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Greetings Saturn Enthusiasts!
Please enjoy the latest August SPS Updates…
SPS Welcomes Our Newest Team Member
SPS is happy to introduce our newest team member, Bryan Yearick. Bryan joins the SPS sales team after gaining four years of experience as a sales consultant at Saturn of Dayton. He is also the proud owner of a 1996 SL2 (which is nearly stock for now…but that will soon change.) Bryan’s primary focus will be retail sales, both online and via the telephone. Bryan’s email account has not yet been activated, but he can be reached by telephone at extension 130.
Product News
Our exclusive racing springs – made in Germany by H&R – use the stiffest spring rates available for the absolute most aggressive ride and handling. With front rates of 310lbs/in and rear rates of 250lbs/in, our racing springs limit body roll more than any other bolt-on spring. And their 1.3-inch front and 1.2-inch rear ride height reductions take maximum advantage of center of gravity reduction without compromising suspension geometries. (Note: due to aggressive tuning, these springs should be combined with firm dampers – such as Koni or Carrera – and they will have the most severe impact upon ride quality.) Each spring is made in Germany by H&R from the highest quality chrome silicone wire, shot-peened, carefully compression tested, and paired in matched sets. For rust protection, they are phosphate coated and feature a red gloss powder coat finish. (Limited lifetime warranty. Fits all 91+ "S" cars.) Each set of 4 springs is part number SPS34188. They are in stock now for $299.00 per set.
Many more new products will be introduced very shortly. But although we are excited about the new items, we must use discretion about releasing new product information because sharing any information before solidifying all of the facts can inadvertently mislead customers, employees, and supporters. Please visit our web site often and watch for future updates. Many more exciting items are on the horizon!
August Specials
Hotshot’s Powerstack intake system is our best selling item because it provides a safe, easy, and inexpensive boost in performance. But Hotshot is overstocked on the ceramic-coated versions and under-stocked on chrome. So they offered us a special August deal that we are passing along to you! Get the Ceramic Powerstack with filter (PWRSTK02) - normally $179 – now for only $149.00! (Don’t forget to also get the SPSB002 mounting bracket!)
Sprint Performance Suspension products have always been known for aggressive pricing and exceptional value. Our August special makes this even more true. This month only, buy any set of Sprint springs for 10% off. But that’s not all: purchase a Sprint strut tower brace at the same time and take an additional $10.00 off the entire order! Choose the SPR8500 springs (2-inch drop, set of 4 springs) now for only $143.10/set (normally $159/set.) Or choose the SPRX8500 springs (2.5-inch drop, set of 4 springs) now for only $152.10/set (normally $169/set.) And get the SB8501 - redesigned Sprint strut tower brace (normally $99 each) for only $89.00 when purchased with any set of Sprint springs!
Please visit the SPS web site (http://www.spswebpage.com) for more details!
SPS Racing
When things go your way, competitive road racing is incredibly fun. When things don’t go your way, its…well, its still incredibly fun, but it can get awfully frustrating too. The latter was the case this past weekend at New York’s Watkins Glen for scR motorsports.
Even though the Watkins Glen event was only a single race weekend (as opposed to the more common double regional events,) James Walker and the scR team decided to make the long 8-hour trek anyway. This was decided in part to the fact that "The Glen" is close to many scR family members – and also because it is such a fun track to drive.
The previous race at Grattan provided a chance to test the new camber plates and solid rear strut mounts. But as part of an on-going development and tuning process, a change was made to the rear suspension for the Glen race. Specifically, the rear spring rates were increased by 50lbs/in while the 17.5mm rear sway bar was adjusted to a softer setting. The higher rear spring rates would clearly increase oversteer, but it was hoped that the bar change would offset some of this effect.
Unfortunately, the final result, while perfect for a small tight track, was too loose for a large fast track like the Glen. Oversteer on the scR ITA racecar was apparent and required slower cornering speeds and frequent steering corrections! The impact upon qualifying times was quickly evident, as James and the scR car could only muster an eighth place starting position within a 14-car field. There would be lots of ground to make up during Sunday’s race.
Unfortunately, the situation on Sunday only got worse. In fact, like many Saturn owners, scR’s ITA car fell victim to the notorious Saturn alternator failure. As a result, James found himself without power before the completion of the pace lap! As you can imagine, the drive home was a long one. When you are used to earning trophies, it is hard to accept a DNF.
James and the scR team race again August 19 at Waterford. To see the latest scR newsletter, scR tech article or the 2000 schedule, visit the scR motorsports website at http://www.teamscr.com.
Roger Baker’s July 22 race at Shady Bowl in his Legends car also proved to be one of those "character building" experiences. After seeing his first podium finish ever during his last appearance at Shady Bowl, Roger had set his expectations on yet another successful finish.
And it appeared that he was well on his way to such success…at first. Unfortunately, while making a pass early into the race, Roger was tagged lightly while exiting turn 2. This forced a spin. And while such a spin was certain to loose positions, it normally would not have prevented a finish – especially since there was miraculously no further contact with any of the other cars. However, one of the quirks of the Shady Bowl track is the two-foot drop-off from the inside of the track along the backstretch. As one can imagine, dropping a racecar into a ditch at speed tends to do damage. And though Roger was at first confused as to why he was not waved back onto the track ("Come on guys! I’m ready!"), just one glance revealed extensive damage to the entire right side suspension.
The Baker Racing Legends car has since been repaired and will see action again on Friday, August 11 at Kil-Kare Speedway in Xenia, Ohio.
SPS at Kings Island
This year’s Saturn Owner Appreciation Day at Kings Island Amusement Park happens this Sunday, August 6. And like last year, SPS will be on hand to display our latest 2001 SL2 project car and introduce some of our newest team members. Look for us within the picnic grove during the complimentary lunch break. If you wish to attend but do not already have tickets, be sure to contact your nearest participating Ohio, Indiana, or Kentucky Saturn Retail Facility for discounted tickets. For directions or for more information about King Island, visit their website at http://www.pki.com/.
SPS Events
The SPS schedule for 2000 is winding down. The scheduled venues are listed below:
SPS 2000 Schedule (tentative): Aug 6: SPS at Kings Island (Saturn Owner Appreciation Day)
Aug 11: Baker Racing at Kil-Kare (Xenia, OH)
Sept 9-10: scR at MidOhio
Sept 23-24: scR at MidOhio
Oct 7: Thundersport at MidOhio (Valvoline Runoffs)
Nov 10-12: scR at Road Atlanta (ARRC)
If you have any questions about anything in this newsletter, please email Contact Us.
To view previous editions of the newsletter, please visit the Newsletter Archive.
If you wish to add an email address to the list, please do so at http://spswebpage.com/email/addemail.html. If you need to remove an address from the list, please do so at http://spswebpage.com/email/del.html. Please do NOT notify us directly with your removal or addition requests!
Until next month, HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! |
