriving at 8 am to the Dyno Day after a red-eye flight leaving at 6 pm the night before with a layover in Phoenix. Ugh.
Not having my own 2009 Mazdaspeed 3 that got left back in Washington.
Having to leave around 1:30 on Sunday.
Not bringing shorts, the weather was beautiful.
Accidentally buying bottled water that was far too expensive at one of those incredibly terrible and yet wonderful, quick stops in the middle of the highway. The place was a zoo and WAY to expensive.
Walking into the wrong room at midnight.

Time for Drag Racing

Kim at the Drag Day doing some Social Media Updates

The World’s Fastest MS3 and Crew Getting Prepared for the Drag Day

Mazda’s only for Dinner at Buca di Beppo

Some of the Lovely People at the Dyno Day

Halfway through the Dyno Day, Check out those Numbers!

Flame Shooter

The Unexpected Mazdaspeed Crew we caught Rolling to ENM

Thanks for everything.

-Spencer@CorkSport

April 4, 2014August 7, 2014

Customer Review – Mazdaspeed Adjustable Short Shifter

As a avid driver, and a person who loves to punish my speed on the street and at the track, I’m always looking for parts that help me in any way possible.

Being able to test the short shifter, got me excited, because anyone who has ever tried to drag race at the track knows, the 1-2 shift is the most crucial shift. Having used several different short shift plates, and driven gen1 and gen2 speeds with full replacements, I always felt there could be room for improvement. The short shift plates I have used in the past, no matter how much I adjusted the cables, would either cause gear grinds, or lock me out at high rpm during a flat foot shift. The full replacements, were set too low and too close, causing me to hit my pinky finger against the ashtray lid.

With this shifter, I can set it where I want it, both with the height, and with the throw. I love how it feels going into every gear, no matter how fast I shift, or just cruising around. The night I installed this, I took it out for a test to see how well it would perform. The first thing I noticed right away was how there was no longer any play, or shifter slop. And then taking it all the way thru 3rd to 7200rpm, I flat footed with zero issues. This thing is a winner. I’m confident that when I track next weekend, it will give me a bit of an advantage over the stock shifter, and those crucial 1-2 shifts will be on point. I’ve let several of my friends drive it with it installed, and everyone loves it. It’s a great product, and in my opinion there is no comparison to the TWM full replacement. At more than half the cost, it’s a no brainer.
Anyways, I will keep you informed on how it performs at the track next weekend, even though I know it will perform flawlessly.

Sincerely,
A CorkSport Custoemr

March 28, 2014September 13, 2018

Dear Car Guy:

Dear Car Guy,

I hope all is well in your tinkering world. Things, I imagine, are at least beginning to thaw out from winter, and you’re making your plans to start installation of new parts, tweak old ones and get your wheels back on the road in time for summer.

Normally, my letters are filled with advice on who to avoid, who annoys the crap out of me, and basically the type of people I encounter in the car world, including you, Car Guy. This time though, I have some news, and it’s pretty fantastic in my opinion, but first I want to tell you about some things you might already know.

I’ve recently been thrown into a world. A world, I don’t know very well, hardly understand, and at times really question the reality of. This world is full of love/hate relationships, long distance friendships, camaraderie, and most of all SUPPORT.

A place where any and all questions can be answered with simple use of the search tool (newbs take note: NOT in the shout box). Where groans and thanks are given for any and all ideas or comments. Where wives, girlfriends, and random girls from the internet are shown in all their glory, much to the amusement of those doing the viewing. Where the guys go to hang out, chat, avoid work, find entertainment, make plans for an install, swap stories of triumph and failure, and all around give one another a hard time (all in good fun of course… sometimes).

As a platform Mazda is not huge, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in community. I have seen the Mazda community do some amazing things, support their friends in need, gift parts to those that are deserving, protect respected Vendors, stand up for what is right, and overall form itself into an online community of what I would deem as (mostly) “Good People”.

Forums connect Car Guy to Car Guy. Car Guys to the very few Car Girls, and of course vendors to Car Guys. It’s one big exchange of information, ideas, innovation, and experiences.

We’re able to come together for the sake of bettering the Mazda Enthusiast Platform, and to be honest I FIND IT AMAZING.

Now, mind you, this isn’t exclusively on the internet, and that’s where my news comes in to play. There are gatherings: Cars and Coffee, Nator Meets, and Dyno days at local Vendors. Coming up really soon, is an amazing gathering, one of grand proportions, in just a few short weeks: THE EPIC NATOR MEAT, or ENM as it’s so lovingly referred to.

Car guys gather for an awesome Dyno day, opportunity for Track time, dinner for a social gathering, and a parking lot FULL of Mazdas to show off and compare. It’s looked forward to by many in our platform every year, and especially for those here at CorkSport for a chance to get out of town for a bit and connect with everyone.

I write this to you, Car guy, excited as all get out, because CorkSport will be there! Prepared to answer any questions you have, place orders on the spot, get input and any product ideas you want to see happen. Mostly though, to make a connection with the amazing customers we serve, and to enjoy the time spent with fellow enthusiasts.

Typically, I’d just be excited to hear about it from the guys later. Hear them brag about how great it was, how well it went, and all the people they met. Except for the fact that, I’m the type of girl who likes to experience things first hand. So, I’ll be seeing you there!

