The Subaru WRX that battled V8 goliaths in Grand A...

The Information of Life

The Continental (previously Koni) Problem, an endurance collection that lets two drivers share one automobile, is among the best street racing venues within the nation. It additionally serves as a profitable advertising and marketing platform for automobile producers. 

The Subaru Street Racing Workforce ran the Subaru Legacy 2.5GT spec.B within the collection’ Road Tuner class final yr. The Legacy proved to be a troublesome contender within the 40-car fields, operating valiantly in opposition to the Chevy Cobalt SS, Acura TSX, Honda Civic Si, BMW 330 and different sporty compacts. 

The group completed third in producers factors and second in drivers standings due to the efforts of co-pilots Andrew Aquilante and Kristian Skavnes. In addition they tied for first to earn the Workforce Efficiency Index award—Andrew received the Driver Efficiency Index for the category, beating out greater than 100 different drivers. 

When Subaru stopped manufacturing of the Legacy 2.5GT spec.B, it was time to retire the race automobile. “Subaru of America desired to have a present mannequin yr marketing campaign in 2010,” says Joe Aquilante, group proprietor and supervisor. When the Legacy went into retirement, Subaru determined to run its new Impreza WRX STI. 

The Subaru Street Racing Workforce is managed by Joe Aquilante of Phoenix Efficiency, Inc. {Photograph} by Sahar Hassani

Todd Lawrence explains the producer’s reasoning: “The WRX STI is the halo product in our efficiency portfolio, and it compliments our efforts in rally. Each rally and street racing are necessary components of our racing technique and permit us to check our engineering beneath excessive situations and in opposition to a variety of opponents.”

The STI would race with the massive canines—Mustangs, Camaros, BMWs, Porsches and Audis—within the Grand Sport class. Whereas the group would face a harder subject, they might even have the chance to compete for general honors. “In multi-class racing, there’s a status in operating within the sooner class,” Andrew explains. The highest-tier Grand Sport class tends to obtain extra media protection—together with that all-important TV airtime—than the slower Road Tuner division.

The advertising and marketing a part of the plan wasn’t restricted to on-track finishes. Subaru additionally needed some younger blood behind the wheel. Andrew and co-driver Bret Spaude are each 22 years previous. 

Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude are co-driving the Subaru, and so they managed a Fifteenth-place end within the automobile’s debut at Daytona. {Photograph} by Sahar Hassani

“The Subaru crowd is usually a youthful group,” Andrew explains. “They’re usually of their early 20s and 30s and luxuriate in watching the STIs carry out.” 

Diff’hire Strokes

Every automobile mannequin discovered within the Continental Tire Sports activities Automobile Problem collection is constructed to related but barely completely different specs. Grand-Am, the sanctioning physique, permits various levels of modifications in an effort to equalize the sphere. Whereas all vehicles comply with the identical primary degree of preparation, the main points can fluctuate from mannequin to mannequin. Data on every automobile’s allowed modifications may be discovered within the Grand-Am rule ebook. 

“The Subaru WRX STI is exclusive to different Grand Sport vehicles within the collection,” Joe explains. In spite of everything, it’s the one automobile sporting a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. “It’s not a V8,” he grins. Even so, at about 350 horsepower, the Subaru is a few 50 ponies shy of the V8 vehicles. Their automobile should weigh no less than 3100 kilos dry, making it a bit lighter than the V8 machines discovered within the class. 

As a result of the STI’s turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine is about 50 horsepower shy of its V8 opponents, the automobile is allowed to run a bit lighter than the remainder of the sphere. {Photograph} by Sahar Hassani

“The most important bills in constructing the automobile are the roll cage fabrication, gasoline cell and the opposite bought elements,” Joe experiences. From begin to end, it takes about 90 days to construct a WRX STI race automobile. The group at the moment has two STIs within the steady, however they’re solely campaigning one in the intervening time.

The very best and best technique to construct a STI for the Continental Problem collection is to begin with a whole avenue automobile, the group explains, regardless that a variety of pointless components will likely be tossed. The inventory seats, carpeting, stereo system, panels and trim received’t be wanted.

“We stripped down the road automobile, which was the toughest a part of constructing the race automobile,” Andrew explains. “It took us a few week to strip every part off.” Main security modifications adopted, together with the addition of a full roll cage, Sparco steering wheel, hearth system, racing seat and window nets.

{Photograph} by Sahar Hassani

The Grand-Am guidelines dictate which inventory elements could also be modified, though the STI’s engine should stay inventory. That provides some problem to the equation. “We’ve got extra warmth to cope with and stress on inventory elements,” Joe explains. “We funds two races per engine. We time change them to maintain them recent and anticipate utilizing a complete of 5 engines all through the season.” 

The group experiences that the vehicles deal with nicely, however there’s nonetheless work to be performed. “We now have to work on energy inside the guidelines framework, which doesn’t permit us to change the drivetrain to any considerable diploma,” Joe explains.

To make sure that the STI could be aggressive in opposition to the opposite Grand Sport entries, Grand-Am gave the automobile some concessions. The Subaru racer is allowed to hold extra gasoline than its inventory counterpart—4 further gallons. The group can now go a full hour on a tank, a typical vary for many vehicles within the class. Grand-Am additionally particularly permits the STI to improve to a beefy Brembo brake caliper. 

The allowed Brembo brakes aren’t a radical departure from the OEM setup, although they use Hawk pads and ample ducting to maintain them inside their working temperatures. {Photograph} by Sahar Hassani

Like all different vehicles in its class, the WRX will get to run an open exhaust, stiffer suspension {hardware} and the necessary Koni shock absorbers. Deciding precisely which aftermarket elements to run was one of many group’s largest challenges. Nonetheless, that they had an ace up their sleeve: group technical director and chief engineer John Heinricy. 

John lately retired from Common Motors, the place he served as director of their efficiency division. He additionally has 11 SCCA nationwide street racing titles to his credit score and has lapped Nürburgring in lower than 8 minutes. “John has offered enter on suspension and drivetrain engineering—geometry and suspension tuning, largely—plus take a look at driving through the first take a look at days,” Joe explains. 

Rising Pains

Their 21/2-hour debut race at Daytona was admittedly a studying expertise. The toughest half was getting the brand new automobile dialed in. 

“The largest trick we now have realized is getting the PCM tuning to dwell inside the increase limits set by Grand-Am and to reduce increase spikes and turbo strain creep,” Joe explains. “We’re nonetheless engaged on that.” 

The group additionally wants extra pace. “The automobile is three seconds off the tempo and desires to shut the horsepower hole,” Joe continues. “We’re 8 mph slower than the V8 vehicles on the terminal velocity factors on the lengthy straights at Daytona.”

The Subaru WRX STI faces powerful competitors in Grand Sport from the likes of the BMW M3, Ford Mustang and Porsche 997. {Photograph} by Sahar Hassani

Whereas the group continues to fine-tune the WRX STI, John is mentoring his younger drivers and serving to them develop their analytical abilities. “John is among the finest improvement engineers for efficiency vehicles,” Joe explains. “He’s eminently certified for the duty. He is a good mentor for Bret and Andrew.” 

The 2010 Grand-Am season began on the quickest observe on the calendar, Daytona. Because the season unfolds, the Subarus ought to excel on tight tracks that function brief straights reminiscent of New Jersey Motorsports Park, Barber Motorsports Park, Watkins Glen and Lime Rock. And if it rains, look out.

“Subaru makes an excellent product that’s enjoyable to race,” Andrew says, smiling. “The all-wheel drive permits you to do issues that different vehicles can’t.”