FATHER AND SON TEAM UP TO CREATE A 10-SEC, ALL-MOTOR

ALL-MO
OTO
OR
H2B CRX

H O N D AT U N I N G M A G A Z I N E .C O M

S2OOBROATE www.facebook.com/hondatuningmag hondatuning

WE CELE
HONDA’S
ICROOADN IC

RACE
STER
9-SEC
RSX TYPE S
TWIN-TURBO
J-SERIES LEGENDS
NSX ARCHIE
M ADRAZO
HONDA
DAY HT
T CUP
ATCO ROUND 3

KINGS PERFORMANCE
8-SEC, “STREET-FRIENDLY”
S2K SCREAMER

VIBRANT PERFORMANCE E VA S I V E M O T O R S P O R T S
SPEEDFACTORY RACING AND TIME ATTACK SPECIAL WITH
VIBRANT BUILD A TURBO, EYES FOCUSED ON THE
2.4L K-SERIES DRIFTER FR CLASS RECORD
 CONTENTS
Features>>
16 GENERATIONS
Donnie Scott’s father is cooler than most,
having helped him build a competitive H2B
CRX that’s blasting all-motor 10s!
28 S2000 SPECIAL
The story of Honda’s legendary high-revving
roadster.
30 AMONGST KINGS
Not many S2000s can blast 8-second
passes down the track, then drive to Burger
King for a Whopper. This one can.
36 EVASIVE S2K V.2
Evasive Motorsports built a legendary
S2000 and captured a track record, sold it,
missed it, and then built a faster version.
46 DRIFTING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION
A drift car in Honda Tuning?! Hell has officially
frozen over after SpeedFactory put together
an incredible turbo K-swapped S2K!
58 THE HUNGER FOR MORE
An RSX that runs 9s and is clean enough to
take home a trophy at any car show across
the nation? Yes, please!
70 IN THE BEGINNING
If you were around during the early days Tech>>
of Battle of the Imports, you remember
the name Archie Madrazo and you’ll want 22 HISTORICAL SOHC
to read this. If you weren’t around at that Aaron Bonk stops playing Snake
time, you need to read this. on his Nokia 5190 long enough
to break down a piece of Honda
80 RACE TO THE CLOUDS history smothered in Mugen and
Honda decided to take on Pikes Peak with Comptech goodness.
a number of cars including an NSX with a
twin-turbo powerplant from the J-Series
family ... sort of. Read on and learn.
Regulars>>
08 SPOTLIGHT
Events>> 10 ROAD RAGE
14 OH SNAPS
52 HT CUP CHALLENGE
HT Cup Challenge continues into Round 86 ADULT TOYS
3 with new faces, more competitors, and 89 ROOTS
plenty of action!
64 HONDA DAY KEEPS ON PUSHIN’
Oh, that? Just 20,000-plus Honda fans
gathering at Atco Raceway for another
monumental Honda Day event, that’s all.
Honda Tuning (ISSN #1537-2871). August 2014, Volume 15, Number 6. Published nine times a year (Feb/Mar, April, May, June, July, August,
September, October, and Dec/Jan) by Source Interlink Media, LLC, 261 Madison Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2303. Periodicals Postage
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Mothers Leather Wash
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At Mothers,® we’re always thinking of ways to make the world
a better place for cars. And while some ideas may never make
it onto the shelves, rest assured, we’ll never stop innovating.
 SPOTLIGHT
Rodrez * rodrezspotlight@gmail.com

Freebie!
INGMAGAZ
UN IN
AT E.
D C
N O

M
H
The K-Tuned crew was recently in SoCal and
made a stop by my office to chat a bit about
some new products they’re working on, the state of
the industry, and everything in between. A great group
of guys who decided to bring along a gift in the form of a
K-Tuned coil pack cover signed by legendary Spoon Sports
President Tatsuru Ichishima.
My first indication was to push Ben Howard of K-Tuned to the floor, then
snatch the coil pack cover and sprint home to mount it in my garage so I could
see it day in and day out as I head to the office. But after realizing that this
should really be put into the hands of a loyal reader, I’ve come up with an idea CONNECT
for one of you (yes, you) to own this awesome piece. Here’s how to do it … “Like” the K-Tuned page for the latest
in their ever-expanding parts lineup

1 Go “like” the Honda Tuning Magazine Facebook page

(www.facebook.com/hondatuningmag)
www.facebook.com/ktuned

2 Post a photo of your car on our wall

between July 11 and July 21, and hashtag
your photo with #ktunedht

3 That’s it—you’re entered!

I’ll pick my three favorites, then post
them on the page for fans to vote on the
afternoon of July 23. The winner gets the coil
pack and K-Tuned T-shirt. I’ll also have a little
something for the two who don’t win.

8 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 MARY POZZI
11-TIME SCCA SOLO
NATIONAL CHAMPION

LOOK FOR THE SIX-PACK™ DESIGN ON OPTIMA® REDTOP®, YELLOWTOP® AND BLUETOP® BATTERIES AT A RETAILER NEAR YOU.
The OPTIMA logo, OPTIMA Batteries, The Ultimate Power Source, Spiralcell Technology, REDTOP, YELLOWTOP, BLUETOP and The Six-Pack Battery Design are trademarks of Johnson Controls, Inc. ©2014
 ROADRAGE
Aaron Bonk * facebook.com/aaronjbonk
Eleven Things
We’re Doing Right
Early Honda-centric car shows were really just another
stage for the scene’s race cars to display themselves on.
It was an opportunity for fans to get up close to their favorite track cars
and better understand what they’d since only caught glimpses of from
the bleachers or behind roped-off pits. Dedicated show cars were few.
Clear taillights hadn’t been invented yet. Aero pieces were bolted into
place with purpose. Somewhere along the line, though, convention halls
full of nonsensical and nonfunctional Civics and Integras took prece-
dence, years later leading to all sorts of silly modifications made for the
sake of show points, but often at the expense of going fast. Times are
changing, though, and the nonfunctional is once again making way for
a world of modified Hondas that once again makes sense. Here are the
Top 11 things from last May’s annual all-Honda Eibach meet that prove
that Honda performance still exists.
Camber that works: The Internet has all sorts of names for it besides
dumb, but the number of Civics and Integras with excessive negative
camber, improperly sized tires, and offsets that disrupt important
things like turning are diminishing. An appropriately sized wheel and
tire will never go out of style, as was evidenced by this year’s Eibach
meet and the number of cars displaying off-the-shelf Volk or Mugen
wheels designed for, of all things, front-wheel-drive Civics and Integras.
Engine swaps: From the 1.6L, twin-cam ZC powertrain to Hasport’s
V-6-equipped CRX, engine swaps are alive and well. History proves
that there’s no other way to generate so much power for so little money
and the Eibach meet tell us that just about everybody understands this.
Proper ride height: Reduced ride height can result in better handling,
marginally improved aerodynamics, and a lower center of gravity.
There’s a diminishing point, though, where shock travel can be compro-
mised and handling goes to pot. As Honda fans once again take to the
racetrack, the importance of a reasonable ride height at the expense of
show weenie points is becoming more obvious.
Quality parts: No other enthusiast base has been taken advantage
of more by overseas knock-off parts suppliers hiding behind the cloak
of American trading companies than Honda fans. Communication
among enthusiasts online has resulted in a number of companies being
exposed, leaving a clear indication as to whose parts will perform as
expected and whose will only lead to failure.
Thirty-five years of business: The copycat trading companies will
never know what three-and-a-half decades of selling high-performance
10 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
Honda wares feels like. Jackson Racing does, though, who set up at
this year’s Eibach meet and who’s been manufacturing and selling just
about everything you need to make your hatchback faster since before
your dad used that cheesy pickup line on your mom.
Old-school resurgence: When industry pioneers like Rev Hard
founder Myles Bautista and Archie Madrazo set up shop at the Eibach
meet, you know something good’s about to happen. Like a turbo-
charged, H22A-powered Odyssey minivan that, among other things,
the two veteran drag racers have been working on.
Missing tow trucks: Towing your show car to a meet will never be
cool. Seeing nearly 800 Hondas roll past the gates independent of any
flatbeds or winches was a good sign.
Functional bays: There’s nothing wrong with that brake booster
underneath your hood or any of the brake lines that go along with it.
As it turns out, a whole lot of others agree and have figured out ways
to modify the stuff that matters without getting rid of all sorts of im-
portant things that more than 100 years of automobile manufacturing
has proved to be pretty darn worthwhile.
Intake, header, exhaust: The path to more power and a better-per-
forming Honda isn’t complicated and starts with freeing up the intake
and exhaust tracts. Some chose to develop their own formula and re-
invent 100 years of internal combustion tuning in hopes of JDM street
credibility, but the number of those who comprehend the importance
of an intake that’s capable of inhaling fresh air, a tubular exhaust
header, and some sort of high-flow exhaust system is growing.
Type R (and NSX) revival: Once seemingly out-of-reach Integra
Type R and NSX models have infiltrated the mainstream and are being
recommissioned exactly how you’d hoped they’d be. Period-correct
restorations are the norm along with an assortment of modifications
that make sense. If you made it to the Eibach meet, you’d have seen
nearly a dozen of them.
Hasport’s and HPD’s CR-Zs: If we’re being honest, nobody really
cares about the CR-Z, a car designed for the sport-minded earth-lover
who doesn’t exist. Hasport’s done what should’ve happened to begin
with and fitted its CR-Z with a supercharged K Series powertrain.
Honda’s own performance development firm, HPD, also delivered a
turbocharged version, which retains the original 1.5L engine and all of
its hybrid nonsense but gives us the sort of power everyone hope’d it
would’ve had from the beginning.
 PHOTOGRAPHER SEARCH

OHSNAPS!
Want to see your Honda-related photo in print?
Send your high-res photo
submission, without watermark, to:
ohsnaps@hondatuningmagazine.com.
John Sediego •
facebook.com/jayodesigns Please include your name and/or website that
you would like printed with the photo,
if your entry is chosen.

Tony Ho • Focalpointconcepts.com

Brian Orjuela • Borjuela.com

14 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 (RACE-BRED)
DONNIE AND EDWIN SCOTT’S ’88 CRX HF

In 1972, at just 18 years of age, Edwin Scott became the proud owner of his very
first car: a ’71 Plymouth Road Runner dubbed “Old Blue.” What started out as a
daily driver was soon converted to somewhat of a showpiece, regularly attending cruise
nights and show-’n’-shine events. The build caught the attention of an editor and Edwin’s
pride and joy would eventually grace the pages of Car Craft magazine. Fast-forward 16
years and in 1988, things changed dramatically for the young builder. He’d taken the skills
acquired over the years and put them to good use. Not only had he continued building his
own cars, but he also opened his own business, EZ’s Hydraulics, which produced some
heavy hitters that showed up in magazines, videos, even commercials. Oh, and one other
life-changing event that occurred that same year as Edwin began his journey into the
entrepreneurial world, he also had a son, Donnie.

16 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
Generations
The enthusiast apple doesn’t fall far from the tree …
BY RODREZ * PHOTOS BY CHAD BURDETTE

