Spotlight-o-rama At The Battle Evome

Moving swiftly along with the Battle Evome coverage from Sunday, I’ve put together a quick spotlight-o-rama of five vehicles that really stood out in the paddock. Now I know there are a lot of other cars you probably wanted to see, but I guess I will have to keep those for future events. To get going let’s take a closer look at the Garage Work EG6 Civic, a car that ever since seeing it for the first time years ago has always surprised me for its pace out on track.

I think at that time it was lapping in a minute flat, which takes a very special car to achieve at a short track like Tsukuba, not to mention a skilled driver. Things under the hood look almost too simple, but what this Civic lacks in raw power it more than makes up in lack of weight…

…and a decade’s worth of fine tuning and development on both the handling & braking as well as the aero side of things. This time round the little Honda was sitting on TE37s wrapped in medium-compound Advan A050, 255/40R17 up front and 215/50R16 on the one inch smaller rears.

Aside form a shell stripped right down to the bare metal, carbon fiber is used to further reduce curb weight on the doors, trunk & hood. Like I mentioned yesterday its fastest on the day was a 59.398 sec. A little more, and they will be seeing 58s!

Here is the owner kindly applying a few Speedhunters stickers on the car; thank you!

Next up is another Honda, the “smiley” AP1…

…that at each event always seems to sit in the same place, basking in the warm morning rays of the winter sun. The Mugen front bumper this car runs has been mated to a downforce-boosting custom front splitter…

…which wraps right around to the sides. One of my favorite things about this car are the J’s Racing front fenders. I like them for two reasons: the first being that they don’t line up to the Mugen bumper and that helps give a very raw feel to it, and secondly they struggle to contain the Volk Racing TE37SLs.

Oh…and they look superb from this angle although I think those A050’s must bombard the side of the car with little stones. Still, nothing a quick respray of selected panels won’t fix, after all this is a car built for track work, not looking pretty in a garage.

Like everyone at these grassroots time attack events, aero has become just as important as handling, braking and engine tuning. Just look at that rear wing! Best time it got was a 1’00.741.

Next up I wanted to focus a little on Horikoshi-san’s Exceed Moat S14, yet another car built in collaboration with Takemura-san at Scorch Racing.

As of late this thing has been evolving at the same pace as Suzuki’s S15, especially on the aero side of things. Check out the front fender work he has been running since the beginning of this 2013 season, and if you look closely you will spy the same prohibitively expensive monobloc Brembo Racing brake calipers that Suzuki has also fitted.

The MDF front splitter he ran for a few years has been replaced now, not really sure what sort of material this new item made of but it definitely looks more presentable. The new canards are also quite impressive, maybe you don’t get the impression from the pictures but these things are massive.

Inside it’s as simplistic as it gets. What has been removed was obviously not needed so until Horikoshi-san has time to create his own carbon dash this is how things are staying. I recently shot the car so I will have to post up the feature before it gets too out of date. Damn these time attack guys for working so fast! Anyway the feature will serve as a great example of how much work keeps being put into this thing.

His lap times continue to get faster and like at every single Battle Evome event he finished up in second place behind the mighty carbon S15. Top time for him was a 55.030 sec, just over three tenths quicker than the time his recorded during the first round last month.

It’s not every day that an all new project car shows up at this event so it’s not surprising this Decide 226/KyushuDanji BNR34 had a swarm of curious people around it most of the morning. To show up to Tsukuba for the first time and out of the bat come up with the third fastest time of the day, a 56.103 sec, is mighty impressive. It looks like this beast has a ton more potential left in it…

…and it also looks like its owner did a rather nice job of addressing the aero side of things allowing the guys at Voltex to come up with a very sturdy front diffuser, canards, winglets and whatnot.

One look inside and it’s obvious no cost was spared to put this focused time attack machine together, the chassis stripped and spot welded throughout and a pretty sturdy-looking roll-cage (for Japanese standards) gusseted to all three pillars. Stock instrumentation has given way to a Racepack LCD dash unit/data logger and even the Multi Function Display has been relegated to the trash.

