Hamfist Racing Subaru STI on Real Time Attack Flyer

Historic Hack.

By: Jake

Long before I realized a 1:25 scale diecast replica STi wing would meet the rule requirements for SCCA Solo class STU, I envisioned and created a one off, custom spoiler for the Subaru STi. The spoiler was sleek, subdued, OE looking and best of all it bolts directly to an OEM STi trunk, covering all 17 existing holes punched out by the OEM whale wing. The reason I never ran this wing extensively was because a wingless trunk was much more "sleeper" and lighter! For SCCA classing purposes, doubleside-taping the tiny replica wing at the race kept the rule-nazis quiet. I thought I would share my original custom spoiler with the rest of you here. Enjoy.

Hamfist Racing featured by John Torres / Import2Race

Brian & Jake @ HIN Gymkhana Englishtown



Dave @ NNJR-SCCA Englishtown

Historic STU DC ProSolo Video Uncovered -- Heart Wrenching Loss 0.001 seconds

By: Jake

It took about a year to recuperate from this heart wrenching loss at the 2009 DC ProSolo. Below are my STU runs from the fateful weekend. I walked away from that race 0.001 seconds from first place in class (the smallest measurable margin in the sport).

2005 Subaru Impreza WRX (Not an STI)

Year: 2005
Make: Subaru
Model: Not an STI
Color: World Rally Blue
Owner: Ron Zaras
Sponsor: Click HERE To Sponsor This Car.

Class Eligibility:
• SCCA SOLO - ???
• SCCA Rallycross - Prepared AWD
• Redline Time Attack - Street AWD
• NASA TT - Unlimited
• MotorsportsNE - Unlimited

Handling Modifications:
• Whiteline Front (27mm) and Rear (24mm) Swaybars
• KW Clubsport coilovers
• Whiteline Max-C camber plates

• Whiteline Anti Lift Kit

• Whiteline Balljoint extenders

Wheels & Tires:
• 17"x9” Rays G07WT (BTCC wheels)
• 255/40/17 Hankook Ventus RS-3

Braking Modifications:
• Baer 6pot front brakes

• Baer 14" front rotors

• STi Brembo rear brakes + rotors

• Goodridge lines

• Hawk HP+ Pads

Power Modifications:
• Random Tech Catted Downpipe
• TXS Up-pipe
• Stromung catback
• OpenECU 18psi street tune

Exterior Modifications:
• Dents
• Scratches

Interior Modifications:
• Alpine Head Unit
• Speed Hole in Rear Floorboard

• Flocked dashboard

Other Modifications & Maintenance:
• Quick ratio 11.5 to 1 steering rack

• GFB adjustable short shifter

• Motul Racing Brakefluid
• Amsoil 5w-40 Euro Oil
• Removed Intake Silencer

2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

Year: 2004
Make: Subaru
Model: Impreza WRX STi
Color: Silver
Owner: Brian Goldstein
Sponsor: Click HERE To Sponsor This Car.

Class Eligibility:

• SCCA SOLO - Unknown
  
• SCCA Rallycross - Prepared AWD
  
• Redline Time Attack - Street AWD
• NASA TT - Unlimited
• MotorsportsNE - Unlimited

Handling Modifications:

• Cusco Zero 2E Coilovers (7K Front / 5K Rear)
• Carbing Rear Strut Bar
• DC Titanium Front Strut Bar
  
• Cusco Front Camber Plates
• Cusco Rear Pillowball Tophats
  
• Cusco 22-24mm Adjustable Rear Sway Bar
• Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings
• Whiteline 27-29mm Adjustable Front Sway Bar
• Whiteline Caster Bushings (to be installed)
• Kartboy Rear Adjustable Endlinks
• Kartboy Front Adjustable Endlinks
• eBay Fender Brace
  

Wheels & Tires:

• 17"x9" Rota DPT
• 245/40/17 Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec

Braking Modifications:

• Powerslot Front and Rear Rotors
• Hawk HP+ Pads
• Technafit Stainless Steel Brakelines

Power Modifications:

• Ingenuity Open Source Stage II ECU
• Maddad 3" Catted Downpipe
• HKS Uppipe
• Perrin Turbo Inlet
• K&N Short Ram Intake
  

Exterior Modifications:

• eBay Front Lip Spoiler
  

Interior Modifications:

• Recaro Speed Front Drivers Seat
  

Other Modifications & Maintenance:

• Group-N Motor Mounts
  
• Group-N Transmission Mount
• Group-N Pitch Mount
• TIC Clunk Killer Kit

If you are interested in SPONSORING a Hamfist Racing car or driver, Please Click HERE.

