MCA’s Hammerhead Retains The WTAC Crown

Despite the ominous forecast, the rain never arrived to spoil the last day of competition at the 2017 Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge.

The threat of downpours turned out to be nothing more than a bit of drizzle that quickly stopped, and the lower temperatures and overcast sky ended up creating even more favorable conditions for breaking records.

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And that’s precisely what Tim Slade did in the MCA Suspension ‘Hammerhead’ Nissan Silvia S13, clocking a new record time of 1:20.971.

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Piloting the PR Tech Racing Porsche 968, Barton Mawer managed to better his PB from Friday by three tenths, a 1:21.485 lap landing him in second position.

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And finishing in third spot was Under Suzuki, who is no stranger to the WTAC podium. He was beyond ecstatic at the result too; 1:21.796 is not only the Scorch Racing Nissan Silvia S15’s best-ever time around Sydney Motorsport Park, but it’s right on the pace.

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It’s crazy to see how all these cars keep improving and shaving off massive chunks of time over the previous year, and testament to the work and development that teams put into refining their machines. But the really crazy thing is that there is still more left in them all. As Tim Slade explained, the MCA Hammerhead was not even running the final version of the aero that Andrew Brilliant designed for the car this year. And PR Tech Racing, who skipped the final shoot-out due to mechanical issues in their 968, still have an all-billet engine (block and head) to run; they simply never had time to fit it and set it all up for the event.

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And we all know that Under Suzuki never gives up; his determination guarantees that he will continue to push until the day he can come away victorious. The challenge is not over for him yet.

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Once again, we came away hungry to see more. It’s like a vicious circle; we are all well and truly addicted to attacking time.

Team Speedhunters picked up a lot of content over the past few days at Sydney Motorsport Park, and we’ll begin rolling that out over the course of the next week. Stay tuned for more WTAC 2017 awesomeness!

Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: speedhunters_dino
dino@speedhunters.com

Additional Images: Matthew Everingham

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1

It's really impressive to see how these guys managed to shave off so much time in just a few years. The actual PRO AM times are the same as the PRO OPEN CLASS from a year before, and yet it's a category below PRO OPEN.. That being said, something bothers me: only the times change; I really want to see more of WTAC. The podiums are always the same, and the competition only lies between 3-5 teams for the fastest machines out there. If there could be more money at stake, the event would attract more teams, and make the scene even better than it is now (as long as the positive points of WTAC are retained, of course). I find the slower cars to be so much more interesting than the insane "scaffolding" (as described by someone on the previous post) cars, because we're always getting the same grid. Don't missunderstand me, it's far from being a boring grid, but after a few years, the thrill wears off.

2

I want a truly Unlimited class. Give me factory one-off speed demons and experimental technology like the Chaparral team and the Can-Am series. I want everything short of open wheels. Wedges, rolling wings, active aero and suction, experimental tires and pushing the limits of what is humanly possible!

3

Well that's going to suck for privateers and non-factory backed teams isn't it? That scene is better suited for whatever is left of the sport called F1.

4

Hey guys I’m wondering where it says “PR Tech Racing Porsche 968” in the program?Isn’t it the RP968 Porsche 968? I know prtechnology are sponsors of the car and built it( they are very capable) but am I wrong in saying the team is lead by an amateur?

5

Yes it's RP968, the team on Facebook said WTAC got the name wrong all weekend.

6

Yea but doesn’t anyone read anymore? The team names have been on the website, they were all on the garages at the venue. The event organisers have tried to do the right thing but I don’t know if the media understands the message they are sending to the public. The team owner is not going to be impressed is he?

7

These machines are truly awesome, Pikes Peaks-like. The stability of them through turn one is impressive.
The rotaries though, I'm sure my ears were damaged by them lol.

8

I thought the Saturday would of been crap due to the weather, luckily it held out until basically the end of the drift event.
Insane how much progress is made with cars. I remember when a sub 1:25 time was near impossible and now sub 1:20 times are just around the corner and that's only like 3/4 years.

9

2 seconds off is "right on the pace" in the Dakar, sure.

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