Welcome to the official GReddy USA blog. -Think of this as our online weekly "GReddy Times," a venue for us to report what's going on or what just happened at GReddy USA this week (new products, new projects, racing news, even online store specials.) On our blog you can see what we are up to in the GReddy Sales floor, R&D garage, on the road or even from our Headquarters in Japan.

Monday, June 30, 2014

Success at Pikes Peak for Ken Gushi and the GReddy Team

    Personal Best 10:30.188!

As part of the Scion Racing contingent, Ken Gushi climbs to the infamous Pikes Peak 14,115ft summit in a super quick 10 minute and 30.188 seconds with an average speed of 68.551mph and claims 3rd place (17th overall, out of 130racers) in the tough 18-car field of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Time Attack 1 division (just behind two heavily modified 911 Cup race cars).


The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the second oldest race in America and is respected worldwide.  It is not only difficult because of the dangerous blind corners and deadly cliffs, but the unusual nature of the race.  The full 152 turn course is actually a public road that is only opened up to be raced once a year and competitors get just one chance to clock a time over the 4,720ft climb.   Thats not to say, it's a one day race.  Their is also a grueling week of 3:00am set-ups and practices on each sections of the course.

2014 was the GReddy Racing Team's 3rd assault with Scion Racing, but the first with our revised Drift FR-S ver1.5, lucky number #86. (our two previous races were with our GReddy Turbo tC and our now 2014 crew-chief, Takeshi Aizawa)  It is also Ken's third consecutive race up the mountain (the past two years, he was driving the famous Lexus CCSR)  The combination of Ken Gushi and the GReddy Performance x Hankook Tire x Scion Racing FR-S proved to be great combination, netting both Ken and GReddy our fastest time yet.  [see how we converted our 2012-13 Formula Drift FR-S from Drift-spec to Hill Climb Spec...



Converting our 2012-13 pro Drift FR-S over to a hill climb spec didn't go off without it's share adjustments that had to be overcome.  The result was the car had to miss out on the lower section practice and qualifying day.  This meant the Ken would have to run at the very end of the event.  Luckily for the Team, when Ken did get to leave the starting line after 4:00pm MT, he was experienced enough put together a good run with an aggressive top section run.  Sector 1 - 1:55.961, Sector 2 - 2.33.575, Sector 3 - 3:01.889 and Sector 4 - 2.58.763!

more Photos and Video coming soon...    follow us @greddyracing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Special thanks to our partners: Scion Racing, Hankook Tire, Takata Racing, Turbo by Garrett, Rocket Bunny, Rays Engineering/Gram Lights, OS Giken, KW Suspension, SPL Parts, WPC Treatment, Supertech, Bluemoon Performance, FMT-Tuned by N8, Ignite Racing Fuels, Motec USA, AEM electronics, APR Performance, Project Mu, Driveshaft Shop, Spin Imaging, JonSibal, Revolutions Performance, TRUST and Scion







Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Revised GReddy Racing FR-S Ver1.5 for Pikes Peak


Best known as a top drifting competitor, Gushi won the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Exhibition Auto Class driving a Lexus ISF CCS-R. This year he’ll drive a 2013 FR-S in the Time Attack 1 Division for production-based two- and four-wheel drive vehicles. This is the second appearance of the FR-S at the event.
“No race on earth is quite like the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, and I can’t wait to conquer it in a car I love: the Scion FR-S,” Gushi said. “Every turn of this course requires the best performance out of the driver and vehicle, and racing fans will love what they see.”

The 12.42-mile race in the Colorado Rocky Mountains finishes at the 14,115-foot summit, where drivers and vehicles contend with thin air and high winds. To prepare for the course, the GReddy Racing team has retuned the suspension of the FR-S race car and added new performance and safety components. As modified, the engine produces 500 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque.

“The highly competitive Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will showcase Ken Gushi’s renowned racing skills and the enhanced performance capabilities of the FR-S,” said Landy Joe, Scion auto shows and special events manager. “Scion Racing is thrilled to compete in this iconic event again this year and let our fans experience a ‘Race to the Clouds’ with the FR-S.”