CONTACT US

'09 Toledo ProSolo

By: Jake


After the 1st session for STU Ridgick and I broke out of the pack by 1.7 seconds and we were separated by 15 thousandths.

Going forward everyone improved, naturally. Unfortunately for me I finished up on the left with fast dirty runs. Woulda shoulda coulda not wobbled that last cone at the finish out of the box on my 27.1xx left side run for a 7 tenths pick up. On the last left side run I red lit with a 0.499 reaction time and decided to hold third much longer for experimental purposes. Plus one in the slalom and a 27.0XX. The important lesson learned, which should have been learned in DC, is that you can NOT rely on the announcer. Too bad. Congrats Cy, Corey, Greg, and everyone else. See runs on video and pictures below...





Results: http://scca.com/documents/resultfiles/13630_results%20rt.60ft1%5D.pdf

Pocono Grand Slam Aftermath - Brownbo's & Smoke

Subaru STi brakes magically change colors when you hamfist the car for 30 minutes...

This is what happens when a hamfist tries to catch another hamfist on an open track.

Pocono Grand Slam 2009

At Pocono Grand Slam this year, one hamfist blew up his motor. More to come on that later. In the mean time check out the video from my one session on the east course. Due to technical difficulties I am driving on the bizzaro world East Course in my car, just right hand drive. Don't ask... Stay tuned for the last lap where I put one wheel off.

PREPARATION-H.amfist

By: Jake

SCCA DC ProSolo is in less than two weeks and Finger Lakes National Tour is this week. For many, Team Hamfist included, preparation is in full swing – preparation of equipment and preparation of drivers. Aside from making sure we get seat time every chance we get, including this weekend's NNJR SCCA autocross on the Raceway Park road course and last weekends 2-day Holbert Memorial, we have all begun working on some minor tweaks to get the cars closer to the maximum performance potential of each of our classes.

I am not about to let those STU boys get the best of me. For me personally, that meant spending a little time wrenching and a little time running erands. Neither of which was uneventful.

The STU Competition

A week or so ago myself and a couple other Hamfists decided to pull the trigger on new rubber. Between all of us we ended up buying twelve new tires; including, 4 Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Specs, 4 Toyo R888s, and 4 Hoosier A6s… drool. The Hoosier A6’s are 275/35/15 and are set to be run on the La Rosa’s 1993 Mazda RX7 R1 – an ex-Super-Stock car now nicely prepared for ASP competition.

Awaiting fresh stickies (Top Right: La Rosa Rx-7; Top Left: Jake Rx-7; Bottom: Jake STi)

The R888 rubber, while sticky and technically and R compound tire, is more of a compromise between street and race. This rubber has been mounted to an A-Stock 2008 Honda S2000 Club Racing Edition owned by Hamfist co-founder, Dave Corsaro. (There will be much more on both of these autox beasts-drivers and cars-in future posts here so be sure to check back.)

Holbert Memorial Autox (Top Left: Jake STi; Top Right: Corsaro S2000)

Co-founder Dave performing the official Hamfist salute

The Dunlop’s are for the Subaru STi. Dunlop Direzzas are one of the fastest tires available for ST* competition in SCCA solo racing. Despite the Bridgestone RE11R being the tire of choice for most of my divisional and regional competition I decided to stick with a tried and true tire. This decision unfortunately eliminates me from contingency sponsor prize eligibility with Bridgestone, obviously. However, the upfront cost was a couple hundred dollars less buying the Dunlops than buying the Bridgestones.

