We just got back from our second big event of the season; Import Face Off in Woodburn, OR. This was an extremely eventful and exciting day for our whole team. From bringing home a victory, getting an NHRA license, and running personal bests, we represented the Speedfactory name well and broadened our horizons. We are growing and improving with each and every event.

We were excited to come to this event with not two, not three, but seven racecars in three different classes.

“This event really showed what a powerhouse Speedfactory is,” said driver and customer Jeff Merdich.

Joel Sipes and Kevin Kempf drove their cars in their respective AMP and FWD classes, while Merdich, Zol Nor and Cole Marmon also raced their civics in the FWD class. Scott Comen drove his black civic hatch in Forced Induction Sport (FIS).

Merdich placed second in the FWD class in his street-driven civic with a stock sleeved block, and wowed all of us with his personal best of 9.96 at 153 mph. It was great to see Merdich do so well at the event in a class filled with mostly full racecars. The final round was against Reid Lunde of Kaizenspeed, and Merdich ran a 10.20 to take second place.

“With the help of the Speedfactory crew, I was able to meet my goal of a nine-second pass,” said Merdich. “AND it was a blast to make it to the finals along Kaizenspeed.”

Marmon also raced in the FWD class and achieved his personal best of 9.94 in his blue Civic coupe with a brand new build. It was only his second time racing the car.

Joel Sipes took home his second victory of the season in the AMP class, and also set his personal best. On his first pass of the day, Sipes ran a 10.49 at 133mph. His car has shown improvement with each and every event, and he has high hopes of running low 10.30s in the future events to come.

“If we want to remain as stiff competition for the east coasters, we are going to have to make it to at least 10.30′s or 10.20′s this season,” said Jacob Sipes, co-owner of the Sipes civic.

Kempf encountered problems again at this race and started to show signs of a pushed head gasket after his first pass off the trailer. Although Kempf’s car is one of Speedfactory’s featured racecars, the rest of the team still provided stiff competition in the FWD class.

“This was a big disappointment, but it allowed us to allocate more time and energy to helping the other new racers & racecars that we recently built,” said Speedfactory co-owner and tuner James Kempf. “…And it was a great day for all, with resultant 9 sec passes from everyone!”

Thomas Martin, a new addition to the Speedfactory team, spent the afternoon doing licensing passes and shake-down runs to achieve his NHRA license. His white 67mm Acura Integra was recently built by Speedfactory and will be in the FWD class as well. It was Martin’s first time ever driving a car on a drag strip and he impressed us all with a 9.94 at 142 mph. The Speedfactory crew has high expectations for Martin and his car.

Comen not only raced his car in the FIS class, but drove it all the way to Oregon and back.
“It was crazy to see him go 11 seconds on street tires on the drag strip, but then drive all the way home on the freeway,” said Joel Sipes. Comen did not make any changes to his car between the freeway and the drag strip.

Although a lot of great things happened for Speedfactory at this event in Woodburn, the turnout was not as large as we hoped in some of the classes. We want to see a bigger turnout at this event next year.

“The spectator turnout at the event was great, but we always hope for more cars in the lanes,” said Jacob Sipes.

We are looking forward to all of the Speedfactory cars being together again for Forum Fest on June 25 at Pacific Raceways in Kent.