KSport "Test & Tune" at Buttonwillow becomes another success story!

On Oct 10th & 11th, team KSport headed out for a low key "test & tune" event with the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) So Cal region this past weekend and they definitely got the job done. It just so happened that the NASA So Cal event was running the same configuration that is used for the Super Lap Battle (SLB) Finals. The goal of the event was simply to shake down the car after some minor changes in preparation of the big event but the team ended up with much more success than initially planned.

KSport's weapon of choice for the SLB this year will be a 95 Honda Civic piloted by the up and coming and very capable Time Attack driver Tage Evanson. Three out of the four sessions on Saturday were filled with car issues, but once resolved, the Civic managed a 1:56.4 on the low boost tune which actually ended up beating the previous NASA So Cal track record! This caused quite a stir in the paddock as the class (TTS) had well over half a dozen drivers in the class and they were all amazed and in disbelief at what the car was capable of. Come to find out the car was down on power and had corded front tires when that lap was set!

The next day, the Civic had a different set of used tires mounted up and the ECU was programmed with the higher power tune which is good for approximately 300WHP. The KSport Civic ripped off a 1:53.2 second time on the first lap and in traffic! Satisfied with the setup of the car, KSport was ready to head back home to Phoenix. However, they quickly learned that the NASA track record for the class (TTU) was good enough for that track record as well. The team decided to stay for the second session and see if they could muster a faster time yet. Track conditions were not as optimal (dusty, air temp too hot, etc.) as the morning session, but the Civic still managed a 1:52.8 on it's 2nd lap. This beat the previous track record by nearly 2.5 seconds!!!

NOTE: The car is still legal for TTU @ 460WHP. Imagine what kind of times the KSport Civic could have done with an additional 160 WHP???

In 2006 and with an unlimited budget, the GM Performance Division set the fastest FF time ever recorded with their 1,300 lbs all carbon fiber 400+WHP Chevy Cobalt. It is believed to be the fastest FF car on the planet with a time of 1:51.3 at Buttonwillow's CW #13 configuration. When the KSport Civic returns to Buttonwillow next month, it will have fresh tires, cooler weather and even more power. Will it be enough to make up an additional 1.5 seconds? Could the KSport Civic end up becoming the fastest FF car on the planet? Stay tuned to find out!

Most importantly, let's not forget that this little Honda Civic is currently using an off the shelf KSport Kontrol Pro damper kit! Many companies will "claim" in their advertisements about how their coilover kits are the best. Apparently, KSport doesn't need to...

Civic Destroys All. KSport owns Firebird Raceway

Listen_To_This. A month or so ago, Tage Evanson, a local/regional time attack and time trial racer called us up and wanted to talk about suspension parts for his Civic. Usually requests like this are taken lightly, and they have to be, because KSport gets hundreds of requests for sponsorships every week--seriously--and it really takes up a lot of time to determine what's worth it, what isn't, etc. Picking and choosing is tough, so often we'll just avoid the conversation all together, or set aside large chunk of time on a weekend to sift through all the proposals and decide who gets a call back and who doesn't. Tage is based out of Phoenix, just like KSport, and given that he won the 2007 Super Lap Battle and stole the track record away from HASport, who had it for years, we were more than interested in working with him and his Civic.

We'll get into more of Tage's accomplishments, later. Last weekend was the first time up for Tage and his Civic with the new KSport suspension. What that entails is literally and off the shelf Kontrol Pro kit with stiffer different spring rates. No changes to dampening, shock length, etc. Anyone could buy this kit for their EG Honda Civic. The track for the first test was Firebird Intl. Raceway's "West Course", located about 20-minutes southeast of KSport's headquarters in Phoenix.

This event was running with the National Autosports Association (NASA) under their strict, nationally-sanctioned Time Trial rulebook. Within that series there are nine classes; the Civic runs in the "TTS" Class, which is the 3rd quickest. (TTR is fastest, then TTU, then TTS).

Tage won his class on the first day out. Actually, his best lap was set in the first session of the day, first time ever on KSports. Looking deeper, Tage beat the TTS track record for Firebird Raceway, with a time of 1:01.39. It doesn't end there.

Remember how I said there are two faster classes above the Civic in the NASA Time Trial ranks? Tage beat all those guys too. The TTU record is a 1:01.56, and the unlimited TTR class record is a 1:02.41. What that simply means is, Tage set the fastest lap ever on Firebird West for a NASA event, and that is the all-out FWD lap record for Firebird West as well. We'll just say it again... The fastest FWD car to ever set foot (or, tire) on Firebird Raceway's West course, was using off the shelf KSports.

In addition to that, Brady Dohrmann in his BMW M3 set the TTC lap record of 1:05.303. Jeremy Renshaw's TTB class record from 2008 still stands as well, and he was on KSports. Of the nine NASA classes to participate on that track, three of the lap records were set on KSport suspension.