The Trade Manage Porsche Boxster #109 managed to shatter the Lime Rock track record for the PCA G class, with a 58.747 second lap.  Here’s how their weekend went:

Qualifying – On the pole..check

Race Result Saturday – Win…check

Race Result Sunday – Win…check

G class lap record – Broken…check

Not a bad weekend guys, sounds like the custom valved AST 5220s are what Charlie Sheen describes as “Winning!”

Some may have seen the recent article about SportCar magazine’s Toyota Yaris H Production car that raced at the 2010 SCCA Runoffs.  I know what you are thinking, why would anyone want to race a car that was built for the sole purpose of getting optimal gas mileage.  What’s next?  Spec Prius?

Now that you’re over the shock of building and racing a gas sipping Yaris, let’s talk about what they did.  Jason Isley built the car and campaigned it regionally to qualify for the Runoffs on less than ideal setups for the engine and suspension packages – but hey, they qualified.  Kudos to Jason and the folks working on the project.  It’s not easy when you have to develop a new car quickly, especially when there aren’t tons of other Yaris’ racing throughout the country.

Out with the “show” suspension, in with AST Suspension

That’s right, this Yaris started out as a show car.  It looked good standing still, but didn’t perform up to the level it needed to in H Production.

We talked to Jason about his set up and wanted to know how the car was behaving and how it would best suit his driving style.  After a few conversations, we determined that AST 5100’s with custom valving would be a good fit.

We do suspension packages on everything from Solo II to GRAND AM, how hard could it be to get a Yaris dialed in?  Not very…

Once Jason got to the Runoffs, he had a few mishaps, but got the car ready for qualifying.  He grabbed 13^th place in the qualifying session.  Over the course of the race, he moved up through the ranks and finished in a respectable 8^th place.  Not bad at all for a car that got sorted out at the Runoffs.

We’ll admit, we don’t look at the Toyota Yaris in the same light!

UPDATE: 2011 has ushered in more speed and success!  5 Poles – 4 Wins! – 2 Second place finishes!

Read the whole article – thanks to SportsCar magazine for including us in the magazine!

When you think of Porsche as a brand, speed is one word that comes to mind.  But, 234.6 MPH, that is CRAZY speed!  The more amazing feat is that this isn’t a gutted “race car”, instead, this is a full interior, street legal 997.1 with a lot of help from a Twin Turbo system, built and raced by AST Suspension – USA dealer, Evolution Motorsports.

Our friends over at Evolution Motorsports specialize in neck breaking speed for late model Porsche owners looking for more speed, elegance or balance.  We chatted with the guys a while back when they told us about “MAYHEM”, the 997 pictured.  They told us that the car was capable of hitting well over 200 miles per hour and needed a suspension that would help the Porsche stay glued at speed, a LOT of speed!

For those not familiar with the Texas Mile event, it is a Top Speed event where participants travel 1 mile from a standing stop.  They then have a half mile to shut it down and get back to normal human speeds.  The latest Texas Mile event was where this unnatural Porsche came closer than any Porsche street car to the speed of light.  Congrats on the killer run!

By the way, when is the last time you’ve seen a Porsche with a parachute?  A-W-E-S-O-M-E

Vehicle Specs:

MAYHEM, or the EVT1500, began life as a twin turbo Porsche 997 in 2007. It was acquired by Todd Zuccone of Evolution MotorSports with 6 miles on the odometer for the sole purpose of Extreme Testing. When the car had been in the EVOMS shop for less than 24 hours it began its transformation with a simple ECU performance flash. Since that day, it lives as a Research and Development platform for John Bray and the other EVOMS engineers.

The EVT1500 Performance System features an EVOMS built 4.0-liter twin turbo engine with horsepower of 1485 and Torque of 1320. This upgrade also includes all of the needed safety components, suspension upgrades, transmission modifications and all other needed aspects of the car to match the performance of the engine. The cars post a 2.5 second time in 0-60 and runs the ¼ mile in excess of 160 MPH. The complete car weighs approximately 3200-3600 pounds depending on options.

How does it handle?

