Engines were blown and body kits literally torn from cars, as the World Time Attack competitors pushed themselves and their machines to the limit. Team USA took an early lead with the Sierra Sierra EVO setting a blistering lap time of 1:32.2480 on Day 1 as the fastest of Japanese teams CyberEVO nearly destroyed their engine in the heat of the battle for the lead. Those predicting Day 2 to be a one-horse-race however, were proved wrong.
CyberEVO pit crew worked overnight fixing the engine and on their first morning session smashed Mark Skaife’s long-standing V8 Supercar lap record by a full second, taking the lead from Team Sierra Sierra. The Americans responded by bettering their Friday lap time and the head-to-head battle between the two Mitsubishis continued throughout Day 2, both surpassing even the most optimistic of lap time predictions.
CyberEVO’s driver – Eiji “Tarzan” Yamada drove the car hard till the very last lap, where after turning hard into Turn 1, the downforce on the rear wing caused it to physically tear off the car. David Empringham pushed the Sierra Sierra EVO hard for the win, finishing only 1.29 seconds behind CyberEvo’s winning lap time of 1:30.5870.
In third place, flanking Sierra Sierra on both sides was “Tarzan” Yamada again, this time in the Tomei/Cusco Subaru. The fearsome-looking and very consistent car was only 0.017 of a second behind Empringham’s EVO.
The fastest Australian contender, Warren Luff in a Prep’d Motorsport Lotus Elise finished in the 4th place, missing out on a podium spot by a only half a second.
WYNN’S PRO CLASS
1 Tarzan Yamada CyberEVO Mitsubishi EVO 1:30.5870*
2 David Empringham Sierra Sierra Mitsubishi EVO 1:31.8840 +0:01.2970
3 Tarzan Yamada Tomei/Cusco Subaru Impreza WRX 1:31.9010 +0:01.3140
4 Warren Luff Prep’d Motorsport Lotus Elise 1:32.2730 +0:01.6860
5 K Sasaki Pan Speed Racing Mazda RX-7 1:32.4540 +0:01.8670
6 Kinoshita Mitsuhiro Pro Staff R-Magic Mazda RX-7 1:33.5050 +0:02.9180
7 Mark Berry Advan/Hi Octane Racing Nissan Skyline R34 G 1:34.1090 +0:03.5220
8 David Loftus BSM Motorsport Nissan Skyline R32 G 1:35.8760 +0:05.2890
9 Garth Walden Tilton Interiors Mitsubishi EVO 1:37.0590 +0:06.4720
10 Peter Lucas Kirrapak Racing Lotus Elise HPE 1:37.4240 +0:06.8370
MOTOR MAGAZINE OPEN CLASS
1 Steve Glenney Pulse Racing Mitsubishi EVO 1:36.4980*
2 Jason Hart Ultimate Tunes Subaru Impreza WRX 1:39.9540 +0:03.4560
3 John Boston Insight MS/Elias Auge Honda S2000 1:40.0730 +0:03.5750
4 Steve Glenney GT Auto Garage Mazda RX-7 1:40.0870 +0:03.5890
5 Jason Wright Autotech/Process West Subaru Impreza WRX 1:40.1340 +0:03.6360
6 Wayne Sutton Wayne Sutton Nissan 180SX 1:40.2560 +0:03.7580
7 Stuart Inwood Stuart Inwood Nissan Skyline R33 G 1:40.3890 +0:03.8910
8 John Boston Insight/MTA Plus Honda Civic 1:40.9480 +0:04.4500
9 Neil McFayden Driving Solutions Toyota MR2 1:41.2200 +0:04.7220
10 Benny Tran Benny Tran Honda Civic 1:41.2360 +0:04.7380