Hope to see you soon,

Kim

MSF : EPIC EAST COAST NATOR MEET from Paul Schmitz on Vimeo.

March 26, 2014March 26, 2014

Wish List – Anything Mazda You Ever Wanted

If you could get any part that you have ever wanted what would you ask for? There is a good chance that your dream accessories or features haven’t been developed yet and you are just waiting for that moment when someone releases it. So, if you could ask engineers to make anything for your car, what would it be?

wishlist_turbo — Bigger turbos for the Mazdaspeed? Turbo Kits for the Mazda 3?

Let your mind wander and think of some wild creative ideas. With the latest technologies available, its not too hard to try and stretch past our current capabilities.

So what would you want? Heads Up Display (HUD), upgraded fuel injectors, new style front bumper kit or maybe something in carbon fiber?

Nothing is too far fetched. Want to turn you Mazdaspeed 3 into an RV so you can go camping? How about a bolt on submarine car conversion? Or maybe just a new Intake Manifold.

Can you come up with three wishes? Leave us your wishes here -> (Click Here – Facebook Post)

February 27, 2014December 18, 2017

Get Your Race On

The 2014 SCCA Majors race season kicked off for the west coast at Autoclub speedway which most people know as that place they race Nascar and Indycar in California. What most people do not know is the track also runs an infield circuit aka sports car course which the SCCA uses for events.

The fun thing about Autoclub is I have never raced there before so all I had to familiarize myself was watching youtube videos of people running the track. I had to skip the Friday practice and qualifying so my first time on the track was the second qualifying for 15 minutes on Saturday morning. I was careful to make sure I was behind the other 2 B-Spec cars which were attending the event so I could follow them to #1 and get a measure of their speed and #2 see how they were taking lines on the track to use later.

If you have never driven on an oval before it is crazy at the angle you sit at on the actual oval sections of the track. You mind say you will slide down the track if you are not moving. When you are at race speed you have to tell yourself that you will not slide up the track doing over a 100 in a corner.

For the first race I qualified 2^nd and was a Mazda 2 sandwich between the Honda fits. At the start of the race both Honda jumped in front of me but I was able to pass 1 of the cars to get back behind the faster red car. I had paced the 1^st place for for a few laps and I found sections where I was faster and could make up time against him. The race was going to be 13 laps based on the time we had for the event so on lap 11 I got a great run at the Honda and passed him on the corner of the oval to take the lead. I was able to hold him off for 2 laps to take the first win of the season for CorkSport and Mazda. During that race I also happen to set a new B-Spec track record at 2:09.8 which put me on the pole for Sunday’s race.

On Sunday I was able to jump out in front at the start and keep both of the Hondas behind me for the duration of the race to take the second win of the weekend.

The next Majors event was at Inde Motorsport Ranch in Willcox Az. Willcox is about 1 hour east of Tucson which is the middle of nowhere. The track there was incredible to race on and very technical in contrast to Autoclub where HP rules aka Inde is a great B-Spec track.

Saturday started out with a quick practice session with a mixed group of the really fast cars aka GT1 etc and the slower cars aka B-Spec etc. When you drop the really fast cars with the slow cars it becomes and exercise in watching your mirrors at all times to not get run over which I happen to excel at based on previous races. I learned that the race was going to be won or lost on the exit speed of corner #1-2 on to the main straight. You mess that up you will find yourself behind by seconds by the time you hit the end of the straight. After a quick qualifying session I found myself in 2^nd by a few hundredths of a second behind once again the red Honda fit. The race started off like they normally do with the first lap chaos which saw a STU class RSX hit a H Production Spitfire and spin him out in the middle of corner #2 right before the straight which caused everyone to take some evasive moves. Both Honda fits were able to put a few cars between them and myself. I slowly worked around cars and was able to pass the black fit to start working on running down the red car.

By lap #16 I had caught up the red fit when the 1 to go sign came out which meant I had to get past him now. On the main straight I was able to get right up on the fit and close up with some late braking into #7. Right at that point two faster STU class cars caught up and dropped right into the corner on top of us. There was a BMW Z3 who went into the corner too fast and I had to drive off the track to avoid getting hit.

CorkSport Mazdaspeed — My re-entry onto the track and the guilty BMW

I was able to catch back up to the BMW in the corners but the two faster cars were not able to get around the Honda fit to give me a chance to catch him before the finish so I had to settle for second place (I was not a happy driver).

Determined to not let that on track experience ruin my weekend I focused on where I could improve my times by looking at the data from my Aim Solo DL. There were several spots on the track that could be better so I focused my energy on the one spot which would give me the most benefit for the next day.

On Sunday there was a short practice session which I went out on and I was able to turn a fast lap which I was happy with and could count on making myself competitive for the race with.

The race was full of adventures as they always are and in the end I came out in first place. Instead of making you watch a 7 minute full race video check out the condensed version with the highlights above. There is plenty of good stuff.

With the three first place finished and 1 second I am in the lead for the Western Majors Conference for B-Spec for the year. The next two events are in April at Thunderhill in willows California and two weeks later at Button Willow. Both of those tracks I have experience at and there is rumored to be 3 new cars to race against in B-Spec. If anyone is near one of those tracks we always welcome customers and friends of CorkSport to stop by the track and say hello. Feel free to contact me if this is something you think you would like to do.

-Derrick