News | CorkSport Mazda Performance Blog

June 25, 2013

My Life as a CorkSporter: A Case Study in Cooperative Product Development

It is a funny thing how fate throws people together; this is my story of the past few years and how being a sponsored driver with CorkSport changed my life. All kidding aside I have been married (blissfully) going on 19 years now and prior to my relationship status change I drove everything from muscle cars to motorcycles and all the way to V-dub campers following the Grateful Dead around or was it the other way around?

In 2010 I was driving a hand me down Audi A4 B5 from my wife and the transfer case blew. So it was time to look for a new ride, I luckily decided upon a MS3 and the moddiction started. A stage two intake from CorkSport was ordered and is still in use on the fastest Pu in the kingdom. I had the pleasure of meeting Derrick and Kelly from CorkSport at the OCC meet in New York in 2011 and a friendship/partnership began. I started buying more parts from CorkSport and the other great vendors that support our platform. CorkSport came out with a front sway bar that I purchased and proceeded to break. They fixed this bar and while they were re-working that part, I was sent a set of lowering springs to test out for them as a gesture of good faith (good business in my opinion) while I waited for the redesign and I did some testing on it. After that I asked if they had a sponsorship program, they said they did so I sent in an application and that is where it all started.

I heard back and was excited to find out I was in! I asked for a suspension focused sponsorship package and received many of the handling parts I wanted and even got a set of the Speed 3 specific coil-overs a full six months before they were released! The relationship has been great being able to give feedback and suggestions that CorkSport actually listens to and incorporates into products that make it to market. Being able to help a company bring new and exciting products to fruition is rewarding and is a symbiotic relationship. As well as being a professional relationship I have become friends with some really cool peeps at Corksport and people in the Mazda community through being a sponsored driver, from Texas with sponsored driver Matt Kellogg at the CorkSport track meet at Harris Hill Raceway to Brock, Dan, Dave and Paul the Canadian boys at the TorontoMazda3 Mazda only Meet.

It is also fun to be in on the stuff that folks outside the fold of sponsorship don’t get to hear about and test. There is a ton of good stuff coming to market soon and some projects still on the drawing board. Getting to test these or just having advance knowledge of them keeps me fresh and wanting more. Being a sponsored driver is a working relationship though so you need to be prepared to work. You don’t get something for nothing they say; you are in essence part of their marketing team and with that comes responsibilities both to your sponsor and to your fellow platform mates be it in giving some support to someone doing an install on a weekend when CS can’t be reached to talking or going on Skype to help out a mate in Australia or the UK or driving over to someone’s place to help extract and install a downpipe. Being a Nator member this comes naturally though. I’ve let folks drive both my cars to feel how the suspension upgrades performed and what they could look forward to with CorkSport parts on my car. My good friend from Mexico, Luis Herrera aka Ganque on MSF, loved the ride when he was up for a visit in April. So if you aspire to be a sponsored driver for CorkSport or another supporter of our platform be prepared to bring something to the table as being an ambassador is fun but hard work too. At the end of the day, being a sponsored driver for CorkSport is very rewarding though.

Respectfully,

Steven Kritzberg

June 20, 2013August 3, 2023

Product Release!!! CorkSport 4 Piston Big Brake Caliper Kit for Mazdaspeed

After a long wait and a lot of testing, we are proud to announce the availability of the CorkSport 4 Piston Big Brake Caliper Kit for the 2007 and up Mazdaspeed 3. With almost 300hp stock, the Mazdaspeed 3 can easily outrun and outperform its stock single-piston calipers, this is amplified when more power is added. With the CorkSport big caliper, you can count on a better braking feel and a more balanced setup to give you the confidence you need to use all those horses you paid for.

CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3 Big Brake Calipers

Crafted from extremely lightweight billet aluminum, the CorkSport calipers use an opposed-piston design that is fixed to provide significantly improved pad wear, and caliper rigidity over the OEM design. At just over 7 lbs, the aluminum CorkSport Mazdaspeed Big Brake Kit shaves almost 8 lbs of unsprung weight off each corner of your Mazdaspeed, adding more stopping power and a much better pedal feel. Available in 3 anodized colors, this brake system has everything you need to easily upgrade your stock braking system and includes high-strength steel brackets, calipers, stainless steel braided front brake lines, brake pads, and the all necessary hardware.

CorkSport Mazdaspeed 3 with 4 Piston Brake Kit Colors

The CorkSport Advantage:

Superior Construction: Crafted from billet aluminum and made to last with durable components
Longevity: With dual O-rings far away from the brake pads these calipers are able to handle much more abuse than typical dust boot-equipped calipers.
Lightweight: At just over 7 lbs a side, this kit saves almost 8 lbs of unsprung weight per corner!
Versatile: Designed around a popular brake pad style (Hawk #HB750), you can use almost any brake pad compound available on the market.
Available in Three Colors: Choose from Black, Red, or Blue in a durable anodized finish
Ease of Use: With simple hand tools you can change brake pads in minutes and with full re-buildability you can be back to fresh factory brakes in no time.
CorkSport Service and Support: Receive full-color installation instructions, all of the needed installation hardware, and knowledgeable telephone support.

Full CorkSport Big Brake Kit Mazdaspeed 3 with brake lines and pads — Mazdaspeed 3 Brake Kit

The CorkSport 4 Piston Big Brake Caliper Kit is available at: https://www.corksport.com/corksport-mazdaspeed-3-big-brake-caliper-kit.html

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June 18, 2013

The Summer of CorkSport

At CorkSport we are working hard on innovative new products. We know that you want to see parts that push the envelope and make you excited. We strive to be the go to source for everything you do to your Mazda, and to do that, we are working on new exciting products that the other guys aren’t going to be able to copy. With our team of engineers and our experience as the #1 Mazda performance company we are working tirelessly to bring out the best products on the market this year.

We’re calling it: “The Summer of CorkSport” and you’re invited. In the coming months you will be seeing some of the most exciting and inventive parts available on the Mazda market. We’ve reached out to you, asked questions, found needs and we’ve listened to make these parts a reality for you. Stay tuned for the next few months to see the most releases the Mazda community has ever seen in one year from any company.

Also, make sure your voice is heard by visiting our website and submitting your own product idea!!! https://www.corksport.com/product-ideas.html

June 3, 2013April 8, 2020

Derrick Ambrose and the Ultimate Mazda Performance Guide

Recently our own Derrick Ambrose here at CorkSport released a book about modifying Mazda’s titled The Ultimate Mazda Performance Guide. I sat down to speak with him about it.

CorkSport (Joel): Derrick, first off let’s get the bias questions out of the way. Obviously you work here so many will assume this is just a book to sell CorkSport parts. What is it exactly that you do at CorkSport?

Derrick: Thanks Joel, in addition to being one of the founders, I am the Sales and Motorsports manager.

CorkSport: What made you decide to write a book about Mazda Performance and why?

Derrick: I really just wanted to give some of the new enthusiasts some of the knowledge that I have gained about Mazda’s from my involvement with them since the mid 90’s. Many people are just now buying their first Mazda and don’t really know where to begin. I wanted to help ease them into what they really need to know. It can be quite scary for some to jump into modifying or go into the forums and not know anything.

CorkSport: We know all about the forums haha.

Derrick: Exactly, the purpose of the book was to help give people a path and empower them with information that may take a lot of years or a lot of searching to find. I didn’t want it to just be about selling CorkSport parts, we actually mention, and feature, many non-CorkSport parts in the book. That being said, I’m very proud of CorkSport and what we have done to help the Mazda community.

CorkSport: So who is this book really for?

