Apollo Performance Displays the Time Attack WRX at the First Ever Global Rally Cross in Irwindale, CA

Apollo Performance Displays the Time Attack WRX at the
First Ever Global Rally Cross in Irwindale, CA

(Upland, CA) Apollo Performance was recently invited to the first ever Global Rally Cross in Irwindale, CA at Toyota Speedway. Although there was a motorsport event, the WRX wasn’t on the track but it was displayed under the Clutch Masters’ booth in the vendor alley in front of thousands of fans within two days.

“We are very lucky to have a sponsor like Clutch Masters that displays at an event like this and gives us an opportunity to showcase our Apollo Performance WRX in front of Rally Fans.” Commented Yukio Taira, marketing manager of Apollo Performance. “We talked to many motorsports fans here through out the event, answering questions about our car.” Continued Yukio Taira. The two day event saw many people coming by and taking pictures of the Apollo Performance WRX.

As always the Apollo Performance team would like to thank our sponsors and supporters: Turbo by Garrett, Bridgestone Tires, Buddy Club, Chargespeed USA, Clutch Masters, Outfront Motorsports, Odyssey Batteries, Motul, HellaFunctional.com, APR Performance, Jason Noren Fabrications, Sparco USA, Brian Crower, Turbosmart USA, California Torque Solutions, UsVsThem Clothing, Drift Motion, FSR Motorsports, Koyo Radiators, Cosworth, and Subie-Life.com

 

 

Behind the scenes of a clutch install at Apollo Performance

So, we’ve been doing a lot of clutch installs. Unfortunately, the clutch to a performance enthusiast is often forgotten as a “performance” part. Why? Well, maybe you can see it or hear it but you can most certainly feel it. It’s extremely important that the clutch is appropriate to your power output and we emphasize this to all of our customers that are seeking proper clutch / power combo.

Here’s Danny and Gino removing the necessary items on the customer’s car to get the transmission out and reach the clutch. This customer’s car was basically wearing pretty badly on the clutch because of his power output.

There are a lot of moving parts on Subarus especially with their AWD set up. So, the drive shaft, axles, and downpipe have to be removed. This is normal when doing clutch jobs.

With all those things removed we were able to separate the motor from the transmission. Here’s where the fun begins!

With our Tranny Jack, we have to lower it. Once it’s lowered we strap it down with the chains so we can have some clearance.

Here’s the customer’s old clutch still on the block. We’ll be removing this stock piece shortly.

The tranny was out and the flywheel was out as well. You can see how it’s a bit scotched.

Flywheel that has been properly resurfaced, disc, and pressure plate all placed in the proper spots. Of course, we highly recommend any of the Clutch Master’s products. Our customer brought his own clutch.

With the clutch in, we put everything back and the customer drives away happy. Remember, we highly recommend the clutch being broken in properly by driving it very conservatively for about 500 – 700 miles. If you want to contact us about our clutch specials and installs, please give us a call at (909) 997-3418! Thanks!

Okay, this is a first… a really messed up clutch

We’ve stated this before and we’ll keep telling all of our customers this but if you drive your Subaru hard, you’ll have to change your clutch… often. Now, if you want your clutch to grab harder, hold more torque, perform better, and drive to its potential, upgrade your clutch.

A customer came in recently with a slipping clutch but he drove it to the point where it stopped grabbing. This is BAD. When your clutch begins to slip, that’s a tell tale sign that you need to change it. You can see a bit of “fuzz” on the plate. What is that?

No this is not a fur ball… this is part of the organic disc. It shredded it up and spat it out. You should NEVER do this to your Subaru. We love the fact that we are an official dealer for Clutch Masters and that their products are outstanding! So, if you are planning on upgrading your Subaru, get an upgraded clutch first otherwise you may end up shredding more than just your clutch and flywheel.

Danny’s STi featured on Spocom USA’s website!

For those who have been coming to the shop for the past two years (and we thank you) you’ve seen Danny’s STi change from a mild mannered 400whp street car into a show stopping monster. We had the honor of getting Danny’s STi featured on SPOCOM USA’s website!

Most of us are quite happy building our cars up to race spec for running at the local track on weekends, dropping a couple thousand to make them feel more race ready and have some fun chasing the lower numbers.  There are, however, a few select rides that, while touting thousands less in terms of horsepower, offer more than enough performance and agility for the real world, making them authentic sports cars and not merely pretenders.  A prime example is the 2006 Subaru WRX STi, a made-for-the-street version of an Impreza rally car.  Subaru uses the hair-raising rally environment as a testing ground for the STi destined for your driveway.  The result is an extremely capable sedan that will do its part to hustle its master between home and work, yet begs for its 400 turbocharged horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque to be unleashed on pavement.  Danny Reyna’s WRX is fast, powerful and handles like a dream.  Take a sneak peak at this STi’s modifications.

