AMSPerformance.com

AMS Performance debuts their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X at Round 3 of the 2009 Redline Time Attack with a 2nd place in the Unlimited AWD Class.

AMS would like to take time out to thank our generous sponsors whom without their support TA-X would not be possible:

* -AEM http://www.aempower.com/
* -Aeromotions http://aeromotions.com/
* -BF Goodrich http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/bfgapp/index.jsp
* -Child Rescue Network http://www.childrescuenetwork.org/
* -Exedy http://www.exedyusa.com/race/
* -JE Pistons http://www.jepistons.com/
* -JRZ Suspension http://www.jrzsuspension.com/
* -Manley http://www.manleyperformance.com/
* -Mishimoto http://www.mishimoto.com/
* -Mitsubishi Motors USA http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/index.do
* -NOS Energy Drink http://www.drinknos.com/
* -Prototype Composites http://www.prototypecomposites.com/
* -Status http://www.statusracing.com/
* -StopTech http://www.stoptech.com/
* -StickerDude http://www.stickerdudedesigns.com/
* -Vibrant Performance http://www.vibrantperformance.com/

Produced by Doug Horton dougkhorton@gmail.com

AMS Performance / NOS Energy Drink TA-X debuts with a podium finish!

This past weekend marked the first ever Redline Time Attack at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, IL. It was also to be the debut for the AMS Performance / NOS Energy Drink Time Attack Mitsubishi EVO X (TA-X). Just days prior TA-X was in pieces and in its final stage of assembly. The team was able to come together and get the car up and running for the weekend’s events.

Saturday’s testing went very well with the AMS /NOS EVO X getting quicker and quicker. Some new car bugs prevented the AMS team from running the car at peak power. The team was only able to compete at the 450 wheel horsepower level, down from the 600whp level they had hoped to compete at. Each session brought about a new series of changes and tweaks to help improve the car. AMS driver Mark Daddio worked his magic with the underpowered car as each practice session the AMS/NOS Energy drink car got quicker and quicker.

This event brought out some stiff competition but early on Saturday it became clear that the Crawford Performance STI driven by Tarzan Yamada was the car to beat. With 580 wheel horsepower and in its second year of competition was running very quick laps all day. TA-X and the Crawford STI exchanged fastest lap times Saturday leaving Sunday open to either team.

Sunday started out with the TA-X setting the fastest lap of the event thus far in their first practice session. Rain was imminent as the radar showed a storm cell moving towards the track. As the first competition session kicked off once again it was AMS and Crawford within a couple of tenths of a second with the Crawford car edging them out. It would come down to the last session…so long as the weather would hold out AMS had a chance to take TA-X out for one last chance.

Down on power AMS brought TA-X out for its last session of the day with only minutes before the approaching storm rolled in. In exciting fashion both AMS and Crawford once again reset each other’s best lap time with Crawford edging TA-X out on its first lap. It all came down to the last lap. With a blistering first section as Mark Daddio rolling into turn four tragedy struck as the shifter cable on TA-X snapped…ending their session and the day.

In only its first competition the AMS/ NOS Energy Drink Time Attack EVO X was able to take a podium finish. TA-X claimed second place in the unlimited AWD class and second fastest overall lap of the day. What is even more impressive is that it was achieved without the additional 150 wheel horsepower the car will have later on in the season.
After TA-X’s appearance at the Mitsubishi Owner’s Day in Cypress, Ca July 11th, the next race will be July 25/26 at the Redline Time Attack in Nashville, TN. With what was learned over this past weekend AMS hopes to improve TA-X by restoring its horsepower level back to 600, adding more aero and more importantly even more testing time. The AMS / NOS Energy Drink Time Attack car should be back stronger than ever.

AMS would like to take time out to thank our generous sponsors whom without their support TA-X would not be possible:

• -AEM http://www.aempower.com/
• -Aeromotions http://aeromotions.com/
• -BF Goodrich http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/bfgapp/index.jsp
• -Child Rescue Network http://www.childrescuenetwork.org/
• -Exedy http://www.exedyusa.com/race/
• -JE Pistons http://www.jepistons.com/
• -JRZ Suspension http://www.jrzsuspension.com/
• -Manley http://www.manleyperformance.com/
• -Mishimoto http://www.mishimoto.com/
• -Mitsubishi Motors USA http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/index.do
• -NOS Energy Drink http://www.drinknos.com/
• -Prototype Composites http://www.prototypecomposites.com/
• -Status http://www.statusracing.com/
• -StopTech http://www.stoptech.com/
• -StickerDude http://www.stickerdudedesigns.com/
• -Vibrant Performance http://www.vibrantperformance.com/

For more images from the event please visit the official AMS Performance gallery here:
http://www.amsperformance.com/galler…2_itemId=17619

As I am sure most of you know we have been building an EVO X time attack car. Well just recently we released a short statement about the effort put forth by our crew to get the car together in time for the latest race. For one week straight day and night they worked around the clock to finish the car. The work and dedication put in was nothing short of inspiring. The end result is a car that so far is testing out to be everything we had hoped for.

Most of you remember the video where we tore down that brand new EVO X to start the build on this latest Time Attack car (http://videos.streetfire.net/video/A…O-X_204768.htm) Well in that same fashion we thought we would give you a fast paced look at what went into the last week of the TA-X build.

Here is the video of the AMS/NOS Energy drink Evo X during its final few days being built!

