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Greetings Saturn Enthusiasts!
Please enjoy the latest October SPS Updates…
SPS Credit Card Policies
Almost everyone agrees that credit cards make buying stuff easy and convenient – and most of the time, this is a good thing. That’s why SPS accepts Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. Unfortunately, however, credit card fraud has become common in the modern world - and the mail order parts industry is one of the most heavily affected. So in order to protect our customers and our business, SPS takes extra precaution when processing orders that are paid via credit card.
One of the most important of these extra precautions is the verification of shipping addresses. What this means is that prior to shipping every order that has been paid with a credit card, we first contact the bank or financial institution that issued the card to confirm that they recognize the address to which we are asked to ship the order. If they confirm the address is legitimate, then the order is released for shipment. If not, we must hold the shipment until we are able to get the card issuer’s approval.
Often, we find that we end up shipping to the billing address of the credit card. But this is not always the case. Most card issuers will allow their card holders to add alternate addresses to their account. These alternate addresses are often entered as ‘alternate shipping addresses’ or as ‘memo notes’ within the card issuer’s records. This option makes it safe and convenient for our customers to ship orders to work, school, or the homes of relatives.
So to avoid delays or complications with your orders, we suggest that you first take the time to contact your card-issuing bank or financial institution and confirm that your preferred shipping address is listed within your account records.
Product News
Our latest performance gauge sets feature a powered electro-luminescent display that looks white during the day but creates a soft modern colored glow at night. And the adjustable controller that comes with the kit allows you to choose between a blue or green glow. This kit includes gauge faces, adjustable power inverter, and needle removal tool. Fits all 2000+ DOHC 'S' cars. Part number NR3827EL is in stock now for $104.95 per set. A photo of this set will be posted soon!
Installing your own clutch is not the easiest job, but you can make things just a little bit easier with our convenient clutch alignment tool. This is the same tool used by Saturn service personnel. Recommended when installing stock or Centerforce clutch kits. Part number SA9145T is in stock now for $8.49 each.
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
We made a special purchase of H&R springs and Koni dampers this month for the midsize Saturn L cars and are passing the savings along to you! Koni’s excellent struts feature dial-to-adjust rebound damping in the front and compress-to-adjust rebound damping with an adjustable spring perch in the rear. H&R lowering springs are made in Germany to exacting standards of quality and feature progressive spring rates for reduced body roll and better handling while maintaining excellent ride quality when cruising. Buy springs and struts for the entire car now and save big! (Use HR29737 for 4-cylinder L cars and HR29737-2 for 6-cylinder L cars. Note that Koni front dampers are identified separately for left and right – you must order one of each.) This incredible package normally costs $1015.00 – the complete package is available now for only $741.00! Save $274.00!
Owners of the new mid-size Saturn LS and LW cars may have found that their 5x110 bolt pattern is unusual – which makes it very difficult to find an aftermarket wheel that fits! But Momo’s Racer wheel fits the bill perfectly with the correct bolt pattern and an aggressive 38mm offset. We have combined the 17x7 inch Racer with the Toyo FZ4 225/45R17 performance tire and slashed the price by 10% this month. The 17x7 inch Momo Racer Alloy Wheels with Toyo FZ4 225/45/17 tires normally cost $1969.36 per set but are now only $1772.40! Save $196.96!
Please visit the SPS web site (http://www.spswebpage.com) for more details!
SPS Racing
The Thundersport Racing team displayed their determination and ability to overcome adversity on Friday, October 21, where they competed in the Runoffs to determine the nation’s best drivers in SCCA Showroom Stock C (SSC.)
After a long week of practice and qualifying, team members were tiring. But their work appeared to be paying off, as driver Mike Kramer earned a third place starting position for Friday’s race – his best Runoffs qualifying effort ever. Unfortunately, however, the elation following qualifying soon turned to frustration, then to anger, and then nearly to panic as childish racer politics began to overshadow the event.
Shortly after the final qualifying session on Thursday, several protests were filed with the SCCA against the Thundersport team and the legality of the #19 Texaco and SPS sponsored racecar. All of the protests were filed by another SSC driver - one who has a jaded reputation for bringing grief to other competitors in an apparent effort to justify his own team’s on-track failures. Most of the protests were completely unfounded, but by some complete fluke, one issue turned out to be legitimate – and came very close to spoiling the effort for the Thundersport team.
