Project Evo IX – Part 4 – Track Day Prep
By Joey Leh, Photos by the author
In our last few installments, Project Evo IX saw minor modifications that didn’t in our opinion affect its day-to-day drivability at all. A stiffer and lower suspension system added a bit more impact harshness, but it was definitely useable. Larger wheels and tires, performance street pads and a Works/GReddy exhaust system are all worthwhile street modifications. But none of them were real “racecar” modifications.
Our pads still have the temperature range to be used on the street and our exhaust system is so quiet, many passengers have no idea that anything has been altered. Our Tuning Technologies ECU tune is flawless as well, with literally no change in cold start, idle or full boost (23.5psi) running. Air conditioning, a stereo system and all interior panels are present. The way we see it, this is a full on street car.
So, of course, we had to attempt to change it. Every car in the OR garage sees track time, whether we try to resist or not. Project Evo IX is a superb street car with power, handling and a calm demeanor. Well, some of the time. When it goes on track, the 2.0-liter engine crams itself full of boosted and compressed air and rips out of corners with a rising ferocity that can only come with lots of boost. We’ve recorded more than 1.0 lateral-g on the skidpad and lateral-g spikes on track much higher than that. In order to tackle both street and track properly, we need to give Project Evo IX two faces.
Street car vs. Track car
The key to building a street car that you can use as a track day or NASA HPDE car is to make as many things swappable as possible. The stuff that you can’t swap will just have to be modifications that you will be able to live with. Our rear-biased spring rates are one such change that we’ve had to live with on a normal basis.
But some of the most important modifications that we’ve made swappable are the safety, braking and tire changes. With a generous backseat and an actual trunk, our Lancer can carry four extra tires; we’ve tried up to a 285-width. Once we get to the track, we just take off our street tires and put on our r-compound tire package.
The same goes for the brakes. With the fixed Brembo calipers in place, changing pads is a 5-minute affair at the track. For the street, we’re still running Ferodo DS2500 brake pads front and rear. But for the track, we decided to try out a set of Ferodo DS3000 race pads up front.
At the Streets of Willow, which is a very tight racetrack with minimal brake cooling time, the Ferodo DS3000 pads held up well. After four sessions, they showed some high temperatures and some of the pad material was breaking off of the top of the pad. They provided consistent stopping lap after lap but they lacked the harsh initial bite that we prefer. Up next for testing is a set of front Raybestos ST43 pads and an AMS ducting kit.