AUGUST 2014 17
 As you might expect, the moment
Donnie was old enough to make his
way to the garage, he was right next to
his father day in and day out, learning
trade secrets about fabrication, wir-
ing, and everything in between. As he
entered his teen years, Donnie spent
his summers working at the local
Dodge dealer where his mother was
employed. “Even though I wasn’t old
enough, I got paid. I saved my money
and purchased my first Honda—a
little ’90 CRX from a local junkyard,”
Donnie recalls. With the car in his
garage, Donnie got right to work and
had it running within a few weeks.
The funny thing was, he wasn’t even
old enough to drive yet. In fact, he
18 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
wasn’t old enough to get a driver’s
permit. He adds, “I had to rely on
others taking me into town, usually
it was my dad. We hung out with the
locals and before long, I wanted to
build my first motor with my dad. I
was 14 at this time.” That first CRX is
still around and Donnie admits that
while he wanted a race car, it ended
up being more of a show car. With
his father getting the itch to build
a Honda, the father-and-son team
decided they’d get a new shell and get sible purchase, they were told that the
their hands dirty on a true race car. car wasn’t for sale. However, just a few
Visiting family in Alabama, the weeks later, as Edwin surfed through
Scotts came across a white CRX sit- Craigslist in search of a suitable shell,
ting on jackstands in someone’s yard. he came across that same exact car, but
Approaching the owners about a pos- this time it was definitely for sale. The
car was immediately purchased and
without hesitation, the build began.
Donnie adds, “The swap started out
as a stock H23A ‘blue top’ with a few
bolt-ons and B16 cable transmission.
The first time out [at the track] was
June 2012 in Steele, Alabama. We ran
an 11.95 at 115 mph.” A great start for
the duo but after running into shifting
issues, a hydraulic transmission with
a Hush Performance hydro conver-
sion kit was installed and consistency
began to emerge. A corner balancing
session and some additional weight
added to the front of the car along
with a new Tilton release bearing for
smoother shifts produced an 11.58 at
117-mph timeslip.
Feeling that the car was setup
well, they knew they could throw
more power at it and bring home even
faster times. A sleeved H22 block with
H23 crank was sourced, bored to 89
mm, and stuffed with custom 13.5:1
CP pistons and Carillo Pro A rods.
While the bottom end was being ma-
chined, the head was also sent out for
a port and polish and once both ends
arrived home, both father and son got
to work checking clearances and reas-
sembling the engine. One of the most
unique pieces of their H Series drag
A common sight
puzzle is the custom plenum from
in the Scott Owens Engineering. Utilizing the
family—father
and son wrench-
lower half of an H22 manifold that
ing together. was heavily gutted and ported, Owens
BOLTS & WASHERS
PROPULSION
H22A4
H23 crank
Hondata S300
Hasport engine mounts
Golden Eagle sleeves
ARP head studs
Custom CP pistons 13.5:1
Carillo Pro A rods
KS Tuned balance shaft eliminator
Swafford Race Engines port/polish
Modified H22 intake manifold
Owens Engineering custom plenum
Accufab 90mm throttle body
Skunk2 Pro 3 cams
Manley valvesprings
Manley retainers
Manley keepers
OEM rocker arms lightened
Custom 4-1 H2B header
Michael Jones “borrowed” megaphone
ID1000 injectors
AEM fuel rail
Red Horse -6 lines
Aeromotive fuel filter
Aeromotive regulator
FCS fuel cell
Electric water pump
Half core aluminum radiator
B16 transmission
Liberty face-plated dog box
Mfactory 3.070 first gear
OEM 4.40 final drive
SpeedFactory Racing shift change holder
Spec twin-disc clutch
Spec flywheel
Drive Shaft Shop 3.9 axles
Hush Performance pedal conversion
Tilton release bearing
POWER
310 whp/201 lb-ft of torque
SUSPENSION
Blox Drag series coilovers
12k front/18k rear
Upgraded polyurethane bushings
Skunk2 front camber kit
Custom extended wheelbase
’84-87 Prelude Si rear spindles
RESISTANCE
Drilled/slotted discs
Brake booster custom lines
Staging brake
WHEELS & TIRES
Weld Racing Magnum
Front: 13x9, 5-inch backspacing
Rear: 15x3.5
Mickey Thompson
Front: 24.5x9x13
Rear: 22.5x4x15
EXTERIOR
Lightweight doors and hatch
Lexan side and rear windows
Exospeed three-piece front end
IPG rear diffusers
Resprayed front end/engine bay
INTERIOR
Kirkey race seat
G-Force five-point harness
Sparco wheel
K-Tuned B-series shifter
RSX optional shift knob
GS-R cluster
Ecliptech progressive shift light
Custom rollbar
Zartech Racecars rollbar
PROPS
Mom, dad, loving girlfriend Erica, Michael
Lee, Justin Grimmet, Phillip Butler, Chas
Mobbs, Michael Jones, Tapco of Birmingham,
Grimtuned, Zartech Race cars, Swafford Race
Engines, Turbogixxer Tuning. Edwin would
also like to thank Gene’s Race Parts, all of our
racing family for motivation and support and
all of our close friends and family.
AUGUST 2014 19
constructed a top plenum that’s fed With power eclipsing the 300-whp
directly through a massive, 90mm mark, the Scotts turned to lightening
Accufab throttle body. The first visit the chassis and building their own
to the dyno didn’t bring back the custom rear suspension with a mix
numbers that they wanted, and of ’84-87 Prelude rear spindles and
Donnie and Edwin realized that it some homegrown fabrication. With
might be the custom header they the entire to-do list complete, it was at 125 mph during IFO Montgomery,
designed for the setup. Donnie says, time to hit the track. Donnie adds, and eventually, a 10.77 at 125 during
“Luckily a local friend, Michael “The first time out with the setup at Honda Day’s Atco, New Jersey event.
Jones, had a larger step tube header Honda Day Orlando, it didn’t run Don’t think that these two are taking
that he said we could borrow because like we wanted. After a lot of testing any vacations, as Donnie adds, “There
he wanted to see an H Series go 10s and tuning to work the bugs out, we is more to come, we can’t wait to get
first in Georgia!” went to a test and tune night and back to the track!” They discovered
ran consistent 11.0s.” Not entirely the car had a slight fuel pressure
OWNER SPECS disheartening when you consider the problem and had run a little lean but
hard work had resulted in a faster it’s been rectified and these two aren’t
FAVORITE SITE
honda-tech.com
car, but still, they were hungry for taking any vacations. Donnie adds,
SCREEN NAME that 10. Not long after, at Import “We didn’t get to go any faster, but in
DRCRX Showdown in the fall of 2013, they the next race season, there is more to
BUILDING HONDAS reached their goal with a 10.99, and come. We can’t wait to get back to
Over 10 years then improved upon it with a 10.82 the track!”
DREAM CAR
I own it
INSPIRATION FOR THIS BUILD
My dad wanting to build an All Motor car A FEW WORDS FROM DAD
“Donnie was born in 1988 and up until that day, I had a love for anything Mopar. He was always out in the
CONNECT shop with me getting involved with everything I was doing. When he was just 9 months old, we had to keep the
wrenches away from him. I was building lowriders since the ’80s, and he was a great helper. When he was only
FCS 9½ years old, he could wire up a 10-switch box with the ease of a pro. I didn’t know anything about Hondas,
www.fcsrace.com being an old-school guy, but Donnie worked on his car and taught me so much. I helped him as much as I could
GOLDEN EAGLE and we researched everything, but he did most of the researching and taught it all to me. I have always wanted
www.goldeneaglemfg.com to be there for him, and he has always been right beside me working. One day it hit me just how much he had
HONDATA surpassed me in so many ways. We love racing and shows; he grew up going to car shows. I even let him behind
www.hondata.com the wheel of a ’71 Road Runner with a 426 Hemi that he was brought home from the hospital in [when he was
SPEC CLUTCH
born]. That was his first ride. I hope one day to see him do the same with his son. He’s one of the hardest-
www.specclutch.com working young men I know, always at work, never trying to find excuses and doing what he loves. He started
working very early, while keeping up his grades and holding down a job all through high school. Inspiration
HUSH PERFORMANCE
brings inspiration, and I want him to keep the tradition going.”
www.hushperformance.com

20 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 g-FORCE SPORT POTENZA S-04 EXTREMECONTACT DIREZZA DZ102 FIREHAWK WIDE EAGLE F1 EAGLE F1 ASYMMETRIC
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 (WRENCHIN’)
DRIVEABILITY

Historical SOHC
DISSECTING HONDA’S RACE-WINNING, 1980S CRX GT-4 ENGINE
TEXT BY AARON BONK * PHOTOS BY AARON BONK, NATE HAINES, AND COURTESY OF DOUG PETERSON

As early as the first half of

the 1980s, Honda sought to
capture the attention of American
performance enthusiasts. Before
that, the company’s racing efforts
remained exclusively overseas as
did the availability of high-per-
formance wares from its affiliate,
Mugen. The solution, according HONDA’S
to Honda’s executives, was to test GT-4 CRX WAS
American waters with the com- AMERICA’S FIRST
pany’s first-ever North Ameri-
can racing program, based upon
REAL TASTE OF
its most performance-minded
WHAT’S BECOME
vehicle of its day—the CRX Si. A THREE-DECADE-
Success would mean an abun- LONG LOVE AFFAIR
dance of interest in the com- WITH MUGEN, HAS
pany’s grassroots racing efforts RESULTED IN A
and nationwide availability of
Mugen goods through autho-
NUMBER OF VICTO-
rized Honda dealerships. RIES FOR HONDA
Built at the hands of Hon-
da Special Projects team members Charlie
Curnutt and Dix Erickson—the automaker’s
in-house North American quasi-race prepara-
tion arm (among many other things)—and
in collaboration with Mugen, the CRX was
designed to compete in the SCCA’s then GT-4
class. More specifically, driver and Comptech
cofounder Doug Peterson says, the whole idea
was to win the SCCA Runoffs race held at
Road Atlanta in October 1985—a big deal at
the time if you ask him.
Honda campaigned its CRX from 1985
to 1990, securing a number of wins and pole
positions at every GT-4 Runoffs race through-
out its six-year career. Its chassis, draped in
Mugen’s colors, and its suspension, designed
at the hands of Honda Special Projects,
shouldn’t go unnoticed, but it’s the CRX’s
powertrain, initially constructed by Mugen
and later refined by Comptech, that you really
care about.

22 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
THE BLOCK
The Mugen-prepared single-cam engine
was based upon the CRX Si’s original
engine block. Inside, the block remark-
ably retained many of its factory-issued
pieces, like its crankshaft, 1mm-over-
sized cylinder liners, and connecting
rods that underwent a simple polishing
process before being balanced. Peterson
says, “The [initial] block was amazingly
stock other than [its] high-compression,
cast-aluminum pistons.” Peterson recalls
the compression ratio measuring in at
roughly 12.0:1 once the bore increase
and higher-compression Mugen pistons
had been fitted into place.
Mugen didn’t just deliver the fully
prepared long-block to its American
affiliates with nothing more than well
wishes, though; it sent along engineer
Some things are
Takashi Uno, who became responsible
for maintaining the engine as well as to
meant to be yellow.
protect Mugen’s U.S. interests. Peterson
says, the engine’s success was “life or
death” to Uno, who moved on from the
CRX project but remained in the United
States throughout 1988 as American
Your headlights
Honda campaigned a pair of Mugen-
outfitted Integras in the IMSA series.
aren’t one of them.
Although Uno remained a fixture among Mothers® NuLens™ Headlight Renewal Kit removes yellowing,
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was delegated to Northern California
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In 1986, Comptech reevaluated the
engine, including its cast pistons and fac-
tory connecting rods. “Beautiful parts,”
Peterson says, “but not very strong. 3” Soft-Flex Backing Plate
When I drove the car, I didn’t rev the safely contours to any surface.
engine beyond 7,500 rpm if I didn’t have
to.” As such, Comptech reassembled the
short-block, this time with one-off Car-
8 oz. PowerPlastic 4Lights®
rillo connecting rods and custom forged Plastic Polish clarifies, maintains
pistons that resulted in a 13.0:1 compres- and prevents future damage.
sion ratio—the maximum that could be
achieved, Peterson says, without severely
disrupting flame travel. The original steel
oil pan, which had previously cracked
upon high-rpm abuse, was also updated
with the Integra’s more rigid cast-alu-
minum piece. “After we developed and
added stronger components, the engine Quick Change Severe Damage
would run a whole season,” Peterson says. Restoration Discs remove stains
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THE HEAD
The initial engine as prepared by
Mugen was based off of the Japanese-
spec cylinder head that’d been ported
for increased airflow. Inside, it featured
its original valves, a reground factory
camshaft, and stiffer, dual valvesprings,
also from Mugen. Peterson says, the cam
wasn’t anything particularly aggressive,
which resulted in moderately increased
lift and duration.
A number of changes implemented
within the top end by Comptech once it
began its development process resulted
in a 33hp gain. Here, intake valve diame-
ter was increased, but doing so wasn’t as
easy as you’d imagine. “The three-valve
layout limited valve size since the intake
and exhaust valves would hit each other
on overlap if their sizes were increased,”
Peterson explains. As such, only one of
each chamber’s intake valves were made
larger, which allowed valve lift to be
increased, pushing peak power from 165
hp to 198 hp as measured on Comptech’s
in-house engine dyno.
THE INDUCTION SYSTEM
Fuel injection wasn’t permitted
within the SCCA’s GT-4 class, which led
to the CRX’s 44mm Mikuni carburetor
layout. Mugen fabricated a one-off, billet
aluminum manifold that allowed the
carburetors to bolt up seamlessly onto
the cylinder head. A pair of low-pressure
fuel pumps fed by a fuel cell delivered
110-octane gas into the combustion
chambers. Nearly 30 years later, the
air induction system remains virtually
unchanged.
THE OILING SYSTEM
The CRX’s original wet sump oil-
ing system was discarded in favor of
a custom dry-sump system designed
and built by Mugen. The three-stage oil
pump featured two sections dedicated
to scavenging oil from the pan and a
third that supplied a high-pressure
stream into the engine. The system was
also made up of a custom oil pan, an oil
reservoir located within the passenger-
side foot well, a custom cast-aluminum
oil filter housing, and -12 steel-braided
hoses that circulated fluid throughout.

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THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD
The CRX’s exhaust system was based
off of a 4-into-1 design that featured
a relatively flat exhaust gas collector
underneath the oil pan. Peterson says,
going off course was highly discour-
aged and would undoubtedly result in
all sorts of expensive exhaust system
damage. Mugen, who commissioned the
header, had it fabricated out of equal-
length tubing that was formed and
bent using a primitive albeit effective
method. Here, the series of tubes were
packed with sand, heated, and bent into
shape by hand before being trimmed
and welded to their corresponding
flange and collector. “A work of art,”
they were, he says. The race-winning
header, says Peterson who visited its
production facility, was handbuilt in an
800-square-foot shop in Japan by three
workers who barely had room to function.
THE IGNITION SYSTEM
Spark was delivered using the factory
distributor and ignition control module.
Peterson says tuning was simple. Among
the only changes made was a crank-trigger
ignition implemented by Comptech that
increased timing accuracy. “Tuning was
pretty basic,” he says of its extent, which
didn’t go far beyond jetting changes, “I
loved it.”
Peterson also says that prior to
Comptech’s involvement in 1986, the
engine had yet to be dyno tested in the
United States, although it’d undoubtedly
been initially tuned at Mugen’s headquar-
ters the previous year. Baseline figures
measured in at 165 hp at the end of 1985,
after Peterson had secured the Runoffs
victory that he and Honda had been
working toward but before any changes
had been implemented, which resulted
in 198 hp by 1989.
Peterson, who along with Erb
assumed care of the CRX program fol-
lowing Uno’s placement among the com-
pany’s IMSA efforts, says that, despite
the Runoffs victory, the program later
lost some of its importance. “But it was a
step [toward] the next project,” he says,
“which was the 1,600cc four-valve [en-
gines] we ran in the [IMSA] Integras.”
Despite any perceived lack of interest,
though, Honda’s GT-4 racing efforts did
its part in accelerating the Honda per-
formance movement, not to mention the
notoriety of Peterson, Erb, Comptech
and Parker Johnstone who’d later take
over driving duties. Honda’s GT-4 CRX
was America’s first real taste of what’s
become a three-decade-long love affair
with Mugen, has resulted in a number of
victories for Honda, and, most impor-
tantly, what will always be the compa-
ny’s first automotive racing venture
in the United States.
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 T S2000
he world got its first glimpse
of a post-’60s Honda roadster