For more information about the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, visit www.ppihc.com. For videos and interviews with Gushi after the race, visit www.scionracing.com.
*Check out what we did to go from Drift-spec to Hill Climb spec...(link)




Monday, June 23, 2014

Formula D Rd.4 - Wall Stadium, NJ

  • Monday GReddy coverage from Formula Drift #FDNJ 2014



The Gauntlet of Wall Stadium can be a very exciting track.  The dangerous tight steep banks of Wall to the harsh transition back to flat inner field can be tricky to tune in the dynamics of these new generation of powerful Formula D competition cars. 

Thursday practice gave a bit of bad luck in a wet testing session.  On a high line of the bank, Ken caught a little too much guard rail with the back end of the FR-S and it through the front end of the car right into the barriers.   But with some hard work by the team and some extra parts from the Tuerck/PSI team, the GReddy Performance x Hankook Tire x Scion Racing FR-S was ready in time for Friday Qualifying.  Ken scored a 73pt run for 25th seed in Top32 out of one of the large fields this season.

In Top32 eliminations, Ken Gushi was matched up against the 2JZ-powered S14 of Kenneth Moen.  Both the follow and lead runs between were very close and could have went OMT, but the final split decision ended up cutting the weekend short.  Although the event outcome wasn't good, great lessons for team were learned and we can't wait to get the car back to the GReddy R&D HQ for some more upgrades.  Next round, Seattle, WA, July 18-19.

*On a side note, we would like to send our congratulations to our Scion Racing/Hankook Tire teammates from Papakakis Racing on their 1st event win with Fredric Aasbo!






Thursday, June 19, 2014

Individual Rocket Bunny FR-S/BRZ Version 2 Parts

GReddy now makes individual items from the Rocket Bunny FR-S/BRZ Version 2 kit available for special order.  Many items are now in-stock and ready to be ordered through Authorized GReddy Dealers.

17010231   -Front Bumper - FRP  -1pc.
                    17010237  -Front Splitter, 17010238  -OMP Rods, 17010237  -Grill Mesh
17010232   -Side Skirts - FRP -2pcs.
17010234   -Front Over-Fender set +40mm - FRP -4pcs.
17010235   -Rear Over-Fender set +65mm - FRP -4pcs.
17010233   -Rear Under Diffuser +60mm - FRP -1pc.
17010236   -Rear "Duck-tail" wing - FRP - 1pc.

   * (17010230   -DRL lights  - 10LED)





OPTION:
We will also make the FR-S/BRZ Version 3 Rear Wing available separately:
(the Ver2 & Ver3 wings are compatible with the Ver1 Aero Kit but not with the GT Wing)
*Authorized GReddy Dealer are now accepting pre-orders.  1st shipment due late July-Aug.





Friday, June 13, 2014

24 Hours of Le Mans - GReddy History


2014 marks our 20th anniversary form our last appearance at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.  In that 1994 race the Nisso Trust Racing Team finished 4th overall and 2nd in the LMP1/C90 class with drivers George Fouche, Steven Andskar, and Bob Wollek.  The race also marked the end of the Group C era.  In previous years, the team also raced successful efforts in 1993-90 with both Toyota and Porsche in Group C (see below)


1994 was also the year TRUST Japan established GPP GReddy Performance Products Inc. in the Irvine, California to introduce GReddy products to the North American market.

20 years later we are again racing with Toyota via Scion with the GReddy Performance x Hankook Tire x Scion Racing FR-S for Formula Drift and the Pikes International Hill Climb (another world famous racing event)

You can watch this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans thanks to the Nismo Channel on Youtube

Info from http://www.racingsportscars.com



Tuesday, June 10, 2014

GReddy Racing in June

Today, Tue, June 10 starts the 10day count-down to our race-packed week of Rd.4 Formula Drift at Wall, NJ and then the week-long event at the famous Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

Ken Gushi
Our driver Ken Gushi will also be doing double duty in first the 2014 GReddy Performance x Hankook Tire x Scion Racing Drift FR-S at #FDNJ, then in the revised 2013 FR-S for #PPIHC .







