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Sneak Peek: Edik Stepanyan's DA Integra
By Justin Banner
I have to be the first to admit, this little car surprised the hell out of me when I first saw it. It's beat up, old, and it's Honda. I'm like the typical car guy when it comes to anything with a “H” or an “A” on the hood, it's over done and most of the guys who race them aren't exactly all there to begin with. I mean, come on, in a series where torque is the secret to winning, how is a little 2.0L engine really going to stack up?
Then Edik Stepanyan shows up with this DA-chassis Integra at Buttonwillow and nearly embarrasses the field that included a car with an Acura TSX with a K24A engine in it. Then at Fontana, a race where having power is supposed to be king, he puts a 7 second gap on the field that included a car with a Turbo Rotary engine in Tuner Over class. What the hell? So, when MotoIQ told me to do a Feature on this car, how could I really say “no?”
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| When you first look at the car, it is clear from the start that this is a race car. There are dents, dings, scratches… |
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| Even rust in some areas. |
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| However, to me, that is the beauty of this car. They don't hide that they come out to compete. This car shows every single race it has been in. Scars make for character and this car certainly has it. |
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| So, you see the hood open and start to think, “This is it, this is where they make the tons of power and find ways to hide it on the dyno!” Well, no, they don't. Edik and his team began with a non-VTEC B20 at Buttonwillow. However, it was decided for Fontana and on to switch to a B20 VTEC engine with JE Pistons' Asymmetrical Pistons to decrease piston skirt drag. They are connected to the crank shaft by Eagle Rods. The head is actually a stock B16A, “It's not even ported,” says Stepanyan. |
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| It does have Stage 1 Skunk 2 Cams, their Pro Series Intake Manifold and matching throttle body. The intake tube is custom made by Edik and his team simply because no one made one he really liked. The insulation is there for, well, insulation. Seriously, that's it, I looked all around it and there were no Nitrous lines or anything goofy like that. It also uses an Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator and adjustable cam sprockets. All in all, it makes around 193 WHP and only revs to a non-Honda like 8500 RPM. Yes, Honda-philes, you don't need to twist to 10,000 RPM to make decent power for road racing, despite what those forum “experts” tell you. |
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| The car uses HASPORT Engine and Transmission Mounts to hold the B20 engine and GSR transmission in place. Don't panic, I'll get to that transmission! |
