If there is one track in the US that any time attack team really wants to capture the record at, it would have to be Buttonwillow raceway north of Los Angeles. This track has quite a history with the sport of time attack and is the venue for the final round of the US Superlap battle series attracting all the big hitters. But I suspect the real reason this is such hallowed ground is that this is the track that in 2007 HKS unpacked their mighty CT230R from a Japanese shipping container, strapped in Noboteru Tanaguchi and preceded to real out a time of 1.43.52.
To say this raised some eyebrows would be an understatement as the track record at the time was held by JIC/Hankook with a time 1.48.76 a time that was obliterated by an incredible FIVE SECONDS! From that day on, the world of time attack changed in the US and this now became the obsession of several of the top teams. To date very few have got close with Tomei/Cusco having a crack in their Imprezza in 2008 with a time of 1.44.37.
On the 11th November 2010 all of that changed dramatically with David Empringham in the Sierra Sierra Evo posting an incredible time of 1.41.04 for the outright win. Now sporting a new Borg Warner turbo with Turbosmart wastegates and some more reinfinements to the Cosworth engine (read more hp), this team has clearly moved in leaps and bounds since returning to American soil. FX motorsports also dropped below the HKS time in their insane bat mobile inspired Honda NSX with a 1.41.94 before suffering engine damage in the final.
To say the competition is heating up is an understatement and there is no doubt the stage will be set for an incredible showdown at Eastern Creek in 2011 as there is no bigger prize than being crowned the World Champion! To read the first hand report from the man behind the incredible engine in the SSE Evo click here
