I'm really surprised that a proper Super Lap Battle championship has yet to be organized in Japan. An effort was made back in the day with the T1-GP but it never really took off. I've been thinking about this for a while as I'm a little sad that we all have to wait one year to see our favorite cars blast around Tsukuba, because there is no doubt about it, this is one of the best events of the year. A national series would not only see teams participate at different tracks, like the new Sodegaura Forest Raceway for example, but it would give other cars a chance too as I'm pretty sure the fastest car around Tsukuba would not necessarily be the fastest around Fuji Speedway. But enough with the dreaming, let's get back to the coverage of this, the most exciting event of the year for real car otakus!!

Koyama-san of Koyama Racing Labo picked a driver he has been working with for years at JUN, to get the most out of his new Evo X. Kinoshita Mitsuhiro is always very clean through the tight corners of Tsukuba, using the monumental grip the CT4A chassis and Hankook tires developed.

Only a handful of GT-Rs were present on the day, and the Autech Tsukada BNR34 was the most impressive of them all. Competing in the Street-R class meant it had to use street tires, but yet managed to get a 58"672 lap, which interestingly enough was faster than every car in the Street-S category where cars use semi-slick rubber. Well done Tsukada-san!

Here is Ross of AVO Japan checking over the data the Impreza's Motec ECU logged on track.

The Cosworth powered GDB managed a best lap of 59"343 making it the fourth fastest car in the Open-4WD class. If you click the link to the AVO website you can see a video of one of the laps the Impreza did.

On top of their CZ4A Original Runduce brought their GRB out for a play. managing a best of 1'03"010. Love the hood on this car!

The 5Zigen CL7 Accord Euro-R is now back in Japan after participating in the Super Lap series in the US. The car has been recently turbocharged, which on top of the nitrous oxide system allows the K20 to develop 420 HP! More on this car soon!

Super Autobacs Hamamatsu were back this year with their GDB competing with the big boys in the Open-4WD class. With Kinoshita at the wheel the car managed to achieve a best time of 59"552.

This is what your engine should look like if you want to dip under that 1-minute barrier!

I liked the exhausts on this Car Station Marche GRB, the fastest of the only two new-gen Impreza present with a best lap of 1'01"508.

This Back to Zero Z33 was sporting the wildest body out of all the Zs, not to mention a turbocharged engine.

I thought this JZZ30 must have gotten the wrong event or something, as you really don't see Soarers participating in time attack much! Built by Racing Factory Autobahn it came unbelievably close in posting a sub-minute lap with a 1'00"080! It looked like a drift car coming out of the in-field hairpin, the track and tire temperatures just that little too low to get optimal traction.

Really loved the look of the Garage Shimaya Exige S…

…especially the carbon wheels it was running. Well, they are not real carbon, the have just been covered with it by Carbon Dry, who will wrap pretty much anything you want in the lovely glossy fibers!

The Nogami Project Mazda Roadster was looking very photogenic with its new bumper. Thanks to a 2.5L engine it managed to get its times down to 1'04"242 which is pretty damn fast for an NC!

The only Porsche at the event was this Brightening GT3 Club Sport which put on a show out on track with some nice powerslides when shooting out of corners. Flat-6 sound is always one of the best!

This was the first time I saw the Revolution RX8 since it received its latest series of modifications, which as you can see include some lovely carbon body parts! This, the only SE3P at the event, got its lap time down to 1'04"417.

It's great to see that Unlimited Works and Cyber Evo are thinking of the future. Their new Evo X demo car looked pretty hot out on track and came away with a best time of 1'02"432. Tarzan Yamada took care of the driving!

The Voltex Evo 8 MR got so close, so damn close they just couldn't believe it. Their time was 1'00"001!!! 

I have to admit, I didn't particularly like the Fujita Engineering FD when I first laid eyes on it at TAS a few years back. But there is no doubting it looks mean as hell in action, and those looks are backed up by a mighty set-up which allowed it to get a 58"897 lap.

I'm pretty sure some of you guys want to see the Revolution RX-7 in more detail so I grabbed a few shots while it was back in the pits in between sessions.

Most of the rear end has been cut out and reinforced with a tubular rear structure. This has allowed them to create a custom suspension layout as well as manage weight distribution accurately. The rear carbon hatch pops off in seconds and only weights a few kilograms. 

The interior is pure GT-car, down to the rear view camera and LCD screen! Notice the billet gear lever for the Hewland sequential gearbox.

You really have to look closely to find it but there is also an engine in there somewhere! A custom front tubular structure for the front end has allowed the 13B to be pushed right back and as low as possible into the chassis. The air-box that sits next to the HKS T04Z turbine lines up with the under-structure of the carbon hood to create a ram-air effect.

If the Honda Twincam FD2 continues to get any faster it will be the first new-gen Civic Type-R to dip below the minute mark. 1'00"322 is pretty damn close!

It sported one of the cleanest interiors out there, the perfect example of simplicity, just what I like!

More to come from the Tsukuba, including a couple of car Spotlights so don't miss what's coming up next.

-Dino Dalle Carbonare