Special
in 1995 at the Tokyo Motor
Show, where the Japanese
automaker revealed its Honda
Sports Study (HSS) prototype that, like
many concepts, didn’t do a whole lot more
than hint at the possibility of a road-going
version. Four years later, though, and
Honda introduced the world to the S2000,
the undeniable successor to the company’s The Story of Honda’s Legendary Roadster
famed S500, S600, and S800 roadsters and
a celebratory gesture of Honda’s 50 years BY AARON BONK
in business.
The turn of the millennium was a special employed by Honda’s engineers in an effort to further reduce friction and, for the first
time for fans of Honda performance. The time ever, a long-life chain replaced the beltdriven valvetrain that was often susceptible
first Civic Si to be sold in America with a to failure and inconsistency. Electric power steering and a Torsen-style limited-slip
twin-cam engine had just been released. The differential were also standard for every S2000. In 2004 Honda addressed consumers’
NSX had only hit mid stride. Limited quan- perceived concerns and updated its twin-cam F Series engine to 2.2L of displacement,
tities of the first-ever Type R to be offered in resulting in 9 lb-ft of additional torque. Here, the platform’s 87mm bore didn’t change
America were now available. Honda’s con- but its stroke increased by 6.7 mm, which, as a result, raised compression slightly but
tinued success in CART and its reemergence also mandated a more conservative 8,200-rpm redline.
in Formula One reflected its dedication to Even today, Honda’s twin-cam F Series remains one of the company’s most impres-
motorsports and producing performance- sive four-cylinder engines, but what made the S2000 truly special was its combination
minded vehicles, if only for a few more of powertrain, gearing, and chassis of which no competitor of its time could compare
years. And the S2000 was unveiled. to. It was indeed the whole package. As it turns out, just about any automaker can
At the heart of Honda’s rear-wheel-drive build a roadster, as is evidenced by the Pontiac Solstice, for example, but that doesn’t
roadster is the F Series engine, a 1,997cc mean it’ll be any good. To qualify, you need only a pair of seats, a retractable roof, and
platform indicative of the car’s name. Origi- nimble and lightweight structure. The S2000 is all of this and more. Here, the chassis
nally released in a 2.0L configuration, at 240 is based upon a central tunnel with diagonal bracing at each end that carries the load
hp the F20C1 boasted the highest mean pis- of the vehicle and absorbs suspension movement. The results are an ideal 49/51 weight
ton speed and highest specific output of any distribution from front to rear and minimal chassis flex. Outside, despite the car’s size,
naturally aspirated production engine in its angular front end, long hood, and flared fenders give it a sense of presence. Engine
history, only to be beaten by the Ferrari 458 and transmission placement were also carefully considered. The car’s front-engine
Italia and Porsche GT3 RS rear-wheel-drive layout means the gearbox
4.0 more than a decade after Trims and Chassis Codes sits exactly where you want it—right below
its debut. In other words, the the shifter, which means there are no cables or
2000-2003 S2000: AP1
F20C1’s pistons move faster levers to disturb any communication between
than and make better use of 2004-2009 S2000: AP2 you and all six gears. All of this was also
all 1,997 cc of displacement 2008-2009 S2000 CR: AP2 positioned as low as possible to preserve a low
than just about any other center of gravity and reduced yaw movement.
Engines
engine on earth. All of this Inside, the S2000 is sparse, and by the time
is made possible because of F20C1: 240 hp, 153 lb-ft torque, 16-valve DOHC VTEC the last one rolled off out of Honda’s Tochigi,
an 11.0:1 compression ratio, F22C1: 240 hp, 162 lb-ft torque, 16-valve DOHC VTEC Japan-based Takanezawa plant on August 7,
roller rocker valvetrain, vari- 2009, even its electronic instrument cluster
able valve timing, and an impressively high and push-button starter looked dated. But you were never interested in the S2000
1.82:1 rod-to-stroke ratio that allows the because of its gauge cluster. You, and everyone else who knows better, will continue to
2.0L F-series to spin up to a factory-warran- appreciate Honda’s roadster because of its no-nonsense sports car mentality, its lack of
tied 8,900 rpm. Special composite-embed- an automatic transmission option, its edgy and tail-happy nature, and what’s almost
ded cylinder liners that had previously only universally accepted as the company’s best chassis this side of the exponentially more
been used on the NSX and Prelude were also costly NSX.

28 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
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 (RACE-BRED)
GABE ELLINGSEN’S ’03 S2000
As I sit quietly watching in absolute amazement while
Gabe Ellingsen’s AP1 blasts 8-sec quarter-mile passes on
YouTube, I come across a clip of the car driving much slower than
its personal best of 168 mph. Still fully suited in its appropriate race
attire, including livery, sticky footwear, and anchored parachute,
the Spa Yellow roadster, with wifey in the passenger seat, cruises
gently down a city street just like any other S2000. The couple ends
up ordering lunch at a drive-thru and off they go, further cement-
ing the fact that the world’s fastest street-legal S2000 is every bit
as “streetable” as that neighborhood guy who floors it onto the
freeway everyday on his way to work with a few minor bolt-ons.
THE 8-SEC RACE CAR
THAT’S ACTUALLY
A STREET CAR …
30 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
Before the 8-sec passes and prior to his relationship with
world-renowned tuning shop, King’s Performance, Gabe spent
a year searching for the perfect S2000 to purchase. Though he
lived in Oklahoma City at the time, his hunt led him to a Subaru
dealership, a state away, in El Paso, Texas. A one-owner, Spa
Yellow beauty with little more than 42,000 miles on the clock,
it had absolutely no signs of modification—it was perfect. After
reviewing the incredibly detailed pictures of the entire car, top to
bottom, courtesy of the salesman, Gabe made the trip to Texas for
a testdrive. He recalls, “I knew I would take it home for sure. They
had it parked out front, clean, with the top down. We took the car
AMONGST
KINGS
BY RODREZ * PHOTOS BY RAVI ANGARD

8.52 @ 168 mph

AUGUST 2014 31
out for a testdrive. It ran absolutely
amazing, and I fell in love with the car
even more.” Not even a half-mile off
the dealer’s lot in his newly acquired
roadster and Gabe put phone to ear,
immediately ordering a number of
bolt-ons that found their way onto the
car just a week later.
For the next 12 months, Gabe was
content with the car—until he started
taking note of King’s Performance,
Red Star Motoring, and the achieve-
ments of one Pepo Besosa. After
deciding to get a little more serious
with the build, Gabe’s AP1 attended
IFO Oklahoma in 2011, and again in
2012 with a best of 11.33 at 135 mph
after having a shop work on the car.
32 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
Respectable, but based on the mods
being used by the roadster, its owner
had expected more. He adds, “The car
was struggling with its performance.
Fernando Reyes from King’s Perfor-
mance spoke with me daily about
letting them take on the project and
to join their team. One night, at liter-
ally like 2 a.m., I called Fernando and
said, ‘When can you pick up the car?’”
Reyes sent a transport truck to
pick the car up, and in just two weeks
time, using the exact same setup from
IFO, albeit with the King’s Perfor-
mance touch, the car improved dras-
tically, netting a best of 10.01 at 145
mph. Later that year, after the shop
began digging deeper into the build,
they made the trip to World Cup
Finals and let it be known that the car
was to serve as a contender, blasting
an 8.9 pass, then later, in December
of 2012, improving upon that time
with an 8.79 at 158 mph. After each
event, data was logged, adjustments
made, and the King’s Performance
crew squeezed even more potential
out of the AP1. In 2013, during Drag
Mania, Gabe’s S2K set a new record of
8.52 at 168 mph, and all eyes were on
the yellow Bullet. Gabe says, “King’s
Performance was able to prove that
the project could do exactly what we
intended. They began getting sponsors
for the car. Many people claimed the
car wasn’t street legal [or streetable],
so we made a video (as mentioned
earlier). The car is still fully insured BOLTS & WASHERS
and legal to drive on the streets with PROPULSION
current tags in Oklahoma.” F22C
Hasport U88A mounts
Breaking the 8-sec barrier in a Benson open-deck sleeves
Honda, street car or not, is remark- KP spec CP Pistons
KP custom rods
able, but what’s the secret? Take a KP Stage 3 head
look at the spec list and you’ll see that KP spec Supertech valvetrain
KP Stage 3.5 turbo kit
the majority of the mods are King’s Garrett GTX4202R
KP twin scroll ex manifold
Performance (KP) made goods, or King’s Performance intake manifold
parts built to King’s specs. With a Skunk2 90mm throttle body
KP custom intercooler
long roster of loyal customers includ- TiAL Q blow-off valve
ing a few 8-sec S2000s, the crew at Dual TiAL MV-S 38mm wastegates
KP 4-inch downpipe
King’s has long perfected its recipe Okada Ignition Project coils
KP 2,000cc injectors
for speed. Gabe’s setup starts with an Dual Bosch 044 external pumps
F22C block complete with Benson KP inline fuel filter
KP lines/fittings
open-deck sleeves, KP custom rods, Full Blown Motorsports XXL rail
and KP-spec CP pistons. A Garrett Full Blown Motorsports fuel regulator
KP 5-gallon fuel cell
KP Custom radiator
Skunk2 radiator hoses
KP-spec GForce four-speed
GSR H Pattern Dog Box
King’s Performance S2000 adapter
Competition Clutch triple disc with hydro
bearing
Competition Clutch flywheel
KP Stage 3 Ford 8.8 conversion
KP-spec 1,000hp LSD
KP-steel driveshaft
KP level 5.9 axles by Drive Shaft Shop
POWER
1,200 whp/749 lb-ft torque
SUSPENSION
KP Spec coilovers by BC Racing
Full Blown Motorsports LCA bushings
King’s Performance alignment kit
RESISTANCE
Stoptech slotted discs
Hawk Racing pads
Goodridge stainless braided lines
Stroud parachute
WHEELS & TIRES
Wheels
F: 15x9.25 Weld Racing
R: 15x4.5 Weld Racing
Slicks
F: 25x4.5 Mickey Thompson
R: 26x10 Mickey Thompson
EXTERIOR
Engine bay bodywork by 809 Autoworx
OEM front lip
Rockstar Garage hardtop
Seibon carbon-fiber hood
ELECTRONICS
AEM Series II EMS
AEM air/fuel, boost, oil pressure gauges
INTERIOR
Kirkey aluminum race seat
Sparco window net
Stroud parachute
Simpson Racing harness
NRG steering wheel and quick release
GForce shift knob
PROPS
Thank you to everyone at King’s Performance:
driver Gerardo Guardiola, tuner and shop
owner Sergio Reyes, owner and manager
Fernando Reyes, my wife Rachel Ellingsen,
fabricator Ricky “Pop” Vasquez, tech Jerson
Correa, tech Victor Fernan, Edward Pagan,
team members, etc.
AUGUST 2014 33
GTX4202R snail abuses the Supertech Whether your loyalties lie with
valvetrain fitted KP Stage 3 head and front- or rear-wheel-drive per-
is fueled by KP2000 injectors. Under formance, putting the power to
the watchful eye of an AEM Series II, the ground is key. Anticipating
the result is over 1,200 hp—almost quadruple digits from the F Series
comical when compared to the 215hp mill, King’s opted for a Ford 8.8
the car made during Gabe’s first year conversion with modified LSD, and
of ownership. KP-spec 5.9 axles from the gurus at
Drive Shaft Shop, and run after run,
the combination has held up.
OWNER SPECS
From showroom stock, to mildly
DAILY GRIND tuned, and eventually running
Marketing respectable numbers—Gabe’s S2000,
FAVORITE SITE with the guidance from King’s
kingsperformance.com
SCREEN NAME
Performance, was transformed into
Rollinx25 or Gabe an absolute monster. “The next step is
BUILDING HONDAS to break our 8.52 record. When that
19 years happens, we’ll be required to run a
DREAM CAR 25-point certified rollcage. We’ll try
S2000
to fit the ’cage inside while reducing
INSPIRATION FOR THIS BUILD
Red Star Motoring owner Pepo Besosa as little as possible to the interior. We
FUTURE BUILD want to keep the car in its original
’99 Integra all-motor true street legal state and fully capable of still driving
car driven by my wife
on the street without issues.”

CONNECT
AEM ELECTRONICS THE KINGS
www.aemelectronics.com When the Reyes family opened the doors to King’s Performance in 2009, their goals weren’t hard to decipher.
GARRET TURBO In fact, their mission statement includes the line: “We are driven by the desire to make things go really fast.”
www.turbobygarrett.com Simple enough. To do just that, the shop incorporates intricate engine building, complete tuning services, and a
DRIVESHAFT SHOP
cutting-edge fabrication department. Their résumé includes Hondas, GT-Rs, Evos, luxury, and exotics, and just
www.driveshaftshop.com about everything in between. From basic bolt-ons to hard-core race builds, this group does it all. You can find
video footage of a number of cars they’ve had a hand in, including Gabe’s Yellow Bullet, by simply searching their
COMPETITION CLUTCH
www.competitionclutch.com name on YouTube, or visiting their website: kingsperformance.com.

34 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 O T H E R A C E O F THE YEAR
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 (RACE-BRED)
EVASIVE MOTORSPORTS’ ’04 S2000

EVASIVE
S2K V.2
LESSONS LEARNED AND APPLIED EN ROUTE TO SUCCESS
BY RODREZ

Twelve years ago, the name Evasive Motorsports didn’t com-

mand the type of respect that it does now. Over a decade of
race development based on countless track hours, a business that con-
tinues to progress incredibly quickly, and a loyal customer base that’s
grown exponentially year after year has undoubtedly helped to foster
their current status that goes well beyond the Honda aftermarket.
In fact, some might argue that their successful campaign of a highly
developed and competitive FR-S that Evasive built in-house was their
breakthrough build. For the Honda community, however, the Evasive
name was elevated to a household level long before the Scion project.
In August of 2012, Ken Chitwood’s aggressive Voltex-equipped
S2000 appeared on the cover of Honda Tuning. Working with Evasive
Motorsports from the very beginning, the team had set the Street FR
class record of 1:56.7 after besting the former champ, a Supra that
had produced a 1:57.711. The achievement was remarkable, especially
when it was revealed that the car’s powerplant had never been opened
and sported mere bolt-on upgrades along with a healthy mix of aero
and suspension tuning—both areas that the shop excels in.