MAYHEM utilizes at set of AST 5320s.  These 3-way adjustable dampers with 45mm inverted front struts and custom low and high speed compression were built with super high speeds in mind.  The crew at AST-USA knew that with speeds over 200 MPH, the shocks were of paramount importance because it gives the driver the confidence to keep their right foot planted.  We realize that much of this record is due to Evolution’s ability to pump out nearly 1500 hp, but we still feel like a big part of the record by giving the driver the confidence to keep the right foot planted (see video below from 1:06 to the end – THAT is keeping it planted!).  See what John Bray, senior engine builder for EVOMS had to say regarding their AST Suspension.

“Our EVT1500 Porsche 997.1TT had great stability at high speed, especially above 200MPH. Additionally, due to the full adjust-ability we were able to tweak the suspension at the track on the weekend. We are looking forward to hitting 240+ next time out, and AST will be there!”

So what does 234.6 MPH look like?

More Photos: http://bit.ly/la1AgE

We appreciate Evolution Motorsports for sharing their story.  Evolution MotorSports also features performance upgrades for Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, VW, Audi as well as a full line of upgrades for all late model Porsches including the new 2012 Panamera turbo.  For more information, View the company websites at www.EVOMS.com and www.EVOMSit.com

When Ford announced that the 5.0L engine was making a comeback, you could feel the ground shaking, word spread like wildfire, but we wondered if it would just be another “marketing ploy.”  As the early 2011 Mustang GTs started to hit the street, it was apparent that the new 5.0 was everything Ford fans had been waiting on since the deletion of the 5.0 emblem from Mustangs in 1995.  It actually turns out that the new Mustang’s “world class value”  (less than $30k, 415 hp and BIG 14″ brakes) has broadened its owner base and is attracting new customers that were looking at all world performers such as the BMW M3.  Actually, it looks like Ford did a pretty good job hanging with the world class BMW M3 – check out this article.

Vorshlag, one of our  AST Suspension – USA dealers decided to see what all the hype was about, so they picked up a shiny new red 2011 Mustang GT last fall.  They bought the car in hopes of campaigning it in NASA Time Trial events and in STX (SCCA Autocross).  Keep in mind, these 415hp Mustangs still feature a live axle out back and a MacPherson strut front suspension, not exactly a purpose built suspension, but it will work (quite well actually).

The planned modifications are somewhat limited because of their chosen class.  A short list of their mods to date are below:

GRIP:

• AST 4100, single adjustable dampers
  
• Vorshlag S197 front camber (and caster) plates
• 450# front springs
• 175# rear springs
• Eibach ‘05-’10 Front adjustable swaybar – 35mm
• Energy Suspension polyurethane front control arm bushings
• 18”x 9” Wedsport TC105N wheels with Toyo R1R 265/35 tires
• Cobra Suzuka seat (1 autocross run and you will realize that stock seats weren’t meant for racing…)

POWER:

• Steeda Cold Air Intake
• SCT Custom Tuner

How does it handle?

Most of the 2011 season has been spent “dialing in” the car.  Obviously, with our 4100 damper package, there is a lot of adjustment range to help maximize grip, response through slaloms, driving style and balance.  Terry Fair, owner of Vorshlag (and chief test driver) says that “the AST’s(struts/shocks) are unbelievable.  They really helped to balance the car; it’s more responsive in slaloms and much more composed under braking on track.  It is amazing how well these new Mustangs respond to just a shock and spring change!”

The guys at Vorshlag have tried a few different spring combos and are working on getting the car set for their drivers.  The testing they’ve done has helped us improve the performance of the “off the shelf” S197  4100 package.  The 4100, single adjustable shocks/struts are a great street/track combo for daily driven Mustangs, autocross, track and race (some classes only allow single adjustable dampers).

More Info on the AST 4100′s

The AST 4100 series dampers used on this Mustang feature:  shortened shock bodies, custom valving (job well done by AST-USA’s very own Stuart Maxcy), non-inverted front struts and non-inverted rear shocks.  The front struts have a non-digressive piston and the rear shocks have the Grand Am spec digressive piston.  The digressive piston helps increase low speed rebound which helps “blow off” the forces a shock will receieve when rebounding, while not effecting the speed at which it rebounds.  Basically, it means that you’ll get a more “planted” tire when external forces are applied to the suspension, such as hitting big curbing or bumpy track surfaces.

To learn more about Vorshlag’s 2011 Shop car, check out their latest blog post or their main website.

