Racing | CorkSport Mazda Performance Blog

May 6, 2013May 6, 2013

CorkSport B-Spec World Domination!!!

Last weekend CorkSport headed to the second SCCA majors event of the season held at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in California. A “short” 15 hour drive and we arrived in sunny California with a full crew and a driver hopped up on Red Bull ready to go.

The competition for the weekend was stiff as Honda brought out a few factory backed B-Spec Fits to be driven by workers in the racing program, along with some T4 Civics to see how well they would do in the heat of battle. Our driver and fearless race leader Derrick had never driven at Buttonwillow and the track configuration did not favor the Mazda 2 which is down almost 15hp to the Fit’s; with that in mind, practice was of the utmost importance.

As you can see from the map, there are a few long straights that are an advantage for the Fit’s and the fastest portion of the track is Riverside which is taken flat out (if you have the guts).

On Saturday there was a practice session which Derrick took advantage of to learn the track and prepare for qualifying just a few short hours later. Right off the bat Derrick was laughing like a madman through the radio after spinning the car coming over Phil hill, which he seemed to think was hilarious. I suppose the thought of being able to actually spin a 100hp car on racing slicks is pretty impressive. After settling down he managed to set one of the fastest practice laps of the day.

After a quick inspection of the car we were back out on the track for qualifying. B-Spec cars are usually the slowest group of cars on the track and Derrick usually stays towards the back of the pack in qualifying so he can get a clean lap without traffic. Derrick used this approach to get a decent lap and was able to qualify in 2nd between two Fit’s.

After the green flag waved, Derrick was able to hold his position despite the power of the Fit behind him and challenged the faster Fit for the lead. With just one lap to go the CorkSport Mazda 2 B-spec car was reeling in the more powerful Fit and got within 3-4 car lengths before traffic got in the way. In the end, Derrick had to settle for 2nd place but learned Buttonwillow and a little bit more about the CorkSport Mazda 2 B-Spec car. Derrick is currently 4th in the standings for the entire west coast and we look forward to more quality finishes and more trophies in his office for us to shoot spitballs at.

March 21, 2013March 21, 2013

CorkSport Prepares for Battle… Again

So after a long 5 month break it is time to get the CorkSport Mazda 2 and the driver prepped for track abuse again for the 2013 season.

For the Mazda 2 it is pretty easy to take care of being it is a relatively stock car still. Going over the car to check out the bushings, tire rod ends, and the whole chassis to make sure nothing is in need of replacement turned up zero items this year. There are only a few non stock components which we gave an extra once over to make sure they are up to spec as well. The brakes got a really close inspection being that take a huge amount of abuse on the track. The stock rotors and CorkSport pads are still in good shape so only a brake bleed was on the menu for work. With the car getting a clean bill of health it is time to move on to other things.

The next item on the list is to get the Mazda 2 through its annual tech inspection with the SCCA. The inspection covers the safety gear of the car and the driver to make sure nothing has expired in the off season. With our car being built last year the seat, harnesses, and other safety gear in the car passed the inspection with flying colors. They also check the drivers helmet, HANS (head and neck) device and drivers suit to make sure they are suitable.

During the off season our Mazda 2 has been a test mule for several parts which resulted in the suspension being removed from the car and re-installed several times. This has left the suspension out of spec for road racing which required a re-alignment. Thanks to a lifetime alignment at the local Firestone we had everything dialed back it to what we wanted with the -1.5 degrees of front camber and correct toe settings.

One last thing which we needed to do was go over the rule book to make sure there were no surprises for the new year which I did not find.

In the title I mentioned prepping the driver for the new year. Racing is a demanding sport and there wasn’t a trip out on the track where I didn’t come into the pits sweating. Being in good shape requires some out of the car effort which I put in over the off season. Starting in November at roughly 185 lbs I started training daily with cardio to do two things. First was to get my heart into great shape and second was to assist in weight loss. Over the past 3 months I have dropped to a low weight of 158lbs and lowered my body fat to roughly 12.5%. With the cardio work along with other training and change of diet I am in the best shape I have ever been in my life to attack the next season of racing.
We will see how the prep for the car and the driver pays off during the next season of racing. We will be posting updates as the season progresses.

-Derrick

September 28, 2012September 13, 2018

CorkSport Texas Mazda Showdown!

If you have been keeping up with our newsletter or blog posts, you probably already know that we will be hosting a track day in Texas this November, but you didn’t know all the details. Well, today the suspense ends! CorkSport, with the help of Texas Mazda Speed Demons and Roger Beasley Mazda, will be hosting a track day on November 3, 2012 at Harris Hill Raceway from 9am-6pm.

Harris Hill Raceway (H2R) is located in the hills of northeastern San Marcos, Texas, just 26 miles from downtown Austin and about 55 miles from downtown San Antonio. The track is a 1.82-mile, 11-turn asphalt road course. The course is 36-feet wide with over 150 feet of elevation changes and within the 11 turns there are increasing radius turns, decreasing radius turns, positive camber, negative camber (and one turn that has both within the same turn!), one long sweeper, several blind corners, and an 80-foot rise-and-fall in one turn.