As some readers may know, in 1998, the SCCA approved what is known as a ‘trunk kit’ for the Saturn SC2s competing in Showroom Stock C in an effort to level the playing field between the Saturns and the factory-prepped Neon ACR. One of the components in this kit is the H&R Sport lowering spring set. And since the only Saturns currently eligible for SSC are 97-02 models, the rules for the Saturn trunk kit specify that the HR4341 spring set is to be used. However, as the result of an as-yet-unexplained mistake, somehow the #19 SC2 qualified using a set of the HR4340 springs - the set intended for the 91-96 cars!
Astute readers probably realize that the spring rates and free lengths between the 2 sets are identical, so technically using one or the other part number will not create any handling advantage or disadvantage. So on the surface, this technicality may seem petty. Nevertheless, a rule is a rule. And by using the HR4340 springs on the #19 car, the Thundersport team had broken the rule. Despite written confirmation from H&R that the HR4340 springs provided no competitive advantage, the SCCA was considering the possibility of disqualifying the Thundersport team and sending them home prior to Friday afternoon’s race!
It was not until Friday morning at 11:00am that the SCCA made a decision: Mike Kramer would be allowed to start the race at 3:20pm from last place on the grid if he could manage to install the proper HR4341 springs in the meantime. Not much advance notice…
Fortunately, the SPS crew was in the car on the way out of Dayton when the call came in. "We need the 4341 springs," said Mike Kramer, "and we need them here fast!" So the SPS car turned around, went straight to the SPS warehouse, picked up one set of 4341 springs, and made record time to MidOhio. Meanwhile, the Thundersport crew had disassembled their strut assemblies and were waiting (impatiently) for the replacement springs to arrive. Upon arrival, with no time to spare, the new springs were installed, the car inspected by SCCA officials, and the wheels aligned by hand. As soon as the last lugnut was torqued, Mike changed into his driver’s suit and headed to the false grid. One problem had been solved, but the next one was just beginning: how to get back to the front from a starting position of 38th place!
During the Runoffs, the starting line is moved to the back straightaway. So the green flag fell as Mike was exiting the Keyhole. Almost immediately, Mike passed several slower Neons and had gained a few positions by the first turn. Suddenly, as traffic climbed the rise through the section known as ‘Madness,’ the door of opportunity swung wide open. Two cars near the middle of the pack had spun, blocking the track. All of the less experienced drivers behind the spun cars bottlenecked into a traffic jam, creating a parking lot out of the back half of the field. But not Mike. Being focused only on moving back to the front where he belonged, Mike dove to the outside through the grass and re-entered the track in 22nd place!
For the next several laps, Mike slowly picked his way through traffic, improving his position into the high and mid teens. On the third lap, as he was approaching the SSC driver who had filed the protests, he witnessed as that driver speared a Honda Civic at the end of the front straight, taking both cars into the grass. Fortunately, Mike was close enough to get a great view of the incident, but not so close as to be significantly affected. So the Thundersport SC2 evaded the "Red Mist" and his victims and moved up a few more spots.
Mike continued to climb spots slowly until he reached 6th near the halfway point of the race. From here, the top five cars were simply too far away to catch. And though he did not lose any ground, he didn’t gain much either. So when the checkered flag fell, Mike and the Thundersport SC2 were in 6th place – 3.5 seconds behind Paul Bonaccorsi’s 5th place Mazda Protégé. It was Saturn’s (and Mike’s) best finish ever at the Runoffs! Congratulations to Mike, Tom Brandelhner, and the Thundersport team for a great effort and a great finish!
SPS 2001 Event Schedule (tentative)
Oct 6-7: scR at Mid-Ohio
Nov 9-11: scR at the ARRC
Nov 22: SPS closed for Thanksgiving holiday
Nov 29: SPS to attend PRI (Performance and Racing Industry Trade Show) in Indianapolis
Dec 24: SPS closed for Christmas Eve holiday
Dec 25: SPS closed for Christmas holiday
If you have any questions about anything in this newsletter, please Contact Us.
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Until next month, HAVE A GREAT FALL! |