AMS+NOS+Energy+Drink+Time+Attack+EVO+X+Assembly

The last few days have been pretty crazy but we finally got the car all buttoned up and ready for some testing. Here are some pics of the preparations leading up to the 1st testing session:

Here are some quick snaps from our 1st Autobahn testing session yesterday:

More images of the final stages of the build along with more pictures from the track can be found in our gallery HERE

The car did really well yesterday and we were able to run some pretty good times on low boost and preliminary suspension settings. We’re back in the shop today making the necessary adjustments and planning to get back out on the track later on this week for more testing. So far things are looking very promising and we’re looking forward to a good showing at the Redline Time Attack this weekend at the Autobahn Country club.

Dedication and personal sacrifice. These two words best describe the efforts of the TA-X build team this past week. Many of you have been following the build up of our new AMS/ NOS Energy Drink TA-X Time Attack car. Our first scheduled race was to be this past weekend at Willow Springs Raceway in California. As the build threads have depicted this was a HUGE undertaking. The car was literally built up from a stripped shell of a car. Just about every inch of this car was modified in house in some way shape or form. A build up of this magnitude should take no less than a year…we however were determined to do it in months!

These last two weeks have been trying to say the least. We have been plagued with delays mainly stemming from waiting on parts to arrive. Key components that literally put the brakes on doing anything to the car. Ss of Friday the 22nd we finally got what pieces we needed to so the car could be brought to race condition. At this point the car was still just a caged shell. No engine, no custom wiring harness, no suspension….simply a shell. The challenge was to put this car together and get it in race ready form in just 6 days. The team was to leave early AM Thursday and drive 40 hours straight through to Willow springs for practice on Saturday. The TA-X build team worked around the clock starting on Friday. Literally working all day, through the night and into the following day. Working on just a few hours of sleep at a time trying to make things happen. The individual effort put in by the staff was awe inspiring to say the least. There was no complaining about being tired or beat down, everyone just had their minds focused on the task at hand. As of Wednesday morning things were looking good. Ivan, Eric and Martin had the custom wiring loom done, engine installed, stand alone wired up and even test fired up the engine. Justin had spent countless hours installing suspension, working on last minute ducting and aero work and even had the car ready for its track suspension setup session.

It was D-day, Wednesday night. The team had less than 12 hours to finish the car, tune it, set the suspension and load up. We were not about to give up! Working in shifts the TA-X build team got the chassis to a condition where it was ready to compete. All that remained was the final tune and lastly suspension setup by Justin in the very early AM on Thursday. Martin, Eric Jones, Ivan and Chris black geared the car up for the dyno while everyone else on the team tied up as many loose bits as possible. As the tuning session began problems arose. First the initial turbo on the car was giving us problems so it had to be swapped rather than attempt to diagnose the issue…we simply didn’t have the time. Power was coming on STRONG. The AMS TA-X power plant was showing signs of making unprecedented power on the 4B11. The power curve was unlike anything we’ve seen in the 4G63. The tuning session continued though the power curve was not showing the same gains. Something wasn’t right… digging into the problem further we sourced it to a valvetrain/head issue. With the clock rounding 4AM and the need to swap the cylinder head and still align the car our worst fears slowly came to light. If the rig didn’t make it on the road by 9AM there was simply no way we could make the Saturday practice session. With only 5 hours of time left and roughly 10 hours of work ahead of us…it was time to cut it off. The AMS / NOS Energy Drink Time attack car would not make it to the Redline time attack at willow springs.

A silver lining in every cloud. Although the staggering effort put in did not meet our goal it was not for nothing. Not making this particular race actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. With the extra time we are now able to take the car to the next redline event in the exact condition we wanted to…100%! The information we gained from the dyno will not only help us fix the issue with the head but also add even MORE POWER! The AMS / NOS TA-X will now be faster and handle better than it could have at the willow springs event. If that isn’t enough we get to unveil the car at our home track, Autobahn Country Club! So if you are local you will get to see the TA-X Debut on June 20th and 21st! You can rest assured we will be bringing our “A” game!

I would like to take a moment to personally recognize all those involved in the staggering effort of TA-X over this past week. The amount of personal sacrifice was amazing! At the core of the team people individuals were putting in over 80 hours on the car in only 5 days! Sacrificing sleep, personal responsibilities and well…..a LIFE! The most inspiring thing about this past week is that even knowing we might not of been able to make it…NOBODY ever gave up. Even into the last hours people were still doing everything they can. Even now that the Willow race is out of the question guys are still busting their tails to make the car even better for the Autobahn event. Every day is a new day to be thankful for working at AMS but this past week went above and beyond.

Thank you to everyone that has been following us and this build. We are very sorry for not making good on this race but rest assured we will be at full force come June 20th! Stay tuned today for more pictures and later on even some video of the INSANE effort that went into this past weeks build!

Here are some pics from the progress we’ve made:

Visit our official AMS Time Attack EVO X build gallery to view more detailed images of of the build.

We’ve made a lot of progress on the build the last few days. We’ve also unveiled the car at our open house meet last Sunday, here are some pics of the work leading up to the open house event:

Joe prepping the rear bumper for paint work

The team sanding the car down for the paint

Our make do paint booth

More prep work : masking and wiping the car down

On the way to our paint booth

Our dyno room fully converted into a paint booth

Final prep before paint

Shane and Corey mixing the paint

Shane checking the mixture

Corey adjusting the gun

The car after the first coat.

all done!

the car back in the fab area

Shane and Corey- the duo behind the paint work!

this is how the car looked like during our open house event Sunday

Monday Morning- the car back in our fab area…

The connection for the air jack system

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Justin working on the adjustable swaybars