Tag: Time Attack

  • JRM and Sumo Power GT to star in Time Attack Finale

    This Sunday’s (10th October) fifth and final round of the highly-popular Time Attack series and Pirelli European Drift Championship at Snetterton will see the JRM Group out in force, showcasing its race, rally and track-day cars on the circuit, in between the event’s competitive sessions.

    Taking pride of place will be one of the JRM Group’s Sumo Power GT Nissan GT-Rs, which is currently competing in the FIA GT1 World Championship. This awesome 600bhp supercar will be driven on the day by Warren Hughes and Peter Dumbreck, both of them competing with the team this year. This will be the car’s last track appearance before heading off to Spain, Brazil and Argentina for the final three rounds of the global GT series.

    Fresh from securing the British Teams’ title, JRM’s rally division will also be well represented, with Welsh legend Gwyndaf Evans demonstrating one of the team’s highly successful Group N Mitsubishi Evolution Xs. Built, developed and run on events by the team, JRM’s rally cars have scored victories across Europe during the course of this year, claiming outright wins on tarmac, gravel and snow!

    As well as competing in the Pirelli European Drift Championship during the course of the day, Paul Conlan will join the live demonstrations in the Sumo Power Nissan S15 Drift Car. Un-missable in its bright pink livery, Conlan will be looking to claim his second EDC victory of the season this weekend, having won the previous round at Cadwell Park.

    Also being displayed on the circuit will be a selection of JRM’s high-performance track-day and road cars. These include its 360bhp and 400bhp Mitsubishi Evolution Xs and its impressive 700bhp road-going Nissan GT-R. These cars will be driven by Gwyndaf’s son Elfyn Evans, a successful rally driver himself, experienced saloon-car racer Dave Allan and GT driver Peter Dumbreck.

    At lunch-time, in what is being branded as the ‘JRM/Sumo Power Parade’, all of the company’s cars will take to the track at the same time, with spectators given the opportunity to see which of these impressive machines is best through the corners and fastest down the straights!

    Whilst not on the track, all of the cars can be seen in the paddock, where fans will be able to get a closer look and collect autographs from the drivers. Also taking place throughout the day will be the Modified Live Show, with static displays, trade stands and a host of automotive-based attractions.

    Gates open at 9.00am, with a warm-up session for the Time Attack teams getting underway first thing. The Drift cars have their initial practice session at 10.00am, with Time Attack qualifying scheduled to start at 2.00pm. The finals for the Pirelli European Drift Championship take place at 3.15 followed by the Time Attack finals at 4.15pm. The JRM/Sumo Power live action demonstrations take place at 10.30am, 1.00 and 3.50pm.

  • Latest news from Time Attack

    Round Three Report
    Brands Hatch – 27th June 2010

    Last weekend’s round three of the fiercely contested Time Attack Series at Brands Hatch saw Steve Guglielmi claim his first outright victory of the season. Driving his ultra-quick Lotus Exige, he was able to keep the winner of the first two rounds Gareth Lloyd at bay, setting a time 0.617 seconds quicker than the Car Planet Racing Mitsubishi driver.

    Bathed in sunshine and with temperatures reaching 30 degrees, the midsummer Time Attack event saw 1000s of spectators descend on Brands Hatch last Sunday – despite the England World Cup match taking place in the afternoon. Utilising the ’Indy’ circuit, the day also featured the Pirelli European Drift Championship and the Modified Live ‘Summertime Special’ show, both adding to the spectacle of the occasion.

    Because of the hot weather, unsurprisingly none of the Time Attack Series lap records were broken, although it was interesting to note that all but one of the classes was won by a non-Japanese car – an unusual turn of events nowadays and a reflection of the current tuning scene in the UK.

    Pro-Class

    Having won two rounds out of two until last weekend, it was beginning to look as through Lloyd was unbeatable this season, but with Guglielmi posting a time of 49.031 seconds on his second flying lap, it was enough to secure him his first ever outright Time Attack Series victory of the year. However, with a 49.648 Lloyd wasn’t far behind and did his title hopes no harm at all by claiming second place.

    Third fastest on the day at 50.063 was the ‘one-hit wonder’ entry of Simon Norris in another of his distinctive Mitsubishi creations. But as he was ineligible to score points, the last place on the podium went to the second CPR Evo of Jamie Nicholls, who set a time of 50.757.

    Other notable performances in the Pro-Class came from Gavin Renshaw, who brought his Lateral Performance Impreza home in sixth and won the SIDC (Subaru Impreza Drivers Club) trophy, whilst Robin Duxbury made an impressive Time Attack Series debut driving his Redbrick Cyber Racing Mitsubishi by finishing eighth overall.

    “It’s great to finally win a round of this year’s Time Attack Series”, said a delighted Guglielmi at the finish. “It was a tough task against the two CPR cars, but I think the conditions favoured us today and although we didn’t break any lap records, I’m very pleased with the way things went.’

