Event Gallery: NZ Superlap RD2 Day one part one

Each shooting with a unique style, the TimeattackR.com team is now made up of three photographers. At the second round of the Prowear NZ Superlap Series, we had you covered from all angles. First up, we've got Editor René's day one gallery. A huge thank you must be said to event sponsor The Bling Company and Zestino Hamilton for supporting TimeattackR.com.

If you would like one of these images, please contact us through our Facebook page, or in the contact us section of our website and we will send you the high-resolution copy. If you aren't in this gallery, never fear — you will most certainly be in the next one.

Event Report: Hans Ruiterman back in the game with VCT/VVL monster

“After a lengthy off-season rebuild, Hans Ruiterman is back in the Prowear NZ Superlap Series game””

You’ve probably seen it on social media, but if you haven’t, Hans Ruiterman has been extremely busy during the Prowear NZ Superlap series offseason. After having an incredible 2016/2017 season, Hans decided to strip down the SR20 engine to give it a freshen up before the new season. This snowballed though and ended up with Hans pioneering a one of a kind engine setup, utilising Neo VVL technology and variable cam-timing in the form of Nissan’s VCT.

With months of development, research, and finally execution, Hans ran the engine up on the dyno for the final time the morning of the second Superlap round. Boost now comes on much sooner, throttle response has significantly improved, and hopefully, overall power too — once the engine is run in.

With Saturday a write-off, Hans decided to use the spare time to get the car ready for Sunday. A new wheel alignment and a check over were completed, and race tyres fitted for the worsening morning conditions. “The wet first session was a heap of fun and the car felt great, so no changes were made for the next session,” Hans told us.

“The second session was threatening rain, but it was mostly dry with wet patches. The car ran perfectly and times were getting better and looking promising for the afternoon’s racing,” Hans explained.

With the event running well behind schedule, the third session of the day was to be Hans’ last. With practice tyres on, Hans ran an impressive 0.2-seconds (1:32.7 — close to 1:32.5) off his personal best at this circuit — the newfound boost response most certainly making the car faster.

“To come this close to our PB on practice tyres is a positive sign the extra boost response of the new engine package has made the car faster and it sure has made the car more fun to drive! We’re excited to see how it goes at the next event.”

When Hans releases the final power figures with the wick turned up, we’ll let you know!

TimeattackR: The Bling Company & Zestino sponsor NZ Superlap coverage

“This is HUGE! The Bling Company and Zestino Tyres have come on board to bring you epic NZ Superlap Coverage — and we’re excited!”

The Bling Company is a well-known name among car enthusiasts in New Zealand for their wide range of performance wheels and tyres, and they've jumped on board with their semi-slick race tyre brand; Zestino Tyres to sponsor our NZ Superlap Series coverage. We couldn't think of anyone better to partner with for the series coverage, as we know first-hand just how amazing the Zestino tyres are after running them on our project WRX STi and we're excited for the brand to be infiltrating the local circuit and grip scene. For the money, they're a performance tyre that cannot be beaten, and we'll be running them on our next project 'Rodney' (more on this very soon).

It looks like the second round of the NZ Superlap Series will be a wet one, so bring your umbrella, semi-slicks, and we'll see you there!

TimeattackR: Gridlife Evo dominates Superlap Battle

There are content producers, and then there are content producers. Gears and Gasoline are in their own league when it comes to video content production, and when we stumbled upon this Global Time Attack hosted Super Lap Battle event video showcasing team Gridlife, we had to share it with you all. Team Gridlife from RS Motors, a grassroots underdog team take on a wide range of competition in their Mitsubishi Evo IX, powered by a stroked 2.2-litre 4G63 engine. Boosted by a Garrett GTX3582R Gen II turbo, it now produces a stout 680hp (507kW) at the wheels which was enough to take first place outright. Check out the story and enjoy the 4K wonders of Gears and Gasoline's filming talent!

Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @gearsandgasoline

TimeattackR: Under Suzuki runs 50.75-second at Tsukuba

Probably the most amazing thing you will witness today; Under Suzuki runs a 50.75-second lap time with one of the cleanest laps we've ever laid eyes on. Enough from us, smash the play button!

StreetattackR: René's Subaru WRX STi streeter

“It has been a while since I have posted about the WRX, so here’s a quick photoshoot of my tough streeter”

It's always weird photographing your own car for any sort of 'feature', whether it's on your own website or not. It's been a while though, so I thought I would update you all on how it's currently looking.

I've replaced the side bumper vent that went missing at its last tracking outing, and it has had a serious waxing, in the hope that I might gain a bit of top-end speed come circuit time (actually, it just looks nice!). Largely, the vehicle remains the same.

I found out at the last track day that the Project Mu B-Spec pads weren't up to scratch, and I've had a couple of engine check lights for good measure (thanks, HKS high-flow cat). Everything is sorted now though, and it's running better than ever.

Iain Clegg of ST Hitec keeps nudging me to get it tuned properly, by means of ECUTEK software, so that may be on the cards should I keep it.

After chatting with Leon Scott about my brake issues, he was kind enough to donate a few sets of much higher temp pads to try out, so once they're in I will update on how they work; I think I will give the Project Mu 999 pads a crack first! The Subaru is still for sale though, as I am keen on getting into something much cheaper (think cheap Honda etc) to thrash around the track. Simply put, this thing is just far too nice to ruin by turning it into a race car. If you know of anyone interested, you can see the listing here.

Thanks for looking guys! If you think you've got some good ideas for a track car that's affordable, throw them into the comments below. Cheers!

Driver POV: Kat Benson Racing geared up for NZ Superlap Series RD1

“With a season full of misfortune last time around, Kat has tackled much-needed maintenance on her Mitsubishi Evo and picked up new sponsorship along the way to give the competition a serious nudge!”

TimeattackR.com: How did your last season of NZ Superlap go? Did you have any major issues with the Evo?
Kat: I guess you could say we finished the season with a Backfire which erupted into a Flamethrower and finally shifted gears into a Burnout during the final round with our fire at Hampton Downs. Flying off the back of a really epic Trans-Tasman experience at the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge, the BurgerFuel Evo felt solid. We continued to smash our PB's with the help of a new KAPS dog-engagement gearset and was really enjoying being back behind the wheel and continuing to work on my driving skills.

What was the plan for the upcoming season; a quick freshen up, or has it received a range of new upgrades? If so, what is the direction you've taken for this upcoming season?
I think to be fair the fire at the final round of the season kind of forced a hand that we had been thinking to play for the last couple of years. I find my method has always been a balance of upgrade wear and tear items when required/really think about big picture when it came to improvements and work on my driving style. I generally try and keep level headed when it comes to thinking about reliability and longevity of the series.

Exciting! So, what exactly has been upgraded and modified?
This time around, we decided to build a brand new motor. This new unit consists of a Pure Performance Motorsport 2.3-litre stroker kit, with a Ralliart oil pump, ARP head studs, ARP main studs, and ARP rod bolts. With the extra capacity, we thought it best to utilise it as much as possible so made the switch to a much larger BorgWarner EFR 8374 turbo, which sits in a new location thanks to Sinco Customs and their beautiful twin-scroll turbo manifold they fabricated for us.

For boost control, we’ll be running a Turbosmart 45mm Progate. We’ve undertaken a few maintenance tasks too, which involved replacing the OEM coil packs and leads, and the OEM shifter cables. E&H Motors have undertaken this build for us, so it has definitely come out just how we want it. To add, we have just picked up Link ECU as a sponsor, so we’re running a new G4 computer, four-bar map sensor, fluid sensor, air temp sensors, knock sensor, ethanol sensor, and lambda.