CorkSport will be offering lead/follow track time between 9am-6pm that includes 5 laps on the track for just $25.00 pre-paid and $35.00 the day of the event. In addition, our co-sponsor, Roger Beasley Mazda will have some expert drifters attending to provide a drift demonstration and EMS Powered will be on hand with their dyno chassis to provide dyno runs (three pulls for $50).

If your not that interested in all that stuff (are you crazy?!) then you can always just come park your car, enjoy the show, and hang with other like minded Mazda enthusiasts!

For more information about the event or to pre-register today, please visit our event page online at https://www.corksport.com/corksport-harris-hill-event.html

Gwynne-

July 17, 2012September 13, 2018

Showdown at PIR

Much to my delight, when I signed up for the SCCA Super Tour National Races at Portland International Raceway on July 13th though 15th, there was another B-Spec car registered to race against! My competition was a 2009 Honda Fit who was on the track for the first time over the weekend.

On Sunday afternoon the race between our B-Spec cars went off with a bang. By the first turn, all of the cars in the run group had passed the lowest horsepower car, the Mazda 2. I wasn’t too concerned though, there was still 35 minutes of racing to catch back up to the Fit.

Within three laps I had caught up with the Fit and started looking for spots where I was performing better than him. There were several spots where the 2 really out performs:

1) Braking. I was hitting my brakes about 100 feet later off the front straight and on the back straight allowing me to gain a little bit of distance back on him lap after lap.

2) Corners. Corners 4 through 7, where power isn’t as much of a factor and handling is, the Mazda2 excelled.

The Fit has more power than a Mazda 2, which you could really notice on the straights as it slowly started pulling away. By late braking as much as possible and using the entire track (and parts off the track too), I was able to pass the Fit on lap 7 by jumping him on the apex and late braking, forcing him out a little further to gain the lead.

Eight laps later, after nose to tail driving between both cars, the Fit was able to pass me up on the straight before the chicane to regain the lead.

After going back and forth for several more laps I was able to get along side of the Fit in the chicane. The Fit didn’t see me on the inside of the lane and I was forced to do some “off roading”. After getting back on the track behind the Fit I found the wheeling had caused the front pads to loosen up a bit which made slowing down into the next corner more exciting!

I got past the Fit on corner 7 again and led for six more laps. With one lap to go, the Fit drafted me and was able to get a good run and out brake me into the chicane. I stayed as close as I could to the Fit so I would be in position to pass again in turn 7.

One of the faster cars in the group, a Honda s2000, caught up to us just before turn 7 and dropped between us. I was cut-off from going through the corner and getting the lead. I could have tried but it would have resulted in a three car wreck. This gave the Fit a little bit of a gap between us on the back straight that I was unable to close. The Honda Fit was able to hold me off for the final two miles for a 0.480-second BFGoodrich Tires Super Tour win.

I may not have won this time, but I will have my revenge when we meet next. He may have won this battle, but the war is far from over.

Derrick-

To see more pictures from the event, go to https://dougberger.zenfolio.com/orscca-july2012-group-16-race

July 3, 2012September 13, 2018

CorkSport Upcoming Events!

Now that the warm weather is upon us, event season is in full swing and CorkSport has plans for some big events in the coming months that we would like share with you.

CorkSport and MazdasNW Sizzlin Summer Event

Our first upcoming event is the CorkSport and MazdasNW Sizzlin Summer All Mazda Meet on August 11, 2012. The event being headlined by CorkSport Mazda Performance and MazdasNW will also be featuring sponsors Solar Eclipse Window Tinting, Alan Web Mazda, and CarMedic.

It will be taking place from 9am-3pm on August 11, 2012 at the CorkSport Mazda Performance headquarters located in Vancouver, WA and will include a dyno day, show & shine and raffle and will also feature an appearance and dyno run from arguably the highest horsepower Mazdaspeed 3 to be dyno’d to date.

Over one hundred Mazda owners from as far north as British Columbia to as far south as California attended last year’s event making it the largest all Mazda event held in the Northwest and we expect this year’s event to be even bigger and better than last year!

The cost to attend will be just $5.00 per vehicle which includes one entry in the show & shine and a swag bag. Additional entries into show & shine categories will go for $5.00 per entry. Food and drink will be available for purchase and raffle tickets can be purchased for $1.00. For attendees interested in dynoing their vehicle, three pulls will be just $35.00 in advance and $50.00 the day of the event.

Please pre-register today and let us know if you will be participating in the show and shine, plan to dyno, or are just coming to hang out with the crew. Anyone who pre-registers will also recieve a CorkSport swag bag and it will help us plan for parking for the event. We are currently accepting registions at CorkSport’s website at https://corksport.com/corksport-sizzlin-summer-event.html.

CorkSport Invades Texas

The next event we are excited to announce will be held at Harris Hill Raceway in San Marcos, TX. In collaboration with CorkSport customer and sponsored drivers, Matt Kellogg and his new Mazda club, the Texas Speed Demons, CorkSport will be hosting a track day and car show on November 3, 2012 from 9am-6pm.

Details on this event are being finalized and more information will be made available in the coming months, but mark this date on your calendar if you are in Texas, around Texas or can make it to Texas, because this one is going to be a biggie!

If you want updates on our Texas event, please click here to get added to our info list and details will be emailed to you as they become available.

Gwynne-