SS: Skunk2 has always been one of the fastest all-motor front-wheel drive teams. What's your secret?
DH: It's a team effort. We've had people that have tried to claim it as their own. That's not the case. Any success we've had in the racing area and as a company came because of the team effort. We might all have different jobs, but we are heading in the same direction. If you look at the team, we don't argue at the track. Maybe I have a reputation of being a hard ass. That's only in the beginning. Once everyone knows their role to contribute in order to win, then the chemistry is great.
FB: I've had people tell me that we have our stuff together. I think we live in our own glass bubble here and don't look out enough. We have in-house access to technology from software to testing equipment. It's just everyday stuff for us. That puts us at somewhat of an advantage because we are a small company. I don't think we would be where we're at in the race program or consumer products if we didn't operate like we do. We're not a perfectly tuned engine, but we're close to optimal performance at the track and internally at the office.DH: To sum it up, we are way better today than we have ever been.
The Doctor is In
SS: How long have you been drag racing for?Charles Madrid: About 15 years.
SS: You've driven both cars, what driving impressions do you have of both?
CM: The first car I drove was the Delta and that was awesome because we had it dialed in really well. I don't have as much seat time in Beta, which is newer to me even though it's the original flagship car. I think Beta has more potential.
SS: What's the difference between a 9-second pass in a turbo car and an all-motor one?
CM: I was the world's fastest for a while. But it kept changing every event because people just kept getting faster. A couple years ago I was lucky enough to drive the Team Bergenholtz CRX. That car made a lot of power but they had problems putting it to the floor so they had to monitor it after every pass. Driving the Skunk2 car is just as intense, but it's so smooth that I can analyze the motor and feel of the car while still concentrating on going down the track. In a turbo car, once you hit third gear the car is so radical that you're fully concentrating on keeping it straight and hitting the parachute button. An all-motor car is just straight because there isn't as much horsepower or torque. It's not really a comparison. The all-motor car is fast right out of the hole and maintains the speed throughout the run. A turbo car starts off slow and then builds up when the turbo kicks in.
Fast Facts
Ride '02 Acura RSX "Project Delta"Owner Skunk2 Racing
Hometown Norco, CA
Daily Grind All-motor madness
Power 315 hp, 200 lb-ft of torque
Under The Hood
K24 DOHC i-VTEC engine; BME connecting rods; Wiseco 15.0:1 compression ratio pistons; Honda crankshaft; Skunk2 CNC ported head, Pro series camshafts, valve springs, forged stainless valves, titanium retainers, header, and intake; NGK iridium spark plugs; RC Engineering injectors; Braille battery
Drivetrain
Honda 6-speed transmission
MoTeC ECU and DL data acquisition; MSC DIS4 ignition
Stiff Stuff
Moton shocks
Rollers
Weld wheels; BFGoodrich tires
Stoppers
Brembo brakes
Outside
Southwest Racing carbon fiber chassis
Inside
Braille/Recaro carbon Kevlar SPG racing seat; Sparco steering wheel; Simpson racing harness
Ice
N/A
By Ricky Chu
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