Who do you plan on hunting down this year, or are you just going to worry about perfecting the new-found grunt, and car setup?
My main focus in the early rounds of the season will be for sure around car setup; understanding and utilising the new response and power to its full potential. One of the things I have really enjoyed as a driver throughout the progression of the race car is that I have been able to focus and improve my driving along with the build process and continue to do so to this day. I think I need to be realistic in that I may be a bit rusty not having the pleasure of wheeling the car for a few months, so we may encounter a few teething issues as with any new build, but I am still staying positive and I look forward to my new challenge.

Are there any new strategies you're bringing into this season, or is it business as usual?
I'm so blessed to have the support system of sponsors and crew behind me. We plan for business as usual at this stage but knowing motorsport, this may evolve in the coming months.

Thanks for chatting with us Kat, we can’t wait to follow your progress this season!

Event Report: why is WTAC the Festival of Awesome?

“The Yokohama World Time Attack has claimed the title ‘The Festival of Awesome’ yet again, but how and why?!”

“Are you going to the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge again? You went last year!” Something I hear from almost every car enthusiast that hasn’t attended the crown snatcher of the world’s most kickass motorsport festival award. Yes, two straight days of qualifying might not seem like everyone’s cup of tea, so how does WTAC remain a forever-growing, fun-inducing, tear-jerking time attack international holiday? We’ll tell you why — but get ready, you’ll have to start thinking of ways you can convince the other half you’re in need of a holiday in Sydney, based in the state New South Wales, Australia.

Fast as bro
What do your so-called ‘car buddies’ think is a fast tin-top? Yep; V8 Supercars. Sorry to inform you, but they’re painfully slow around this part of town. How about nearly ten full seconds a lap time off the pace? The fastest V8 Supercar to ever lap Sydney Motorsport Park was a Ford FG X Falcon driven by Chaz Mostert.

As of this year’s festival of awesome, the fastest tin-top to lap the circuit is a humble Nissan Silvia S13 driven by Supercar legend Tim Slade, at a 1:20.9710 — enough to take the outright win and only one second off the outright circuit record held by an A1GP car. The kicker? That’s on a dot-rated, road-legal semi-slick tyre — no slicks allowed!

Tech-savvy
Not only does the festival of awesome have outrageously fast machinery to watch from the grandstand, for the tech-savvy the pits are a great way to take in the extraordinary and learn. Feast your eyes on Formula One-inspired race technology applied to a 20-year old Japanese chassis.

An engine made from billet aluminum only weeks prior. Carbon wings, on carbon wings, on a carbon wing. How do they go so fast? Ask the team, they love having a good ol’ yarn on race day.

International culture
Whatever your background, there’s a car competing from your corner of the globe. In the beginning, it was the Japanese that took an interest in the event, but now, contestants from Canada, the United States of America, Europe, and Asia, all travel thousands of kilometers to tackle on the world’s best lap attackers.

Local heroes soon find their place in the pecking order too. Walk the pits, and you’ll see a diverse culture base each with a common motorsport interest that brings them together for two days — there’s nothing more powerful.

Well oiled machine
World Time Attack is hands down the best-run event we’ve been too. From the well thought out media room, to the extensive media briefings, to the impressive time-keeping, and the events ability to cater to the thousands of VIP and general admission spectators — it’s simply incredible.

For base price, spectators get an amazing experience with hand-signed goods by motorsport legends such as Keiichi Tsuchiya. For the VIP chums? Well, they get slow-cooked roasts, beer, barista-made coffee, air-conditioning, and… you get the idea — it’s an epic experience.

Media hot-house
Speedhunters, NZ Performance Car, Speed Nation, local newspapers, local photographers, and every other media outlet you can think of are in attendance. Whether you’re here for the drifting, for the girls, or for the motorsport, there’s plenty of action happening. It’s incredible to see how these teams operate compared to our tiny one-man band!

Showtime
Although we’re not huge show car fans, the show and shine at WTAC is one of the best in the business. The level of build quality is top-notch, with keen enthusiasts from all over Australia building vehicles just for it, much the same as the circuit racers.

Whether you want to drool over a widebody NSX or crawl under a half-jacked Impala, they’ve got you covered. There’s plenty of local muscle too, such as a squad of slammed out Barra-powered Falcon utes.

Inspiring people
All it takes is one long (not too long) look at legends such as Under Suzuki, Keiichi Tsuchiya, Tim Slade, Garth Walden, and much more to know you’re in the company of the gods and they’re having a blast.

Watching the people’s hero Under Suzuki miss out on the title once again was emotional for many, but seeing a local hero fend off the overseas invaders was something particularly special.

Keiichi Tsuchiya brought along his N2-spec Toyota AE86, running a larger 7A block, ITBs, and beautifully-crafted headers. At one point, he double took as he saw me trackside, and gave me the wave of a lifetime (thanks, Ian Baker for inviting him along yet again!)

Memories
With World Time Attack Challenge, it’s all about the memories made, and CEO and founder Ian Baker has done an incredible job in this department. Awe-inspiring encounters await you at every turn.

Mazda 767B around one corner, and a pair of ex-JGTC weapons around the next. What’s that? Keiichi strolling past with a couple of promo girls? Yep! I’m going to remember that!

Short and sweet this post will be, but you get the idea. If you’ve thought about going, take the week off head out to Sydney’s Northern Beaches to catch a few rays, and then make your way out the forever-stunning Blue mountains. Make sure you head to the CBD too, as you’ll want to take in the fireworks at the Sydney Opera House, and the bars and restaurants in Darling Harbour. Once you’re done relaxing, head along to the best motorsport festival this side of the globe — you will not regret it.

Event Gallery: Stylized WTAC 2017

There's no denying the circuit racing at the 2017 Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge is the main drawcard, but for some, the Stylized car show held on the circuit's infield is the main event.

With a wide range of vehicles including Japanese, Australian locally-produced, American, and European, there's something here for everyone.

The show has just kicked off, so here's a gallery if you can't make it!

Event Gallery: Yokohama World Time Attack testing

“The best of the best time attack racers in the world are finally all together at the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge, and we’re there!”

It has been a long time coming, but finally, we’ve got all of the top time attack racers in the world in place at the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge. We’ve got racers from the USA, Europe, Japan, New Zealand, and a staunch crowd of local competitors. We made sure to get a few teasers for you, before today’s epic shenanigans.

New Zealander Andy Duffin of 3 Rotor Racing was out testing on old slicks and without nitrous-oxide. The team will be turning it up today, so we're excited to see how it performs compared to last year.

Under Suzuki, equipped with a larger Garrett GTX3584RS turbo, a tank of nitrous, and two billet blocks, he has definitely come to Australia for the win. I want to give this car the nickname 'Scorpion', as to me, that's how it appears. A large rear tail, and two front claws, ready to kill. It should be interesting to see just how low into the '20s Under Suzuki can push.

Cat and mouse! Watching Andy Forrest's crazy Subaru WRX chase down much smaller pray was a sight to behold. With 1000hp of EJ-series power and a custom dual-clutch R35 GT-R transmission, Andy is hoping to win the event outright. During testing, it didn't appear that he was pushing all too hard, so hopefully things get a little more off the tarmac and onto the ripples strips today.

Team Vivac brought along their immaculate Mitsubishi Evo. I couldn't believe how clean it was, and how daunting it looks. Today we're going to find out more information on this beast!

Another car we're excited to see yet again is the Team Magic Mazda RX-7, which made its way over from Japan. Last year it was plagued with issues, so it was refreshing to look over the vehicle and to have seen the build quality increase. Last year the Mazda was running old tech, but now it's up to play with big items like the BorgWarner 9180 single turbo, and now outputs 700ps. Hopefully, with some more track time, times will tumble.

