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Greetings Saturn Enthusiasts!
Please enjoy the latest June SPS Updates…
2 Fast 2 Furious Debuts June 6
The highly anticipated sequel to 2001’s ‘The Fast and the Furious’ will debut in theaters June 6. Known as ‘2 Fast 2 Furious,’ the sequel again features actor Paul Walker as disgraced cop Brian O’Connor. But this time, he infiltrates the street racing scene in Miami in order to catch the bad guys.
Like the original, ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’ features amazing chase scenes, lots of hot cars, and the requisite content of beautiful young women. It is sure to be 2003’s favorite flick among sport compact enthusiasts. Look for it in theaters starting June 6 or find out more at http://www.thefastandthefurious.com.
Product News
Thermal Research and Development’s complete-cat-back single tip exhaust system for the Saturn VUE is their 'Classic' design - so it is tuned to provide power gains in the upper mid-range and top end. It also provides a deep throaty sound. All systems are built using 2.25 inch diameter piping, mandrel bends, and polished stainless steel. Unique features include a round center resonator and a polished 3-inch round tip. (Note: Extra large box bills at 70 lbs for ground shipping.) This system is part number TRD803 for $499.00. Fits all Saturn VUE.
Momo's Combat Evo knob and boot kit combines the Combat Evo knob and a matching leather boot into one integrated combination. This kit is easy to install and it looks great! Available in blue (MOCTEKITBLU,) red (MOCTEKITRED,) or silver (MOCTEKITSIL) for $127.71 per kit.
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!
June Specials
Our officially licensed pedal sets from Autotecnica feature the Saturn logo and rubber traction pads. These are the clamp-on style pedal covers - so installation is very simple and does not require any drilling. The manual transmission set includes all three pedals (accelerator, brake, and clutch,) and the automatic transmission set includes both pedals (accelerator and brake.) Compatible with all Saturn vehicles! The Saturn logo pedal set for manual transmissions is part number ATC3050, and the Saturn logo pedal set for automatic transmissions is part number ATC3150. Both sets are normally priced at $29.00 per set, but are on sale now for only $26.10 per set!
Hotshot's Powerstack delivers an increase in power and throttle response along with a wicked growl. This great looking intake is easy to install and has been dyno tested to add over 5 horsepower. The complete Powerstack kit includes the chromed or coated intake tube, K&N brand performance filter, silicone hoses, couplers, clamps, and an integral easy-fitting for the factory air temperature sensor. For all 91-99 DOHC and 95-02 SOHC S Series. The Powerstack chrome, part number PWRSTK01, is normally $159, but is on sale now for only $143.10 each! The Powerstack ceramic, part number PWRSTK02, is normally $179, but is on sale now for only $161.10 each!
Please visit the SPS web site (http://www.spswebpage.com) for more details!
SPS Racing
John Comeskey has concluded that racing in wet conditions requires a lot of patience.
The SCCA Cen-Div regional race at Grattan during the May 24-25 weekend was pretty damp. Not so damp as to justify using 'rain' tires, but wet enough that no one had much traction. Everyone ‘jokes’ about how it always rains at Grattan over Memorial Day. Well, yes it is funny – but it is also true. In fact, the trophies this year were very nice large umbrellas. (This seemed like dark humor – the kind that someone really twisted would surely appreciate.)
Most of the SPS Racing crew made it to the Grattan race, including James Walker in the red #34 car, Mark Rushbrook in the black #21 car, and John Comeskey in the #55 car. Dedicated crew members included Tom, Rob, and Jen. And we were joined by honorary scR member Larry Webster and his Honda CRX.
So we might as well start this story by reminding the readers that Comeskey is relatively new to the racecar driving thing, having earned his racing license in 2002, and he has very little experience in the wet. As you might therefore expect, his perception of the wet traction limits were much different than the reality of the wet traction limits. So on the very first lap of the Saturday morning qualifying session, he spun it. He ended up with the front wheels on the grass at the inside of the racing surface and the rear wheels just barely on the track. Most everybody was going really slow, so the traffic behind him came to a stop or went around, more or less. Reportedly, as he looked up to find a break in traffic so as to rejoin the fray, he saw fellow Dayton-area racer Chris Wikle in his ITB VW Golf. And he thought to himself, 'Oh there's Chris. I wonder if I should wave to Chris.' Then he thought, 'Does Chris, have room to get by? I think he does.' And then Chris went by. But alas, Chris did not have room afterall.
So WHACK – Chris drove into the right rear fender of the #55 SC2. As a result, the bumper cover was ripped most of the way off, the right rear wheel was knocked into lots of negative camber, and there was a hole in the fender panel.
Jen, Rob, and Tom tried to rip off the bumper cover in the pits, but it would not rip loose. So they decided to scrap the session, fix the thing for real, and start the race from the back of the grid. Meanwhile, things were going MUCH better for James and Mark. Mark set the fastest lap of the session with a 1:33.026 – which earned him the top spot on the grid. James was close behind in second. And Larry was just behind him in third. It was sure to be an exciting race in the afternoon!