Danny’s hard work and the Apollo Performance’s crew help has really paid off and it shows. This is not the last feature of Danny’s STi. There is a huge announcement that will be coming up soon so keep your eyes peeled! Meanwhile make sure you visit SPOCOM USA’s feature of Danny’s STi!

Apollo Performance at S3: Subaru Summer Solstice!

We just got back from San Diego where the 2nd Annual S3: Subaru Summer Solstice was held and boy did we have a great time! Before we arrived in San Diego we met up with our friend Mike from UsVersusThem for a bit of a shopping spree (more on that later) and we displayed our cars at the Active Board Shop where he was featured.

This is S3’s second year and our very own Yukio was one of the organizers of the event along with shop friend, Sashin. It was great to see the amounts of people and vendors that came out. Even competing, local shops even displayed next to each other with out any drama. That’s how it should be!

Gino’s WRX received a lot of attention and great positive feedback at our display at S3!

Scott from Koyo Radiators came by and snapped pictures of Gino’s WRX. Thanks for the love, Scott!

Gino had a bit of a pep talk with the Garrett GT4088 Turbo… “Let’s make more power!”

Gino was happy about the set up and this was its only 2 major display we have had with the WRX!

Yukio’s WRX also shared the booth spot with Gino featuring his newly installed side skirts and front APR Performance Splitter.

Again, Scott from Koyo showed up and showed some love!

Danny also entered his STi into the show! It made a lot of buzz.

In fact, so much buzz that Danny won “The Essence of S3 Award!”

Danny’s STi got some love from Scott at Koyo Radiators too!

Shop friend, Ruben took a picture with the World Famous Jeri Lee… so did Tommy but he was too busy pwning people on his game.

Here’s Cliff’s car. We worked on his car as well!

In our booth we featured the NX Energy Drink brand, Turbo Smart, UsVersusThem, and Bridgestone Tires who have been very supportive in our efforts along with all of our other sponsors. Overall, we had a great time! We can’t wait till next year!

What your stock clutch will look like if you drive your car hard

Lately, there are more and more customers coming in with clutch issues. We have been seeing a lot of different types of drivers. One driver, drives the car easily and has put on moderate miles on the clutch. Usually needing the clutch to be replaced at the normal rate. The other has low miles, car is beaten, and the clutch is toast. We here at Apollo Performanc want to make sure that we show you how important it is for proper clutch replacement and how it will help your performance in the near future!

This is the clutch and this is the overall picture. You can see how there are ‘hot spot’ (more like hot glob) marks all over. This is evidence that the customer drove the car extremely hard at prolonged time. The stock STi clutch can only take so much abuse. Customer also had an upgraded turbo and parts on his STi which means that the clutch was pushed well over the limits of the stock clutch.

Mind you that this is a 06 STi and the clutch should not look like this based on the mileage. This should be grooved enough where you can feel the bumps. This was smooth. Most people neglect the fact that a clutch is a must have for any high performance vehicle that is modified and once you start bumping up the power, if you don’ t have the proper method of transferring power, then you get what you see here. Also the wear should have been even. Not here.

The flywheel didn’t fair well either as there was further evidence that the car was driven unreasonably hard for being a stock clutch. There were scorch marks all over the flywheel which can cause warping of the flywheel rendering it unrepairable. At Apollo, all of our higher horsepower shop cars have upgraded Clutches from Clutch Masters, Exedy, and Spec Clutches and we can help you achieve the power you want, reliably!

In the end, the customer did NOT want to replace his clutch due to budget. Unwise but it is his car. In the end, it will save you money, headache, and time if you do replace your clutch before it gets too bad.

Visit our online store to see our selection of Clutch Masters kits at the lowest price available plus discounted installation!!!

http://shop.apolloperformanceonline.com/searchquick-submit.sc?keywords=Clutch+Masters

Recap: Apollo Performance at Redline Time Attack Round 4 (Debut of the Red Beast!)

Taken from the Apollo Performance Sponsor report:

During the week leading to the Redline Time Attack Round 4 at Autclub Speedway in Fontana, CA, the Apollo Performance Time Attack Team feverishly worked on getting both cars ready to perform at their peak levels. The 2004 Red Subaru WRX was with the highly regarded tuning shop, Goodspeed in Scottsdale, AZ receiving a dyno tuning session from legendary tuner, Clark Turner. Meanwhile, the 2002 White WRX Wagon was at Yimisport Tuning in Santa Clarita, CA being tuned as well on their dyno to achieve maximum power. Both cars made it to their respective tuners on schedule.

