Big power and a bad-ass Vertex widebody kit wrapped in camo-theme vinyl is certainly a great start, but where the Briggs S14 build really separates itself from the S-chassis drift crowd is in the attention to detail in less obvious areas like the custom fuel, electrical and hydraulic systems SG-Motorsport's engineered. Crawl under the rear of Briggs' 240 and you'll spot the fuel swirl pot tucked in neatly next to the ATL fuel cell. The team likes to run with as little fuel in the cell as possible to keep the car light and agile, so the swirl pot system is kept full by the fuel return system, providing the necessary juice to protect against fuel starvation and the engine killing detonation that can come with it.
The electrical and wiring system is equally impressive, with 45 lbs of OEM wiring being completely removed from the chassis and replaced with a 6-lb Painless system that included a fusebox and all the lead wiring. SG then customized the harness by removing some circuits and adding others, building a dash switch panel for it, and integrating the three Chase cams and AiM digital dash. Deutsch DT connectors were used throughout, and the entire harness was wrapped in Raychem heat-shrink.
Other examples of clever engineering abound on the Briggs S14. There's a reversed electronic line lock on the main brake channel that allows Briggs to flip a switch on the dash panel and lock out the rear brake signal so that he can easily do standing burn outs to get the DMCC crowds revved up. The intercooler was custom built by SG so that it's tucked back closer to the engine bay, reducing the likelihood of it being destroyed during a hit to the front end. Similarly, the oil and power steering coolers are mounted on collapsing brackets so that they're less likely to be damaged in a collision. And, of course, the suspension features spherical bearings throughout, along with MA-Motorsports front knuckles and steering arms that allow for some serious steering angle.
The proof, as they say, is in the pudding, and Briggs' results are beginning to prove the potential of his awesome S14. He's cracked the Top 8 during both of the previous two DMCC events with a career best seventh overall finish at Riverside Speedway, and with his hometown event at Downview Park in Toronto up next he's stoked by the possibility of making his first podium appearance. "The car just does what I want it to. It's beautiful. Power is there when you need it and the steering angle is phenomenal." With new sponsors Fast Wheels and Falken Tire on board for the rest of the season, things are definitely looking up for this rising northern star who hopes to find a ride with a FormulaD team in the future, all because he was willing to take the plunge and live the dream rather than sitting by the sidelines and watching others live theirs.