Back in the paddock, John and Jen used a hammer and some channel lock pliers to reshape the bumper cover attachment bracket and they used some sheet metal screws to reattach the bumper cover to the bumper. Then Jen patched the fender hole with generous amounts of white duct tape. And John realigned the strut to knuckle interface.
It looked pretty good after the repairs, so the SCCA allowed the #55 car to start from the back of the pack – 31st overall.
At the start of the race, Mark held his lead for the first 2 laps. But the competition from Larry and James was fierce – they were in position to battle for the lead at any moment. On lap 3, Larry made a pass on Mark that stuck which allowed Larry to take credit for leading lap 3. And on lap 4, James passed them both, jumping from third to first in one smooth move! James enjoyed the lead between laps 4 through 7, but things quickly turned sour for the #34 car as the inner tri-pot joint of the left axle self destructed! After 8 laps, he was forced to retire. On the 8th lap, Mark inherited the lead and led the rest of the way to the checker – with Larry on his rear bumper the entire time. It was a very exciting battle for the win!
Meanwhile, further back in the pack, with 2 laps to go in the race, Comeskey had battled his way to the 11th spot when the rain started pouring down again. As the field slowed down, the Miata in front of him seemed really close - and really slow. And he thought, 'If I just pick it up a little tiny bit, I can get him!' (Yeah right.) So he picked it up a bit, spun it again, and lost another spot. So then, of course, he had to go get his spot back. So he picked it up again - and spun it again. And again. And again.
Finally, on the last lap as he came out of the hairpin, he was sure that he could get the RX7 in front of him and reclaim his spot. So he made a desperate run and got right beside him for the right hand turn at the top of the hill. But in the middle of the turn, he decided that he did not have the traction to pull it off - and that if he kept on it, he was sure to push this poor little RX7 off the track as they made the final left hand turn and entered the front straight. So he lifted - which induced yet another spin - which allowed a Miata to pass the #55 car as it restarted.
So his lack of patience resulted in a 13th place finish overall, 4th in ITA. And one more lesson learned: Patience is a virtue.
On Sunday, it was still sprinkling a bit, on and off. But it was more ‘off’ than ‘on.’ So most of the group had a normal qualifying session. At least Comeskey and the #55 car were more or less pointing forward the entire time. Larry found a lot of speed, posting a best qualifying lap of 1:32.637 and earning the pole position. Mark lost some speed – most likely due to the condition of his very well-used Hoosiers – and ended up 4th overall and 3rd in ITA. And after but 3 laps, James destroyed yet another axle – the last of our spare units. His weekend would be finished as a result.
At the start of the race, Mark made short work of the two cars ahead of him and jumped into second place before entering turn one! But while Mark was battling for the second place spot, Larry was running away with the lead. And despite a fast lap of 1:33.097, Mark never came within striking distance. So Larry brought home the victory and Mark settled for second.
Needless to say, for Comeskey, starting in 13th was much easier than starting in 31st. At the start, he was surrounded by Spec Miatas - which have an advantage over the Saturn in the corners, but don't stand a chance on the straight-aways. So the #55 car walked down the middle of traffic at the start and took turn one in 10th spot! Then he spent the entire rest of the race chasing down another Miata in 9th. He finally got him on the front straight at the start of the last lap. But at about that same time, he started smelling coolant. And as no-one was particularly close in front of the #55 car, he suspected that it might be his own coolant.
By the time he got to the hairpin, he KNEW it was his own coolant, so he was praying that they were really on the last lap. Sure enough, when he got to the top of the hill, the checker was out. (Whew! What a relief!) It turns out that the upper radiator hose had fallen off the radiator and he was dumping anti-traction juice (coolant/water mix) all over the track! Race officials allowed him to exit the track at the back gate. And he was able to get onto the paddock lane just as the coolant temp entered the red. So he shut it down and coasted the rest of the way. His final finishing position was 8th overall and 4th in ITA.
SPS Racing strikes again at MidOhio over the July 4 weekend. As always, be sure to catch the latest news, schedule changes, race recaps, and photo and video galleries at the new scR website located at http://www.teamscr.com.
Expedited Shipping Upgrades are Available
Most Saturn enthusiasts know that SPS has a reputation for having items in stock – and for processing orders and shipments very quickly. Most orders ship out of the SPS warehouse within one business day of being placed!
In order to keep the costs to our customers to a minimum, our standard shipping method is UPS ground. In most cases, this inexpensive service allows package delivery within five business days.
But we understand that there are times in which you need an item right away. In these cases, we also offer expedited shipping services, including 3-Day Select, 2-Day Air, Next Day Air Saver, and Next Day Air. If you are in a hurry, ask us about one of these expedited services. It is easy for us to quote the extra cost so as to allow you to make an informed decision. And if you are willing to pay the premium, we can literally deliver most orders overnight!
SPS 2003 Event Schedule (tentative)
July 4: SPS closed due to Independence Day holiday.
July 4-6: SPS Racing at MidOhio
Aug 2-3: SPS Racing at Beaver Run
Sept 19: Thundersport Racing at SCCA Runoffs, MidOhio
Oct 4-5: SPS Racing at MidOhio
Dec 6: SPS to attend PRI tradeshow, Indianapolis
If you have any questions about anything in this newsletter, please 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! Take back your civil liberties! Until next month, HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!
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