Under the hood the 2.8L RB26 has been joined by the nifty little HKS V-Cam unit which works overtime to maximize low and mid-range response, helping the laggy Trust T88-34D to do it’s job even out of its max boost curve.

As an R34 owner, seeing a new car like this is very exciting. Of course I won’t emphasize the lack of R35s at these sort of events. Wink, wink…

And to finish up this nice selection it was hard to pass up the chance to spotlight a rotary, but equally hard to choose which one of the six FDs present to go for! I went for the yellow TFR…

…a seriously prepared and focused track weapon…

…sporting some serious power.

Like a lot of the top cars these days, dry carbon roof conversions are becoming very common; just look at how well this came out. Love the paint fade too!

Of course serious performance requires serious aero. Fastest time this RX-7 got was a 57.539 sec lap.

That wraps up the spotlights for this event. Have you guys had enough of time attack cars or do you want to see more?

Battle Evome

Battle Evome coverage on Speedhunters

-Dino Dalle Carbonare

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1

more please! lol
thanks for the spotlights dino, awesome as always

2

more please! lol
thanks for the spotlights dino, awesome as always

3

more please! lol
thanks for the spotlights dino, awesome as always

4

Id like to see something on that S30 in the first photo.

5

Id like to see something on that S30 in the first photo.

6

Id like to see something on that S30 in the first photo.

7

enough of time attack ? , no no

8

enough of time attack ? , no no

9

enough of time attack ? , no no

10

More please.

11

More please.

12

More please.

13

No, that can't be all !!!!!
More please Dino !!!!

14

No, that can't be all !!!!!
More please Dino !!!!

15

No, that can't be all !!!!!
More please Dino !!!!

16

Enough? Never!! More pics, more pics!

17

Enough? Never!! More pics, more pics!

18

Enough? Never!! More pics, more pics!

22

More more more!!!

23

More more more!!!

24

More more more!!!

25

I wonder whats the purpose of bigger front wheels on FF cars or this civic, is it just bigger brakes or do have tire size something with it?
BTW I like this battle evome articles very very much :)

26

I wonder whats the purpose of bigger front wheels on FF cars or this civic, is it just bigger brakes or do have tire size something with it?
BTW I like this battle evome articles very very much :)

27

I wonder whats the purpose of bigger front wheels on FF cars or this civic, is it just bigger brakes or do have tire size something with it?
BTW I like this battle evome articles very very much :)

28

I would say you are correct.  17" wheels have more selection for wider tires.

29

I would say you are correct.  17" wheels have more selection for wider tires.

30

I would say you are correct.  17" wheels have more selection for wider tires.

31

Probably for the same reason that many RWD cars use staggered setups...

32

Probably for the same reason that many RWD cars use staggered setups...

33

Probably for the same reason that many RWD cars use staggered setups...

34

Yeah, you are right, there are very few tire choices in 16" sizes and the 17" allows for more brake clearance.

35

Yeah, you are right, there are very few tire choices in 16" sizes and the 17" allows for more brake clearance.

36

From what I understand, using a wider set in front on a FF platform causes more oversteer

37

From what I understand, using a wider set in front on a FF platform causes more oversteer

38

this is grass roots isnt it?! the level of these cars is incredible

39

this is grass roots isnt it?! the level of these cars is incredible

40
speedhunters_dino

@DavidKarey haha thanks!

41
speedhunters_dino

@DavidKarey haha thanks!

42
speedhunters_dino

Thanks man!

43
speedhunters_dino

Thanks man!

44
speedhunters_dino

@K's Good to hear!:)

45
speedhunters_dino

@K's Good to hear!:)

46
speedhunters_dino

@DookiE Ok then...

47
speedhunters_dino

@DookiE Ok then...

48
speedhunters_dino

@Andy D I'll see what I can dig up...

49
speedhunters_dino

@Andy D I'll see what I can dig up...