36 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
AUGUST 2014 37
 The secret to Evasive’s success with
the first S2000 really wasn’t much of
a secret at all. Theory, research, devel-
opment, and testing had culminated
in a potent performer that, other than
a few custom touches, was comprised
almost entirely of parts you’d find on
the inventory shelves of their Santa Fe
Springs, California, storefront. Hav-
ing reached their initial goal of earn-
ing the record, the next step was, of
course, to progress and go even faster.
Working in conjunction with HKS
to help develop their supercharger
system for the U.S. market, the team
jumped into the forced-induction
realm and when all was said and done,
they topped their own record with a
38 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
1:53.9. The icing on the cake was an
announcement that Hot Wheels was
to immortalize the car in die-cast
form, and they even designed an
additional red version of the S2000 to
accompany the original on toy aisles
everywhere.
But what comes next, after finding
so much success with a build? Mike
Chang of Evasive says, “We felt we
had accomplished all of our goals
with the car, so it was put up for sale
and we moved on to the next project.”
It sounds simple enough, but, not
surprising, the Evasive crew felt like
something was missing not long after
the blue car had been shipped to its
new owner overseas. “We just started
to miss having a fast S2000 around the
shop, so we figured why not build an-
other one? The color this time around
is to mimic the red version that Hot
Wheels put out. We thought it would
be cool to have two cars that looked
exactly like the toy versions.”
When the idea of the V.2 build
came about, Evasive relied on the
very attributes that had brought them
this far, never veering away from the
group’s theory of obtaining a proper
balance. Mike says, “We’re always
about building cars that represent an
entire package. Our focus has always
been on aero, suspension, and chassis
setup above all else.” Not unlike the
original build, V.2 starts with an AP2
40 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
chassis and internally stock F22C
heart. The same HKS supercharger
kit that Evasive helped develop is
bolted on, as is an HKS header, and
EVS Tuning 70-SSP exhaust system.
Power output comes in at under 350
whp, which, in today’s “peak number
drunk” import community, doesn’t
sound like much, but it’s more than
enough to push the roadster around
the track at breakneck speeds.
Behind the 18x10 Volk Racing
ZE40s and Advan AD08R rubber lie
Eibach R2 coilovers with ERS springs
built specifically to Evasive specs.
Standard Eibach S2000 sway bars, J’s
Racing roll center adjusters, and Mu-
gen bushings round out a suspension
BOLTS & WASHERS
PROPULSION
F22C
HKS GT supercharger kit
HKS intercooler/piping
HKS blow-off valve
HKS header
EVS Tuning 70-SSP exhaust
Custom 70mm test pipe
DeatschWerks 800cc injectors
DeatschWerks fuel pump
SARD fuel collector tank (2L)
CSF radiator
Samco hoses
Exedy Hyper single clutch
Exedy flywheel
EVS Tuning driveshaft spacers
EVS Tuning differential mounts
KAAZ 1.5 way LSD
POWER
345 whp/242 lb-ft of torque
SUSPENSION
Eibach Multi-Pro R2 coilovers (Evasive spec)
Eibach ERS springs
Eibach front/rear antiroll bars
Mugen suspension bushings
J’s camber joint with roll center adjusters
Evasive custom track spec alignment
RESISTANCE
AP Racing 4-piston caliper
AP Racing discs
Project MU Club Racer pads
Project MU G-Four fluid
AP Racing brake lines
WHEELS & TIRES
18x10 +35 Volk Racing ZE40
285/30-18 Advan AD08R
EXTERIOR
Red vinyl wrap by Aerowerks
Mugen hardtop
Voltex Suzuka bumper (Race version)
Voltex side step Version 1
Voltex Type 2 GT wing
Voltex front/rear fender flares
Voltex rear diffuser
Dry carbon trunk
K1 Laboratory duckbill wing
Carbon fiber vented hood
Craft Square mirrors
INTERIOR
Recaro Profi SPG
J’s Racing seat rails
Schroth Racing Profi III-6 harness
Momo Mod 78 wheel
Cusco 4-point rollbar
ELECTRONICS
Hondata FlashPro management
Hondata traction control (TCS)
Racepak G2X data logger
PROPS
Evasive Motorsports team, Rays Engineer-
ing, Mackin Industries, AeroWerkz, HKS
Yokohama Tires, Voltex Racing
 Some restrictions apply.

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 pack
package that’s been goes. We wanted to prove that you can
pro
proven on track time build a very fast car by utilizing noth-
and time again. With ing but off-the-shelf parts.” Once again,
the added “go” and Voltex aero was utilized and consists of
side-to-side
sid defense a Suzuka front bumper, Version 1 side
co
come crucial brak- steps, flares at all four corners, and a
ing needs, which
in rear diffuser. Mounted to the carbon-
have been met by a
h fiber trunk is a Voltex Type 2 GT wing
newly installed AP
n and K1 Laboratory duckbill. The entire
Racing four-piston car was then vinyl wrapped in red by
brake kit. Aerowerks in order to match the Hot
OWNER SPECS Always a Wheels variant.
major player As good as the car looks, it’s the
DAILY GRIND iin the Evasive performance on track that has people
Evasive Motorsports
FAVORITE SITE Immortalized: fformula,
l aero was addressed shaking their heads in disbelief. Having
Hot Wheels much like that of the first car, albeit already topped their old Street FR Class
evasivemotorsports.com version of
SCREEN NAME Evasive V.2 a bit more on the mild side. Mike record with a 1:53.6, Evasive has their
Evasive S2000 adds, “The setup and philosophy sights set on a new record, this time in
BUILDING HONDAS behind the aero is the same, but this the Overall Street class that’s currently
20 years
car might be even more ‘street’ than ruled by an Evo. Mike adds, “We’re
DREAM CAR
Mclaren F1 Ken’s blue S2000 as that one had a hoping the car will go even faster for
INSPIRATION FOR THIS BUILD custom, chassis-mounted rear wing, Super Lap Battle 2014. The current
Create the fastest track/street driven car— and a flat belly tray. This version will Street Overall record is a 1:53.068 and
period.
be strictly street style as far as aero we’re gunning for that this year…”
FUTURE BUILD
Go faster

CONNECT SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH

The Evasive story started like so many others, with
EVASIVE MOTORSPORTS
a couple of enthusiasts working out of their garage and
www.evasivemotorsports.com
eventually ending up in a 1,000-square-foot facility. That
HONDATA was in 2002 and what makes their journey different, is
www.hondata.com
the significant amount of growth that’s come ever since
HKS that first location. Having moved on four different
www.hks-power.co.jp/en/
occasions, their current facility is over 12,000 square
EIBACH SPRINGS feet, features multiple lifts, a dyno, and, of course,
www.eibach.com
an alignment machine that’s been key to developing
YOKOHAMA Evasive’s signature, race-proven alignment settings for
www.yokohamatire.com all types of vehicles.

42 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
FATHER AND SON TEAM UP TO CREATE A
A10
10-SEC,
SEC ALL-MO
ALL-MOTOR
ALL MO
OTO
OTOR
OR
H2B CRX

H O N D AT U N I N G M A G A Z I N E .C O M

www.facebook.com/hondatuningmag hondatuning

S2OOBROATE
WE CELE
HONDA’S
IC
STER
ICROOADN
9-SEC
RSX TYPE S
TWIN-TURBO
J-SERIES LEGENDS
NSX ARCHIE
HONDA
RACE M ADRAZO
DAY HT
T CUP
ATCO ROUND 3
 KINGS PERFORMANCE
8-SEC, “STREET-FRIENDLY”
S2K SCREAMER

VIBRANT PERFORMANCE E VA S I V E M O T O R S P O R T S
SPEEDFACTORY RACING AND TIME ATTACK SPECIAL WITH
VIBRANT BUILD A TURBO, EYES FOCUSED ON THE
2.4L K-SERIES DRIFTER FR CLASS RECORD
 (RACE-BRED)
CHRIS JEANNERET’S ’01 S2000

46 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
Drifting In
The Right
Direction
BY RODREZ * PHOTOS BY JOSH MACKEY

“LOL, that thing will never drift in a million

years!” “Fail! That car wasn’t meant to slide; you
need to build a Nissan.” Having posted a photo of Chris
Jeanneret’s AP1 on social media, the negative responses
poured in incredibly fast and far outweighed anything even
remotely positive by a massive margin. Not surprising when
you consider that S2000s haven’t been held at the highest
regard amongst the drift community, undoubtedly a result
of the very few subpar performances peppered throughout
the last decade. The detractors aren’t exactly incorrect when
they tout the S2000’s ability to, even with it’s tail-happy
nature, avoid the act of sliding sideways aggressively, and
instead, lend itself to correction via driver input. Still, there
are those who want something different, something that
steps away from the norm in a field that seems hell-bent on
utilizing a rather generic formula for competition.
Chris Jeanneret knows plenty about the
drift world and their loyalty to V-8 power. In
FORCING THE fact, he spent the 2013 season strapped behind
S2000 TO DO the wheel of an LS6-powered 240SX, but he’d
always had an itch to put together a competi-
EXACTLY WHAT tive Honda. He adds, “My dream was to build
IT WAS NEVER an S2000 ever since I saw one new at the
dealer. Knowing the car was out of my budget
INTENDED TO DO … at the time, but always wishing I had one for
over 10 years, I was finally in the position
to build a new car for my second year of Formula Drift.”
Knowing that boost would serve as an adequate replacement

AUGUST 2014 47
for displacement, Chris reached out to
SpeedFactory Racing, a group of guys
he’d been acquainted with well before
they started smashing records on
the dragstrip. “I’d been friends with
SpeedFactory since before they had a
shop and worked out of their garages.
Once I told them my idea, they were
instantly onboard and very enthusias-
tic about the build.”
The process began much like any
other with the first order of busi-
ness being to find a suitable car. “We
looked for weeks for a good donor
shell. Knowing we would be replacing
90 percent of the car with aftermarket
and custom upgrades, I wasn’t looking
for a runner or a perfect body. I ended
up finding one in Arizona and paid
$2,500 for it, and had it shipped to
SpeedFactory to start the build.” Once
it arrived, the AP1 was stripped down
to a skeleton, and the crew began
taking measurements. “We started
mocking up seating position and
clearance areas for the cage to be built
around me. The most important thing
in a race car, besides the car itself, is a
comfortable driving position.”
Only seen a few times in person
thus far, as well as a handful of photos
online, this S2000 carries with it quite
a bit of controversy. Undeniably, the
most obvious is the chassis itself,
which is notorious for being lethal on
a road course, and all but impossible
to coax in a “drift-friendly” manner.
To combat the car’s natural urge to
correct, Chris and SpeedFactory came
up with a plan to incorporate an RX-7
steering rack-and-pinion via custom
adapters that SpeedFactory designed
in-house to allow a completely bolt-
48 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
on affair. Increasing the track by
over 2 inches, the Mazda retrofit is
something that’s been done before,
however, previous S2K drift cars have
relied on the later-model “FD” RX-7,
whereas this car utilizes an older, late
’80s “FC” rack. A bevy of custom-
built arms, toe links, and spheri-
cal rod ends help to hyper-extend
the roadster’s steering angle well
beyond that which Honda engineers
intended.
Another source of debate is the
powerplant that lies beneath the
vented hood. Rather than building
a native F Series for battle, the team
decided to swap a fully built K24 into
the car’s chest cavity. As you might
expect, SpeedFactory performed all
of the engine building and fabrication
work at their Tacoma, facility, with
the majority of supplies and precious
metals provided by Vibrant Perfor-
mance. Starting from the bottom,
the 2.4L block is bulked up with
Golden Eagle sleeves and
filled with Wiseco pistons
and K1 rods that take
abuse from a Garrett
GTX4088R turbo,
while anti-lag du-
ties are handled
by a 75-shot of
nitrous. A sinister, lumpy idle can be
heard (and felt) courtesy of Skunk2
Pro Series cams that run solely on
their VTEC lobes—a result of a CR-V
single roller conversion that elimi-
nates the VTEC crossover entirely.
Due to ample space provided
between the core support and the
engine in the AP chassis, a custom V-
mount cooling system was designed
with a diverter that splits air between
the radiator and intercooler. The most
remarkable part of the meticulously
designed bay is that all of it was done
in a painfully short amount of time—
from the miracle 24-hour engine
build to the late-night marathons
steeped in custom fabrication. To put
things in perspective, the combined
total build time for Chris’ S2000 is
right around 15 days—something
completely unheard of for a build of
this caliber.
BOLTS & WASHERS
PROPULSION
K24A1 swap
Golden Eagle sleeves
Hasport mounts
Wiseco 11.1:1 pistons
K1 connecting rods
ARP 2000 rod bolts
K20 Type S oil pump
Garrett GTX4088R
Nitrous oxide (75 shot)
SpeedFactory turbo manifold
SpeedFactory 3.5in downpipe
SpeedFactory exhaust with Vibrant tubing
Synapse 50mm wastegate
Synapse blow-off valve
SpeedFactory dual intake
Vibrant air filters (2)
Skunk2 Ultra intake manifold
Skunk2 90mm throttle body
Skunk2 Pro Series cams
Skunk2 Pro Series cam gear
Skunk2 titanium retainers
Skunk2 keepers
CRV single roller conversion
Grams Performance 340-lph fuel pumps (2)
Grams performance fuel filter
Grams 2,200cc injectors
Skunk2 composite fuel rail
Full Blown Motorsports twin fuel pump basket
Vibrant intercooler core
SpeedFactory end tanks/charge piping
SpeedFactory spec dual pass radiator
Vibrant Vanjen clamps
Vibrant AN fittings/lines
Ballade Sports trans adapter plate
G Force T-101A NASCAR 4sp dog box
Competition Clutch custom twin disc
Competition clutch flywheel
300ZX differential 4.08 ratio
Driveshaft Shop axles
InlinePro R200 conversion mounts
POWER
1,000 crank horsepower/700 lb-ft torque
SUSPENSION
Bilstein PSS9 coilovers
Bilstein custom spring rates
Front: spherical rod ends with custom arms
Rear: custom toe links and upper arm
Custom tie rods
SpeedFactory custom cage
RESISTANCE
Sparta Evolution 4-piston calipers
Sparta Evolution 2-piece rotors
Sparta Evolution race pads
Stainless brake lines
WHEELS & TIRES
18x9.5 +27 Enkei NT03
Falken Azenis RT615K
Front: 245/40-18
Rear: 265/35-18
EXTERIOR
Battleship Gray paint
Custom vinyl wrap
AP2 CR front bumper
Circuit Garage splitter
Circuit Garage canards
Circuit Garage fenders
ZG rear fender flares
Rockstar Garage hard top
ELECTRONICS
AEM Infinity 8 management
AEM boost controller
AEM data logger
AIM Sports Pista digital dash
Rywire mil-spec engine harness
Rywire mil-spec chassis harness
INTERIOR
Sparco Corsa seats
Driven 5-point harnesses
Driven steering wheel
AUGUST 2014 49
 PROPS
I want to give a huge shout out to all the sponsors
who made this build a reality—especially Vibrant
Performance for stepping up as title sponsor. And,
of course, to SpeedFactory Racing for helping build
a dream into reality. I also want to thank my family
for supporting my dreams and helping me over the
years, and last but not least, my girlfriend, for always
standing by me through the good and the bad. It’s
important having positive people behind you on a
project like this or you will never succeed.

