SINCE 2010, the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge has brought fans of several niche Japanese motorsports together, to the point that these days the Sydney-based event draws entries from Europe, North America and Japan.
But there is a lot more to this two-day party than just who can get the quickest lap time. For example, at the 2023 event, held over the first weekend of September at Sydney Motorsport Park, a bunch of the world's best drift and demo cars also come to party, and there were speed comparisons, roll racing, burnouts, a stunt plane and a tank!
This year, five international Time Attack teams crossed the oceans to challenge Australia's best. The Emtron Pro class is where the big dogs play at WTAC, and both they and the hard-chargers in Plazmaman Pro Am were allowed to use slicks for the first time this year as a safety precaution. These cars feature aero bodywork designed by Formula One scientists, and the downforce loads have become too great for everything except all-out race tyres.
From the first Pro session on Friday, the benefits of the new tyres were clear, as three-time WTAC winner Barton Mawer wheeled the wild RP968 Porsche 968 around the 3.9km Gardner Circuit in just 1:18.8, shattering his 2019 lap record of 1:19.2. The new PB made the tin-top Porsche the quickest car to officially lap the Sydney Motorsport Park track!
However, more was to come on Saturday. After the team rebuilt a CV shaft they broke on Friday afternoon, the billet 4.0-litre, four-cylinder-powered Porsche came straight out in the first Pro stint of the day and ran 1:17.8! This ended up being enough to lock in both the class and Outright wins for Barton, which was lucky, as he shattered his heel jumping off the car's roof while celebrating his time!
Denne historien er fra October 2023-utgaven av Street Machine Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra October 2023-utgaven av Street Machine Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
RETURN OF THE King
PETER GRMUSA IS BACK ON THE PAD. AND HIS THUNDEROUS XA IS ALREADY BRINGING HOME THE BACON
SOUTH QUEENSLAND CRUSHER
DAN KUMMEROW WANTED HIS HG KINGSWOOD TO BE A FAMILY CRUISER, SO OF COURSE IT SCORED A TURBO V8 READY TO MAKE FOUR-DIGIT POWER!
FLOWN THE COOP
SAVED FROM A CHOOK SHED. ROBERT CROSBY'S VH CHARGER UNDERWENT A 500HP, 15-YEAR ODYSSEY
BLOWN 383CI HOLDEN V8
PROFLO PERFORMANCE, CAMPBELLTOWN, NSW
PONY EXPRESS
MARION BRESKI'S BLOWN AND INJECTED, PROFLOMUSTANG IS AS SHARP AS THEY COME, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF GO TO MATCH THE SHOW
KING HIT
A CLASSIC DATSUN BODY, S15 FRONT END AND A SCREAMING BLOWN LS COMBINE TO CREATE A NEXT-LEVEL SKID MACHINE
BUILT TO LAST
IT SEEMS EVERYONE'S BUILDING A TURBOCHARGED LS COMBO THESE DAYS - BECAUSE IT WORKS. HERE'S HOW TO DO IT PROPERLY, ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE BEST IN THE BIZ
ARMS RACE
MARIO BUSLJETA'S MONARO IS A SIX-SECOND-CAPABLE NUCLEAR WARHEAD WITH A BIG-BLOCK UP FRONT, TWIN TURBOS OUT BACK, AND CLOSE TO 3000HP ON TAP
BACK TO YOUR ROOTS
TIM LAIDLER'S TWIN-CARB, HOLDEN V8-POWERED CALAIS WAS ONE OF JUST TWO ROOTS-BLOWN MACHINES TO TAKE ON DRAG CHALLENGE 2024
WILL TO LIVE
PETER DENING'S EXQUISITELY CRAFTED WILLYS BURST ONTO THE SCENE IN 2000, SCOOPED UP A STACK OF AWARDS, THEN SEEMINGLY VANISHED. WE CHAT TO PETE AND THE CAR'S TWO SUBSEQUENT OWNERS TO GET THE FULL STORY