Here's what the race schedule will look like:

6/19   - #FDNJ Thursday Practice 3:00-7:00pm ET (Wall Speedway - Closed)
6/20   - #FDNJ Friday Practice and Qualifying 12:00-8:00pm ET
6/21   - #FDNJ Saturday Competition 12:00-8:00pm ET
             *(watch the live-stream :  http://www.formulad.com/live/ )

6/23   - #PPIHC Monday - Tech Inspection 9:00am-3:00pm MT (World Arena, CO)
6/24   - #PPIHC Tuesday - Practice Day 4:00-8:30am MT (Pikes Peak)
6/25   - #PPIHC Wednesday - Time Attack 1 Qualifying 3:30-6:00am MT (Lower Section)
6/26   - #PPIHC Thursday - Time Attack 1 Practice 3:45-6:00am MT (Middle Section)
6/27   - #PPIHC  Friday - Time Attack 1 Practice 4:00-6:00am MT (Upper Section)
          - #PPIHC  Friday - FAN FEST 5:00-10:00pm MT, downtown Colorado Springs, CO
6/29   - #PPIHC Saturday - 92nd running of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb 8:00am
              *(watch the Live-stream : http://live.todocast.tv/template.ma-ovp.php?EventNumber=TDC-E1731 )


Thursday, June 5, 2014

Race Recaps from D1GP Rounds 1 and 2

The full English translated GReddy race recaps from the 2014 D1 Grand Prix can be found on our GReddy R35 GT-R specific blog: http://greddy-gr9.blogspot.com/search/label/D1GP

In the meantime here is a teaser of Rounds 1 and 2, with Masato Kawabata and the Team Toyo Tire Drift TRUST Racing GT-R...

Video: Lead Run - http://youtu.be/GNad7xh0duo


Video: Following Run - http://youtu.be/kxkUqtdv9lg



Round 1 - FUJI DRIFT - March 29-30 - Translated Race Recap


Monday, June 2, 2014

Formula D Rd.3 - Homestead, FL

  • Monday GReddy coverage from Formula Drift #FDMIA 2014
Images courtesy of Scion Racing for more see: http://www.scion.com/scionracing/

Coming into Round 3 of the Formula Drift Pro Championships in the 11th position, the GReddy Racing Team was excited to get back to drifting.   This year the trek to Florida lead us to a new venue,  Homestead Speedway (a world-class NASCAR track about a hour from Miami)

The new track layout utilized the inner track of the Speedway and seemed to be pretty straight forward.  A driver's course with smooth and flowing lines, not difficult for Pro drivers in Pro cars to drift, but a real challenge in tandems to stay in close proximity.  Great fun for the drivers like Ken to drive, but perhaps difficult for Judges to score the intricate details of every the run.  Luckily the rain predicted for the weekend stayed away, while the drivers were on track.  The times with overcast skies actually help with the hot and humid weather.

In final Friday practice the team, had to make an emergency chassis/suspension fix right before qualifying.  The team was able to get things back together in time for both qualifying sessions and Gushi was un-phased scoring a solid 81pts. and 80pts.  This seated him in the 9th qualifying position for the main 32 bracket of Saturdays eliminations.

The Top 32 Brackets made for a FDATL rematch of Ken Gushi (9th) vs. Robbie Nishida (24th). As expected, the first run with Ken in the lead against his good friend Robbie in his 2JZ-powered Lexus was super tight and too close to call.  In the second run, and with Ken following, Ken had a great wide line, but was unfortunately unable to get the win.

 Next round, #FDNJ will be in Wall Speedway on June 20-21st...






Save the Date: GReddy Garage Sale 2014

It's that time again!

  What:     GReddy Garage Sale
  When:    Saturday, July 26th
  Where:  GReddy Performance Products
                     9 Vanderbilt, Irvine, CA 92618

More details to come soon... Mark your calendars!!! 
Vendor Displays, Racecars and more...


 Above are a few photos of other events we have had at GReddy.  Come out and join us.