Brandon Ruiz’s 4G63 powered Mitsubishi Mirage
Brandon Ruiz currently owns 9 Mitsubishis. His 10th car is a Honda, but it’s got a Mitsubishi engine in it. He’s out to make big turbo power – without the turbo. No, this isn’t an all motor Mirage. What makes this Mirage run 10 second quarters? Throttle and bottle, baby.
What’s your real name?
Brandon Ruiz
(What’s your screen name?)
HSR98GST
What do you do for a living and where do you live? 
I am a Branch Manager for Wells Fargo Bank and I own Holeshot Performance. I am a native of Phoenix, Arizona.
What Mitsubishi(s) do you drive? How long have you had it/them?
I currently own 3 Mitsubishi GSX’s, 4 Mitsubishi GST’s, 2 Mitsubishi Mirage’s, and 1 Honda CRX with a 4G63 swap.The length of time I have had my cars ranges from 1-13 years. I still own the 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GST that I purchased brand new. My most recent purchase was a year ago-My Mitsubishi Mirage- which is the car I am currently racing.
What’s your build philosophy/goals for your Mitsubishi? How do you use it?
My build philosophy is to keep everything as simple as possible.
My goal is to make as much horsepower as possible with nitrous instead of using a big turbo.
What originally attracted you to the Mitsubishi? What keeps you going today?
I was originally attracted to Mitsubishi 13 years ago in my pursuit towards finding a car that was gas efficient. Today, I am still attracted to Mitsubishi’s because of their versatility in performance and if built correctly have been proven to be a reliable car.
Got a favorite story about your Mitsubishi? 
The first time I raced and beat a Mustang 5.0 in my Mitsubishi Eclipse GST, I started to realize how fast the Mitsubishi’s were and how much potential the car had. A few days later I raced another Mustang and won again. When I was talking to someone else at work about the wins-he insisted his Super Sport Camaro would beat my car. We raced and I won again! That’s when I decided to use what I knew about nitrous on muscle cars and apply it to imports.
What are your goals for your Mitsubishi and how close are you to achieving them?
My goal is to run a 9 second pass with my current Mitsubishi mirage using nitrous instead of big turbo. My best time is currently is 10.8 at 137 mph. I have changed my set up to a progressive 2 stage direct port nitrous system which has 8 foggers, with a total estimated 480 horsepower shot of nitrous-which I am hoping will help me achieve my goal!
What was your favorite modification and why?
My favorite modification is adding nitrous to my set up on all my cars. I like the nitrous set up because it is less expensive and very consistent.
Tell us about something really exciting you’ve done with other Mitsubishi owners.
Going to race events.
What’s the best part about being a Mitsubishi owner? The most challenging?
The best part is when I am able to race a non-believer and win! Often times when I race a Honda and win-the Honda owners become very interested in my set up.
The most challenging part of being a Mitsubishi owner is finding parts for the 2nd Generation Eclipse because they didn’t make that many GST’s and GSX’s.
What excites you about the coming year? (Your Mitsu and your community)
I am excited that the possibility of meeting my goal of 9 seconds may be getting closer and I look forward to the race events in 2010.
How often do you get together with other Mitsubishi owners in person?
I collaborate almost weekly with other Mitsubishi owners. I try to attend a DSM meet bi-monthly.
Your thoughts on those who part out otherwise salvageable cars?
I hate to see it but on the other hand it makes it easier for me to get the parts I need. If someone weren’t passionate about building or maintaining their Mitsubishi then I would rather the parts go to someone that is.
How do you feel building a Mitsubishi compares to building a Mitsubishi community?
The effort that goes into building a Mitsubishi is similar to the effort required to build a Mitsubishi community. They both take a lot of passion, time and knowledge about Mitsubishi’s. Building a Mitsubishi sometimes requires a lot of collaboration and networking, which are also both activities that are needed to build a Mitsubishi Community!
How has your Mitsubishi build benefited from your involvement in the community?
My involvement in the community has benefited my build because it has given me a network of owners to collaborate with and also a customer base that assists me with making more money to put into my car. As the owner of Holeshot Performance, going to events and doing well is the best advertisement for my business and the financing I receive from new business really impacts what I can do next with my Mitsubishi’s.
What’s next for your Mitsubishi?
One step at a time- I will continue working towards my goal of 9 seconds!
Who has helped you the most along the way with the car?
About 4 years ago I met another Mitsubishi Owner named Jose Mendoza. His desire to go faster was the same as mine and we immediately formed a collaborative friendship that has resulted in lots of long hours working on cars together! Also, my wife who has supported me and has been very understanding about the passion I have for my cars, which has allowed me to work the long hours and not feel guilty.
Who do you look up to in the Mitsubishi community?
Brent Rau
Is there a particular shop you’d like to recommend?
Of course- my own- Holeshot Performance.
Do you spend time on any Mitsubishi sites? Which ones?
DSM Tuners and DSM talk.
Are you on Twitter? Facebook? How can people find you online?
I will have Facebook site soon for Holeshot Performance and the website for my business is www.gettheholeshot.com.
