We've all heard the statement "no matter how good you are, there's someone out there that's better". A blow like that can be devastating to anybody's ego because it's true-well, 99.99 percent of the time. In a world derived around competition, everybody strives to be the best. The only catch is that there can only be one best. In the sport compact drag racing all-motor class, the car to beat is the Skunk2 "Project Delta" RSX. For those who haven't been following all-motor drag racing religiously, the Skunk2 team has pretty much dominated that class as far back as we can remember with the DC2 Integra now dubbed "Project Beta". Need we explain to you the difficulty factor in such a task? You'd have a better chance of finding the secret location of our Mia Kirshner shrine, which is highly unlikely enough as it is.
Building a fast naturally-aspirated car is a lot more difficult than working with a boosted or squeezed one. Every horsepower counts and each ounce of weight removed is a big plus. Making 300 hp isn't as simple as slapping on a turbo kit and cranking up the boost. It takes extensive R&D, not to mention countless hours of calculation, to come up with a winning formula. The Skunk2 team isn't new to this game: when it comes to winning, they know exactly what is needed to take home the gold.
It was nearly three years ago that we first set eyes on Project Delta at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. Skunk2 owner David Hsu explained that the RSX was to replace the Integra on the drag race circuit. Today they're running and gunning with both cars. We're told that both K24s are identical from the super high 15.0:1 compression ratio Wiseco pistons through the BME connecting rods and down to the machined-down Honda crankshafts. But the quest doesn't stop at the bottom end. The top end is graced with Skunk2's own CNC port job, Pro Series cams, valve springs, stainless steel valves, and titanium retainers. Fed by RC Engineering injectors, all that moving metal equates to 315 hp at the wheels. Doesn't seem like so much for a racecar until you factor in the car's weight, which is only 1,725 lbs with the driver strapped in. The Skunk2 team achieved that anorexic weight by stripping the car down to its essentials. Anything unnecessary got tossed into the 909, er 951, dumpster. Only a roll cage, Braille/Recaro racing seat, Sparco steering wheel, and fuel cell reside inside the car. We're not experts in physics or anything, but something tells us that that power-to-weight ratio is something to be feared.
All race chassis need to be stiff in order to put every ounce of power to the ground. To keep everything intact several reinforcement bars are crammed in the front strut tower area where the majority of torque and power is applied. The RSX is simple and sports a straight axle in the rear suspension, which binds and provides another traction tuning device for the Skunk2 team. Between the springs, linkage, and wheelie bar, traction problems are a thing of the past.
By the time this issue goes to print, we're positive that it will have run a faster time and broken another record. That's what racing and being the top gun is all about. If we actually raced, the Skunk2 team would be the last guys we'd want to line up against at the Christmas tree. We're sure there are plenty of racers that feel the same way. We're just wondering what runs through their heads when they see the big Skunk2 yellow rig roll into the parking lot.