Derrick: I wrote this guide for the beginner to intermediate enthusiast that really wants to learn more and really get the most bang for their buck. I wanted to answer some of the most common questions I’ve seen on the forums and in person. If you have changed your turbo or are cross-weighing your coil-overs, you are probably past this book in terms of technical ability. I did however, include many sources for additional information, contacts and even a brief history of Mazda itself; which is a topic I may even write another book on for the true Mazda fanatic.

CorkSport: I see, what do you think was the most challenging thing about creating a book?

Derrick: Everything, (laughs). When you have no idea what you’re doing, it takes a LOT more time than you could ever imagine. I was lucky to have a lot of help from some truly amazing people and am very grateful to all of them. Writing a book is a much bigger endeavor than I would have every thought, but having an actual piece of history afterwards is truly a special moment. Having that glossy cover in my hands, seeing the ISBN on the back and knowing that I will be in the Library of Congress forever is just an amazing feeling. It’s weird how just making a book can make you feel patriotic, but it really did. I honestly cannot wait to write another book.

CorkSport: Well hopefully we can talk you into signing a few for us and we look forward to help making the next one. Thanks for letting us get a little more insight into this great addition to the Mazda community.

Derrick: Thanks, I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did making it. If just one person gets the mod bug I did when I was younger because of this book then I will be happy.

May 24, 2013June 1, 2023

Grams Per Second Explained

At CorkSport we’ve had a lot of questions over the years about mass airflow (MAF) signals. Including some great discussions about a pesky measurement called grams per second (g/s) and what that really means. There is a lot of interesting misinformation out there that we have heard and wanted to take the time to explain how grams per second actually work and what it really translates to. To understand what grams per second really is, we will first discuss where the reading comes from.

CorkSport Mazda SkyActive Short Ram Intake CX5 Mazda 6

When you are logging a MAF signal you have a few options. One is MAF voltage and one is MAF signal. They are really the same thing, just expressed in different ways. The MAF sensor itself is a 5-volt system that gets a signal from the air traveling in the MAF housing. A typical MAF sensor uses a wire or film that is heated electrically. The incoming air cools the element to which the sensor has to regulate; this regulation lets the ECU know how much air is going through the engine. This voltage is then converted in a table stored in the ECU (Engine Control Unit) and this is where you get your g/s reading.

Now for the fun part: when you purchase an aftermarket short ram intake the MAF housing shape and diameter determine the voltage reading and thus the g/s reading. If the housing has been engineered correctly then the reading should be fairly close to the factory reading. Often the factory runs cars on the rich side for fueling when they are in open loop. The sizing of the MAF can be adjusted to create more power at the top of the rev range by leaning out the air/fuel mixture. The MAF signal also is a major part of calculating load values which control timing and most other functions of the engine. This is not a part that should be taken lightly or changed indiscriminately. In our extensive testing we have found that even half a millimeter in diameter of a MAF can cause measureable differences.

The g/s reading can also be used to check power-increasing mods such as exhaust or intercoolers. If you log power runs you can see the g/s increase with different mods. Although, be careful when comparing data on the same car. If you aren’t testing on the same day or conditions you can see slight differences because of air density or other environmental conditions. Unfortunately, when you want to compare different intakes you will not be able to show an apples-to-apples comparison. Because the MAF housings are not the same sizes between brands the signal will be different. If you check a MAF housing that is larger than stock you will read less g/s and one that is smaller you will read more g/s. Simply put, when comparing different intakes or any other factors that are different: Grams per Second does not equal power.

With all the complications in making a MAF to perform exactly how you want, we chose a one-piece fully machined aluminum MAF housing. This way you can precisely control quality and sizing. Then by creating an air straightener that is injection molded, we can have the most control over our MAF signals. There can often be issues with purchasing lesser quality MAFs housings that are welded together or bolted to pipes. Not only can you have leaks but you cannot preserve the shape perfectly. Look for more intake articles and an explanation of what a big MAF intake is and when you actually need one soon.

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Stay up-to-date on the latest news and product updates from CorkSport.