OWNER SPECS
DAILY GRIND
Technician and race car engineer
FAVORITE SITE
break.com
SCREEN NAME
None
BUILDING HONDAS
15 years
DREAM CAR The theory behind building a anything. I’ve never been in a car that,
I own it! competition-worthy S2000 is still a right out of the box, felt this comfort-
INSPIRATION FOR THIS BUILD bit murky for the most part. Other able from the moment I got into it. It
I have always wanted to build this car, but
Gary Castillo and Stephan Papadakis were than the RSR drift car of a decade was easy to drive and didn’t have any
definitely an influence. ago, no one has really cracked the of the problems I assumed it might.
FUTURE BUILD
Only time will tell …
code so to speak, but Chris and The car has much more in it, and, with
SpeedFactory want to change all 2014 as our base, we’re going to build
of that. Chris closes with this, “So for the entire year and use this season
CONNECT much thought went into this whole as beta development for next year’s
process. We planned this out for over car—a whole new car. If you think this
VIBRANT PERFORMANCE
www.vibrantperformance.com
six months before we actually did is awesome, just wait ...”

AEM ELECTRONICS
www.aemelectronics.com
METHOD BEHIND HIS MADNESS
RYWIRE MOTORSPORT
ELECTRONICS Known worldwide for its reliable, high-revving engine and capable chassis, the S2000 sticks out like a sore
www.rywire.com thumb in a field of Nissans, Mazdas, and various domestic competitors, which has many asking the question:
Why? Chris says, “Building something new and different was not the only idea; building something competitive
FALKEN TIRE
www.falkentire.com and fun was. The S2000 was built to be a race car, and I just wanted to show everyone how amazing the car can
be in drifting with the right engine and chassis setup. Not to mention one badass-looking car at that! I wanted to
SKUNK2 RACING
www.skunk2.com give all of the Honda fans who watch Formula Drift a car to cheer for and feel some pride for, knowing the person
driving it and the people who built it are the epitome of Honda lovers. We plan on keeping this chassis going for
GOLDEN EAGLE MANUFACTURING
quite some time!”
www.goldeneaglemfg.com

50 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 (EVENTS)
TRACK DAY, 4-27-14

T HT Cup
he third stop of the 2014 HT
Cup Challenge took place at
Chuckwalla Valley Raceway
and, as usual, didn’t disap-
point. The participation in
the first few rounds is inching closer
to 30 cars and includes both front- and

Challenge
rear-wheel-drive competitors fighting
for supremacy in a five-lap battle over a
multi-event points race.
Building on the momentum from his
win in Round 2, an experienced Joseph
Bundalian once again worked his way to
the top spot with his very capable DC2.
Nipping at his heels was Tom Liang in
ROUND 3: MORE COMPETITORS, MORE ACTION!
his JHP USA Civic hatchback—a car that PHOTOS BY JDMZIPTIES.COM
might seem quite simple, yet extremely
potent on track, especially with Liang’s
skills in the driver
seat. Taking home
Third Place for this
round was last year’s
HT Cup Challenge
champ, Jason Kim.
The first few rounds have been tough for
Kim; mechanical issues have held his
S2000 back thus far, but he’s not going
anywhere. With a total points standing
placing him in the Sixth position, he’s still
got plenty of time to make up ground and

52 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 PON
WEA
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TRACK DAY, 4-27-14

potentially make a run for this year’s cham-

pionship as the events and points continue to
stack up. With the points tallied, the Loi-Spec
boys are holding strong in the Third, Fourth,
and Fifth positions.
A few newcomers made their way to the
series, including Phil Robles all the way from
Arizona. He’s become very well known for his
Civic EH build that’s gone through a number
of changes over the years and the car looks
incredibly aggressive. In order to keep a level

54 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 ANATOMY OF A RACELAND COILOVER

WWW.RACELAND.COM
801-365-1440

ACURA AUDI BMW DODGE FORD HONDA HYUNDAI INFINITI MAZDA MITSUBISHI NISSAN SCION SUBARU TOYOTA VOLKSWAGEN
playing field, some penalties based on
vehicle weight, tire width, and others were
applied to a number of competitors and
that included Robles. With only one HT
Cup event under his belt and suffering
from a few penalties, he was still able to
gain 11 points and if he makes his way
out to the next few events and performs
as well, he’ll no doubt be a threat to the
front-runners.

Points Standing through Round 3

1 Joseph Bundalian 63 SoCal
2 Tom Liang 40 SoCal
3 Loi Hua 37 SoCal
4 Lewis Liang 30 SoCal
5 Brian Hua (+5.5) 29.5 SoCal
6 Jason Kim 29 SoCal
7 Tony Fuentes 25 SoCal
8 Kj Valle (+8) 24 SoCal
9 Romeo Gerolaga 21 SoCal
10 Graham Downey 20 NorCal
11 Matt Padilla 19 SoCal
12 Larry Luster 18 SoCal
13 Henry Torres (+3.5) 15.5 SoCal
14 Raymond Lee 15 SoCal
15 Phil Robles 11 Arizona
16 Edmond Lo 6 SoCal
17 Roger Pompa (+2) 6 SoCal
18 Elton Lo 5 SoCal
19 Liam Downey 5 NorCal
20 Mark Itup 4 Arizona
21 Ish Gonzales 3 NoCal
22 Kenny Mach 3 SoCal
23 Andrew Hake 2 NorCal
24 Xi Chen 1 NorCal
25 Jonathan Chao 1 SoCal
26 Jei Chang 1 NorCal
27 Son Vo 1 NorCal

56 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
www.avid1wheels.com 818.626.9768
 (RACE-BRED)
JR HURLEY’S ’06 RSX TYPE S
It goes without saying that speed is
the motivating force behind many
an automotive hobbyist. The euphoria
that it produces is unmatched and like just
about anything good, it keeps you coming
back for more. Once you experience that
high, you find yourself addicted. The good
thing about speed is that you can always go
faster, depending, of course, on how much
you’re willing to do in order to achieve it.
You’re really only limited by the restrictions
presented by your chassis (which you can
continue to alter), the depths of one’s pock-
ets, and the willingness to put everything at
risk for the sake of speed.
Drag racing has, and continues to
be, a staple in our community. For every
car show and meet that you encounter,
there are just as many import drag racing
events occurring throughout the nation.
9.76 @ 163.91 mph
58 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
It continues to evolve because going fast
simply never goes out of style. Another
great thing about being fast is that not
every run-of-the-mill schmuck can do
it; it requires hard work and dedication.
Fortune favors the brave and some reach
heights that none before them could
muster. The beauty of competitive (and
sanctioned) drag racing is that it offers
a numerical value in the form of time
that then creates a precedent for racers
to strive toward. These times then turn
into goals for many and records for the
select few. They say that records are meant
to be broken and this fuels the spirit of
competition.
JR Hurley knows a thing or two about
going fast. In fact, he might own the
fastest (complete) DC5 chassis anywhere
in the world. Though his “record” is unof-
ficial and met with a bit of controversy, JR
stands alone as the first RSX street car to
break into the 9s. Some would question if
this particular RSX is truly a “street car,”
but it does indeed fulfill all of the require-
ments to classify it as a full-bodied street
vehicle. The 9-second pass isn’t a fluke
by any means either. It’s documented on
video and JR has made multiple, consis-
tent passes in this car.
“This is a street car that meets all the
rules to classify it as that,” JR says. “My
RSX is registered, insured, and driven on
the street with all the original body panels
intact. Every other RSX that has run 9s
is basically just a shell with tube-frame
chassis, one-piece fiberglass front ends,
and one-off suspension components. They
are ‘Pro Stock’ vehicles, mine is a true
street car.”
The Hunger
For More
Breaking the 9-sec barrier at over 2,600 pounds
BY JOEY LEE * PHOTOS BY FAIZ RAHMAN

AUGUST 2014 59
 Though technological advances
have produced some incredible quar-
ter-mile times in the Honda commu-
nity, JR still faced many obstacles on
his way to running a personal best of
9.76. High horsepower, heavily mod-
ded Civics and Integras breaking into
9-second territory are pretty common
these days, but an RSX with full inte-
rior that weighs in at approximately
2,650 pounds? Not so much. Never
mind that, how often do you even see
a DC5 drag car at all? All things con-
sidered, JR’s accomplishments with
this heavy, unpopular drag chassis are
incredible to say the least.
60 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
JR had always had his sights set on
being involved with FWD drag rac-
ing, but the DC5 platform wasn’t his
original choice. As he tells us, “When
I was originally looking for a car back
in 2005, the first one I looked at was
actually a Chevy Cobalt SS. It didn’t
really spark my interest that much so
the next car was this Vivid Blue Pearl
RSX Type S. After I testdrove it, I was
sold. It was the last production year
of the car and the dealership only
had two blue ones left so I immedi-
ately bought it. It wasn’t one of those
cases where I just started out adding
parts mildly and caught the bug or
anything—I went into it knowing I
was going to start modifying the car
right away.”
He broke his DC5’s proverbial
cherry by installing a race header, full
A’PEXi exhaust, and an AEM intake.
No time was wasted before he took
the car out on its first quarter-mile
run, which yielded sub 14-second
passes. Dissatisfied, JR found himself
researching turbo kits, which led him
to Honda engine specialists InlinePro.
One of their turbo kits was purchased
and quickly went onto his stock K20.
Off to the track he went where he
was able to power the RSX down the

1320 into the 12s. It was a 2-second
improvement over his previous setup
but it just wasn’t enough to satiate his
hunger for more.
“Boosting the stock motor defi-
nitely helped make the car faster, but
I came to the conclusion that I really
had to tear the whole thing apart to
really get the low e.t.’s that I wanted.
During this whole process, I was still
driving the car daily and it had air
conditioning, power steering, and all
other amenities. Tearing the engine
apart would obviously make driving
it a little less convenient but it was
helps yield over
necessary,” JR says.
The factory 2.0L was pulled and
never the same again as InlinePro
stepped in and reworked his setup
completely from the inside out. The
factory K20 block was removed and
in its place was a larger InlinePro
race-prepped K24. Their block was
filled with their signature connecting
rods, billet crank, CP Pistons, ACL
race bearings, and everything needed
to withstand the pressures of forced
induction. Up top, the cylinder head
remains a K20 unit, but this too saw
A BorgWarner the complete InlinePro treatment. A
67mm unit return-style fuel system was installed
900 hp. with dual Bosch 044 pumps to supply
TO BREAK THE
9-SECOND BARRIER
WAS ALMOST
UNBELIEVABLE. THE
CAR STILL HAD TRAC-
TION ISSUES AND EVEN
WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT
HAVE BEEN A FLUKE
UNTIL WE BACKED IT
UP WITH ANOTHER
9-SECOND PASS.”
BOLTS & WASHERS
PROPULSION
InlinePro Race K24 block
K20 head
Avid Racing Pro Series solid mounts
Custom front race engine mount
InlinePro billet crank
InlinePro main studs
InlinePro head studs
ACL Race bearings
CP Pistons
InlinePro connecting rods
InlinePro custom billet cams
InlinePro Stage 4 head package
InlinePro oversized stainless steel intake valves
InlinePro Inconel exhaust valves
InlinePro bronze valveguides
InlinePro machined rockers
InlinePro valvesprings
Supertech valves
InlinePro closed-deck sleeves
InlinePro cylinder O-rings
InlinePro notched block
OEM K20 oil pump
Dual Bosch 044 fuel pumps
ID2000 fuel injectors
InlinePro fuel rail
Custom braided fuel lines with -AN fuel fittings
Dual Fuelab fuel filters
Fuelab fuel pressure regulator
Custom 5-gallon FCS fuel cell setup
BorgWarner S400sx 67mm turbocharger
Sudden K Racing turbo inlet scoop
Excessive Motosports port-matched center-
feed intake manifold
Wilson throttle body
InlinePro 1,200hp custom back door intercooler
Sudden K Racing charge pipes
TiAL 50mm blow-off valve
Full Race side-winder twin scroll turbo manifold
Sudden K Racing custom 4-inch up-pipe
Dual TiAL MVR 44mm wastegates
Sudden K Racing custom dump tubes
Mishimoto half core radiator w/custom Sudden
K racing fan shroud
Sudden K Racing overflow tank
Sudden K Racing catch can
Sudden K Racing valve cover
-16AN custom cooling hoses
Four-speed PPG Dogbox 1-4 with custom PPG
final drive
K-Tuned billet shift box
K-Tuned race cables
Drag Cartel lockout
Competition Clutch twin-disc clutch
Competition Clutch lightweight flywheel
Wave-Trac differential
Driveshaft Shop Pro-Level axles
POWER
910 hp, 650 lb-ft of torque
SUSPENSION
Tein Flex coilovers
Blox Racing spherical lower control arm
bushings
Function7 billet rear lower control arms
RESISTANCE
Stoptech slotted brake rotors
Hawk brake pads
Sudden K Racing hybrid brake calipers
Wilwood high temperature brake fluid
Custom Sudden K Racing split braking system
with CNC staging brake
Custom brake booster delete
WHEELS & TIRES
Front: 14-inch custom Bogart
Rear: 15-inch custom Bogart
Front: 24.5x9 Mickey Thompson drag slicks
Rear: 25x4.5 Mickey Thompson ET
EXTERIOR
VIS Racing carbon-fiber hood
Sudden K Racing custom Aerocatch hood
latch setup
Sudden K Racing custom foglight plugs
Sudden K Racing custom tow eye
Sudden K Racing custom catch pan
Sudden K Racing custom Quik-latch bumper
with spider cage setup
Sudden K Racing custom rear bumper diffuser
doors
Stroud Safety parachute setup
AUGUST 2014 61
 BOLTS & WASHERS
INTERIOR
NRG Tech 10-point rollcage
Stroud Safety window net
Kirkey Racing seats
Sudden K Racing custom radio plug
Stroud Safety 5-point safety harnesses
MOMO steering wheel
Sudden K Racing custom lifeline quick steering
hub detach
K-Tuned billet shift knob