We'll be posting throughout the day, so keep an eye on our social media pages.

TimeattackR: 600whp of championship-winning Evo fury

“Since taking out the Prowear NZ Superlap Series a season ago, Leon Scott has refreshed, rebuilt, and renewed his 700whp Mitsubishi Evo into one of the country’s cleanest”

When you last saw Leon Scott’s Mitsubishi Evo on TimeattackR.com, it had just taken out the Prowear NZ Superlap Series outright one season ago. Battle-scarred, bruised, and a little worse for wear, Leon decided it’d be a better time than ever to refresh the Evo from top to bottom, mix up the livery, and chase a few niggly issues that had arisen through rigorous competition.

First off, you’ll notice that it’s no longer pink, blue, white, and black. This time around, Leon thought it best to give a more professional image, as he explains, “moving away from the rally-cross style livery we ran originally, we decided we’d make the move to something far cleaner than ever before. Nothing’s cleaner than white, and we think it shows off the body, wheels, and kit nicely.” In the tin, we can confirm that it has a very Tsukuba-esque vibe about it, intensified by the carbon, paper-thin war-ready canards at every corner and Japanese-based performance products. Better yet, the livery, aero, canards, and overall look have been achieved at home in the shed.

Another welcomed change was the addition of some very serious boat-anchors. Replacing the F40 Brembo calipers are a rather large pair of Endless six-piston calipers, which sink their Endless compound teeth into behemoth 360mm rotors supplied by ProSport Auto.

Endless brakes aren’t the most affordable braking solution on the market, but when you’re after the pinnacle in braking performance and local support, they can’t be beaten. Girodisc two-piece rotors remain down the back, coupled with larger Evo X calipers and Endless brake pads.

Interestingly enough, the suspension in the LSM Evo is relatively simple, with the Evo platform being blessed with fantastic equipment from the factory. The main additions have been BC ER series coilovers with custom springs, and the Racefab chromoly arms. You can thank the Cusco rear differential, Evo XIII MR transfer case, and marshmallow-tacky Hankook 275/35R18 Z224 tyres fitted to 18x10.5-inch Wedsport TC105n wheels for the mountains of usable grip too. For track days and vehicle setup, Leon throws on a different set of Enkei RPF1 rollers that are wrapped in Hankook Z221 295/30R18 tyres courtesy of major sponsor Hyper Tyres.

After popping the lightweight carbon bonnet on Leon’s Evo, it’s hard to get a true understanding of how much of a savage it’s engine really is. Deep within the highly-strung 4G63 block resides a combination of a 2.3-litre Tomei stroker kit, and Carrillo and Manley internals.

The head has been extensively ported and tickled, and now house a pair of HKS 272 and 280-degree camshafts. Bolted to the head is a Hypertune intake manifold with matching 100mm throttle body. Denso 1200cc feed blends of ethanol ranging from E10, all the way up to straight E85 with a resulting 522kW (700hp) at the wheels on its wildest setting. On a more conservative E10 fuel, it’ll still spin up a wild 450kW at the wheels — enough to take out the NZ Superlap series without turning it up.

By far one of our favourite parts of Leon’s Evo is the cabin. A blue-tinted rear windshield casts a cool-hue into the immaculately-presented, heavily Japanese influenced cockpit. Leon’s Bride driver’s seat has now been replaced with a locally-produced Racetech 4009HR seat with a Willans Harness.

The factory Evo dashboard has been flocked to prevent glare, and HKS gauges, dials, and knobs have been thoughtfully-scattered throughout to ensure the 522kW 4G63 remains in check. If there’s one time attack interior we could spend our time in out on track, this would be it.

We’ve been wanting to catch up with Leon for months now, but we’ve put it off until now. It does still need a few small tweaks before competition time again, but he constantly amazes us with his attention to detail on his builds. With whispers of there being a NZ Superlap series comeback, we’ll have to see just how much better it is now with its recent race refinement.

Engine: 4G63, (2300cc four-cylinder), 2.3-litre Tomei stroker kit, CP Carrillo/Manley internals, custom headwork including porting, 272/282-degree cams, Hypertune intake manifold, 100mm throttle-body, Holset Pro40 turbo, TiAL 50mm external wastegate, TiAL 50mm BOV, Denso 1200cc injectors, HKS fuel rail, Bosch fuel pump, surge tank, fuel cooler, Sparktech coil-on-plug with VSD amplifier, 3.5-inch front pipe, three-inch exhaust system with side-exit, Fenix radiators, twin-12inch fans, HKS F-Con Pro Gold 40 ECU, custom breather system, wet-sump based off HKS CT230, Setrab oil cooler, ethanol content analyser
Driveline: Albins dog-box, revised final drive, Exedy triple-plate carbon clutch, Chromoly flywheel, centre-diff pressure controller, Racefab chromoly arms, Torque Solution solid mounts, Cusco rear diff, Evo XIII transfer case
Braking: (F) Endless six-piston calipers, 360mm rotors, Endless pads (R) Evo X Girodisc, two-piece Girodisc rotors, Endless pads
Suspension: BC ER coilovers, custom springs
Wheels and Tyres: 18x10.5-inch Wedsport TC105n wheels with 275/35R18 Hankook Z214 tyres, 18x10.5-inch Enkei RPF1 wheels with 295/30R18 Hankook Z221 tyres
Body: Factory white with custom graphics, full Voltex widebody Cyber kit, custom aero package (one for Schedule A, and one for Unlimited), Lexax windows
Interior: Racetech 4009HR driver’s seat, Willans harness, flocked anti-glare dashboard, NRG quick-release, 40mm spacer with OMP suede steering wheel with boost scramble button, HKS gauges, HKS IR Pro boost controller, HKS Attack meter, two-way radio
Performance: 450kW (603hp) at the wheels on E10 fuel tuned by the late Arnie Nguyen
Driver/owner: Leon Scott
Age: 30-something
Build-time: five-years
Length of ownership: nine years
Thanks: The team at Hyper Drive, Kevin at JTune Engineering, Steve Murch Motorsport, NZ Motorsport Imports, Chicane Motorsport, Ryan at Full Throttle Performance, Pro Sport Auto, my family, and my very understanding partner Holly

StreetattackR: the home-built Supra Streeter that could

“In a series dominated by grass-roots style racing, Matt Gray has achieved a great deal with so little, and here’s how”

When we first met Matthew Gray, it wasn’t at the race circuit, but rather a JZ-powered car meet a few whiskers north of Auckland. At the time, his single turbo JZA80 Supra impressed with its flurry of whooshing noises, but it wasn’t until Matt entered the Prowear NZ Superlap series here in New Zealand that things got serious. Initially, Matt’s 2JZ-GTE engine was untuned with a high-mounted Turbonetics Billet T64 turbo, but as with most of the vehicle, in the hope for a more reliable street package, it all got a serious tuning, but not to the extent you’re expecting.

When you first walk around Matt’s somewhat red Supra, you don’t get a sense of the kind of lap times it’s capable of. It doesn’t have a front splitter, it’s still got some stock interior, it’s rolling around on budget Westlake Sport RS semi-slicks, the original front, and rear calipers remain (just with high-temp pads), and the only real suspension upgrade is a set of HSD coilovers.

What it does have though, is a 500hp at the wheels 2JZ-GTE engine, a talented wheelman, and the reliability to cut lap, after lap, after lap. During the 2017 Prowear NZ Superlap Series final shootout, Matt managed a lightning fast 1:12.269 — far quicker than anybody thought possible on Westlake tyres. Just weeks before at the fourth round of the Prowear NZ Superlap Series, Matt ran a rapid 1:41.20-lap time, winning him the round outright by a whopping three-seconds.

