What a day! Out of all the events we are bringing for you from Japan this month this is the one that I've been really waiting for. With the Nismo Festival no longer having any type of tuning car spectacle, the Super Lap Battle is the place to get your time attack fix. This is where you get to see some of the best and fastest cars in Japan out on track, driven by the best drivers in the country trying to get that all-important fastest time around Tsukuba circuit. The event is put on by Rev Speed Magazine, which has been organizing this get together for over twenty years. 

With so much going on through the day I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss anything, so my alarm went off at a heart-attack-inducing 4:30 am. I was at the track at 6:30 and the paddock was already filled to the brim with the cars we all know and love! Along with the usual suspects that have for years been top players in the Open Class, cars like the Panspeed and Revolution FDs, there was plenty of never-before seen machinery to add to the mix….including the odd hybrid! 

Tarzan Yamada was called in to drive a few cars in various classes, which included the crazy Esprit NSX that not only looks like a Super GT car, but kind of is if you take a closer look under the engine cover. The 3.2L V6 has been rotated 90º and fitted longitudinally along with a transaxle sequential gearbox out of a GT500 car! 

This Garage Yawata BNR32 redefines the term "wide ass!"

I think everyone with the slightest interest in the Japanese time attack scene was hoping that the guys from Pro Stock would bring out their insane BNR34 demo car that was built over 3 years ago now. Seems the time is still not right, but not to worry as they were there with this extremely fast R32.

Smaller cars like the Swift, Colt and even Mini's continue to be favorites with the tuners so there really is something for everybody!

Hisada-san at Bozz Speed surprised everybody with the new company livery, not to mention an all-new Imrpeza demo car based on the limited edition STi R205!! 

Esprit also brought their R35 demo car, disappointingly the only R35 GT-R at the event. Chatting to Tarzan, he mentioned this car is a monster, fitted with bigger turbos that increase power to well over 800 HP. Apparently the delivery is savage without any sacrifice in response. I saw it wheel spin in third a few times out on track!

5Zigen officially have the fastest front wheel drive car in the scene, and they were nice enough to apply two Speedhunter stickers to the front bumper! Thanks guys!

But the biggest news of the day was the impressive time that was set…

…by the Revolution RX7. On its first outing early in the morning, with a extremely cold track, it managed a 54 second dead. On the second session, with slightly warmer surface temperatures, it went the fastest any time attack car has ever gone at the Rev Speed event, managing a 53.673 sec laptime. It is still a smidgeon slower than the 53.589 sec Nob Taniguchi set with the HKS CT230R, which was recorded during the time attack sessions Option Magazine organizes. Revolution are certain the car has a lot more in it, so aren't quite done yet! Gotta love the new coloring by the way!

R-Magic really do come out with some of the coolest aero kits for Mazdas! Check out this new bumper for the RX-8 with its big gaping mouth and carbon air scoop to feed the airbox!

The CR-Z is once car we will be seeing more and more in the time attack scene!

The ASM Yokohama S2000, a regular at these events.

The Bozz Speed R205 as it blasts down the main straight.

The new Revolution 3-rotor RX8 is was one of the best sounding cars at the event today. It has only been out at Tsukuba a couple of times and needs a little more fine tuning but still managed a 1-minute flat, which is not bad at all!

This is just a taste of what went down today at Tsukuba. Get ready for the full coverage coming soon!

-Dino Dalle Carbonare