Teams running AST suspension finish in 8 of the top 9 positions in the GS class for the 3rd round of the GRAND AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

The GS class, packed full of AST vehicles, took finishing spots 2 through 9 at the Barber 200 on April 9.  The #96 Turner Motorsports BMW led the most laps, but relinquished the lead with 4 laps remaining.  Manufacturers represented in the mix were BMW, Ford, Chevrolet and Porsche.  The AST Suspension -USA teams have had great success with several teams and cars finishing at the top in the first three races of the season.

Doran Racing has been using AST-USA shocks throughout the 2011 GRAND AM season.  The Doran Racing BMW 128i finished in second place in the ST class for its first podium of the season.

AST Suspension -USA’s general manager, Brian Hanchey said, “We are very excited to see the continued success of our product in one of the most grueling professional race series in America.  We have provided a package that is fast and consistent throughout the race.  The results really speak for themselves with 9 of the 12 cars running our shocks finishing in the top 11 (GS class).”

GRAND-AM Continental Challenge Series teams utilizing AST-USA shocks include: Turner Motorsports, Roush Performance, Stevenson Motorsports, Fall-Line Motorsports, Bimmerworld, Rum Bum Racing, DeMan Motorsports, Trade Manage Motorsports, BGB Motorsports, Doran Racing and Compass 360 Racing.

The next race in the series is the Bosch Engineering 200 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, VA on May 14th.

The crew here at AST-USA has been feverishly working since December with our GRAND AM teams preparing for the 2011 season. Currently, there are 9 teams running our AST 5220 series shocks through the first two races of the 2011 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season.

In December, AST-USA was buzzing with activity as many GRAND AM teams were finishing their 2011 cars for the upcoming season. We worked with each team to optimize their shock and spring packages, meaning, we spent countless hours on the shock dyno making sure that each team had the numbers they were looking for, to get proper baseline before testing in Daytona.

Daytona Testing
The AST-USA crew made the long haul from Texas to sunny, but not super warm Daytona Beach, Florida in early January. Test week at Daytona is a grueling week for AST-USA. The teams we support head out to shake down the cars, make adjustments, study the data collected and then head to the AST-USA trailer for adjustments. Many of the teams we support have newly completed race cars that have never turned a lap until they arrive at Daytona. Our days are mostly filled with conversations with the a team’s engineer or crew chief to talk about the setup and how it is working, then making shock adjustments on our shock dyno. It is amazing to see the progress these cars make in a few short days.

GRAND AM 200 – Daytona, FL – Race Day
We’re the new kids on the block. Daytona was our debut race. Everyone at AST-USA was on edge leading up to the start of the season. We felt nervously optimistic that the AST suspended cars would do well since they were fast in practice and qualified well with the Rum Bum M3 on the pole with a new track record (its got to be the shocks right?) In the back of our minds we know racing is unpredictable.

The race like most GRAND AM races had it’s ups and downs, but ended on an extremely high note for our maiden voyage into GRAND AM racing.
AST teams took SEVEN of the top Ten finishing positions: 1st (Rum Bum), 3rd (Turner), 4th (Fall-Line), 5th (Fall-Line), 6th (BimmerWorld), 8th (BGB Motorsports), and 9th (Fall-Line) Places in GS!

Kia 200 – Homestead, FL – Race Day
The AST-USA prepared teams were fast right off the truck at Thursday and Friday’s practice sessions. On Friday afternoon, qualifying ended with several AST-USA outfitted teams near the front,including the #61 Roush Mustang in 2nd and the #9 Stevenson Automotive Group Camaro GS.R in 3rd place.

Once the green flag dropped, the GS and ST class cars battled hard for position. The 200 lap race featured seven lead changes among seven drivers and offered the close racing that the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series is known for. At times, the racing became too close causing several full course caution laps, further emphasizing the importance of qualifying well.

AST-USA equipped teams finished 1, 2, 3, 4. The #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M3 finished in first place, followed by #61 Roush Mustang in second and the #45 and #48 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3 entries finished 3rd and 4th.

Overall, the 2011 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series has started off great for AST-USA. The coolest thing about our success on track is that it really reinforces what we do for the average AST-USA Suspension customer. The information we learn from our GRAND AM teams helps us fine tuning of our street, track and race shock offerings. Be sure to check us out on Facebook. We usually provide some updates during the race weekend.