Our Hamfist fieldtrip to Wal-Mart for a low buck race tire mount ($3.50/tire) yielded some funny pictures. One of which is the Bronco full of wheels and tires, sixteen to be exact.

And a business was born... Acme Tire Transport Co.

I guess that old hunk of steel serves a purpose after all. The other interesting thing to note was the car-nage that occurred right before our eyes upon pulling into the Wal-Mart parking lot. A Honda Accord came barreling out if its parking spot over a mulch median and plowed into the side of a shiny Civic parked 30 feet away. I thought that the throttle might have gotten stuck on the Accord, that was until the Accord backed up 10 feet and threw the car back in drive for another crunch session. Repeat. This guy was obviously nuts!

Wal-Mart carnage aftermath

We hamfisted the Bronco out of there in fear of being the next target on this guy’s rampage. Once the heat died down we check back with the scene of the crime and snapped pictures of some of the aftermath. Apparently the driver had a stroke and was clueless as to the carnage he was causing. He ended up in a telephone poll separating the parking lot from the major road. Lucky he didn’t cross over.

Back at Wal-Mart the tire mounting grease monkey decided to hook me up with a custom "polished lip" on one of my Rota DPT bronze wheels. What do you expect for $3.50 per tire? Team Hamfist is sitting on fresh rubber, now.

(Picture soon to come)

After the Holbert weekend and NNJR autox passed I started looking around at some parts I have accumulated over many months that I have yet to install due to a severe case of procrastination.

More Holbert Memorial Photo's by Perry @ Autox4u.com (2nd Place in class trophy: Bottom; Running: Top)

These parts include NGK iridium spark plugs, COBB shifter bushing, and a COBB post-MAF intake hose, and a custom Meineke axle-back-delete dump pipe.

Custom Meineke Dump Pipe

Additionally I have been piecing together some stock parts that have broken or fallen off, possibly as a result of rallyx, including a turbo heat shield bracket and a front passenger side fender liner. Most of this gear went in without a problem. However, while swapping the spark plugs I needed to remove the airbox; at which time I discovered that my K&N panel air filter was 95% caked in rally mud. When I say caked I mean CAKED. It looked like I baked a cake out of mud on the dirty side of the filter.

Source of the mud pie - Poughkeepsie Sports Car Club Rallycross '08 (Photo By: Robert Plafta)

They only part of the filter that looked to be allowing air to pass through must have been no bigger than a Ritz cracker. I have been autoxing like this all season! I proceeded to wack the panel against the ground ten or so times and it was all clean... relatively speaking. In my last effort to shave every tenth off my time and every ounce off my car I removed my rally armor mudflaps and rear aero-skirts. Not only does all this cosmetic hardware weight critical ounces but I imagine that they protruded off the car sufficient enough to clip unnecessary cones.

Next on the agenda is a stop at Sunoco for 5 gallons of my favorite automotive beverage, GT100 octane, and then I am off to Finger Lakes. Team Hamfist, I'll see you there. In the meantime don't forgot the secret Hamfist mantra... "Balls To The Wall."

The Season Finale, The Start of Something Big

By: Jake

A recent daydream got me thinking life would be more fun as a professional racecar driver. You’ve had this dream too. It occurred to me this dream is unlikely to become reality if I stick with autocross for the rest of my life. It was time to make a move. Time Attack seemed to be an appropriate medium to transition to professional racing since it has more sponsorship support and it is much more in the eye of the media.

A few clicks on the internet pinpointed the next time attack event within driving distance: the two day season finale of the 2008 Redline Time Attack Series held at Virginia International Raceway in conjunction with the GT Live Tour. The great appeal for me was seeing that the Street Class competition was to be battled out on the Patriot Course, a tight infield track with lots of safe runoff spaces. Autocross experience would help on such a course. Additionally, the tight track afforded little advantage to cars with lots of horsepower and extensive power upgrades. The straights on the Patriot course are short lived and the name of the game is cornering balance. My WRX STI, prepared merely with thicker sway bars, beefier endlinks, an upgraded clutch, springs, camber plates, downpipe, and a COBB ECU tune, stood a fighting chance. All the moons and stars seemed to be in alignment as the path to transition to a higher level motorsport materialized.