ELECTRONICS
Hondata K-Pro
Hondata 4-port boost controller
AEM wideband UEGO
AEM digital oil pressure gauge
AEM 5-bar MAP sensor
Sudden K Racing custom NHRA/IHRA master
emergency cutoff
Sudden K Racing battery relocation
Sudden K Racing engine wire harness tuck/
relocation
Sudden K Racing tucked fuse box

PROPS:
First of all I would like to thank the Lord, without
Him I wouldn’t be here living my life goals. I
would like to thank my father foremost for
helping me fabricate parts, assemble stuff,
oversee things I may have missed and sup-
porting the sport that I love to do, along with
my mother who worries every time I go down
the 1320. Thanks also to my sister for sup-
porting me and giving me the garage to build
the car. I’d also like to thank Nate Conquest,
part of my team and pit crew who is always
there to offer advice and lend a hand. I’d like to
thank Alex at Konstant Design for the great
Sudden K Racing apparel and car decals. Rich
Bogart from Bogart Racing wheels for the plenty of fuel to the freshly built mo- maximize efficient power production,
best custom drag wheels, and Frank Rehak at tor. To get the power to the pavement, he had Full Race create a one-off
the Drive Shaft Shop for allowing power to go
to the hubs. I’d like to thank Ricky Dukes and a Pfitzner Performance Dog Box was sidewinder manifold. The centerpiece
C&K Lord for their time. Thank you to The installed along with a custom final to this latest arrangement is a 67mm
Sauce Spot and to Faiz Rahman for shooting
my car. Finally, credit goes to InlinePro for drive. His upgrades proved to be Precision turbocharger. In 2012, JR
supporting me and helping me reach my
goals; John Lee at InlinePro was instrumental worthwhile as he was able to claim Hurley made his return. Still weigh-
in answering all my questions and concerns the title as the first street RSX to ing in at a stout 2,650 pounds, the
since day one of building this monster. Also,
Tom Clements for always putting up with break into the low 10s. As you would RSX made its way off of the trailer
my technical inquiries and steering me in the expect, even that wasn’t enough to and blasted down the quarter-mile at
right direction; Jeremy Allen and InlinePro/
Allenbuilt race engines FTW! If you want the meet his level of satisfaction—he 9.77 seconds.
best of the best, contact InlinePro for all your
race engine needs. wanted more. “It was the happiest day of my life
Building, racing, and rebuilding so far! To break the 9-second barrier
began to take a toll on JR however. was almost unbelievable. The car
OWNER SPECS The emotional highs of breaking his still had traction issues and even we
DAILY GRIND own personal best times coupled thought it might have been a fluke
Owner of Sudden K Racing with the lows of being displeased until we backed it up with another
FAVORITE SITE soon after led JR to a three-year 9-second pass.” Nines were cool,
facebook.com
hiatus from racing. There were some but it wouldn’t fit his character if
SCREEN NAME
YouTube: 1KWIKRSX; ClubRSX: 1nastyrsx
health issues that needed attention he wasn’t already looking at illusive
BUILDING HONDAS as well as surgery and recovery. His number eight. “I got to feed the need,
7 years RSX lay dormant throughout that man. Maybe I’ll try a larger turbo
DREAM CAR period but he was still adding parts manifold and change little things to
AMS Alpha 12 R35 GTR to rework his setup. A 10-point see where it takes us. I’m already the
INSPIRATION FOR THIS BUILD
rollcage was fabricated and a para- first RSX street car in the 9s; why not
I wanted to be different than every other drag car
FUTURE BUILD chute mounted for added safety. To shoot for 8s?”
Working on being the first RSX in the 8s

CONNECT SUDDEN K RACING

What is truly impressive about JR Hurley’s journey is that he’s always done a majority of the work himself.
INLINEPRO
www.inlinepro.com Though InlinePro played a huge part in putting his engine together, practically everything else was done by
JR himself with some help from his father, Jed Hurley Sr. Together they are “Sudden K Racing.” A quick
K-TUNED
www.k-tuned.com glance at his mod list in this story reveals a bevy of custom Sudden K Racing products, which are all
components made by the duo. They don’t have an official website but you can find them on Facebook.com
HONDATA
www.hondata.com
by searching: Sudden K Racing.

62 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 (EVENTS)
APRIL 12-13 • DRAG EVENT/CAR SHOW

HONDA DAY A
nother year, another mon-
umental Honda Day event
in the record books at New
Jersey’s Atco Dragway. Not
unlike last year, and years

KEEPS ON
prior, attendance was through the roof
over the weekend, with many camping
out overnight in order to make their way
through the gates as early as possible.
Over the two-day event the staging

PUSHIN’
Atco Raceway, New Jersey
PHOTOS BY SEAN BRADFORD
lanes were packed with competitors from
an amateur level all the way up to heavy
hitters like Prayoonto Racing, Speed-
Factory Racing, and Drag Cartel. Those
who wanted a break from the heated
drag action made their way to the packed
vendor row and accompanying car show
layout, which included countless Honda
builds of all types.
A live stage with performances and
free giveaways kept the record numbers
entertained throughout the weekend.
Speaking of giveaways, it wouldn’t be
a Honda Day official event without the
keys to a free car being handed over to
one lucky person. This time around it was
a modified TSX complete with a color
change, wheels, suspension, engine and
interior upgrades, and much more.
Tired of missing out on all of the ac-
tion? Jump on to the Honda Day website
and track down their events throughout
the year so you can get involved!

64 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
66 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 CONNECT
HONDA DAY
Hondaday.com

68 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 (INTERVIEW)
INDUSTRY LEADER
IN THE
BEGINNING
ARCHIE MADRAZO: THE STORY OF A HONDA DRAG RACING PIONEER AND A CAREER CUT SHORT.
BY AARON BONK * PHOTOS AARON BONK AND COURTESY OF ARCHIE MADRAZO AND MYLES BAUTISTA
I
f you found yourself among
the greater Los Angeles
street racing scene of the
early 1990s, then there’s no
doubt you’re familiar with
Archie Madrazo—or at
least the guy with the red CRX and
the yellow front bumper. Madrazo’s
turbocharged CRX proved to be a
force both on the streets and at the
dragstrip, helping advance front-
wheel-drive drag racing, and paving
the way for performance modifica-
tions that are often taken for granted
today. Using a combination of factory
Mitsubishi components and an engine
management system designed for a
V-8, Madrazo cooked up one of the
country’s quickest Hondas of its day.
His CRX also served as a testbed for
prominent ’90s tuners and machin-
ists, AEM and JG Engine Dynamics,
who helped usher in an era of forged
70 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
bottom ends, tunable ECUs, and
big boost. His success was arguably
cut short, though, when the angst of
divorce led to the CRX ultimately
being sold off. Nearly two decades
later, though, and Madrazo is back,
most recently partnering with fellow
Honda racing veteran Myles Bautista
in what will most assuredly prove to
be something worthwhile. Madrazo
is primed, he’s eager, and in his
own words, he’s ready to go once he
catches up with another era.
HT: Let’s start from the begin-
ning. Why Honda? How did it all
begin for you?
AM: I had no interest in cars
whatsoever, like none. I was the
guy who was the son of a mechanic
and who cleaned [my dad’s] tools,
put them away, and got them when
he asked for them. Growing up,
though, I loved to drive. The racing
didn’t come [about] until I got broke
off by an ’87 Integra LS in my CRX. I
was sitting at a light bumping—I had
the rims, I had the sound, but I had
nothing done to the motor—and this
guy was revving. I was like, please
[laughs]. Anyway, the light turns
green and this guy leaves me like I
was still parked. At the next light I
did it again, this time really getting
on it, and he still broke me off. The
very next day I took the [entire]
sound system out. I wanted to work
on the motor so I went to Honda and
bought the [service] manual for $120,
went to Sears and opened up a charge
account, bought me $2,800 worth
of tools, and I went at it. The rest
is history.
HT: Your CRX became pretty
infamous at Southern California
street races. When did you get it?
AM: It was March of 1988. It was
a brand-new Si. I had to special order
it because they only had yellow. They
didn’t have red. I think it was $14,200
that I paid.
HT: Was that your first car?
AM: No, my first car was a ’68
Firebird [laughs]. I also wanted a Bug;
that was my second car.
HT: You bought the CRX with
no intention of making it any faster,
though, right?
AM: Yeah. I was more into just
driving, like the cool guy with the
sound system and wheels [laughs].
 HT: What sort of modifications did
you first make once you’d decided to
start racing?
AM: Well, after I got broke off, I started
inquiring about stuff. I started reading to
see if there were any upgraded parts for the
CRX and I found [out about] King Motor-
sports. I read more and found out that
Mugen was pretty much the top-of-the-
line stuff back then. I ordered my exhaust,
which ended up being about $1,000, got it,
put it on, and didn’t really feel a difference
… I was like, dang, it sounds different,
but it doesn’t really feel any faster. I kept
reading and inquiring, and then somebody
introduced me to RC Engineering. I went
there, talked to Russ [Collins], and he was
like, “Well, we can port and polish your
head.” I had no clue what the heck a port
and polish was, but I said, “OK, is it going
to give me more power?” [He said,] “Yes.”
I dropped off the head, picked it up a few
days later, put it back on, and I still didn’t
really feel anything. I kept thinking, man,
I’m wasting all this money, so I did more
research, and that’s when I found AEM.
HT: Back when AEM was a small
shop and not a manufacturer, right?
AM: Yeah. I was at AEM every single
day, spending, spending, spending. The
last time I looked at my receipts, it was like
$25,000 that I’d spent. My friend, James
West, he has a cousin who worked at Isky,
so I got a reground cam from him, but that
didn’t work too well with the fuel injection
so I went carbureted, and we actually made
174 whp. I [remember] talking to Steve
and John [Concialdi], and they convinced
me after a few visits to go carbureted, so
I took the fuel injection out [laughs]. We
went through I don’t know how many
headers [and] exhaust systems. I got rid of
the Mugen one. It was a waste of money.
I even put an ’85 [Civic] distributor on
there because the stock distributor wasn’t
72 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
able to read enough advance. AEM made
an adapter plate for it. After a while, I
[looked] at the head that Russ did since
that motor had blown up, and I was like, I
could do this, so I went and bought me a
Dremel and started porting heads.
HT: What happened next?
AM: Well, after all of that, John was
like, “Do you really want to go fast?”
Because the fastest I’d gone was 14.2
carbureted at Carlsbad on street tires.
I was like, “Yes, I really want to go fast.
Hello? I’m spending all this money”
[laughs]. Anyway, he took me for a ride
in his [Merkur] XR4Ti and I was like,
“What the hell is this?” He opened his
hood and said, “That’s a turbo.” I said,
“How much is this gonna cost? I want to
do it.” By that time, I had already been
street racing, battling against everybody.
The car was OK on the streets, but it was
really close to everybody else. I remember
hearing around the same time that Junior
[Asprer] from Redline Racing was trying
some different stuff and [he also] went
carbureted. Oh, by the way, I did beat him
when he was carbureted, before he busted
out with slicks [laughs]. I had the title,
Junior! Eventually, everyone started going
turbocharged.
HT: How did you do your research
back then and learn about King Motor-
sports, Mugen, and AEM, for example?
AM: At the street races, and just from
people I’d talked to. It was basically a lot
of phone calls.
HT: Let’s talk about your single-cam
turbo setup. What did it consist of?
AM: I built the first motor and it lasted
for about three miles [laughs]. It was
making all kinds of noise and just didn’t
sound right. [After that,] everything was
done at AEM. I talked to John, and he
was like, “Oh, you’ve got to do this and
you’ve got to do that.” I was like, “Oh, I
didn’t see that in the manual” [laughs].
I had completely wasted a fresh motor
with rods, pistons, and everything. I kept
getting used motors before actually build-
ing another one. When I built [the next]
one, we tried to sleeve it. John told me what
to get, I dropped off the block, and he did
it. Well, that didn’t work. To make a long
story short, I ended up with another stock
motor [that was] turbocharged. John and
I got the bugs worked out and it ended up
making about 350 hp at 20 psi. [Later], I
did more R&D with Javier [Gutierrez] at
JG Engine Dynamics.
HT: That must have been one of
the first sleeved Honda blocks. What
happened?
AM: Oh, yeah. John was the one who
introduced me to sleeved blocks. He was
using the pins that would go in between
the cylinders to hold them steady, but then
he [learned] he could press in ductile-iron
[sleeves]. The sleeves that were in [there]
didn’t work out well and ended up moving
up and down.
HT: So you hooked up with JG
Engine Dynamics. Tell us about that.
AM: Yeah, that’s when we started doing
more stuff. Javier really got me more into
it. I [started] porting heads for [him] at
the shop. When I was with John, that
was basically the Terminal Island
[Raceway period]. When I got together
with Javier, that’s when Battle [of the
Imports had started] and things got a
little more serious.
HT: Do you think John was upset
when you started going to JG?
AM: No, because John’s a cool guy and
he was busy going through a transition
with his company.