Check back next week, we’ll have updates from the Barber 200.

Also, follow our AST equipped GRAND AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series teams: Turner Motorsports, Roush Performance, Stevenson Motorsports, Fall-Line Motorsports, Bimmerworld, Trade Manage Motorsports, BGB Motorsports, Doran Racing and Compass 360 Racing.

Congrats to Rum Bum Racing for their GS class win last weekend at the opening round of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Rum Bum took poll with a new track record on the new AST 5220s. AST teams took 1st (Rum Bum), 3rd (Turner), 4th (Fall-Line), 5th (Fall-Line), 6th (BimmerWorld), 8th (BGB Motorsports), and 9th (Fall-Line) Places in GS!

Black Friday through Cyber Monday Sale!

Swift Springs has given AST Suspension – USA approval to sell Swift coil over springs at any price we want!  Swift Springs are one of the most premium brands on the market selling at  $99 per spring.  Through Monday, November 29th at 1:00 PM CENTRAL TIME we will be selling Swift Springs for $69 each!

To keep this simple and easy, we’ve implemented ONE part code on our shopping cart.  Start by using Swift’s spring catalog file located HERE.

When you “Add to Cart” on our shopping cart, you will be prompted to enter the part number of the spring you want for ONE item.  Once you enter the part number, you can update the quantity in the shopping cart.  If you’d like to order more than one part number, add another spring to the order by clicking “Continue Shopping”.  Once you’ve added all the part numbers, check out!  It is that easy!

Remember all orders must be received by 1:00 PM CENTRAL TIME ON MONDAY.

NOTE:
Orders will not be charged until shipped.  If AST or Swift  does not have the part number in stock, you will have the option of canceling your order or waiting for the next shipment from Japan.  This sale does NOT include lowering springs.  Swift has only authorized this sale for coil over springs mentioned above.

We will be short staffed during this sale due to traveling to GRAND-AM’s first practice session at Homestead.  Please send questions to sales@ast-usa.com.

ALL ORDERS MUST BE COMPLETED ONLINE.

Start here!

A little eye candy for your Friday morning. Ronnie sent this picture of the new GRAND-AM reservoir right off the machine. This is what the new AST 5220 will use for professional and amateur teams alike!

Greetings!

Get ahead of your competitors and get your shocks freshened up for 2011 early.  While the competition sleeps, you’ll be ready to go for the next season!  Through the end of the year we’ll be providing shock rebuild services for HALF off.  Rebuilds through AST USA are $150/shock.  Get your shocks in by December 15th and pay only $75/shock.  Some shops charge up to $300 per shock!

Consider this.  Race teams often inspect their dampers after every weekend.  Most teams do complete rebuilds after a few races.  One track day weekend can be the equivalent (in time spent on the track) to a 2.5h GRAND-AM endurance race.  If you daily drive your car AND spend multiple weekends a year at the track, think about how long you’re going between inspections!  You should have your shocks inspected once a year to insure they are performing at their best.

Why are we doing this?  For 2011, we will be traveling with the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and other professional series.  While most wait until March to get their car ready, our season with GRAND-AM starts November 30th.  We will be time constrained early next year when most customers get their cars ready for the season.  Take advantage of the opportunity to get your dampers serviced early and save some money in the process.

What does the service include?

• New synthetic oil
• New o-rings throughout
• Shims inspected and replaced if damaged
• A run through our parts washer
• Average two week turn around (sometimes less, sometimes more)
• UPS Ground shipping back to you

What doesn’t it include?

• Replacement of shafts, pistons, or casings if damaged
• Removal of miscellaneous suspension components (do not send springs, camber plates, etc.) – dampers only please
• Dyno plots
• Complete revalving of the damper
• Any service other than UPS Ground shipping

How do I send them in?

1. Your RMA Number will be “LAST NAME-RLBD”
2. Fill out this form online http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dC1zdlZ0YVpkeWFTMy1tUEZ1U2JrdXc6MQ
3. Package your shocks neatly and put your RMA number on the outside of the box
4. Send your shocks to:

AST Suspension – USA

6901 K Avenue, Suite 107

Plano, TX 75074

That’s it!  We hope your 2011 turns out to be a good one!