ICEMAN
Gale Force Evo6 @ Vaucluse Raceway– a different kind of chill...
Article by: Narend Sooknarine • Pictures by: Devi Nath, Ryan Ramsaran, Duane Boodasingh, Christian Cozier, Christian Scherr, Narend Sooknarine
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s we readied the camera rigging inside the car, I tugged on the strap release buckles to loosen them. Barry Gale had already fuelled his Dentyne Ice Lancer Evolution 6 rally car and was warming up the engine. I was sitting where Barry’s co-driver Ryan Rodriguez normally does and the belts were set for his small frame. The Sparco racing seat hugged tight but I figured it would do a great job of holding me in place. We were at the Vaucluse Raceway in Barbados. The Dentyne Ice Lancer Evolution 6 is no ordinary car– not that any Lancer Evolution is. But even among rally machinery this car is special. Its steel chassis was constructed by RalliArt and shipped to Barbados for full assembly at the Auto-Link garage run by Sean Lashley, with all the parts from Barry’s old rally car along with a few upgrades. In a matter of 10 days, the RalliArt chassis became an overdone, ready-to-race vehicle. One of the most special things about this car is its agility. In fact, the car was the first rally-spec Lancer Evolution in Barbados to weigh in at less than 1230kg. Thanks to the extensive use of lightweight materials like carbon fibre for inner door panels, interior trim, rear splitter, intake box, hood air scoop, radiator finisher, door mirrors, aluminium for the bonnet, front fenders, radiator and kevlar for the wheel arch guards, the car tips the scales at 1215kg. Race-ready, the car weighs 1275kg with a full tank of fuel. At the corners are Proflex springs and shocks with RalliArt shock mounts. Torsion bars are stan-
dard. The brakes are fine-tuned via a biased pedal box assembly and tail out antics can be had at will, using the hydraulic hand brake. Aeroquip steel braided brake lines keep the pedal firm. A nine-point racing roll cage was made for the car by Custom Cages in the UK to stiffen the chassis and protect occupants in the event of a rollover. Special vents in the rear window allow the release of cabin pressure, thus making the car more aerodynamic and keeping Barry and Ryan cooler while they communicate via their Peltor Intercom System.
The intake manifold, head, crankshaft and bearings are all standard, however forged pistons are used for increased durability. The engine is secured with RalliArt engine mounts and runs exclusively with AMSOIL lubricants. Exhaust gases are sent through a 3-inch diameter straight pipe without catalytic converters. Power is transferred via an English-made R&D 5speed “dogbox” (gearbox) with custom high-rise shifter mount. RalliArt mechanical differentials decide how the torque is distributed to each of the four wheels and they have been installed with full RalliArt mounting systems and bushings. On the gravel setup, the car is outfitted with dirt-specific brakes, wheels and tires. While rear brakes remain standard, the front brakes are 12” AP Racing Calipers for gravel and Brembo 355mm calipers for tarmac. For dirt and gravel, the car runs on Compomotive Motorsports 6.5”x15” wheels and Yokohama Advan AO35 205/65R15 94Q Mud & Snow tires. The last wheel– the one used to steer the car– is made by Sparco.
Fed by a K&N air filter, the 2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder DOHC 4G63 engine races on VP Racing fuel delivered by a Bosch fuel pump and standard Evo 6 fuel injectors. The engine is managed by an Autronics ECU (anti-lag active) with custom mapping to match the HKS (secret spec) cams and 9:1 compression ratio. A ball bearing turbocharger and Mitsubishi intercooler provide 20-25psi of boost pressure while Autometer oil pressure and boost gauges keep things in check.
Holding two video cameras in hand, I braced myself. My objective was to record a slow lap of the Vaucluse Raceway so that drivers could have an idea of what to expect. Besides the harsh ride, the first thing I noticed was the sound of gravel hitting the undercarriage. Seeing rally cars run doesn’t prepare you for all the racket you hear when you’re actually strapped into one. To the average person, it sounds like the car is being brutalised but it’s really due to the lack of sounddeadening material in most race cars.
31 • Zorce9