50
speedhunters_dino

@Rodrigo Coutinho haha ok then:)

51
speedhunters_dino

@Rodrigo Coutinho haha ok then:)

52
speedhunters_dino

@nzjoleeh :)

53
speedhunters_dino

@nzjoleeh :)

54
speedhunters_dino

@djnurspek More understeer?  Not when you have downforce glueing you to the asphalt!;)

55
speedhunters_dino

@djnurspek More understeer?  Not when you have downforce glueing you to the asphalt!;)

56
speedhunters_dino

@Nikhil_P Yep, I think most people don't quite realize these are all self-founded amateurs. Grassroots FTW!

57
speedhunters_dino

@Nikhil_P Yep, I think most people don't quite realize these are all self-founded amateurs. Grassroots FTW!

58

@speedhunters_dino wow! really is incredible! the main reason why i love grassroots soo much! ugh i wanna go japan soo badly!!!

59

@speedhunters_dino wow! really is incredible! the main reason why i love grassroots soo much! ugh i wanna go japan soo badly!!!

60

All awesome cars! I remember seing that EG years ago in Import Tuner and it was already aggressive then looking at it now is mind bogling haha. That RX7 is knarley... Well I mean  all of those cars are epic! Great post!

61

All awesome cars! I remember seing that EG years ago in Import Tuner and it was already aggressive then looking at it now is mind bogling haha. That RX7 is knarley... Well I mean  all of those cars are epic! Great post!

62
speedhunters_dino

@xracer6 Yup that EG deserves a feature.  Next time I'm in their area I will have to pop in for a visit!

63
speedhunters_dino

@xracer6 Yup that EG deserves a feature.  Next time I'm in their area I will have to pop in for a visit!

64

More! More! More!

65

@DavidKarey That was my first thought too!

66

Never enough time attack coverage, now if we could just get your American counterparts to cover some time attack here in the US...

67

@djnurspek
 Yeah wider front tires makes the car more willing to rotate no matter if FF, FR, etc. I remember reading an article a long time ago where Bozz speed used wider tires up front to get better turn in and less understeer.

68

@djnurspek
 *Bozz speed used wider tires on an Evo VI

69

moar!!!!!!!!

70

Some great cars Dino.
(Would like to know more about the white R32 GT-R (#6)).

71

Great cars in their element. Very nice coverage!

72

@Bridges  @djnurspek
 Hasport had a swapped CRX setup the same why. I would def. want the extra tire braking into turn 1 after that long straight.

73

@speedhunters_dino  there's always this Sundays last BE to get some more !!!
thanks heaps Dino you keep my Jdm fix in between trips over there !!!!!

74
speedhunters_dino

@FunctionFirst Wasn't aware that there were very many out there?

75

It took me a minute to realize there was no rear glass on the rx7 either, just the carbon what a great car.

76
speedhunters_dino

@jzx81 few more pix of it in next post :)

77

I like seeing the Japanese "muscle cars" however it would be nice to see some more civics

78

More time attack cars!!!

79

moar rotarys!!!

80

moar rotarys!!!

81

moar rotarys!!!

82

I'll never understand why some people prefer to pop rivet over spot welding (civic strut towers)

83

I'll never understand why some people prefer to pop rivet over spot welding (civic strut towers)

84

I'll never understand why some people prefer to pop rivet over spot welding (civic strut towers)

85

That S2000 is the happiest looking car i've ever seen!

86

That S2000 is the happiest looking car i've ever seen!

87

That S2000 is the happiest looking car i've ever seen!

88

@speedhunters_dino  @FunctionFirstThere aren't. To me, it seems like every time they try a time attack series in the US  the rules are written to penalize or eliminate what the majority of American enthusiasts drive either to placate sponsors, or because of myopic promoters/clubs. I can't see time attack being successful in the US until Porsches/Corvettes/Vipers/Mustangs/LSswaps are allowed to compete without penalties.

89

No.6 image is beautiful, wish it was a wallpaper.

90

MOAR TIME CARS

91

MOAR TIME CARS

92

MOAR TIME CARS

93
FrankCastiglione

More time attack cars!

94

MOAR!! That AP1 really is smiling. :D

95

More RX-7's please!!!

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