,
 |
| Due to time constraints, the APM Racing team couldn't get a full set of light weight forged wheels. They were, however, able to mount a set of cast aluminum Sparco RTT524 wheels in 18×8 with a +48 offset in the OEM 5×100 bolt pattern. Those of you in the Impreza world may be familiar with this fitment on your own cars. These wheels weigh in at a “healthy” 22.5 lbs each. |
 |
| The chosen rubber for the road are the Toyo Proxes R888 in 245/40/ZR18. These tires really did very well with only 8 sets used for the entire race. According to the drivers APM Racing had to pilot the FR-S, the tires stayed consistent and never once had a failure. |
 |
| Coming into the interior of the car, the first thing done was to remove the carpet, sound deadening, and panels that weren't required to make the car function. On the driver's side floorboard, grip tape was added to keep the drivers' feet still and a little gas pedal extension was used to facilitate heel-and-toe down shifting. |
 |
| The OEM seats were removed and a Sparco Circuit seat was used to keep the driver planted firmly during cornering. Note the addition of seat foam to make positioning easier for shorter drivers. |
 |
| Now, you're probably asking yourself, “Wait, Sparco makes a seat rail for their racing seats, why would they need foam?” Good question, here's a really good answer. Their primary driver, Richie Ho, was racing in China with a car that utilized a locking seat rail setup. I wasn't told if it was Sparco or not, but Richie got into a crash and the seat separated at the slider and he ended up in the passenger side of the car. From there on, all of APM's seat rails are welded in place for their race cars after finding the position that suits the majority of the drivers best. |
 |
| Staying with a safety theme, APM Racing also made sure their drivers were as safe as possible. This meant using a Battle Version designed and built cage. This includes a very well designed door bar setup. Those of you who have read my previous “Sneak Peeks” know that I have a problem with lackluster door bars in roll cages. This is the cage style I prefer. |
 |
| Battle Version left the OEM door bars in place while gutting the rest of the door. These guys put driver safety first! |