It hasn’t all been easy though, and believe it or not, the biggest issue has come from the OEM-equipped R154 manual transmission. Matt has modified the gearbox with a custom breather setup which also adds a larger oil capacity to prevent overheating.

At the end of the last NZ Superlap season, Matt told us he wouldn’t be competing again in the Supra. It looks as though the bug has seriously bitten though, as Matt has been purchasing parts for the Supra in preparation for next season. With some big changes coming, we’re excited to see what the time attack Supra on a budget can achieve, as thus far, it has been incredible.

Engine: 2JZ-GTE (3000cc in-line six-cylinder DOHC) HDI tube and fin intercooler, Turbonetics billet T64 turbo, 45mm Turbosmart Hypergate, GReddy Type R BOV, Walbro 450lph in-tank fuel pump, six Sard 800cc injectors, 3-inch exhaust system, Fenix radiator, 25-row and 15-row oil coolers, Link G4+ plug-in ECU, Innovate MTX wideband sensor
Driveline: JZX110 R154 gearbox with breather mod to hold more oil, Tilton triple-plate clutch, Tilton billet flywheel, TRD 2-way LSD
Braking: (F) factory four-piston calipers, Znoelli slotted discs, Project Mu 999 pads (R) factory
Suspension: HSD coilovers
Wheels and Tyres: 18-inch Enkei RPF1 wheels, Westlake Sport RS
Body: Sard GT wing mounts with custom uprights and generic 1.7-metre carbon wing, modified front bumper ducts
Interior: Oil temperature, oil pressure, water temperature, and boost gauges, Racepro driver's seat, deep-dish steering wheel
Performance: 374kW (502hp) at the wheels on 24psi of boost using E85
Driver/owner: Matt Gray
Age: 28
Build time: on-going
Length of ownership: 7 years
Thanks: Nick and the team at North Shore Toyota Parts, David from Tune Technic, and all of my mates who have helped out over the years

StreetattackR Project: introducing the new LSM streeter

“With a long history with his championship-winning Mitsubishi Evo, Leon Scott wanted to build something he could drive on the street and take on the odd round of local time attack racing”

Well, we most certainly weren’t expecting this! Leon Scott strikes us an extremely staunch Evo fan after owning his time attack circuit car for nearly a decade, so when we got the call telling us he’d bought something to drive on the street, we were a tad confused. An exchanging of images later, and what Leon had built was him down to a tee, however, it had a rotary engine between the strut towers; a 2003 Mazda RX-8 Type S.

For what looks like a relatively attack-specific car, it’s actually reasonably factory and has a warrant of fitness, a registration, and an engineer's certification at its current ride height. To give it a unique style, Leon fitted 18x9.5-inch and 18x10.5-inch Work Emotion Kiwamis wrapped in Advan Neova rubber up front, and cheap road tread down the back to pass certification. “I have got some more Advan tyre on order for the rear through my sponsor Hyper Tyres,” Leon told us.

Custom Tein coilovers built by Ian at Autolign, Whiteline sway bars, and braces complete the subtle handling package and give it an aggressive appearance — as does the custom white wrap job by Signwise. The Mazda still wears the factory brake calipers, but now features high temp Endless MX72 pads, stainless lines, Endless brake fluid, and slotted and drilled discs which should be more than enough for the application. “During the certification process, the engineer told me that it’s the best braking RX-8 he has come across during the process,” Leon added.

Under the bonnet, you’d be a fool if you thought the factory engine remained. Well, it kind of does, however, has just been rebuilt with Unbreakable seals, a custom Gilmer drive kit, a three-inch intake kit with foam unifilter and carbon airbox, stainless steel headers, a remapped Maztech ECU, and has been balanced and doweld. Once run it should see 9000rpm with ease and produce around 280hp at the wheels, thanks to a serious bridge-porting. To back the Mazda six-speed gearbox Leon went with an Exedy race clutch with lightened flywheel.

Inside the cabin, it’s all stock for now. A Tech race dash is ready for installation, and Bride seats with head restraints are sitting in the garage ready to go. For now, though, Leon’s enjoying the tidy Mazda interior on the street.

We’ll be following this build as it progresses, so as always, keep your eyes peeled for the next update!

StreetattackR: show-clean DC2 street fighter

“Just wow — when we check out Elliot Osborne’s DC2 streeter, we weren’t expecting this…”

When you’re looking for an affordable platform to build upon, nothing beats a Honda. With high-revving four-cylinder naturally-aspirated engines, they’re excessively reliable, and there’s nothing more entertaining than mashing the throttle, and enjoying the audible crack of a VTEC engine and taking it to the rev-limiter, which is usually well in excess of 8000rpm. Such traits would bring Elliot Osborne, a 26-year old New Zealander, into owning another. Elliot’s Honda lineage didn’t start there though, nor did his motorsport background or vehicle building skills. Rather for Elliot, this project has been an accumulation of a life-long passion for racing surrounded by family.

“When I was younger as far back as age two, my father Jeff and a couple of his friends decided to buy a kart and take up kartsport as a bit of fun. After a year or so of karting, dad decided to buy a TQ midget and compete at Western Springs Speedway,” Elliot continues, “By this point, my older brother Mitch turned five, and dad got him into kartsport in what is now a vintage, but back then a ‘midget’. A vital decision by Jeff would spiral his two sons into a lifelong passion of racing, Elliot told us, “It became hard to juggle both himself and Mitch in a kart and then speedway, so dad stepped out of the kart and focused on running Mitch for the day then himself at night.”

At the very green age of four and a half, Elliot was thrown onto the tarmac in Mitch’s over-sized karting gear and kart, which only lasted a very stressful half lap, before the helmet fell down over his hard-focussing vision, resulting in a, “...very bent kart and one very unhappy Elliot,” he told us. After having another crack at eight years old in a much faster kart raced by Mitch, Elliot decided racing wasn’t for him and took up ice hockey instead. Successfully too, having represented New Zealand multiple times. Fast forward another five years, and Elliot gave it one last crack with a new-found confidence for speed and soon dominated local racing circles, getting some impressive results.

After modifying an EK Civic, which Elliot tells us turned out rough due to his lack of building skills early on, he settled on a Nissan Silvia S14, which he molded into one of the cleanest street/track examples we’ve seen to date. It also managed to net a feature in New Zealand’s one and only NZ Performance Car magazine. True reliability and NA-purity was calling though, and Elliot sold up his impeccable S-chassis build in the hope to resurrect his Honda ties.

“I was looking for something cheap and nasty I could hate fuck and not care what happened to it. That progressed into something that had a Type R B18CR engine in it, to save me a potential engine swap,” Elliot told us. A cheeky Facebook Honda buy/swap/sell page hunt later and he stumbled upon a DC2 Type R for a fair price, with some essential track day goodies already fitted.

Unfortunately, this newly-acquired state didn’t last long, as a rapid two weeks later it was stripped in the garage awaiting a roll cage. With that complete, Elliot was unhappy with its sorry and somewhat manky state, so took it into his place of work to receive a professional going over.

The result is something quite astonishing. From afar, you’ll see a bog-standard Championship white DC2R, but up close, well, it’s on its own level of clean. Inside and out, you could literally eat your baked potato off it. And, the addition of a custom front-splitter which provides a platform for much-needed additions such as the brake ducting, and side skirt extensions and a rear diffuser aid in the race car look, without screaming it out.

