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Greetings Saturn Enthusiasts!
Please enjoy the latest October SPS Updates…
SPS Gift Certificates are Available Now
If you are like most Saturn enthusiasts, then there are probably about a gazillion parts or accessories that you would like to get for Christmas. The problem is trying to explain to a family member what items you want – and why. Let’s face it, not everyone understands cars – or why you would ever want to modify one.
But this year, you don’t need to settle for another package of underwear just because it’s too hard to explain what you really want to your friends and family. SPS is now offering gift certificates that simplify the giving process! These gift certificates are available for any amount and have no expiration date. So make it easy – just tell everyone that you want SPS gift certificates for Christmas this year. Then tell them to call our order desk at 800-632-1059! (Some restrictions apply concerning shipping addresses and payment arrangements. Please ask a representative for more details.)
Product News
Our new SPS performance spark plug wire sets feature aggressive 8mm silicone jackets in a variety of color options including black, blue, red, and yellow. Using the highest quality Kevlar protected wire-wound suppression core, they deliver the least resistance possible – for best spark efficiency – but not so little as to compromise RFI (radio frequency interference) suppression. Each wire is cut and assembled to factory specifications, tested, and fully inspected prior to packaging. And each kit includes a free packet of dielectric grease and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty! Models are available for all SOHC, 91-95 DOHC with aluminum cam covers, and 96+ DOHC with composite cam covers. Prices start at just $44.95. For more details, please visit the ignition products sections of our website.
We figure that if we’re going to offer SPS spark plug wires in a variety of colors, then we should probably also offer our plug wire separators in a variety of colors. So we have added yellow and blue to our selection of 8mm clamp-style wire separators. Part number TAY42740 identifies the blue kit, while TAY42760 identifies the yellow kit. All colors are available for $14.95 per kit.
The long–awaited APC clear corner lamps are finally available. These attractive wrap-around clear corner lamps replace the ugly orange units within the stock front end of all 91-96 SC2 DOHC coupes. (Note: only 91-96 SC2 units are available at this time!) Part number JMCC0201 is one pair of lamps and is available now for only $69.00 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!
October Specials
There is no mystery about the effectiveness of aluminum flywheels. Less rotating mass means less inertia against the motor – hence faster revving and less wasted energy! We made a special purchase of our new 7.25-pound aluminum flywheels and are passing our savings along to you! Part no. AFSAT115 is normally $399 each, but is on sale now for only $359.10 each, including ring-gear! (Don’t forget to order your new Centerforce Clutch and throw-out bearing too! Use this flywheel on any "S" car with a manual transmission.)
Aside from performance tires, no single other modification can match the handling benefit delivered by a stiffer rear sway bar. In fact, even lowering springs cannot deliver as much reduction in body roll and understeer. Our 16.0mm 3-way adjustable rear sway bar is a full 1.0mm larger than the stock 15.0mm DOHC rear bar – which provides a 30% increase in stiffness. And the variable end-link positions allow additional tuning – to create stiffer or softer settings according to weather or traction changes. Part no. SWAY2SPS is normally $119.00 each, but is on sale now for only $107.10 each! (Use this rear sway bar on any "S" car. SOHC models also require the SWAY101K installation kit.)
Please visit the SPS web site (http://www.spswebpage.com) for more details!
SPS Racing
Much of the 2000 season was bittersweet for the scR motorsports Saturn road racing team. The new class and the new ITA racecar were fast and competitive, but it often appeared as though success was just out of reach. Several mechanical flukes and a persistent misfire caused by a loose injector connection had led to some disappointing finishes – and worse yet – a few DNFs. But the best was yet to come. We were learning at each attempt, Mark Rushbrook was finishing his own #21 ITA Saturn, and we had yet to race at the Central Division’s best track, MidOhio.
All three of those last points would finally intersect during the month of September as scR finally came "home" to the site of our 1998 Runoffs success – the MidOhio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. In fact, we would be here twice in September – once during the Sept. 9-10 weekend and again on Sept. 23-24. There is no question about it: we love this track! The course is challenging and exciting, the facilities are top-notch, and the competition is fierce. And in addition to that, the #34 car had been sorted out and was finally performing well, and Mark Rushbrook had completed preparation on his #21 car and registered just behind James to make the Sept. 9-10 race his inaugural event!
With Mark’s registration, the ITA field for the Sept. 9 race grew to 23 cars – another big change from the 7 or 8 car fields that we sometimes saw in showroom stock C. But large race fields are not necessarily a bad thing – as long as you are starting in the front! However, qualifying on Saturday morning did prove a bit frustrating. Arriving at the grid late meant that both scR cars would have a large field of traffic to navigate through before they could turn a fast lap.
However, once the slower traffic had been sorted through, both of the scR cars began lowering their lap times rapidly. And once the dust had settled, it was good news! James and the #34 car had captured the pole position in ITA and had finished 4th overall ahead of 18 ITS cars. Mark had also qualified well in the brand new #21 car with a 7th place ITA spot. The goal for the afternoon race was clear: James would have to work to maintain his lead position and Mark would have to REALLY work to move up from his 7th position toward the front.
Saturday’s afternoon race proved exciting as James passed a slow-moving ITS car in the grass down the front straight as the green flag flew and led both ITA and ITS fields for the first lap. Meanwhile, Mark systematically picked his way through traffic – gaining positions each lap. By the end of the afternoon race, James had handily won ITA (thus securing the pole position again for the start of Sunday’s race) and Mark had earned 3rd place in ITA (thus securing the 3rd place starting spot for Sundays race.) The word in the paddock was that the scR cars were being called "the Saturns from Hell."
