Getting packed for Vegas...

Centric Parts is heading out to Las Vegas next week for Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week 2010. The company will be exhibiting Centric, StopTech and Power Slot innovations at both SEMA in the Las Vegas Convention Center (booth #22761) and AAPEX at the Sands Convention Center (booth #9220)

There will be three big announcements next week from Centric and its divisions - one a day starting Tuesday when the exhibit floors open.

For those who can't make it, there will be plenty of coverage, and some fun extras too, across all of the Centric Parts and StopTech social media channels including The StopTech Blog, The Brake Room, StopTech's Twitter and Facebook pages, plus the Centric Parts YouTube channel.

Facebook and Twitter in particular will play host to a special SEMA edition of Identify This Car. For those who have not been following along, players are tasked with being the first to name the make and model of a car based on an extreme close up picture of a single vehicle feature.

All week long the game will be played featuring cars from the trade show floor, and their will even be a special gift for the winner at the end. So hop on board now by "liking" or "following" StopTech.

For those who are feeling nostalgic for prior SEMA's, here are a StopTech's recap videos from the last two years. Last year featured StopTech's own Howard Hsia as a host, who has since moved his talents behind the camera as the producer of StopTech's popular Brake Decisions videos.

James Sofronas Wins Again: Global Tuner Grand Prix edition

The race season may be pretty much over, but James Sofronas keeps finding races to win anyway. The Global Tuner Grand Prix was held last weekend at the Laguna Seca raceway in California. StopTech was in evidence all over the track and also in the winner's circle.

James Sofronas took first place in Challenge Race. His GMG Racing Porsche WC-997 GT3 Cup sported a time of 1:26:549 on StopTech brakes. His victory came after pulling the identical time during the qualifying session. Talk about precision under pressure!

Speaking of the other sessions, Grant Racing's Dodge Viper ACR carried StopTech brakes all the way to first place in the Tuner Class Time Trials with a time of 1:37.604. Also driving strong was Robb Todd, who took second place in the Street Class Time Trials for BR Racing driving a StopTech-equipped Porsche 997 GT3 with a time of 1:44.201.

Overall, the entire weekend was a proving ground for drivers and their brakes. Track conditions were constantly changing from dry to cold to wet) yet StopTech equipped race cars continued to perform exceptionally throughout the weekend.

That what a truly balanced brake system can do.

Something to think about as winter approaches.

Brake Decisions: Braking in New Brakes

The latest instalment of StopTech's Brake Decisions Video series has been posted.  It runs about a minute and addresses the common question about breaking in new brakes, also known as bedding in.



Other Brake Decisions videos include:

Selecting brakes for street performance vehicles
Selecting brakes for track performance cars
Drilled vs. slotted rotors

Another one is on the way...

Behind the Scenes: StopTech Test Track Day

StopTech rolled out to Willow Springs Raceway in the California desert to do some brake tests on The Streets race track. They bought a pair of cars along for the day.

First was a 2004 Z06 Corvette that had been modified for T1 racing. The other was one of the StopTech Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, which was used in World Challenge racing.

They also brought along some cameras, both for on the car and off, to document the day. Check out this 5 minute behind the scenes video that wraps up with some pretty exciting on-car footage from the Porsche...

The day started off early with about 15 minutes of rain, which was enough to plant a rainbow over the track for part of the morning.

The Porsche arrived first but the sensors for the test didn't.  While those were being brought up from the StopTech garage in the Los Angeles area, the Vette was prepped and put through it paces.

It ran several warm-up laps which actually brought it to the point of overheating.  Then the vehicle ran through a series of rapid decelerations, from as much as 100mph down to zippo.  The footage in the video is of the first series when the car was still wearing stock brakes. 

While those cooled down enough to be swapped out for something StopTech is working on, the Porsche was turned loose on the track.  StopTech CEO Dino Crescentini took the wheel and started with a pair of warm up laps.  The video is actually from those laps.  He pulled in for a few adjustments before going full throttle for several laps.

While that data was downloaded, the now StopTech equipped T1 Corvette took to the track to repeat the tests for the morning...with better results.

It was a long, beautiful and rewarding day, but just another day for the StopTech product development team. 

Photos from the Desert: The StopTech Brake Test at Willow Springs

The StopTech crew rolled out to The Streets of Willow Springs, part of the Willow Springs race park in the California desert, for some brakes testing. The test vehicles were the StopTech Porsche 911 GT3 that served as a World Challenge car for a few seasons before the 2010 model rolled along, and a Chevy Corvette Z06.


The day started with about 15 minutes of a light drizzle before flourishing into an absolutely beautiful day to have a world class racetrack all to yourself.

Keep an eye out for a video recap of the day, including some in-car footage, but here are some photos, You can also catch more photos at our sister blog, The StopTech Blog.

There is something great about being handed the keys to world class race track on a beautiful day

Once the early morning rain cleared out

it was time to get to work

the rain left a parting rainbow to kick the day off,

but it needs something more...

 There we go.  Much better.

 The Chevy Corvette Z06 arrived a little later. 

If the car broke, the option existed to pedal around the track

That's a lot of muscle!

A super tight fit for the driver. 

Not much Sunday driving is gonna happen in here.

First step is get some real brakes on that car!

Centric Parts Director of Engineering Steve Ruiz (left), and Centric Parts CEO Dino Crescentini

(next to Steve) catch up with from visitors

Meanwhile the vette got to go through its paces

Then Dino hit the track!

Dino knows this car pretty well, considering he drove it

in in the SCCA World Challenge series (GT Class)

It was a top notch day from start to finish!