For every kid who grew up in the ’90s obsessing over Japanese car culture, stories of the infamous Mid Night Racing Team were impossible to ignore. And how many of us wished we could be a part of it? Admittedly, back in the day I was fantasising about joining the grunge band Nirvana, not an […]
A Swedish Time Attack Monster
I have to give credit where credit is due. If it wasn’t for the coverage I saw on Speedhunters and Narita Dogfight long before I started contributing here, I wouldn’t have such a keen interest in time attack today. The content coming straight out of Tsukuba Circuit’s pit lane garages intrigued me, and ever since I’ve found myself following […]
The Long Road In A Japanese Time Attack-Spec RX-7
Chris Johnston’s love for the FD3S Mazda RX-7 began during childhood. The FD’s sleek, timeless lines paired with its unique rotary performance and sound is alluring to many, and Chris is no exception. Back in 2005, he attended his first SEMA Show in Atlantic City, New Jersey. At that moment in time, Chris set himself a […]
Simple & Nimble: The Mizukami Auto 240ZG
Keep it simple, make it nimble. It’s not quite as clever as Colin Chapman’s “Simplify, then add lightness” ethos, but feel free to make it into a bumper sticker if you like. Over many decades, Saitama-based kyusha specialists Mizukami Auto have been perfecting their own lightweight recipe, and the fruits of their labour have been distilled into this bare-bones, time attack-spec […]
A Pair Of Time-Attacking Turbo Honda Todays
Seeing 155 competing cars fill the Tsukuba paddock and access roads a couple of weekends back was crazy. While idlers may come close to filling up Ibaraki circuit, I’ve never seen quite so many cars lined up to race at one event as I did at Attack. While it was Speedhunting heaven, it actually made it quite difficult […]
Firepower: Japan’s Fastest Time Attack Car
At Attack Tsukuba 2023, all eyes were on Toshiki ‘Fire’ Ando when he took to the track in his Escort Racing-built Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. There was, of course, a very good reason for this. On January 27, at a Zummy-organized event, Ando-san blasted his Evo to a new Tsukuba tuning car lap record: 49.897. While he wasn’t able […]