Rain looked quite possible on Sunday morning, but fortunately, it decided to hold off until after the ITA race. So the scR cars arrived at the grid with race tires – the red #34 car on the pole and the black-gold #21 car just 2 spots behind in 3rd. For the first few laps of the race, James raced conservatively. The 2nd place RX-7 was pretty far behind and the nearest car was an Olds Calais from the ITS class – no reason to tear anything up racing him. But that had changed by lap 5. With 13 laps to go, the RX-7 had caught James and Mark was just behind the RX-7 in the #21 Saturn. In fact, just a few laps later, the RX-7 managed to pass not only James in the #34 Saturn, but also the ITS Calais! So after a brief full-course yellow, James turned up the heat with 2 laps to go and passed both the RX-7 and the Calais to regain the ITA lead. In the meantime, Mark had caught up to the leaders and watched as the RX-7 and the Calais battled for position. Then, with just one lap to go, the RX-7 and the Calais took each other out, leaving Mark with 2nd place. So the race ended with the Saturns dominating the field – our first ever sweep!
After such a successful first weekend, we were all anxious to return to MidOhio two weeks later. Unfortunately, Mark Rushbrook had already planned to attend the Formula One race at Indianapolis, so James Walker and the #34 car would have to represent the Saturn performance community by themselves. And with another large field (22 cars in ITA) and some of the fastest ITA cars in the country (the #63 CRX that holds the ARRC track record for instance,) this would prove to be a much tougher weekend than the last one!
And to make matters even tougher, the beautiful fall weather would soon be washed away, leaving us with nothing but cold rain in which to work and race. (Those of us on the crew quickly became used to being soaked. And we joked about forming a labor union to protest our conditions. We would call it "scR Local #34.") Fortunately, however, the rain held off until after the morning qualifying session. And the scR Saturn posted yet another strong lap – good enough for the second pole position on the ITA field. It would be the second time in as many weeks that a Saturn would start on the front row at MidOhio!
Although it started raining immediately after qualifying, it had stopped raining by the start of Saturday afternoon’s sprint race. So with Hoosier race tires on the #34 car, James crept toward the green flag at the pace dictated by the yellow CRX on the pole. Unfortunately, a wise start by the CRX gave him a solid jump down the front straight, but James had caught him again through the middle of turn one. And the entire first lap saw James hanging onto the bumper of the leading CRX with yet another fast CRX hung onto James’ bumper. However, an ugly wreck in turn one on the first lap (fortunately, no-one was hurt) caused a very long race delay, as the entire field was forced to wait along the pit wall while the carnage was cleared from the track. There were only five laps to go after the restart. But five exciting laps resulted in a finish that looked very similar to the start – the yellow CRX in first, James and the #34 Saturn in second, and the black CRX right behind James in third. These would be the starting positions for the start of Sunday’s race. It might sound anti-climactic, but we had literally finished between two of the fastest ITA cars in the country!
Sunday’s race is best remembered with two words: cold rain. Needless to say, the top four cars in ITA all arrived at the false grid in their finest rain tires. And the start of the race looked very similar to the day before: the yellow CRX in front, James just behind him, and the black CRX just behind James. But in turn 5 on the first lap, the yellow CRX lost control and began to spin. Unfortunately, James had nowhere to go and was forced to lift off the throttle while the black CRX and 2 other cars dove by into the lead. By the time James could respond, he had been shuffled to 5th place! The next 17 laps brought non-stop excitement as the #34 Saturn and the yellow CRX fought to regain their lost positions. Fifth, fourth, second, third…James seemed to be in a different spot every time by! Finally on the last lap, James mounted a challenge on the yellow CRX, while the yellow CRX mounted a challenge on the black CRX. But to no avail: the black CRX took the checkered flag with the yellow CRX just .3 seconds behind in second and James just another .8 seconds behind in third. And while it wasn’t another win like the weekend prior, we must be doing something right in order to be hanging with these guys! The ARRC will be interesting…
James and the scR team race again November 10-11 at Road Atlanta during the American Road Race of Champions. To see the latest scR newsletter, scR tech article or the 2000 schedule, visit the scR motorsports website at http://www.teamscr.com.
Putnam Room Block Expires Soon
If you are planning to attend the high-speed lapping event at Putnam Park Road Course, on October 28, please be sure to make you reservations at the Holiday Inn Express by Friday, October 6. Our room block is released after this date – which means that reserving a room after Oct. 6 may be very difficult. To reserve your room, please call the hotel directly at 765-795-5050. Our special rate is only $60.00 per night plus tax, but you must mention the "Saturn Performance" group in order to qualify for this rate.
Open spots are still available for the lapping event, so please call us soon if you wish to attend. (Pre-registration is required!) Or to learn more, visit the SPS website at http://spswebpage.com/racing/putnam2000.html.
SPS Events
The SPS schedule for 2000 is winding down. The scheduled venues are listed below:
SPS 2000 Schedule (tentative):
Oct 7: Thundersport at MidOhio (Valvoline Runoffs)
Oct 28: SPS at Putnam Road Course (Please join us!)
Nov 10-12: scR at Road Atlanta (ARRC)
Dec 2: SPS attending PRI Trade Show (Indianapolis)
If you have any questions about anything in this newsletter, please Contact Us.
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Until next month, HAVE A GREAT FALL! |