HT: Back to the engine, what did you
use for engine management?
AM: I went straight to Accel DFI when I
went turbo because John said I could make
the most power with that unit.
HT: There were very few guys using
stand-alone computers back then, right?
AM: Yeah. Myles [Bautista] was using
TEC-II, and I’m pretty sure Tony [Fuchs]
was, [too].
HT: What was the Los Angeles street
racing scene like back then?
AM: It was pretty crazy. The first car I
ever raced after that Integra that broke me
off was a [first-generation] Mazda RX-7.
I actually beat him. I remember, I saw it
run, chirping every gear, and I was like, “I
wonder if I could beat this thing?” This was
before the carburetors or anything. [Until
then,] I’d never gotten into racing, but
after that, after beating [someone], it just
started it off.
HT: What were the main street racing
spots in the early ’90s?
AM: Back then, the best ones were Ana
and Maria streets out there in Long Beach.
We’d go there at 9 o’clock and finish racing
when the sun came up. Back then, every-
body was cool. You didn’t have all these
wannabe gangsters. You didn’t have all
these guys who’d show up in their station
wagons or their vans. If they were there,
they had a car to race or they were with
somebody who had a car that they were
going to race.
HT: Your car was defined by its red
paint and yellow front bumper. Why the
yellow bumper?
AM: The yellow bumper came about
when I had to modify it to fit the [Mitsubi-
shi] Starion intercooler when I went
74 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
turbocharged. I primered it yellow and I
thought, “You know what, it looks pretty
sick like this so I’ll just leave it” [laughs].
It was the original bumper, just cut and
primered. Everybody had a CRX, but how
many people had a red CRX with a yellow
bumper?
HT: The car’s reputation certainly
preceded itself at the street races.
How’d that come about?
AM: Not really sure, but when some-
one asked if they’d seen or heard of a CRX
that was racing everywhere, the question
would more likely be: “Are you talking
about the one with the yellow bumper?”
[laughs] I guess I was the only one who
was crazy enough to drive two-tone back
in the days. I just made a name for myself
and never got around to painting it.
HT: It wasn’t all about street racing,
though. Tell us about Terminal Island.
AM: Terminal Island was pretty
sick. I think that was the best thing that
happened back then for street racers. The
people were cool, Willie [Robinson] was
doing a really good thing, and that’s where
everybody was able to get together, race,
and have a good time. There were little
controversies between the front-wheel-
drive guys and the rear-wheel-drive guys
but, you know, you’re gonna get that from
the OGs. We just had to prove ourselves.
Honestly, I think I was the only one back
then who was there every week [running]
mid-to-low 12s. Back then, in ’93, that was
pretty fast to me.
HT: What ultimately led to you
getting rid of the CRX? It happened
right around the time Honda drag
racing began to take off.
AM: Well, that’s true, and it sucked
because I was putting in a lot of time and
a lot of [money toward] my car. Toward
the highlight of my racing days, I ended
up with a divorce. Mentally, that messed
me up, and that’s kind of [why] I got out
of it. I had to get rid of the car and divide
everything. There’s a whole lot of stuff
that I really don’t care to get into; it really
jacked me up pretty bad.
HT: Did you ever feel like you missed
an opportunity or have any animosity
toward some of the younger guys who
were starting to make names for them-
selves and capitalize off of drag racing?
AM: No. I was just kind of bummed
out that I wasn’t able to follow up with it.
I’m happy with whoever came up. They
deserved it … except for a few [laughs].
HT: After selling the CRX, how
closely did you follow what was going
on?
AM: I didn’t. I left everything for a
good three or four years. Toward 1999 I
kind of got back into it.
HT: Coming back in 1999 and seeing
how import drag racing had expanded
and commercialized, what did you
think?
AM: The first thing I thought was:
“These aren’t even street cars. You can’t
drive these on the street.” In my mind, I
didn’t even want to compare it to what I
had or what I knew. They were full track
cars. It was just a different league and I
cared less. It was more fun [before]. It’s fun
when you can drive it to [the track] and
drive home.
HT: Who were some of your biggest
rivals when you had the CRX?
AM: At the street races, the biggest
rivals we had were with Eightball Racing
and Redline Racing. That was all up at
Sylmar. We were good with Cyber and
[Team] Precision. In a way, we got together
to go against everybody else. Me, Tony, and
Myles always compared our cars, but the
rivals were mostly from Redline because
Eightball, they weren’t that fast [laughs].
You can’t compare those street racing days
to nowadays, though.
HT: Do you think that era of street
racing helped shape today’s Honda
scene?
AM: Absolutely! I’m telling you right
now, back then, it was basically Toyotas,
Mazdas, Nissans, and V-8s. There weren’t a
lot of Hondas at first.
 W I N T H I S
2014 CU ST
O C U S S T
FORD F
Enter at UTI.e
du /focus

Universal Technical Institute has teamed up with

Neil Tjin to help make the UTI Gulf Racing Edition
Ford Focus ST sweepstakes car the beast it is today.

Special thanks to the companies involved:

> Falken Tires > Axalta
> Vortech > Baer Brakes
> Katzkin Interiors > Sony Audio
> MagnaFlow Exhaut > Forgestar Wheels
NO PURCHASE OR ENROLLMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Ends 10/31/14, subject to full Official Rules
available at www.uti.edu/FOCUS. Open to legal residents of the 48 US or DC who are at least 18 years of age at
time of entry. Void where prohibited.
 HT: So do you think that cars
like yours at the street races helped
persuade some people toward the
brand?
AM: Oh, I don’t know, but [later
on] everybody started to get one.
HT: Tell us about SplitSecond
Racing.
AM: I started the crew when I
was working in the same complex
in Torrance as James West. We got
together and it was me and him. We
[had] a different name at first, which
I don’t care to say because it was kind
of stupid [laughs], but we decided that
it didn’t sound right. Back then, there
was a movie out called Split Second,
and I was like, “Oh, that’s a pretty
good name.” That’s when I changed
it to SplitSecond. It started out with
me, James West, Paul Bacica, Brandon
Oshiro, Jerome Pineda, and a few
friends. I think we had 17 cars if I’m
not mistaken—all Hondas. We had a
lot of CRXs, three or four [Civics], and
a few [Integras].
HT: If you modified your Honda
in the early to mid ’90s, you prob-
ably raced it. Today, shows, meets,
and aesthetic modifications seem
to be more popular. What do you
think about that?
AM: It’s cool. The difference
between back then and now is that,
back then, everything was new. If you
saw steel-braided lines underneath
the hood, you’d be like, “What the
hell?” Now you see stuff like that on
everything. There’s still new stuff
that’s being done, but it doesn’t stay
new for long. It’s new for a week and
then everybody has it. I started off
with a lot of American [parts] going
76 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
in my car. I had Auto Meter, I had
MSD; they didn’t make anything for a
Honda. I don’t know anybody besides
me that had a 5-inch tach on the dash
when I did. Nobody had that back
then and then later you’d see it all
the time.
HT: Were you forced to use an
aftermarket tach because of the
DFI?
AM: No, I just thought it was racy
[laughs]. Back then, whatever looked
fast, especially gauges in the car, I
wanted it. Plus, it was a lot better than
the stock tach.
HT: Do you pay attention to
any of the trends nowadays where
performance is often sacrificed for
aesthetics? Do you even care?
AM: Yeah, it seems like it’s all
about looks. I think [some] don’t
know the difference between perfor-
mance and show. [A lot of people] just
want to show and just want the oohs
and the ahhs. It’s kind of sad, man.
HT: The fascination with JDM
didn’t exist yet when you were
racing. What did you think about all
of that when you returned in 1999?
AM: We just called that stuff
Japanese and knew that we couldn’t
get it out here. I don’t see the differ-
ence. I could really care less about all
that stuff. Back then, it was suspen-
sion and motor; that’s it. I didn’t care
about lights or wheels. It was more
about going fast. Now, it’s a big deal if
you have the JDM headlights or you
have the JDM lip or this special center
console. It’s like, I could care less,
dude, seriously. Are you cool if you
spend $2,000 per wheel on a car? I
think that’s pretty stupid. I guess that
stuff means something to somebody
else so to each his own.
HT: Tell us about a street racing
experience that stands out for you.
AM: When I lost $2,700 [laughs].
It was against these guys who used
to go to Terminal Island. They had a
Mustang 5.0. They were hustlers. They
hustled me mentally, pissing me off
doing some shady sh*t at the line. I
lost because I bogged at the line and he
jumped out by five cars. He only beat
me by about a bumper. I wanted to
do a double-or-nothing but he didn’t
want to have anything to do with it
because he knew. That was the worst.
There was never a dull moment at Ana
and Maria streets. In 1994 when all
the thugs started coming out, though,
that’s when it started getting stupid.
HT:Your CRX is arguably one
of the most underrated of its day in
terms of exposure beyond the street
races. It was supposed to appear
in Turbo magazine long before
Hondas were regularly featured.
Why wasn’t it?
AM: When I was working at JG
I was doing pretty good, going to
all the races and winning. Turbo
magazine wanted to do an article on
[the CRX] and put it on the cover, but
they wanted me to paint the bumper.
I guess it wasn’t pretty enough. I
basically told them it wasn’t gonna
happen. The CRX was known for its
yellow bumper. Nobody would ask
at the street races about a red CRX.
They’d ask about the red CRX with the
yellow bumper. Everybody knew that
car back then. That was a pretty sad
moment, but they wanted me to paint
the bumper [so] I didn’t do the article.
HT: That would’ve been one of
the first Hondas to be on the cover
of Turbo magazine, wouldn’t it?
AM: Not really sure, but the yellow
bumper was my trademark, and even
if they didn’t know me, everyone knew
the car, so if Turbo magazine couldn’t
understand that, then oh well …
HT: Almost two decades later, do
you have any regrets about that?
AM: If they asked me to do that
today, I’d say the same thing. It’s all
about keeping it real, and if you want
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 to do an article on someone or some-
thing, why the heck would you change
its originality?
HT: What was your thought
process like back then for choosing
parts?
AM: I never bought cheap sh*t
[laughs]. Back then, we had to make
things work. We were the MacGyvers
of the Honda scene. I had a lot of
American parts on that Japanese
car, man.
HT: Like the Accel DFI that was
never designed for a four-cylinder
Japanese engine?
AM: Right, and John was the one
who figured that out. I went through
eight motors before we actually
figured it out. I grenaded so many
motors. I spent a lot of money back
then. I was one of the ones to have
that first.
HT: How hard was it to perform
modifications back then versus
now?
AM: Back in the day, it was a chal-
lenge because it was a hit or miss with
parts and we had to figure out what
worked or didn’t work. Nowadays,
people have forums, YouTube, more
parts for their cars, and the R&D has
been done for them. There’s not as
much to learn versus back in the day.
It’s all about Cali ol’ school [laughs].
HT: Do you think the racers
from your era get the proper respect
nowadays for some of the things
they’ve helped figure out?
AM: It’s really hard to say because
there are guys who are still putting it
down now who I’m sure are getting
much respect.
HT: What do you think about
some of Honda’s newer engines, like
the latest 2.4L K Series?
AM: I respect them. You can’t deny
their horsepower.
HT:: Do they interest you,
though, perhaps for a future
project?
AM: It depends if that’s the motor
that the car originally came with. I’m
not a real big fan of swaps.
78 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
HT: What do you think it is
about ’80s and ’90s Hondas that
make them so appealing?
AM: They were so inexpensive
back then and so simple. They had
their own original look and were very
easy to work on. That’s why you still
see a lot of them on the track and on
the streets to this day.
HT: Who would you say you’ve
learned the most from?
AM: John taught me a lot. Javier
taught me a lot. We talked a lot. I’m
one of those guys who if I’m inter-
ested in something, I’ll ask a gang of
questions. They were able to answer a
lot of them. The only way I was going
to learn was if I asked the questions
and tried things myself. I couldn’t just
read this on a forum. John and Javier
gave me the base and then I was able
to figure things out with their help.
HT: Who else was working at JG
while you were there?
AM: Steph [Papadakis] was there,
Myles came down, and then some of
the other guys who were already there
when I came over.
HT: A couple of decades later, is
there anything performance-wise
that you’d like to take credit for?
AM: Well, this is what I will say
about that. There are a lot of things
that we MacGyvered that we see have
been improved [upon] today that I
wonder if anybody would’ve ever
thought of. It’s hard, though, man.
We did a lot of R&D, and regardless of
how much R&D we did, I don’t think
we’ll ever get credit for it. I was one
of the first ones, but somebody else
would’ve figured it out [laughs]. All
of that stuff was out already, I’m sure.
There just wasn’t a whole lot out there
for the Hondas.
HT: If you could own any
modern Honda, what would it be?
AM: That’s hard, bro. Maybe an
S2000. I don’t really even think about
that too much, I guess.
HT: What’s kept you from build-
ing another CRX?
AM: Money. I’m broke [laughs]. I
can’t do it now. That’s why I’m living
[vicariously] through my son. It
won’t be a CRX but an EG that we’re
still gonna have the original single-
cam in. It’s still gonna be a street car
like how I’ve always done it; drive it
to the track and drive it home. My
son, Ryan, is die-hard and excited.
HT: Does it bother you that
some of the younger enthusiasts
might not have heard of you or
know what you’ve accomplished?
AM: No, not really. I don’t expect
anyone to really know of me or if I
did race in the early ’90s. It really
doesn’t bother me either if people
don’t know what I’ve done. The only
thing I can say is that if I were to
converse with someone, somewhere
in the conversation they probably
will, though [laughs].
HT: You’ve been hanging out
with Myles Bautista at Mak-Speed
lately. What are you guys cooking
up?
AM: Look out because we’re
gonna be coming out with some
cars that are mixed with old-school
and new school flavor. We’re in
cahoots together; we’re working on
something. Once I start finishing
my homework and catching up with
this era we’ll be coming out with
something pretty bananas. Hope-
fully [laughs].
HT: Any closing thoughts as we
wrap this up?
AM: First, I want to shout out
to the people who stuck with me
through the wins and the losses and
who shared their knowledge back
when everything was a secret, and
to those who still remember and
respect SplitSecond Racing! If I didn’t
mention your name, I didn’t have to
because you already know who you
are. It’s been a freakin’ roller coaster
ride, though. It was really enjoyable
when this first started up in the early
’90s. I try not to think too much
about where I’d be or what would’ve
happened if I would’ve stayed into it.
I see a lot of people [from back then]
who are in a better place and some
[who] are struggling. I don’t know
where things are going, but I’m back
for now.
 (RACE-BRED)
HONDA R&D’S ’91 NSX
Colorado’s Pikes Peak is among the most treacherous courses
known to motorsports, spanning 12.42 miles, 156 turns, and
culminating at a 14,115-foot summit that’s no stranger to rain, fog, even
snow. There, the air is thin, reflexes are slow, muscles are weak, and
engine power is diminished. To make it to the top, error by driver or
machine cannot be tolerated.
It came as a surprise to nearly everyone when, in 2013, American
Honda signed on as partnering sponsor for the world-famous Interna-
tional Hill Climb for the first time ever, fielding 11 entries that spanned
a 25-year gamut of 250cc motocross bikes to an electric B-segment
hatchback. It isn’t the Fit EV that you care about, though, but instead
the company’s R&D division’s ’91 NSX—a partially completed ALMS
(American Le Mans Series) endurance car initially built at the hands of
HART (Honda of America Racing Team) only to later be repurposed
for the world-famous hill climb—driver, project leader, and Honda pow-
ertrain engineer James Robinson explains.
80 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
James and associates secured the chassis
from the company’s internal racing affiliate
in early 2012 and began its transformation
in April, which would only take seven weeks.
Outside, much of the work had already been
completed. The widebody carbon-fiber panels
previously fitted by HART that help reduce
overall weight to less than 2,200 pounds were
retained as was the car’s one-off suspension
that’s made up of CNC-machined, billet-alu-
minum control arms and spherical rod ends.
Also recycled from the would-be endurance
program are an oversized AP Racing braking
system, SSR multi-piece wheels, and a single-
nut hub conversion at each corner. Virtually
all that’s been left of the early ’90s supercar
 RACE TO
THE CLOUDS
Conquering Colorado’s Pikes Peak in a 500hp Le Mans-derived NSX
BY AARON BONK * PHOTOS BY HENRY Z. DEKUYPER

