The KW Shakedown was a private event at Streets of Willow, a 1.6 Mile Road Course at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, CA.  Hosted by KW Suspension, the KW Shakedown was a fun media opportunity for a select group of KW’s sponsored drivers and influencers to get on the track, get professional suspension tech, and have fun with friends.  The event was run by Speed District, a Southern California track day program by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts.
Early Friday morning we left with our truck and trailer, and headed to the track.  The 8:00 a.m. drivers meeting was relaxed, sitting next to our friends from the Speedhunters, fifteen52 and the Hoonigans, we listened as Josh, the founder of Speed District, briefed the drivers on what to expect.  At the end of the drivers meeting we were handed a goody bag with a some KW swag, and a t-shirt and coffee mug to memorialize the day.  KW also had some high quality new posters up for grabs, including one featuring our Vortech BRZ.  We grabbed a few posters and went to get ready for our first session.

This was our first track day with the BRZ after putting the car together for SEMA 2016. We ran in the intermediate run group, which provided us with some fun opportunities to play cat and mouse with our friends on track. After a parade lap, we were able to show the skinny pedal some love.  The V-2 H/D H67B supercharger on the car really picks up where the BRZ was previously lacking.

Through the back technical sections and through the fishbowl the car is peppy and responsive. The 300 HP rocketship punished its 9.5” wide tires as it zipped through the corners. In the straight aways, the strong attack from the Borla Exhaust commanded the attention of those spectating, and the gasps of air from the Vortech MaxFlow BOV between shifts let others know that the BRZ was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Throughout the day we were able to do some fine tuning on the car, and continued to set new personal records as the lap times quickened. KW had an excellent Asian cuisine catered for lunch, and this was quite the treat compared to your average track lunch. After lunch we were able to run a few more sessions before the day came to an end.  The car had performed absolutely flawless, and we were happy.  At the end of the day there was a photo session followed by ice cream. (KW knows how to party)  Big Thanks to KW for having us, we hope to do it again soon.