The only area that hasn’t received a new coating of Honda’s famous white, is the engine bay, as Elliot explains, “With 215,000kms on the engine, I am simply waiting for it to retire. When it does, I’ll pull the engine, and look into my options there.” We feel as though he’ll be waiting sometime though, as the 135.8kW at the wheels B18CR is running extremely strong, with the addition of 98-spec DC2R heat-wrapped headers, a carbon fibre intake, a baffled sump, and a custom tune utilising an OBD1 conversion loom and Neptune ECU software.

With a well-sorted and reliable engine package, Elliot sold the already-fitted Bilstein shock and spring combo, and Prelude two-piston brake kit to be replaced by a much beefier setup. Wilwood Superlite four-piston calipers bite down hard with Hawk race pads into matching Hawk 310mm two-piece front rotors. The shocks, replaced with K-Sport Version RR racing coilover units.

Inside the cabin, Elliot’s only creature comforts are the limited edition Buddy Club seats, as AC, power steering, and ABS have been removed for a mechanically pure driving experience. “What I have learned over the years is you can’t have the best of both worlds; race cars are horrid road cars and road cars are terrible race cars. So, if you want to do one properly then take your pick,” Elliot continues, “I built this car to remain for the most part road legal, but also to compete in the production race series and endurance events. With endurance racing, keeping everything cool is the most important aspect to me, so the oil cooler, large radiator, big brakes, and ducting along with the baffled sump tick all the boxes to keep me out there.”

It’s incredible what Elliot has achieved with his Integra this year. It’s gone from a well-worn track day thrasher to an Integra people crowd around when it leaves the shed thanks to Elliot’s fastidious nature. Even before the shoot, Elliot ensured the Integra was show-clean.

With numerous test days out of the way, Elliot is dead-set on laying down some respectable lap times in his streeter, so we’ll keep you posted. Elliot’s build is proof you can build something competitive right at home in the shed with the right know how and passion — nice work mate!

Vehicle: 1996 Honda Integra Type R (DC2)
Engine: B18CR, carbom fibre intake, 98-spec DC2R headers, alloy radiator, baffled sump, OBD1 ECU conversion, Neptune ECU, Thermostatic oil plate, oil cooler, AdrenalineR resonator, 2.5-inch exhaust system
Driveline: S4C gearbox, M Factory 4.9 final drive, rebuilt axles, billet engine mounts
Braking: (F) Wilwood Superlite four-piston front calipers, Hawk race pads, Hawk 310mm two-piece front rotors, MRP aluminium rotor hats (R) ZNoelli rotors, Znoelli high-temp pads, Motul fluid throughout
Suspension: K Sport Version RR coilovers, Ultra Racing strut braces, rear camber arms, Blox front camber arms, Skunk2 rear lower control arms
Wheels and Tyres: Street: 17x8-inch Wedsport TC005 wheels wrapped in Nankang semis (track) 17x8-inch Koya SF02 wrapped in Hankook slicks
Body: J’s Racing bumper ducts, front splitter, 98-spec rear bumper, rear end caps, optioned side skirts, gurney flap, roof visor
Interior: Sequential 16-LED shift light, Buddy Club P1 limited edition seats, A’PEXi RSM, Nolathane shifter bushes
Performance: 138.5kW at the wheels

Driver's POV: Andy Duffin heads to 2017 WTAC!

TimeattackR.com: Hey Andy, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. You must be excited for the next World Time Attack Challenge?
Andy Duffin: We always look forward to this event — it’s become huge! Ian Baker and his team put on a great spectacle. The chance to take your car overseas and race on such a challenging track like Sydney Motorsport Park in front of a big crowd is something not to be missed. This event and Leadfoot are the 'can’t miss' events of the motorsport calendar in my opinion.

When was the first time you attended WTAC, and what was the spec of your RX-7, and what times were you running around Sydney Motorsport Park?
We first attended WTAC in 2015. We ran the Green Brothers Racing 20b PP in N/A spec just as we ran it in GT2 here in New Zealand. We did significantly upgrade the aero after David Higgins got involved and performed his magic! We got down to a 1.32.7-second lap which was ok after trying to learn the track and the semi slick tyres.

Compared with last year, what are the major technical and aero changes made to the Mazda, especially after the unfortunate run in with that very sturdy tree at the Leadfoot Festival?
That bloody tree!!!! Unfortunately, repairing the car took priority over any major upgrades this time. David Higgins changed the front splitter design to give us more front grip as we were lacking turn-in at speed.

How have you found the nitrous oxide during your dyno tuning and limited track time? Will the extra power this year give you the extra boost you're after?
Richard Green has been working really hard to get the nitrous delivery cleaner to improve the drivability. We did not have a great run with testing due to a few issues and weather affecting our time on track. Richard is confident that we will have a better package this year. Power has come up a little but it wasn’t the focus this year.

Will you ever look into a turbine or belt driven form of forced induction?
It just wouldn’t be the same! The car has always been designed around being N/A and to change it now would be a lot of work. And we’d lose that 20b scream….!

Time wise, have you set yourself a benchmark for this year's event?
We know the competition has stepped up this year, as it always does. It will take a 1.29.0 or faster this year to win. So that’s what we are aiming at! I think the car is capable, we just have to get it all together.

How much seat time have you had in New Zealand on the new setup, and will you get much testing in at Sydney prior to the event?
Not enough is the honest answer. We have just had a bad run in the lead up this year. We will run the car on the Thursday practice day and that should blow out the cobwebs! Especially turning into turn 1 at 265km/h without braking!

Come race day, how do you prepare yourself? Do you have any pre race rituals?
I try to stay relaxed. My crew is great at keeping me level and joking me along. Funnily enough, I probably drive better when I’m angry so maybe I’ll get someone to piss me off this year!

What feelings do you go through when you're out in an attack lap? Are you frustrated at minor errors, pumped on adrenalin, or too busy taming the car to notice? It must be difficult trying to get that one perfect lap!
It's incredibly hard to put the pressure aside. I just try and remember the lines for every corner. I talk to myself a lot during the lap, sometimes not in a nice way! It probably made me a better driver as it's something that I was pretty weak at before. It's about being aggressive but not over the top.

There's no denying the triple rotor sounds incredible, but do you think there's a better sounding engine out there?
I think it sounds pretty cool. But I’m biased! Anything that is doing the business sounds good on track sounds good I reckon.

Will this be your last WTAC event, or are you hooked for good?
I love this event and I’ll keep turning up as long as we can. I would love to take home the trophy!

Are there any other international time attack events that are on your bucket list?
I would love to go up to Tsukuba in Japan. It’s the bench mark track for Time Attack in the world. But I would love to drive anywhere, Time Attack is becoming a global sport.

Who's your biggest friendly (or not so) rival at WTAC?
All the guys in Open Class at WTAC were great, we got to meet a lot of new guys and make some new friends. I guess beating the other rotaries is always the first battle!

If you could drive any car that has been announced at this year's WTAC, what would it be and why?
Easy! THE 767B! Who wouldn’t give their left nut to drive such an iconic piece of motorsport history! And it's got a 4 rotor!

Have you picked up any new sponsors this year?
APR Performance has come on board this year. It has been great to add them to my loyal sponsors that have been with me forever. A massive shout out goes to LINK ECU’s as we wouldn’t have made it this year without their help and support. We have a new livery on the car, but you’ll have to wait for the unveiling at WTAC!

Tell us the sponsors involved in the project.

