Ahead of the 2024 Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge, this Friday and Saturday at Sydney Motorsport Park, let's take a look back at how last year's event washed up with winners and record-busting performances.
2023 saw records smashed and classes running down to the last lap. A record number of entries, including a bumper crew of overseas entrants, showed up at SMSP to throw down in pursuit of One Perfect Lap.
Ultimately, the 1:17.860 lap from the RP968 Porsche not only took out the Emtron Pro class, but this broke RP968’s own lap record by nearly 1.5sec. This was enough to capture the outright WTAC win for the fourth-time in a row. This win equals the Tilton Evo's record, which included an outright win at the Oran Park Superlap event - the progenator of the current Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge.
Supercars driver Tim Slade came in 2nd in class with a 1:20.456 in the Tanuki S13 Silvia. Formerly known as the MCA Hammerhead the coupe was back for Emtron Pro class with an 1100hp VR38 V6 and new aero to challenge for the outright win.
Unfortunately, an mechanical gremlin ended Tanuki’s run, but Sladey still got to stand on the top step of the podium as he took out the GCG Open class with a 1:25.926. Driving the Xtreme GT-R Slade banked a 1:26.192 to hold off Nathan Morcom in the GAS Evo for the gold in Open class. It looked to be a done thing heading into the shootout with Morcom's 1:27.642 putting him more than a second back from the Supercars driver.
In Plazmaman Pro Am class Texan Feras Qartoumy pedalled his twin-turbo Corvette to a 1:27.016 lap. This was enough to lead Richard Perini’s VR38-powered Ginetta G55 coupe and Wayne Lee in the Tanuki Silvia. All three cars were with half-a-second of each other
Haltech Clubsprint was Trent Grubel’s in 2023 as the DC Jap Subaru Imprezs broke the lap record twice on his way to the win. A 1:32.919 on Day 2 was enough for a commanding lead over 2022 Clubsprint champ Jimmy Asaad's 1:34.031 in the ESR Evo, with Michael Garland's GotItRex GC8 Impreza third with a 1:34.198.
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