However, fate is without some sense of humor as the planets did not align as expected. With some fuel delivery issues, the Red WRX was only capable of making 400 wheel horse power at 13psi of boost and had a rev limit of 5,000k for safety. The team made an executive decision to take the car to Redline Time Attack to display and run a session to feel the car’s overall performance. Gino Reyna, owner of Apollo Performance and Driver of the Red WRX commented “It’s a tad disappointing that we didn’t get the power we wanted out of the ‘Red Beast’ however we were happy that we were able to take the car out on the track to stretch its legs out. The Garrett Turbo spooled nicely even though it had some limitations, the Clutch Masters clutch helped me shift effortlessly, the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 were beautifully gripping and it showed, and the Buddy Club Racing Spec Exhaust roared to life at the track. Overall, our attempt to get the car out to the track was a stressful one but something we are not regretting.

At the same time, Yukio Taira the driver for the White WRX Wagon had a sudden and serious eye infection rendering him unable to drive the White WRX at the Redline Time Attack however did display his Apollo Performance WRX Wagon at the pits. “It’s funny and frustrating at the same time. We (Gino and I) both worked our behinds off this whole week in preparation to get the cars at their performing levels but other outside forces must have had a different plan for us.”

The weekend was capped off with an outpouring of support from friends and customers of Apollo Performance showing up to the venue in support. Lead by several customers, a large caravan of Subarus left Apollo Performance early in the morning and headed to the venue for a special gathering and treated all the supporters and visitors with NX Energy Drink. Yukio Taira commented on the outpouring of support “Even though our team was a man and car down, they still came out to see the Debut of the Red WRX and Gino’s maiden voyage on the track with it. Although it was a very subtle debut, I can promise that the next round at Willowsprings International Raceway will be a night and day difference!”

Gino Reyna was able to put down a session of hotlaps during the “Record Assault” with a 2:40.342 Lap time. “The car was begging me to open her up but with the fuel issue we’d rather not destroy this very expensive motor (laughing)! Since then we have been able to resolve this fuel delivery and we are looking forward to the rest of the season as a successful learning experience!” Yukio Taira also commented, “This event taught us both a good lesson on not giving up and always trying your best to represent those who believe in you like our generous sponsors, faithful fans, and customers that have put a lot in us to be successful.”

The Apollo Performance Time Attack team would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support: Bridgestone Tires, Turbo By Garrett, Buddy Club, Motul, Jason Noren Fabrications, ARK Performance, Clutch Masters, Turbo Smart, Sparco, Cosworth, Us Versus Them Clothing, Outfront Motorsports, Goodspeed, APR Performance, M2 Motoring, NX Energy Drink, Instyle Graphics, YimiSport Tuning, Samco Sport, Spec Clutch, DriftMotion.com, FSR Motorsport Creations, Apex’i USA, K&W Autobody, and Rotora

Apollo Performance Online Store now open!!!

Well it’s official! Our online store is open! Check out products that we are official dealers of. Products include:

• ARK Performance
• APR Performance
• Godspeed Project
• Chargespeed
• Clutch Masters
• Buddy Club
• Motul
• Rotora
• Tire and Wheel Packages featuring Bridgestone Tires

and more added on a daily basis! We made wheel and Tire fitment easy by featuring “Aggressive” and “Ideal” fitment features to make your STi or WRX wheel fitment hassle free! Your shopping experience is easy, safe, and the best value on the web!

Click on the image to visit our new online store!

Making it official with Clutch Masters

When we got our care package from Clutch Masters Last week, they gave us a really nice and nifty custom sticker to put on. We decided to give them the best spot!

The tough part was that we only had one so if we’re going to do it once, we have to get it done right.

Spot on! Thanks to Clutch Masters for their on going support and remember, we are still offering our kill Clutch Masters sale and install right now! Get it while the deal lasts!

Apollo Performance now sponsored by Clutch Masters!

Apollo Performance is proud to team up with Clutch Masters for the 2010 Time Attack season while showcasing their extremely strong, versatile, and outstanding Stage 4 FX400 Six Puck clutch kit and stainless steel flywheel.

Luis from Clutch Masters was nice enough to bring us our FX400 clutch kit. He told us that this clutch is strong enough to take the punishment that our (hopefully) 550whp motor will put out.

Check out the difference from the RPS clutch that we used to have on the WRX compared to the FX400 Clutch Masters kit that we were supplied. Quite a difference from the picture. The cool thing about this clutch is that it can be used for both the 5 speed and the 6 speed. Meaning you 5 speed guys that are looking to go for a swap, you have one less thing to purchase or worry about. Luckily for us, our 5 speed is already built for massive power.

That’s what we’re planning to do.

The flywheel that Clutch Masters also provided us was a work of art. It’s SFI rated so it’s been tested and approved for racing and it’s pretty well built. We’re looking forward to putting it on.

As much as power mods are important, a clutch would have to be one of the most important component because you need the power to go to the ground which a clutch will help. The Flywheel will help you rev faster as well.

Apollo Performance is now offering SPECIAL pricing on all Clutch Masters Clutches with hugely discounted installation to celebrate our sponsorship. Please contact us so that we can share with you, our support for a great product and company.