Before I knew it the spontaneous 8 hour road trip from New York City had concluded at the serene motorsports facility in the midst of country farms. Upon pulling into the Patriot course paddock at VIR early Saturday morning, it was clear this was not my weekly autocross competition. I was surrounded by drift and time attack cars with extensive sponsorship support.

A quick glance at my dashboard reminded me that I was running on fumes and it was time to hit the Sunoco pumps on site for the good stuff – 100 octane. The short drive up the infield led me to the main paddock, home to the gas pumps and to what seemed like hundreds of Koni Challenge / Grand Am team trailers… tractor trailers.

At this point it occurred to me that nearly 4 years after motorsports (namely autocross) became my sole obsession I had never entrenched myself in the experience of a professional race. Looking at the paddock I realized I knew as much about professional racing as I do about String Theory. Nevertheless, I can drive fast and this GT Live Tour event seemed more and more suiting as a kick off point for my lofty goals.

After tossing all the road trip essentials into a nice “neat” pile in the paddock and listening in on the drivers’ meeting, the course was opened for an optional 2 hour practice session. Having never driven any layout at VIR I certainly had my work cut out for me if I wanted to finish strong at my first time attack.

While strapping myself into the car my lone crew member, local autocross competitor and girlfriend alike, quickly bled air from the Bridgestone RE01-R tires to go from fuel-economy-pressure to race-pressure. I cautiously pulled out onto the course analyzing the unfamiliar tarmac. With my driving dialed back to about seven tenths I discovered closely-linked sweepers and some very fun elevation changes. On the tight second gear sweepers I felt right at home – experiencing autocross flashbacks. The changes in elevation corner to corner, however, were an unfamiliar dynamic element that took some getting use to.

Practice lap times were qualifying drivers for hot-lap gird positions. After an hour of practicing I had the lead over the street class cars warming up, but the “victory” was short lived as I was quickly outrun by a Mopar/Continental Tire SRT- 4 Neon.

After a brief lunch break the street class competitors were called to grid for our day one hot-laps. I was qualified right behind the Mopar SRT-4. Another STI sponsored by Boxer4Racing and Continental Tire and a heavily prepared Slick Motorsports EVO – sporting, among other things, upgraded cams, intercooler, header-back exhaust, an FP Green turbo, and KW coilovers – were holding down the 3rd and 4th grid positions respectively.

The four of us were set loose to see who could post a good run with the clock officially ticking. Staying consistent I laid down a 54.1 sec pass. The rest of the field improved pushing me down from 1st to 4th in Street-AWD Division. I was dethroned. Perhaps the other drivers were holding back in practice. There was nothing to do to improve my position until the next day so I decided to take part in the other festivities of the GT Live Tour.

Further into the VIR facility Subaru and Mazda had set up promotional tents with all sorts of activities and the Grand Am cars were deep into competition. Mazda had a nice rotary car show and was displaying some fully prepped MX-5 drift cars. At the Subaru tent I partook in autox fun runs driving their 2009 WRX test mule. According to the Subaru reps working the tent, I ran the fastest time of the day out of the participants, unofficially. Tire screeching and billowing smoke clouds over the Patriot course could be sensed from afar. The drifting competition had begun. Watching the drift cars making a mockery of the racing line was entertaining, but I had little energy left so I headed to the hotel for an early night’s sleep.

The next morning’s practice session got an early start. The plan was to warm up the car and find more time; both proved to be easier said than done. After one warm-up run I lost control after turn one and went off in deeply rutted dirt. I was concerned, having hit the ruts hard, against the grain and sideways. Sure enough the front right tire was leaking air. I imagined myself driving 55mph in the right lane of I-95 on a donut for 400 miles. I wasn’t about to let my weekend come to an end like that.