LINK EUC’s
Fortune Auto
APR Performance
Motul
Endless Brakes NZ
Green Brothers Racing
Kinetic Sim
Riverlea Panel and Paint
Prosport Auto
AdrenalinR Mufflers

Let us know who you'd like to thank, we'd love to give them a mention!
Rob at LINK ECUs, Richard and Chris Green, David Higgins, Tim Dorset, Jason Gibbs, Brett Killip, Dave ‘Ferg” Ferguson, Andrew Burns, Lindsay Gate, Nick Staples and my loving and supportive family,

Event Report: Street Fighters 2017

“Finally; TimeattackR editor René gets project Rex out of the garage, and onto the racetrack to try out the most recent upgrades”

It’s a funny old thing, being a photographer and a writer; usually when I’m at the track, I’m capturing others having a blast, and writing about their highs, and their lows — capturing the event as an outsider looking in. This time though, Rex our 2008 Subaru WRX STi project got involved out on the circuit, with me behind the leather-wrapped momo-style factory wheel. The event; Street Fighters 2017, held at the Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park in the ‘Track One’ configuration.

With the help of ST Hitec, we were able to attend this brand new event held by Guy Maxwell and Choice Events & Promotions, to try out our most recent upgrades and additions. This article won’t be a picture heavy one of my vehicle, as I struggle to photograph and drive, but rather some moments I enjoyed at the event — and there were many. After passing scrutineering on the Friday evening before the event, I was second in line come race day — chomping at the bit to put the pedal to the metal, longer than legally possible on the street.

After milling around in the rain for several damp minutes wondering where’d I store my camera gear for the day, I met a nice guy by the name of Cam Stephens. Cam had hired a double pit garage for the event, and had one spare. The bill was split into two, and I had myself a pit partner who was a fellow Subaru enthusiast. Cam’s WRX STi, a 2004 example, had been tastefully upgraded and tuned by Possum Bourne Motorsport to the tune of 220kW at the wheels and featured one of the loudest exhausts I have ever heard, thanks to a Titanium Tomei system.

So, what upgrades had I done prior to this event? Last time we came to this circuit, the Subaru was on street tyres and brakes. I managed to have the tyre de-laminate on the corners of the tread blocks, and I then proceeded to boil the brake fluid, and overheat the factory pads with ease. Yes, the Subaru has gigantic four-piston front Brembos from the factory, but the street pads could not handle heat well.

To remedy this, I ordered Project Mu B-Spec pads for each caliper, Hel stainless brake lines, Motul RBF600 brake fluid, DBA T2 slotted rotors all round, and a Cusco brake master cylinder stopper. Once installed, I noticed an immediate improvement in grab and feel on the street. To solve my tyre overheating issue, I had fitted a set of Zestino 07R Gredge semi slicks in the factory Subaru sizing to my recently acquired 18x9.5-inch (+30P) Work Emotion 11R wheels.

Simply put, the Subaru was a savage! The brake and tyre combo once warmed up stopped and steered the Subaru with an elegant ease. It made driving around slower, more street-orientated cars a breeze. Surprisingly, it managed to peel past plenty of other Subaru and Evos down the long Taupo brack straight, too (maybe it was my special Torco race fuel concentrate mix? hehe).

With cruising sessions much more casual than the race sessions, we were allowed an hour to cut laps with friends in the car, and drag race people down the back straight. It was similar to lining someone up on the highway, and giving them a good run until somebody eventually jumps on the anchors.

There were some seriously cool cars out on track too, like Bhavish Rathod's Mitsubishi Evo VII featuring a rad set of wheels, ride height, and grunt to boot. (Sorry about the water on the lens!)

One of the best things about the weekend was comparing Rex with other Subarus of the same generation. As we don't know what power it's actually making, it was good to know we pulled past a tuned 211kW at the wheels example. It managed to hold neck and neck with Cam's 220kW '04 example too, so I think it's putting out around about that power wise — cool!

I can't stress enough how good it was having an enclosed area in which to wind down between sessions and keep our gear dry. It truly made our weekend much more enjoyable — thanks again Cam. With a few tweaks, I think the Subaru will be a heap more fun on the track. I will be making the switch to a higher temp race pad, adding in my recently purchased roll-center adjuster kit, and I may even go to a wider 255-wide semi slick. None of this will be done before the cambelt, water pump, and baffled sump though! Thanks heaps for having us Choice Events & Promotions, and thanks to Iain Clegg of ST Hitec for helping to make this weekend happen.

Event Gallery: Cars and Coffee Round One

Well, definitely not circuit related, but we're not going to pass on freshly-roasted beans, massive turbochargers, and low-slung high-performance Japanese imports now, are we? We decided to take our project Subaru WRX STi along to a Cars and Coffee event, hosted by Platinum Wheels just north of Auckland at Albany's Hooton reserve. We were delighted to see such a variety of vehicles, including some American muscle, tucked up against a range of low-down Euros. Check out the gallery, see if you can spot our Subaru, and soak in the atmosphere. Enjoy!

TimeattackR: Hans Ruiterman’s 708hp SR22VET S-chassis

“With the recent announcement that Hans Ruiterman will be contesting the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge in 2018, we thought this was the best time to take a look at the car that got him there — his 708hp SR22VET weapon”

In New Zealand, there’s so much motorsport going on you’d be a fool not to give multiple disciplines a crack. Hans Ruiterman, a Pukekohe local, brothers with Carl Ruiterman, is one of those Kiwis who’s given several things a good nudge and continues to do so to this day. The best thing is, it has been in his extremely trusty E&H Motors Nissan Silvia S14. Now, when we first met Hans, it was at Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park around 2008.

His extremely capable S14 at the time had been taking part in some time attacking racing held at the circuit that weekend, but that didn’t stop him throwing on an old pair onto the rear, grabbing a willing passenger and heading out to take part in some drifting. Fast forward a few years though, and it was grip racing that tickled Hans’s fancy with the tall Dutchman taking part in GTRNZ and New Zealand’s only time attack series; the Prowear NZ Superlap Series.

This fancy tickling was in part due to the development the Silvia has undergone over the years. We’ve seen it in every incarnation, with splitters added, heat-reducing methods installed, a stroker engine fitted, and finally, much larger wheels, tyres, and wings. What this meant for the drifting fan inside of Hans, is that it would now only compete in grip.

What you have before you now though, is an extremely potent package proven in both GTRNZ and the Prowear NZ Superlap Series. Sometimes, Hans competes in two race series throughout the same weekend. This seems backwards to those who are preserving tyres, fuel, and breakages, but Hans likes to get as much seat time as possible.

The final engine setup found in the E&H Motors Nissan Silvia S14 is one that Hans has been developing for some time. Utilising an SR20DET block, a Nitto 2.2-litre stroker kit has been installed for a boost in midrange boogie. Thankfully though, early on Hans made the switch to an SR20VE head from a Nissan Primera P11. This means, besides the mechanical strength benefits of the head itself, top-end power is on a new level thanks to the extra flow the SR20VE head is capable of. As Nissan buffs will know, the best SR20VE camshaft to use with a turbocharged setup is the Primera P12 setup as they provide the most lift/duration from factory.

With a higher flowing head and the extra capacity thanks to the Nitto stroker kit, it meant that it made choosing a turbo an easy task — a BorgWarner EFR8374 although big, would have no troubles at all being spooled up by this engine package. The EFR8374 is a big unit, but things are certainly helped by the twin-scroll Sinco manifold, dual TiAL 38mm external wastegates and a few acts of Link G4 Xtreme sorcery on the dyno Hans has available to him at his workplace in Pukekohe. On its highest boost setting of 30psi, the little four-cylinder produced a stonking 528kW at the wheels. For reliable circuit work though, Hans has the boost pressure set a modest 20psi resulting in 420kW at the wheels.

Now backing the feisty SR22VET engine package is no longer an S-chassis gearbox, but rather a TTi sequential dog box, that apart from one NZ Superlap round last season has been bulletproof. Power is transmitted brutally through a Xtreme twin-plate ceramic clutch and flywheel setup, finally making its way through the KAAZ LSD diff and 295/35R18 Yokohama A050 tyres.