    Club-Pro Class

    In the category for cars with fewer modifications to those running in the Pro-Class, an inspired drive of 51.066 by Kevin Horsley in the Scooby Clinic Impreza not only rewarded him with fifth fastest time of the day, but it was more than enough to secure the Club-Pro honours this time around.

    Second in the category went to Shane Smith, the TR Racing Nissan Skyline GT-R on the pace with a 52.378 and looking like he could well be a class winner before the season is out, whilst Russ Paton was third fastest of the Club-Pro runners in his Mitsubishi at 52.631.

    Club Challenge

    With grip levels high and the twists and turns of the Brands Hatch ‘Indy’ circuit favouring cars with agile handling, the class for nearer-to-standard cars saw rear-wheel-drive machinery at the top of the time sheets.

    Jamie Wilson took full advantage of the conditions and put his nimble Lotus Exige in front of the rest with a 52.187. Just 0.336 seconds behind was the Toyota Supra of Steve Linton who in-turn lapped 0.751 faster than that of third-placed Matthew Webb in his Mazda RX7.

    There were also hotly contested battles in the other classes, with Warren Kelly bringing his Escort Cosworth home first in the four-wheel-drive category – his Imperial Blue supported car one of four Cosworths competing on the day. Another excellent performance from Fiona Kindness driving her R32 Skyline rewarded her with second in the 4×4 class, ahead of Scott Robinson who was third in his Impreza.

    The naturally aspirated class for non-turbo cars revealed a familiar podium, with Mark Pollard’s crowd-pleasing Metro first, Jeff Mileham in his Lotus Elise second and Paul Hughes bringing his Honda Integra home in third. Once again, Bo Neilsen proved he and his Astra VXR are the force to be reckoned with in the front-wheel-drive class, whilst behind him Nigel Brown and David Ward proved that Minis should not be under-estimated by finishing second and third respectively.

    Making a guest appearance on the day were the two awesome Nissan GT-Rs of the Sumo Power GT team. Taking time out from their busy FIA GT1 World Championship schedule, Jamie Campbell-Walter and Warren Hughes drove a series of demonstration laps, whilst in the paddock the crowds had the chance to see the 600bhp machines at close quarters.

    Also unique to this event was the launch of Cosworth’s Impreza STi CS400. This is the first time the iconic British tuning company has launched a new road car in 14 years and it was also the first time the 395bhp Subaru had been seen in public.

    Competitors now have a five-week break to prepare themselves for round four of the Time Attack Series, which takes place on 1st August at the technically demanding – and driver’s favourite – track of Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire.

    The Time Attack Series is sponsored by: Sumo Power, Kleers, Pirelli, Cosworth, K-Sport, SuperPro, Toyo Tires, BC Suspension, Speedhunters.com, HKS, HEL Performance, Samco Sport, Blitz and Santa Pod Raceway.

    For a full set of results click here

    To see photos from this event click here

    2010 Time Attack Series Calendar
    24 April: Oulton Park
    16 May: Knockhill
    27 June: Brands Hatch
    1 August: Cadwell Park
    10 October: Snetterton

    www.timeattack.co.uk

  • Clark Back On Top In Time Attack

    After an eventful start to the year, defending Time Attack champion Olly Clark has reclaimed his top spot as number one driver in the points standings of the 2009 Time Attack Championship.

    The Leicestershire driver wowed crowds at last weekend’s Silverstone round in a display of car control that would doubtless have made his father, the late, great Roger Clark MBE, extremely proud. Whereas most racers were keeping things nice and tidy on the super-quick circuit, Clark showed his rallying roots by hustling his Subaru Impreza through many of the corners in power slides that proved to be a big hit with spectators.

    Despite this exuberant style, Clark was able to destroy his own previous lap record on the circuit by over a full second, touching 165 mph on the straights and putting himself clear at the top of the standings by some 80 points. His time of just 57.9 seconds is over 3 seconds faster than the current BTCC lap record, despite all Time Attack cars having to run a Toyo control ROAD LEGAL tyre. Roger Clark Motorsport are also one of the few top teams not running a professional race driver, with Olly Clark spending most of his time in his true role as service manager at the family’s Subaru parts and tuning business.

    On collecting his winners laurel, Olly was quick to thank the team and those who got him there. ‘I truly couldn’t have done this without the ceaseless engineering work of my brother Matt and our team back at RCM.’ he beamed. ‘Also today, the incredible stopping power of our new AP carbon brakes proved to be a decisive factor in our win, as I was able to brake far later and deeper in to the corners than I could last season. I would also like to thank our technical partners; Dave Rowe at Motec, Samco Hoses, Turbo Dynamics and Jason from MP Engineering for everything that they have done to help get us here. It really means a lot. Thanks guys!’

    The car, the RCM ‘Gobstopper’ as it is affectionately known, has now become one of the most successful competition Subarus in history. Packing 890 BHP in nitrous assisted trim from just 2.0 litres, the engine can rev to an unbelievable 10,500 RPM.. And best of all, it’s all RCM’s own work!

    For more details on the extensive RCM range of Subaru components and services, please visit www.rogerclarkmotorsport.co.uk or call the team on 01455 828610.