A closer inspection of the tire revealed that dirt and rocks had wedged themselves between the rubber and rim. Multiple attempts to pry the debris out with a flathead had been unsuccessful. Then I remembered the Hoosier trailers parked over in the main paddock, there to support the Grand Am teams. I thought that since those guys do nothing but mount and balance tires all day they would surely help if I asked (or more precisely, begged) them nicely. I shot right over to Hoosier just as they were opening shop. With less than three words spoken to the Hoosier rep, my wheel and tire were on their way down the assembly line of tire mounting equipment. Two minutes later I had the wheel and tire back as good as new. The Hoosier crew wanted nothing more than for me to have a good race. Needless to say I was touched and very thankful. They saved my weekend.

Back on course I gunned for a decent 53 second pass. Lap after lap, I was running consistent low 54s. Come time for the final hot laps I was qualified 5th based on that day’s practice times. Ideally, I wanted to move into trophy position in Street-AWD division so that I would qualify for contingency. Fearing I had exhausted what little tread I had remaining (after an entire summer of autocross and four hours of track time) I realized I needed an alternate strategy to move up in the ranks since I couldn’t push my tires any harder than in practice. The timing equipment, or the finish line if you will, was placed slightly after the start of a braking zone which led to a fairly fast downhill right sweeper. The game plan was simple: brake late after the finish of my third hot-lap.

I ended up flat on the throttle through the finish line and having to stand on the brakes to avoid the grass on the outside of the sweeper. The maneuver was good for a 53.3 second lap time, a 3rd place trophy (0.2 seconds out from the winner: the Slick Motorsports EVO), some contingency sponsor prize money, and a soiled pair of underpants. It was absolutely worth it. After all, I am a professional racecar driver now, right? Not quite. It’s clear I have a lot to learn about the world of professional racing. First, I have to see if I have any prize money left over after I buy a new pair of underwear for the drive home.

