Port-injected engines and aftermarket standalone ECUs go hand in hand—but controlling direct-injected engines is far less charted territory. Brett Strom from Strom Motorsport has been deep in the weeds mastering BMW’s B48 on a MoTeC ECU, and he’s here to break it all down—plus much more.

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In this episode of Tuned In, Brett shares his journey from young racing enthusiast to professional racer and engineer. He dives into the realities of building a career in motorsport and the rapid evolution of technology. We also get into ABS, traction control, and the strategy behind endurance racing.

We unpack Brett’s hands-on experience with racing and tuning, focusing on the complexities of direct injection. From injection timing to fuel pressure behaviour, he explains the intricacies and what really matters when tuning DI engines on a standalone ECU.

The conversation also covers choosing the right ECU for a particular application, dyno tuning versus real-world performance, the challenges of building reliable race engines, and why MoTeC remains his go-to platform.

Brett’s done a lot in the world of motorsport—and we’ve only scratched the surface. From racer to engineer to tuner and builder, his depth of experience makes this one a seriously compelling listen.

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Follow Brett Here:

Instagram: strommotorsport
Youtube: strommotorsport
WWW: strommotorsport.com

Timestamps:

0:00 BMW Direct Injection on MoTeC: Genius or Headache?
4:40 How did you form an interest in cars?
7:32 First car BMW E30
10:29 Advantages of spec racing series
13:59 What were you going to do for a job after university?
18:30 What was wrong with the BMW factory ECU?
21:59 Why did you pick MoTec?
27:25 You've done an EFI course, what happened when you started tuning?
32:21 How did your career as a racer develop?
41:23 Running a motorsport based performance shop. How hard is it?
45:59 Challenges of turning late model cars into race cars?
56:04 Is it not until GT3 level cars that they’re actually factory built race cars?
58:23 Motorsport grade traction control and ABS
1:06:41 What’s the challenges of controlling a DI engine with a standalone ECU
1:27:58 Are you adding port injection to these engines as well?
1:30:01 What is the benefit of Direct Injected engines and how do we tune them?
1:47:36 Do you need a complex standalone ECU and which one?
1:59:00 B48 engine swap into BMW E36 & E46
2:02:18 Final 3 Questions

Having a silky-smooth automatic alongside a quick-shifting manual transmission capable of handling 1000HP in the same transmission seems impossible—but the ZF 8HP might just achieve it. Andrew Astley from 8speed joins us to explain why this transmission has become such a popular choice.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

In this episode of Tuned In, Andrew shares his journey from growing up near Silverstone in the UK to becoming a leader in Australia’s aftermarket scene, specialising in 8HP conversions. He covers his early car projects, his transition from car detailing to running a wrecking yard, and the growth of his YouTube channel, Zero to 60.

We dive into modern transmission technology, comparing DCTs and the 8HP, and breaking down what makes them work—and where they fall short—in high-performance applications.

Andrew unpacks what it really takes to run an 8HP in a custom build, covering compatibility, installation challenges, control strategies, torque modelling, and even the use of clutch pedals or clutch emulators for applications such as drifting.

We also explore how the 8HP performs across drag, drift, circuit, and street use, along with the importance of proper tuning and getting the most out of the TurboLamik TCU.

At its core, Andrew’s mission is simple: to make high-performance modified cars drive like OEM. And with the 8HP, that goal is closer than ever—whether you’re building for the street or the track.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Andrew here:

Youtube: ZeroTo60Tube

WWW: 8speed.au

Timestamps:

0:00 No Compromise? Why the 8HP Might Be the Ultimate Transmission
4:07 How did you become passionate about cars?
10:03 Do you have any car related formal qualifications?
12:02 What’s your skills set today?
14:48 Youtube Journey
18:59 What makes the M54 so good?
21:16 Pro’s and con’s of the different types of transmission
38:03 Why has the 8HP become so popular in the aftermarket world?
45:19 The 8HP is a family of gearboxes?
47:33 What vehicles do these transmissions come in?
50:00 How do we go about finding the right 8HP for your swap?
52:15 Does the 8HP fit in most cars?
54:56 What are our options for gearshifting?
55:41 How do we control these transmissions?
1:08:19 What do you mean by the term adaptation?
1:10:34 How do we set up a clutch pedal and how do the clutches work?
1:17:43 Can the 8HP be upgraded to handle more torque?
1:19:18 Can the 8HP be the best of both worlds?
1:21:24 How hard are the standalone controllers to set up?
1:27:17 Why would you look at a DCT if the 8HP is so good?
1:30:30 Final 3 questions

The 1990s were arguably the ‘Golden Era’ of motorsport, particularly in the world of wings-and-slicks racing. High-revving engines, intense competition, and iconic car designs made it an unforgettable time. Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) was no exception, and Russell Cameron from Horizon Motorsport was right in the thick of it.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

In this episode of Tuned In, Russell shares his journey from a small-town upbringing in South Dakota to building a successful career in the professional racing world. He discusses the evolution of his mechanical skills and his rapid transition into professional racing within the CART series.

Russell also dives into the legendary Cosworth engines of the ’90s, the role of qualifying engines, and the relentless push to squeeze out every last bit of performance. From reliability to driver preferences and the subtle setup details that can make or break a lap time, he shares insights from inside the garage.

We also explore his career across multiple teams, the infamous CART–IRL split, the influence of the Indy 500, and the factors that led to CART’s decline. Russell reflects on moving from team manager to team owner and the realities of running a racing team. He also talks about the incredible ‘Hammerhead’ project he built with his son, Cavan — a stunning machine incorporating a lot of ex-CART/IndyCar components.

Russell has lived an extraordinary life in professional motorsport, and now he’s on a new adventure building the Hammerhead with his son. Combined with his storytelling ability, it makes this episode a seriously compelling listen.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Russel here:

Instagram: horizon_motorsports_llc

Youtube: horizon_motorsports_llc

For more on Hammerhead & Cavan Cameron listen to episode 153: A High School Project Gone Wild: 1,450HP IndyCar x Firebird.

Also check out theHammerhead World time Attack Challenge 2025 Youtube interview on our channel @Hpa101

Timestamps:

0:00 Inside CART’s Golden Era of Racing
4:10 How did you find an interest in cars?
8:24 Were you involved in any motorsport growing up?
12:17 Could you get into IndyCar the same way today?
13:36 What’s the difference between IndyCar and F1?
17:35 Were you using qualifying engines? How were they different?
21:54 Where do you look for advantages in CART/IndyCar?
23:14 What is an Inerter?
25:54 Can you make much adjustment to the aero package in IndyCar?
28:20 Does tight rules reduce budgets?
31:35 How did your career in CART/IndyCar develop?
35:53 What is a CART/IndyCar team doing between weekends?
39:25 What changes are you making to the car between practice and qualifying?
44:06 Is the car setups always driver specific?
47:20 How did you decide on a part's lifespan?
50:06 How did you end up running your own team?
51:99 What is the difference between CART & IndyCar?
1:02:15 How did you go from head mechanic to owning a team?
1:06:50 Can an IndyCar team be cashflow positive?
1:12:25 At what point did you decide to step away?
1:16:20 How did your son Cavan get involved?
1:26:15 What's the plan for Hammerhead in the future?
1:31:52 Final 3 questions