StopTech Intros Chevy TrailBlazer SS Big Brake Kits (2007-2009)

StopTech,  the ultra-performance division of Centric Parts, has introduced a front Big Brake Kit for the 2007-2009 Chevy TrailBlazer SS.  StopTech Big Brake Kits provide shorter stopping distances, better brake modulation, firmer pedal feel and less brake fade resulting in stronger, more reliable performance on and off the track.

The front StopTech Big Brake Kits for the 2007-2009 Chevy Trailblazer SS comes with a pair of 380X32 slotted or drilled floating directional AeroRotors featuring billet aluminum mounting brackets with stainless steel studs, DOT-compliant stainless steel braided Teflon brake lines, StopTech's highly-praised high performance street pads plus the company's patented, forged, high performance, six-piston ST-60 calipers.

The TrailBlazer was Introduced in 1999 as an upscale iteration of the Blazer, and the two overlapped production until the Blazer's demise in 2005. The SS model, the first Chevy truck to get the Super Sport badge, hit the market for the 2006 model year and pushed out almost 400hp from the standard 6.0 litre L2 engine.  A mid-sized truck with the heart of a Corvette hitting 60mph in 5.8 seconds usually calls for some serious braking power.

Chevy was selling a quarter-million TrailBlazers a year during the truck's prime. The entire line was wrapped up in 2009 but fans still stoke the fires of rumor that one day the TrailBlazer will rise again.

StopTech, the ultra-performance division of Centric Parts, is a leading innovator of world-class brake components and brake systems for production-based racing cars and high performance vehicles on the street and track.  StopTech was the first to offer balanced brake upgrades for production cars and remains the worldwide leader with more than 700 platform offerings to dramatically improve overall braking performance.

StopTech ultra-performance braking systems and components are available through motorsports distributors and performance automotive aftermarket retailers.  For more information on StopTech, visit http://www.stoptech.com/.

PHOTOS: Indy Series Racing Rescue Vehicles

A close up look at the StopTech-equipped trucks that come to the rescue at Indy Series races...

We caught up with the vehicle of the Holmatro Safety Team during the Indy Racing series stop at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.  These trucks are first responders on the track to accidents at Indy racing events across the country.

The fleet of Honda Ridgelines fit the bill with their ability to carry heaps of rescue and safety equipment to anywhere on the track in short order.

If you are going to whipping around an Indy racetrack at high speeds in a big truck laden with equipment, you had better have some great brakes.  They do - StopTech brakes from the ultra-performance division of Centric Parts.

Perhaps with the exception of the fire extinguisher tucked away next to the driver, the front interior of this Holmatro Safety Team vehicle looks like any other work-related pickup truck.

The Holmatro Safety Team vehicles have StopTech brakes on all the corners of the truck so they can handle all the corners of the windy Indy street tracks.

These Holmatro Safety Team vehicles roll in equipped for pretty much anything.

An on board water supply gives them the leg up on fire related emergencies if they beat the fire vehicles.

The interior of another Holmatro Safety Team vehicle.   There are 4 in the fleet that travel with both the Indy Lights and IndyCar series.

The Holmatro Rescue Team consists of approximately 24 safety personnel with a minimum of 14 attending each event--two trauma physicians, three paramedics and nine firefighters/EMTs. Team personnel have an average of 20 years of experience in their respective areas.

During events the Holmatro Safety Team trucks remain parked just off track in strategic locations across the course, with an on board crew of 4 ready to roll at a moment's notice.

These trucks came into service in 2010 and have proven themselves useful over and over again.  If you watch the TV coverage of these events, you'll spot them rolling into frame right before cutting to commercials after an accident on the track.

The Holmatro Safety Team works in conjunction with and coordinates the safety personnel staffing each venue, including firefighters, ambulance and tow-truck providers and track maintenance crews.  An eight-hour instructional course is held at every new venue on the schedule and the team meets with tracks for update sessions before each event.

The best way to one of these StopTech equipped monsters is to come to any Indy Series event.  They are often parked where the public can view them before and after the race.

How do you say "nice StopTech brakes on that 350Z" in French

StopTech just received these two pics from Urban Racing, a StopTech distributor in France.  Their project car has StopTech Trophy Big Brake Kits on them.  Looking good...

You can check out their website at www.urban-racing.fr in France, but you better learn French first.

Ken Block slides into Cars & Coffee Irvine

Cars & Coffee is a national and international phenomenon that has grown from a single informal gathering of car guys and gals to a huge franchise that seems to be popping up in just about every corner of the globe. These free weekly get-togethers are a great way for car people to meet and admire each other’s cars. As impressive as the list of cars at these shows is, the people behind them are frequently the bigger story. Sometimes, however, the car and the person seem to be so intertwined that seeing one without the other would seem very strange indeed.

 

Such was the case in Irvine this Saturday, when an oddly out of place bright green Euro Ford Focus RS was parked amidst a sea of other Focus models, many dressed in body kits that made them look like they were getting ready for the next X Games. How appropriate then that standing beside this lime green RS was none other than Monster World Rally driver, Ken Block. Anybody who considers themselves a car fan should know Block if they don’t already. Ken was a rally champion for Subaru for a number of years before making the jump to Monster last year.



In 2010, Monster ran a…wait for it…Ford Focus RS WRC, much like the one Ken brought out to Irvine. Even though the team has switched to the new Fiesta RS this season, Ken still uses this Focus RS as his daily driver. With Monster’s lime green and black colors, the hue of this RS was understandable, as were the green soled DC Shoes that Block was sporting.

Looking none the worse for wear following his horrific rally accident in March, Ken humored the throngs of fans by posing for pictures and signing just about anything thrust in front of him. He even signed a few cars. They were also handing out bumper stickers that read, “Hooning is not a crime!” We talked to Ken a bit and got the scoop on what he’s up to now.

Ken’s last race was his WRC event in Portugal where he rolled his car rather violently. Although his injuries were minor, Ken was happy to take a planned break to spend some time with his wife during the birth of their newborn baby. “The timing was actually perfect,” said Block. “I can rest and spend time with my new baby.”

Besides being the head of DC Shoes and a consultant on the rally gymkhana video game DiRT 3, Block keeps busy with not only WRC events, but also Gymkhana World Tour, Rally America and RallyCross events in addition to some hillclimbs and other special events. Throw a new baby into the mix and we’re guessing he’ll need to clone himself to keep up with those plans. He did say he is looking forward to being at the X Games RallyCross finale in Los Angeles at the end of July, and says his next WRC event won’t be until Germany in August, although he was heading down to South America soon for some WRC research.

When we asked him about his Focus RS, he said “It’s a great car. It’s my daily driver and I love it.” We also asked about Ford talking about dropping the RS model and sticking to an ST as its performance model in the future. “As far as I’m concerned, they need to keep the RS name. That RS stands for Rally Sport and that’s the whole point of this. The Focus is what I raced. Of course they’ve switched to the Fiesta this year, but hopefully they’ll keep an RS in there somewhere.”