Anyone entered for this Sepang race?

[Karoon]

i'm looking to race in a turbocharged kancil

 

http://motoring.asiaone.com.sg/motorworld/20070412_001.html

 

Ferrari's Kimmi Raikkonen and Filipe Massa tried in vain to overhaul McLaren's twin silver bullets driven by Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton at last weekend's F1 race at Sepang. Think you could have done better? Here's your chance to outdo them on the closest purpose-built circuit in Sepang.

 

The cost of this Sepang spin will set you back $300 in entry fees alone, but will also buy you the chance to take on one of the best drivers ever to come out of the land of the rising sun, Nobuteru Taniguchi, on Monday, April 16.

 

Unfortunately you won't be driving alongside the 36-year-old Nobuteru, or "NOB" ("No One Better") as he's popularly known, because this will be a "Time Attack" event. This format sees drivers driving solo around the track to clock the best lap time possible.

 

Darren Tay from event organisers MPT Motor trading, estimates that a stock Mitsubishi Evo in the hands of an experienced track driver could come in under 2:40 minutes.

 

Nobuteru on the other hand, is in a completely different league when he gets behind the wheel of the one-of-a-kind CT230-R. He'll be gunning for a lap time in the range of 2:10, which isn't completely unheard of for cars running on slick tyres. But the gung-ho Japanese driver will have semi-slicks on instead, which don't provide as much grip.

 

Grip, however, isn't always necessary when you're an expert 'drifter' like Nobuteru. Just do a search for him on YouTube and the videos will show you what I mean.

 

For comparison's sake, the quickest lap time clocked at Sepang over the weekend was 1:34 by Filipe Massa during qualifying. Unfortunately Mr Massa and his Ferrari will be in Bahrain over the weekend, so you won't be able to borrow his flaming-red ride.

 

According to the event organizers, a total of 70 entries have already been confirmed. The usual suspects consisting of Honda Civics, Misubishi EVOs, and Subaru WRXs will turn out in force, but cars from European marques like Alfa Romeo, Posche, and Lotus will also be trying to make their presence felt on the 5.543km circuit.

 

More than 70 cars are expected to turn up for the Time Attack challenge, which is divided into four categories (Turbo, NA, Kit Car, and Automatic), with the Turbo & NA categories further separated based on full-slick, semi-slick, and street-use tyres.

 

If you actually manage to accomplish the next-to-impossible feat of beating Taniguchi, you stand to win $18,000 worth of high-end gear from HKS, which will pale in comparison with the bragging rights you will own for the rest of your life!

 

Bring your own fan club, if you have one, because entry to the circuit will be free, and all spectators will have to do is find a safe spot to watch the action from.

 

MILLION-DOLLAR MACHINE

 

Based on a 'regular' Lancer production monocoque chassis, the CT230-R was formerly known as the HKS TRB 02 (a.k.a. Tsukuba Record Breaker), until a bad run by Taniguchi saw him driving the car right into the barriers at the Tsukuba circuit in Japan. The driver emerged unscathed, but the car took nearly two years to reassemble with an 'unlimited' budget. The result is what many are calling Japan's fastest circuit racer.

 

So, if you've got some serious spare change and have already fallen in love with the souped-up CT230-R, you should be able to take over the keys from Taniguchi-san once you cough up the pre-requisite $1.3 million, COE not included.

 

Other cars that the 'NOB' has driven competitively include the RS1 Hyper Silvia S15, two RS2 Hyper Silvia S15s, and a Genki RP Altezza.

[Relagsingh]

Very interesting.... too bad i dun have the wheels suitable for this kind of event.

 

i shall wish those participants out there the best of luck.

[King]

500bhp for a evo is a hand of a super driver do 210....

[Chemz]

quote " Transmission: HKS Dog Type "

 

the same tranny as the madass e36 stw from

[Abba]

Heard the event was quite a wash out due to rain and also quite a few supposedly "fast" cars blew their engines. They must have been quite highly tuned for just that 1 lap. Even F1 cars now have to lap 2 races; so that ~1000 kms (Race, including fri & sat prac, qualifying)

[Yc86]

so did anyone beat Taniguchi's timing?

 

Any field reports on that event? like kinda quiet....

[Sambuca]

I was there for the event

don't think any car blew its engine... at least not that i know of

 

Nob's evo had some technical issues after a few warmup laps

and was forced to retire.

 

the best turbo timing was done by a Lotus Exige driven by Denis Lian

whereas the best NA timing was done by a DC5R driven by Eddie Liew

 

the other events went on pretty smoothly with not much distractions cept for the race queens.

 

after the race, we were treated to a free buffet cum prize presentation. pretty much enjoyed myself.

 

had some personal pics but think you guys would prefer this from my bro's siggy.

 

[Zaizai]

Haha!! Can u put ur personal pics pls. I wanna compare which I prefer. haha!

[Sambuca]

Eddie Liew's DC5 Type R representing JC racing

Edited May 9, 2007 by Sambuca

[Sambuca]

Nobuteru Taniguchi's CT230-R invited by Garage R

Edited May 9, 2007 by Sambuca

[Nazaki]

The CT230R is on this mth's issue of Hotstuff.

[Gary84]

very interesting indeed...dynoed on the kancil alrdy?