Be sure to check out my updated Tire Rack Deals page, found here: Tire Rack Deals.

One of the primary reasons behind the lack of updates – is well, the lack of content. Moving forward, I’ve decided to change the focus of this blog to follow my autocross racing progress. The primary club that I run with is the New England Region SCCA. Our events are usually hosted at Devens Air Force Base in Ayer, MA. My goal is to document the progress of my car’s current state, and include write-ups of various modifications and events.

In the mean time, you can take a quick look at my current IWSTI member journal, found here: Acejam2k @ IWSTI.

This just in! Wicked Big Meet 2011 will be held this year on June 18 @ Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT. This will be a new location for this event, which will supposedly have more room for vendors and parking. I’ve been to this site before for various NER SCCA RallyX events – so I’m curious to see how this event turns out.

As always, I will be there in full force taking pictures. Be on the lookout for a Wicked Big Meet 2011 recap with lots of pics.

It’s been about 4,000 miles since my new motor was installed. I recently had a local shop put a RAW Performance Street Series shortblock into my 2007 STI. So far the car has been running great, and I plan on writing a blog post soon that details my recent build.

After draining the Motul 5W-40 8100 X-Cess oil that I had been running – I decided that I wanted to cut open the OEM Subaru blue oil filter. I used an electric Black & Decker saw that I had lying around, and it managed to do the trick. However, I ended up cutting the filter directly in half, as opposed to just cutting the bottom part off. (and sliding the rest out) I’ve included some high-resolution pictures below.

Ken Block has recently announced that he will be holding a Gymkhana GRID Invitational event this upcoming weekend. The intention of this event is to expand Gymkhana’s reach, and to increase it’s popularity. (like he hasn’t done so already ) He plans to do this by inviting some of the world’s top drivers to compete with him head to head on a specially designed Gymkhana course. Not to mention, these events are a great way for DC Shoes to gain exposure. Clearly, this event is building on the success of Block’s previous gymkhana videos: one, two, and three.

The event will take place this upcoming Friday and Saturday (December 3rd and 4th) at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, California. Some of the invited hot shoe drivers for this weekend’s event include Tanner Foust, Andrew Comrie-Picard, and Vaughn Gitten Jr. As many of you know, Gymkhana is pretty much one giant drift-fest, so I’m looking forward to footage of this event. After things have concluded, feel free to send in any footage you may have and I will be happy to post it up on the site. (Subaru content or not! )

Video teaser after the break.

Well folks, it looks like Mr. Block is back yet again. This time he’s out with Gymkhana 3: Part 2. Part 1 of Gymkhana 3 was pretty much a rap music video, but Part 2 which was released today features a very impressive 7 minutes of driving. Even though it’s a Ford – Ken Block pulls off some awesome moves in his AWD equipped Ford Fiesta rally car.

For those of you who missed it – be sure to check out Ken Block’s original Gymkhana video, and his 2nd video. 720p/1080p HD YouTube video after the break!

If you happen to come across any deals that I’m missing, please feel free to drop me a line and let me know. I would be happy to post up whatever missing promotions that you may have. You can find a link to the Tire Rack Deals page by clicking here, or by selecting “Tire Rack Deals” from the navigation menu at the top of this page.

So don’t delay, hurry up and order those RE-11′s or Star Specs today!

Check out the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 at TireRack today!

There really isn’t much to say, except this video is a must watch. Even with preparation and the proper setup, I’m still surprised Travis Pastrana went through with the jump. Now it’s just a matter of time before Ken Block comes up with something new. Video after the break!

At one point, I found myself driving through part of an unplowed parking lot, which had about 6″ of fresh powder. My STi cut through the snow with ease, without a hint of trouble. Looking back, I realize this was primarily due to my choice of an excellent snow tire; the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25. I purchased a set of these tires from Tire Rack about 2 years ago for my STi and picked them up in a 225/45/17 size. Currently, I’m running them on the stock 17×8 BBS wheels.

This setup has proved to work very well over the last 2 years. Last winter, I went on several ski trips which involved lots of snow driving. Again, the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25′s proved strong, and got me through the snow without issue.

I did plenty of research prior to purchasing my Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25′s. One helpful resource for me was reading user reviews from consumers who had already bought these tires, such as the one you’re reading now. The Tire Rack website is a great resource to find reviews such as these, which are written entirely by the consumers themselves. You can find a link to the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 review’s page here. (Scroll down a bit once the page loads)

One of the primary reasons that I went with the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25′s is that they feature better dry road handling than most other “snow tires”. Tire Rack refers to this as increased “European high-speed winter driving performance.” In addition, it’s pretty common for snow tires to be associated with the stereotype of being “soft”, and not allowing for spirited driving. Owners of STi’s typically drive their cars as they’re meant to be driven. Therefore, having a tire that’s capable during the winter months is necessary. Being able to pass RWD pickup trucks in the snow also makes for a good laugh.

I’ve always trusted Bridgestone in the past, which is why I decided to try out the LM-25′s. One of my more recent purchases from them was a set of Potenza RE-01R‘s.

Overall, I feel that I made a good choice. I’ve had the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25′s for about 2 years now, and have driven them through 2 New England winters. Even with some mixed in spirited driving, they still show very little wear. With that said, I think it’s safe to say that these will last me more than a few years, especially since I run them seasonally.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Tire Rack and pick up a set of Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25‘s today!