Han’s S14 has to be one of the lowest time attack cars we’ve seen running here in New Zealand, thanks to the custom suspension modifications that have been taken part underneath the Silvia to improve on the factory geometry. These upgrades, combined with the Tein Circuit Master coilovers, custom front and rear aero means it handles extremely well in both high and low-speed corners with both aero and mechanical grip.

In the most recent NZ Superlap Series, Hans took out second place outright in open class with respectable times at every round attended. This aside, Hans just recently announced he’ll be taking part in the Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge, which is huge news for the E&H Motors team. “We’ve started work on a new World Time Attack Challenge shell — this one will be a Nissan Silvia S15. There’s going to be plenty of interesting and high tech stuff going in with this car, so we’ll keep you posted,” Hans told us the last time we spoke.

With an almost identical platform to an S14 Silvia, Hans will no doubt be applying the lessons learned over the years to the new S15 chassis. We’ll be covering this build as it progresses too, so we’ll keep you updated in the build section of timeattackR.com. So, what’s in store for the mighty S14? According to Hans, it might get sold to fund the next build. If it does, the new owner – whoever it may be – is getting one hell of a sorted package to take part in New Zealand’s thriving motorsport scene — oh, and to kick some ass in!

A special mention must be made for Hans and his talented pit crew on behalf of the TimeattackR.com team — they're the nicest bunch of people in New Zealand motorsport and welcome us whenever we're around; thanks, team!

Engine: SR20DET block, P11 SR20VE head, E&H Motors modified block, Nitto 2.2-stroker kit, oversized valves, P12 SR20VE camshafts, E&H Motors porting, E&H Motors race valve springs, custom retainers, E&H Motors custom twin-chamber plenum, custom intake runners, 70mm throttle body, BorgWarner EFR8374 twin-scroll turbo, twin water-cooled TiAL 38mm external wastegates, TiAL 50mm blow-off valve, E&H in-tank twin fuel pump setup, four 2000cc injectors, Evo III coil packs, Eagle leads, NGK plugs, Sinco turbo manifold, E&H Motors 3.5-inch side-exit exhaust system, alloy radiator, Primera cooling fans, Link G4 Xtreme ECU, GReddy sump, E&H Motors trigger kit, E&H Motors catch can
Driveline: TTi six-speed sequential dog box, Xtreme twin-plate ceramic clutch, Xtreme flywheel, R200 differential with KAAZ two-way LSD
Braking: AP Racing six-piston front calipers with Endless pads, four-piston rear calipers with Hawk pads, Brembo floating front brake rotors, Znoelli rear rotors, Tilton brake bias adjuster
Suspension: Tein Circuit Master coilovers, Tein springs, E&H Motors geometry modifications (roll centre change, bump, toe, and camber adjustments, anti-dive adjustments)
Wheels and Tyres: 18x10.5-inch Wedsport TC105N, 295/35R18 Yokohama A050
Body: Onehunga Panel & Paint 2K red/black paint job, E&H Motors custom made front splitter and single element rear wing
Interior: Racetech seats, Momo steering wheel, Race technology Dash2 race dash, E&H Motors eight-point roll cage
Performance: 528kW (708hp) at the wheels on 30psi of boost, 420kW (563hp) at the wheels on 20psi for circuit racing
Lap times: Hampton Downs Raceway: 1:06.5, Pukekohe Park Raceway: 1:07.1, Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park: 1:32.5, Manfeild: 1:10.1
Driver/owner: Hans Ruiterman
Age: 34
Location: Pukekohe:
Build time: 7 years
Length of ownership: 9 years
Thanks: The team at E&H Motors, Gull Sports/Gull NZ, Motul NZ, Pukekohe Auto Spares, Onehunga Panel and Paint, TTi GTO racing gearboxes, Enduro Fit, Alicia Ruiterman, Theresa Knight, Claire Robinson, Carl Ruiterman, Scott Withers, Shaun Judd, Alex Lean, Nigel Lucas, Hayden Roose Butcher, Wayne Cowley

StreetattackR: Barry Manon’s MRP Performance 450kW 9A-GTE monster

“With a build history longer than most, it’s a real treat for TimeattackR.com to look into one of the most heavily modified Toyota Levins in the world. After conquering drag racing, it was time for Barry to set his targets on time attack racing.”

There aren’t many of us out there who early on, began a bond with a certain manufacturer right from the outset, never venturing from their chosen brand, or in this particular case, a certain chassis code within a brand. For Barry Manon of MRP Performance Ltd, the Toyota Levin AE92 is that chosen chassis, which back in the early 2000s were extremely potent packages thanks to their low weight, and powerful, easily upgraded 4A-GZE engines. Barry’s third and current example didn’t stay 1600cc for long though, as in 2006 he upgraded the engine using a 7A block bringing the engine capacity up to 1800cc.

The new-found capacity worked extremely well with a large frame turbo, and in no time at all the Levin was producing a staggering for the time 330kW at the wheels. “At this power, it was used as a daily driver to get to uni,” Barry went on to tell us, “We then took it to the drags and on its first outing it ran an 11.7-second quarter mile. From there we modified a few things to get the car to hook up better and we ran a 10.8-second pass.”

What you might not know about Barry, is that as long as there have been cars on the roads, Barry’s family has been racing them on the circuit. Barry’s grandfather Shack Manon used to race Mini Coopers back in the ‘60s, competing with Kiwi greats such as Jim Richards. At one point Shack even teamed up with the legendary Kenny Smith in an endurance race. This passion flowed on, hurtling Barry’s father Bruce into a world of motorsport and in no time at all, he began racing and tinkering.

It was during the ‘70s and the ‘80s that Bruce really got into motor racing, taking on the infamous TransAm class New Zealand had on offer at the time. With hardly any restrictions, much like the NZ Superlap Series and the current GTRNZ series, Bruce began to stray from the norm by building a turbocharged Ford Escort which according to Barry, was quite the eye-opener back in the day.

Growing up around hardcore racing and modifying it was only natural for Barry to progress and grow in a similar manner. After completing a bachelor in engineering mechatronics, Barry founded his very own business MRP Performance Ltd to produce high-performance components for Levins and the 4AGE series of engines.

This need to push the envelope steered Barry toward time attack style racing which didn’t exist in New Zealand until 2007. After competing in the very first Superlap event at Pukekohe, Barry was hooked and ever since then the Levin has been a dedicated street time attack machine, driving to 99-percent of rounds.

In 2008 Barry won Superlap outright after driving to and from the circuit, four hours from his home at the now-named Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park. “Then from 2014 we decided more power, better suspension and aero was needed in order to keep up with the current trend of racing. So a heap of mods were done so we could enter and compete at the top of its class in the Superlap events,” Barry explained. With stiff competition, it would take a couple of seasons for Barry to once again dominate the pack, but only because horsepower numbers began to climb dramatically. Enter the billet ages…

In its current guise, Barry’s Levin features more billet components than anything we’ve ever seen. And, it has been a process of eliminating weak components as they break during testing. Still using a 7A block, the Levin now runs a custom MRP Ltd ‘9AGTE’ stroker kit, bringing capacity a touch lower than 2000cc. To strengthen the bottom end a billet MRP crank girdle has been used, alongside a Toda oil pump, and an MRP baffled race sump.