Photography Partially By: Budski Photography

Results - Redline Time Attack 2008 Season Finale

Street AWD

1 Alex Sharanevych - Slick Motorsports Mitsubishi Evolution - 53.138

2 Steven Renkins - Boxer 4 Racing / Continental Tire Subaru STI - 53.260

3 Jake Hamfist - Subaru STI - 53.395

4 Hovik Latavitz - Mitsubishi Evolution - 54.008

5 Shawn Moser - Mitsubishi Evolution - 54.163

6 Frank Abbato - Subaru STI - 54.511

7 Sebastian Kokoszka - Janko Imports Subaru WRX - 55.702

Street RWD

1 Thomas Hiromoto - Fuji Racing Mazda Miata - 52.957

2 Eric Wei - Revision Honda S2000 - 55.136

3 Mark - Revision Mazda RX-8 - 55.738

4 John Marsh - Allstars Mazda Miata - 1:03.492

Street FWD

1 Douglas Wind - Continental Tire Dodge Neon SRT-4 - 53.106

2 Justin Crenshaw - PTuning Scion xA - 57.614

3 Caesar Delgadillo - Acura RSX-S - 59.529

4 Mike Pound - Acura Integra - 59.985

5 Gary Fratianne - Mazdaspeed3 - 1:01.409

6 John Molinelli - Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V - 1:02.105

7 Anthony Jones - Acura Integra - 1:02.232

Unlimited RWD

1 Tyler McQuarrie - C-West/Brian Crower Honda S2000 - 2:00.781

2 Sharif Abdelbaset - Forged Performance Nissan 350Z - 2:05.394

3 Bill Washburn - Dent Sport Garage Nissan 240SX - 2:08.386

4 Jeff Rica - 240SX Motoring Nissan 240SX - 2:11.187

5 Scott Bush - BC Racing Infiniti G35 - 2:17.322

6 Drew Staveley - Mazda Miata - 3:00.942

Unlimited AWD

1 Luke Russell - Top Speed Subaru Brighton - 1:58.540

2 Tarzan Yamada - Crawford Performance Subaru STI - 1:58.929

3 Phillip Grabow - Element Tuning Subaru STI - 2:01.214

Unlimited FWD

1 Bryan Johnson - Honda of America Racing Team Honda Civic Si - 2:03.789

Modified AWD

1 James Elterman - Crawford Performance Subaru STI - 2:23.930

2 Ron Adams - Dent Sport Garage Subaru STI - 2:30.942

Modified RWD

1 Sharif Abdelbaset - Forged Performance Nissan 350Z - 2:08.569

2 Burak Tuglu - Lassa Racing Tires Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - 2:09.257

3 Andrew Wojteczko - Auto Analyzer Racing Honda S2000 - 2:13.840

4 John Zepeda - Voodoo Racing / Comp Sounds Mazda Miata - 2:23.873

Modified FWD

1 Ross Miller - PTuning Scion tC - 2:12.208

2 Dave Pratte - Modified Magazine Honda Civic - 2:13.762

3 Don Hill - Continental Tire Honda Civic - 2:16.494

4 Mark Johnson - Cheap Trix Racing Honda CRX - 2:31.122

2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

Year: 2004
Make: Subaru
Model: Impreza WRX STi
Color: World Rally Blue
Horsepower: 305 whp
Torque: 335 wtq
Weight: 3050 lbs
Owner: Jake
Sponsor: TO SPONSOR THIS CAR PLEASE EMAIL US BY CLICKING HERE

Race Class Eligibility:

• SCCA SOLO - Street Touring Ultra
• SCCA Rallycross - Prepared AWD
• Redline Time Attack - Street AWD
• NASA TT - TTS
• MotorsportsNE - Unlimited

Handling Modifications:

• H&R Street Performance Coilovers (8K Front / 6K Rear)
• H&R Front Camber Bolts
• Group-N Rear Top Mounts
• Cusco Front Camber Plates
• Cusco 22-24mm Adjustable Rear Sway Bar
• Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings
• Whiteline 27-29mm Adjustable Front Sway Bar
• Whiteline Caster Bushings (to be installed)
• Hotchkis Rear Adjustable Endlinks
• Hotchkis Front Adjustable Endlinks

Wheels & Tires:

• 17"x9" Rota DPT
• 245/40/17 Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec

Braking Modifications:

• Powerslot Front and Rear Rotors
• Hawk HP+ Pads
• Technafit Stainless Steel Brakelines

Power Modifications:

• COBB Accessport Married Stock Mode / Stage II 93 / STU Sunoco GT100 Map
• COBB 3" Downpipe
• COBB Post-MAF Silicone Hose
• Magnaflow 3" High-Flow Catalytic Converter (Metallic Substrate)
• Custom Meineke Axle-Back Muffler Delete
• Custom Cold Air Intake Ducting

Exterior Modifications:

• 22B Replica Wing (Diecast 1:18 scale)
• Custom Cleared Headlights
• Rally Armor Mud Flaps
• 20% Window Tints
• De-badged Fog Light Covers
• WRX Sideskirts
• JDM Rear Bumper Aprons

Interior Modifications:

• Escort Passport 8500 X50 Radar Detector (Custom Hard Mount)
• Kenwood KVT-815 DVD
• Kenwood KSC-Sw1 Powered Subwoofer
• Boston Acoustics NX67 Component Speakers
• Custom Red Interior HVAC Control Lights and Key Ring Light
• Custom Blacked-Out Steering Wheel
• Motorola HF850 Hands-Free Bluetooth Car Kit
• Autometer Gauge Bezel
• Prosport Boost and Exhaust Gas Temperature Gauges

Other Modifications & Maintenance:

• Group-N Motor Mounts
• Group-N Transmission Mount
• COBB Front Shifter Bushing
• Kartboy Rear Stay Shifter Bushing
• TIC U-Joint Shifter Bushing
• TIC Upper Shifter Bushing
• Hawker Odyssey PC680MJT Lightweight Battery 15 lbs
• Mobil 1 5w-30
• Motul 90 PA LSD Fluid
• Motul Gear 300 Trans Fluid 75W-90
• ATE Super Blue Racing Brakefluid

If you are interested in SPONSORING a Hamfist Racing car or driver, Please Click HERE.

CONTACT US