Lori Martin '97 Eclipse GS-T Back in high school, my friend Evan named his clunker of a Chevelle the Green Machine, and it was the ride. Never mind that it was barely green-its corroding hunter-tint well-faded like a watercolor that's been in the rain-and that the car was only a machine in definition in as much as Al Jarreau is considered a musician or Necco wafers candy. Seat springs sprang from the upholstery, rust rings allowed clear views of the passing pavement, and the Green Machine barely moved faster than a rolling fava bean. And that was downhill with a strong tailwind.Years later, in college, my friends and I endured many a midnight road trip and weekend journeys to the mall in my roommate Andrew's station wagon, the Silver Bullet, which in hindsight, I figure must be a popular nickname for silver/grey-colored cars. As with the Green Machine, the Silver Bullet was slow and decaying and named such as to emphasize our acknowledgment of its large and elevated crap factor; the reason being that the only thing worse than having a lame car is having a lame car and thinking it's cool. Remember, this is the mindset of a college freshman.Yes, there is a point to all this. When the Romans One returned from the Import and Compact Car Shootout at Moroso last December, he told me that he had taken some photos of an upgraded '97 Eclipse GS-T named Reece. The car is named Reece. Not the owner-her name is Lori Martin. And she named her Eclipse Reece. Why? I don't know. But unlike the Green Machine or the Silver Bullet, the paint isn't fading, the seats are intact, and it's pretty damn fast.
Brandon Alvarez of PSI Racing helped Lori upgrade the microscopic factory turbo with a Turbonetics T04E turbocharger, an external wastegate and PSI Racing's very own turbo. Other mods include a K&N intake, a manual boost controller, a larger fuel pump, a GReddy exhaust, NGK plugs and wires, and a Clutch Masters Stage 5 clutch. Simple, but enough to take the Eclipse down to a quarter-mile best (on slicks) of 12.87 seconds at 109 mph. And to get any car down to the 12s takes far more than a cursory affection for the sport. Even more impressive is the fact that Lori is doing it while up against two strong stereotypes.The first one is obvious; she is a woman in a male-dominated sport. I know what you're thinking: Boo hoo hoo for her, right? I'm not saying that she deserves sympathy or anything, and I'm sure she doesn't want any. But it's a fact-women are a huge minority in the sport-and not once in the history of anything has the minority had the upper hand or not received the short end of the stick.
The second stereotype is a bit more intrinsic to Triple-Diamond motorists. But if you've been to the track, you've probably noticed that the lion's share of Mitsubishi competitors are piloting 4WD Eclipses. And within that microcosm the Romans One is so proud to be affiliated with, front-wheel-drive GS-Ts aren't the most revered. Quite the opposite; they are the redheaded bastard stepchild of the family (Hey!-MP). That may sound harsh, but it's true. So, the fact that Lori continues to race in the face of two severe stereotypes speaks volumes of her spirit and devotion.Now, as to why she named her car Reece, she can't or won't say. And it's difficult to guess; it's not a name that connotes speed. But then again, if my friends and I could call our rundown crap wagon the Silver Bullet; and if the Emp can call his '90 Civic the Red Spurt; and if Publisher Limbo can call his Palm III Baps; then Lori has every right to call her 12-second Eclipse GS-T Reece. And if she continues to run 12s in the car, she can name it anything she wants.