Up top, the factory 16-valve head is no longer. In its place is a 20V blacktop head that has been CNC-ported, with custom MRP cams that make the most of the variable cam-timing. The upgraded head, cams, and bottom end now spool a hefty Turbonetics turbo which is managed by twin 38mm TiAL external wastegates. After deciding to switch to E85 (as many have) Barry made the move to twin Bosch 044 fuel pumps, 1650cc Xspurt injectors, and an AEM E85 lift pump to handle the 28psi of boost pressure the Turbonetics pumps out on its highest boost setting. The result? On high boost; 450kW at the wheels.

“Reliability plus better design to allow for high HP numbers is the reason I chose billet components. If we want to keep up with the Evos and Skylines we have to make reliable power. Since there is no one else in the world making billet stroker components for our engine type we decided to design this and make it available worldwide,” Barry told us, after we queried the numerous billet components.

So, how does one get 450kW to the ground through a front-wheel-drive Toyota gearbox? Why billet components of course — the factory E52 gearbox is no longer factory after breaking several components with the power increase. A Tilton twin-plate clutch and MRP billet steel flywheel take care of clamping pressure and custom billet driveshafts get dealt the full 450kW thanks to the Kaaz LSD.

To keep this hyper Levin on the ground, a combination of Fortune Auto 510 series coilovers matched with Swift springs were used with gigantic 18x10-inch Enkei RPF1s up front and 17x9-inch RPF1s on the rear. Not able to skimp on tyres with this much power, the 10-inch fronts are paired with 295/30R18 Hankook Z221 front tyres and the rears are shod in 255/40R17s. At the final round of Superlap, Barry struggled to get heat into the rears which are a common problem in front-wheel drive cars. With a bit more wing angle, Barry managed to get more heat into them and ran a personal best at Hampton Downs Raceway with a 1:08.8.

The braking package on the MRP Levin is more than up to the task of attacking New Zealand’s wide range of circuits. Afco four-piston Superlite calipers have been installed up front paired with 330mm Nashin two-piece floating race rotors. And Hawk DTC60 pads.

“Getting the tune right has been the hardest thing for us lately. E85 with our engine type takes a bit of time to tune correctly. It's something we have to outsource for others to do for us so it's hard for me to have any control over it. Everything else mechanical wise I look after so I know what's going on and how I want these parts to work,” Barry continues, “If I had to start again with this build, I probably would have stripped the body right down, lighten everything and had a full cage done at the beginning.” We can’t wait to see what Barry brings us next season. Knowing him, it’ll be faster than ever, and it’ll have even more billet components than ever before. With the pace he’s now travelling at, we hope he comes back with a full roll cage too!

Engine: 1900cc 9AGTE, 7AGE block, MRP stroker kit, MRP billet crank girdle, Toda oil pump, MRP Baffled race sump, 20-valve ‘Blacktop’ CNC ported head, Kelford cams, custom MRP two-piece intake plenum, 20-valve ITBs, Turbonetics turbo (62mm compressor, 62mm turbine wheel and twin-scroll housing), twin 38mm TiAL external wastegates, 50mm TiAL BOV, twin Bosch 044 fuel pumps, AEM E85 lift pump, custom surge tank, M&W CDI, Magnecor leads, Denso spark plugs, Evo wasted spark coils, 3.5-inch stainless steel exhaust system, HDI GT2 intercooler, 2.5-inch intercooler pipes, Setrab oil cooler, Audi radiator with swirl pot, Autronic SMC ECU, Peterson external oil pressure relief valve
Driveline: E52 five-speed Levin gearbox, Tilton twin-plate clutch, MRP billet steel flywheel, Kaaz LSD, custom billet driveshafts
Suspension: Fortune Auto 510 series coilovers, Swift springs, MRP roll centre adjusters
Braking: Afco four-piston Superlite calipers, 330mm Nashin two-piece floating rotors, Hawk DTC60 pads, braided brake lines
Wheels and Tyres: (F) 18x10-inch Enkei RPF1, 295/30R18 Hankook Z221 (R) 17x9-inch Enkei RPF1, 255/40R17 Hankook Z221
Body: Metallic blue paint job, custom carbon fibre front splitter, custom side skirts, APR carbon fibre GT250 rear wing, 75mm and 50mm flares
Interior: Border bucket seat, deep dish 350mm steering wheel, Autometer gauges, half cage
Performance: 450kW at the wheels on high boost
Thanks: Fortune Auto, ST Hitec, M-Spec, Edgell Automotive, Millers Oils, Manon Butler Motors, Carl Robertson, Chris Burrett, and my wife & kids

StreetattackR Project: why I sold the Honda and bought a turbocharged Subaru

“Uh-oh! I’ve done it again; but this time, it’s for the better. A brand new TimeattackR.com project, but this time with BOOST!”

If you’re a follower of mine on social media, you’ll know that late last year I purchased a 2000 Honda Accord Euro R (CL1). This Accord was it, the project to end all projects. That was until I felt a lust for boost pressure, gorilla-like grip, and something with opposing cylinders. To be fair, I was in the market for a Nissan Skyline GT-R R33, but they’ve reached astronomical prices lately and they’re getting pinched faster than I see them for sale. I didn’t want to purchase my dream car only to have it stolen months, weeks, or even days later — maybe it is best to never meet my childhood hero? Who knows. All I know is, the Subaru WRX STi (GRB) for 10–15-thousand dollars less a GT-R was fantastic value for money. Oh, and I can fit the doggo in the back — win-win!

So, what exactly did I purchase? The Subaru I now own is a 2008 Subaru WRX STI (GRB chassis). From the factory, the two-litre variant (JDM model) boasts 228kW and 422Nm of torque — that’s as much as a 2JZ-GTE! With equal-length factory headers, a twin-scroll VF43 turbocharger and more boost than the New Zealand new model, it’s a rocket ship waiting to take off, and it doesn’t sound as though it’s from the Subaru family.

This particular example will be a combination of my track day/touge monster and weekend cruiser that my wife can drive. It came with a few cheeky upgrades too, which was one of the main reasons I purchased it. It had been built properly down in Christchurch by James Marshall Motorsport. James Marshall is well known in racing circles all around the country, and this particular example was built for his wife to drive.

Handling wise, the WRX features Blitz coilovers which are platform height and damper adjustable. Engine wise, the EJ20 has been tickled with a reflash and now runs 1.5-bar of boost (around 20psi), has a turbo-back HKS exhaust system, which includes front pipe, mid-section, and rear mufflers. On the intake side, the factory intercooler remains, but the turbo now breathes much better thanks to the HKS Kansai carbon fibre air box and intake kit.

A few aesthetic enhancements have been made to it too; a set of 18x9.5-inch (+30) Work Emotion Kiwami wheels were fitted by the previous owner, and an electronic Defi boost gauge with a controller was fitted. Wanting to create my own look for the car, I have on order a set of 18x9.5-inch (+30) Work 11R wheels in gloss black on order from Work Wheels in Japan which are due to arrive in the next week or so. Currently, the WRX is rolling on 245/40R18 Neuton tyres which are absolute garbage as I found out on Taupo’s Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park at a Club Sub track day, as are the factory brake pads and fluid.

To remedy this, I have sitting on my desk at work a set of Project Mu B-spec high-temp pads for the factory Brembo calipers, braided Hel brake lines all round, and DBA T2 slotted rotors, which once fitted, should pull the WRX up time and time again out on the circuit. To combat the rubbish tyre issue, I have ordered a set of 235/40R18 Zestino 07R semi-slick tyres, which will be fitted once the Work 11Rs arrive.

It’s been all go since I purchased ‘Rex’, but it has been nice to have a car I am passionate about spending oodles of time and money on again. Once the Possum Bourne baffled sump goes in, the tyres are fitted, and the brakes installed, it’s ready for the circuit. I can’t wait!

Next time: I have the tyres fitted to the Work 11R wheels!