AUGUST 2014 81
chassis’ factory components is its
all-aluminum structure that’s been
seam-welded for even more rigidity.
Underneath the vented hood,
HART had already pushed aside the
NSX’s 3.0L C-Series engine, which
meant James, who specializes in V-6
engine development for Honda, had
a decision to make: source another
25-year-old, 90-degree powerplant or
look to something newer and presum-
ably better. For this, Honda’s racing
development arm, HPD (Honda
Performance Development) was called
upon for its HR28TT engine that’s
used throughout the ALMS LMP2
prototype class and helped win the
manufacturers championship in 2012.
“I’VE ALWAYS HAD
AN INTEREST IN PIKES
PEAK, AND IN 2011
MADE A PROPOSAL [TO
BRING] SOMETHING
NEW AND DIFFERENT
TO REPRESENT HONDA
AT THIS EVENT,”
82 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
HPD’s twin-turbocharged HR28TT is
based off of the automaker’s current
3.5L J-Series engine that can be found
in select Accord, Odyssey, and Pilot
models but has been destroked to
2.8L. James went on to make his own
changes to the engine, though, which
included bumping displacement back
up to 3.5L, resulting in 500 hp and
380 lb-ft of torque. The endurance
engine was carefully disassembled
and put back together using a com-
bination of forged pistons and rods
that lower the compression ratio to a
manageable 9.5:1. HPD’s dry-sump
oiling system was also removed in fa-
vor of the 3.7L TL’s oil pump and the
cable-driven throttle body that ALMS
rules call for was swapped for a more
modern drive-by-wire version from a
later-model TL. James explains that
the one-off dry-sump oiling system’s
pump and drive system was inte-
grated onto the transmission-side of
the engine and, as such, there simply
wasn’t room for it. “The cost to make
that change was not worth the benefits
that we could have realized from the
dry sump system,” he explains.
The paddle-operated, Hewland
sequential transmission that’s nor-
mally paired with the HR28TT wasn’t
used either and, instead, James saw to
it to fit the six-speed gearbox from the
TL Type-S into place. Custom shifter
cables were made up to complete
the conversion while, underneath
the dash, a Tilton pedal assembly
communicates with the Spec clutch
and flywheel combination. Although
displacement and a number of inter-
nal components have been altered,
the HR28TT’s twin-turbo configura-
tion remains and is based off of the
same pair of BorgWarner EFR B1
turbochargers used within the ALMS
program. James’ team also fabricated
one-off exhaust manifolds and down-
pipes along with an intercooler and
plumbing to fit within the confines
of the NSX’s engine bay. All 500 hp
is brought together at the hands of
The twin-turbo,
J35 V6 makes a
a special vehicle development ECU
reliable 500 hp. exclusive to Honda’s engineers that’s
BOLTS & WASHERS
PROPULSION
HR28TT J35A engine
Custom Honda R&D billet aluminum engine
mounts
CP 9.5:1 pistons
Carrillo connecting rods
RLX crankshaft
TL SH-AWD oil pump
ARP head studs
TL cylinder heads
TL throttle body
HPD HR28TT camshafts
HPD HR28TT valvesprings
HPD HR28TT valve retainers
HPD HR28TT valve keepers
Accord VCM aluminum rocker arms
BorgWarner EFR B1-frame turbochargers
Custom Honda R&D intake system
HR28TT intake manifold
Custom Honda R&D intercooler and piping
Custom blow-off valve
Custom Honda R&D exhaust manifolds
Custom Honda R&D downpipes
Aeromotive R1000 fuel pump
Aeromotive fuel filter
Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator
Modified RDX fuel injectors
HR28TT fuel rails
Custom AN fittings and steel-braided lines
JEGS universal aluminum radiator
Silicone radiator hoses
NGK iridium spark plugs
Accord ignition coils
Custom modified ECU
TL Type-S transmission
Custom shifter cables
Spec Stage 5 clutch
Spec aluminum flywheel
Driveshaft Shop axles
SUSPENSION
Penske remote reservoir coilovers
Penske linear rate springs
Custom adjustable front antiroll bar
Custom spherical joint suspension
Custom billet-aluminum control arms
RESISTANCE
AP Racing vented/cross-drilled rotors (front:
300 mm; rear: 240 mm)
AP Racing pads
AP Racing aluminum calipers (front: six-piston;
rear: four-piston)
Steel-braided lines
WHEELS & TIRES
SSR three-piece wheels (front: 18x9; rear:
18x12)
Michelin P2G tires (front: 24/64-18; rear:
30/68-18)
EXTERIOR
Seam-welded and reinforced chassis
Custom Honda R&D paint
Former ALMS carbon-fiber aero kit
INTERIOR:
Custom Honda R&D rollcage
Kirkey seat
OMP Rally steering wheel
MoTeC SDL3 display
G-Force safety equipment
Tilton pedal assembly
PROPS:
Huge thanks to Honda for their continued sup-
port of racing and of the Power of Dreams—
specifically, all of the fantastic associates
who work in the fabrication department,
purchasing department, and all of the sup-
portive engineers who helped us get this car
knocked out. And, most importantly, my very
supportive and loving wife, Shana, who has
always encouraged me to try to create new
things and challenge myself in racing.
AUGUST 2014 83

based upon what James says is a typi- This NSX’s Pikes Peak, which hosts the
cal, mass-production computer, but interior is all
annual International Hill Climb,
business.
with the ability to allow changes to the second-oldest motorsports event
be made to accommodate just about in the country. Here, teams travel
anything, like a twin-turbocharged from across the globe to compete,
ALMS powertrain. doling out hundreds of thousands
There’s arguably no other race of dollars for a single race. All of
course in the world that’ll compare to this makes James and company at
Honda’s R&D headquarters in Ohio
all the more proud for finishing
OWNER SPECS fourth in the Pikes Peak Open Cat-
DAILY GRIND egory in a chassis that was completed
Honda R&D Powertrain Development Engineer entirely in-house. Engine modifica-
FAVORITE SITE tions, turbo system intercooling and
honda.com plumbing, the exhaust system, even
SCREEN NAME
James
paint and bodywork, were completed
BUILDING HONDAS by Honda’s own R&D technicians.
13 Years Even the electrical system was done
DREAM CAR on-site, which is based off of an MDX
Can’t say
engine wiring harness that was used,
INSPIRATION FOR THIS BUILD
James says, because that’s what they
The passion and drive of all Honda associates
FUTURE BUILD had lying around.
James, who plans to return to the
Can’t say
mountain later this year along with
CONNECT his team, explains how the program
began: “I’ve always had an interest in
CP PISTONS/CARRILLO RODS Pikes Peak, and in 2011 made a pro-
www.cp-carrillo.com posal [to bring] something new and
HPD different to represent Honda at this
www.hpd.honda.com event,” he says. “I think this project
is important to Honda. It represents
SPEC
www.specclutch.com the spirit of our company.” Indeed
it does.
84 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
NSX
SUSPENSION STUDY
Part of what made the first-generation
NSX the special car that it’s become is
its suspension. Ask most NSX owners
to explain what makes it so great,
though, and they’ll likely tell you that
“it just is.” As it turns out, there’s a
whole lot more to it than that, and
it starts with same sort of double-
wishbone configuration up front that
your Civic has, only different. The
difference is that the NSX’s is made
of lightweight, forged aluminum and
pivots not entirely off of the chassis
but off of a compliance pivot that
reduces overall weight, bumpsteer, and
road absorption. Here, the shock that
you feel from the fore-aft movement
of plowing over a pothole in your
hatchback is dissipated by the compli-
ance pivot that the front of each arm is
bolted to. The remainder of the front
suspension, like the knuckles, is made
out of equally light yet not nearly as du-
rable cast aluminum. Unlike your Civic,
out back, the NSX also features upper
and lower control arms and adjustable,
turn-buckle toe links right from the
factory. It’s the sort of suspension
you wish your Civic had and is the last
thing you’d expect from something
designed more than two-and-a-half
decades ago.
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88 HONDATUNINGMAGAZINE.COM
 SHOW OFF YOUR BUILD! FINISHED OR NOT

GRASSROOTS
If you think you’ve got a standout build, submit a few quality digital photos (without watermark) and a list of specs to
editorial@hondatuningmagazine.com and you might just see your pride and joy in print. Good luck!

lvarez
av id Troya-A E37 (16x
7
Ow ner: D S R m Blue T siu , rs
Integra t, Magne dow viso
Car: ’96 rsche Black pain s R1R’s, OEM win DM Type R
P o xe U K
Mods: /45-16 Toyo Pro replica mirrors, lights, JDM Si-
5 n g
+ 42), 20 Winglets, Spoo t lip, JDM Sir-G fo overs, Skunk2
gic n oil
ARC Ma SDM Type R fro & Form Type 2 c r kit, USDM
,U n be
taillights er lights, Functio Skunk2 rear cam LCA’s, BWR
o rn it , h ed
VT E C c amb er k
Function
7 p o lis ne bush-
es front c lyuretha
Pro-Seri nd rear sway bar, y Suspension po PS pads
ta rg kH
ITR fron frame brace, Ene ss rotors, Haw
rp le su b E B C c ro
pu ust,
rant exha
ings, Vib

Owner: l Sol
Cory
de
Car: ’95 SD, Evo
h OE M L
ission wit m valves
R B S eri es transm d gasket, titaniu h CPR,
Type c h ea 0 wit
, Integra s, Cometi data S30 ed
: H 2 2 A 4 engine ves, 11.5:1 piston le valve job, Hon eader, Kaizenspe o
Mods a gle sle e s , 5 - a n g o to V 2 h io n , E v
Golden E lvespring y, Bisim er convers
H2B kit, tainers, dual va mm throttle bod manual tension ned for E85, AIS
3
and re kunk2 68 shaft delete, H2 arger (12 psi), tu nd, Mishimoto
jectors, S ce rch eba
ID1000 in oil pan and balan son Racing supe , AEM Uego wid lackworks short
H2B a c k nk ,B
on k it , J ga ll o n ta atc h c an light set,
r relocati nozzle 3- himoto c ird brake
alternato nol kit with dual ster cylinder, Mis side skirts and th shaved antenna
tha ma nk, and
water me diator, KCC brake n-fiber hood, tru carbon mirrors
X-lin e ra , c a rb o lo c a te d
ob d re
d shift kn haved an
shifter an -Mags wheels, s
Rota J
Cory
Owner: Civic Type R M
7 E
Car: ’9 stom exhaust, O ader,
o d s : C u n 4 -1 h e
M ug e
-pipe, M ariant
EK9 mid olk TE37, KW V odi-
3 V m
16x7 +4 , HKS suction kit ITR
o il ov e rs 8 - sp e c
II c ’9
wer filter, eetlite
fied to po mission, ACT Str tive
n s v a
LSD tra CT HDSS, Inno
w h e el, A
fly
ounts
engine m

AUGUST 2014 89
A Z E N I S