Blown Away At The 2024 World Time Attack Challenge
It’s not every day that lap records are shattered while the wind tries its best to sweep everything off the track. But then again, this isn’t just any day – this is the 2024 Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge.
After a long, frosty winter, a well-timed warm spell left Sydney Motorsport Park feeling as if it was on fire over Friday and Saturday last week. Spring had arrived down under.
The warm, windy weather was pleasant for spectators, but it threw an extra spanner in the works for all the teams – especially those at the pointy end of this circuit-based competition.
Track temperatures fluctuated wildly, keeping everyone guessing and adjusting their setups. It’s all par for the course at the world’s biggest time attack event.
The unpredictable August weather meant the wind could pick up with 80km/h gusts at any second and instantly disrupt teams’ best laid plans.
Fresh Faces
While many crowd favourites made a return to WTAC this year, a fresh wave of new international teams and faces brought an added layer of excitement.
Luke Fink, Jay Duca, and the entire Wrecking Crew unleashed Australia’s angriest drift machines for full-track exhibition laps. And then there was Mad Mike Whiddett.
Competing in both time attack and the nighttime Garrett International Drifting Cup, the crazy Kiwi kept everyone on edge.
Mad Mike made WTAC history as the first to enter both disciplines in the same car – Bullet, a 1,400hp turbo four-rotor and rear-wheel-drive-converted Mazda3 originally built for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The TCP-Magic mechanics must’ve been fueled by adrenaline and Red Bull as they constantly switched between grip and drift setups.
A debut entry this year was the first electric vehicle. If you thought the Nürburgring was the only playground for EVs, think again. Misha Charoudin swapped the Green Hell for Sydney, debuting an electric time attack machine that turned heads.
Team Hyundai N, WTAC regulars, entered the Clubsprint class in a lightly modified IONIQ 5 N. With some custom Alpha Vulcan aero, a full roll cage and more, the EV hatchback was transformed from a high-performance home appliance into a bonafide race car, allowing Misha to give Sydney Motorsport Park a silent but scorching go.
We can’t overlook Yashio Factory’s Nissan Silvia S15, piloted by the man himself, Kazuyoshi ‘Oka-chan’ Okamura.
The neon pink Pro-Am class contender and its animated driver added a fresh burst of colour to the event.
Ando Yasuhiro, another Japanese time attack legend, returned with his formidable Team Scoot Mazda RX-7. Ando’s FD3S was a crowd favourite, showcasing the relentless pursuit of speed and innovation that defines time attack racing.
Daigo Saito returned for the International Drifting Cup, but luck wasn’t on his side this year.
Alongside these Japanese heavyweights was Miji Kang from South Korea, showcasing her driving talent from behind the wheel of a borrowed K24-powered Honda Civic EG hatchback.
As always, the World Time Attack Challenge delivered its share of drama, and Feras Qartoumy’s journey provided plenty.
After a frantic engine rebuild at Warspeed Industries, the American’s twin-turbo V8 Corvette arrived just in time for Saturday’s action.
Was it flawless? No. But Feras pushed his Corvette to the limit, proving that even when everything is stacked against you, it’s worth giving it your all.
Meanwhile, the mad Finn Sami Sivonen arrived with a faster, fiercer Audi R8 1:1 ‘Fat Cat,’ bringing all the energy and fun you’d expect from Scandinavia.
Together, these entrants added a rich layer of diversity and competition to WTAC 2024, making it a truly international event.
Another major drawcard for this festival are the rare and sometime obscure racing machinery cutting demo laps alongside the international guests. 2024 was no let down.
Rodin Cars from New Zealand demonstrated an open-wheeler – think circa 2010 F1 car…
… and ran their Sintura S99 in the Pro class against RP968. The bespoke GT1-inspired machine pumps out 650hp and 530Nm of torque from its screaming 4-litre V10 engine.
Up close, both cars are absolute works of art.
My advice, never skip an opportunity to see and hear a Rodin up close.
Off The Record
Throughout the categories, competition was fierce and quite often decided in the final ‘Superlap Shootout’ session. In the Emtron Pro class, Barton Mawer didn’t just dominate – he obliterated.
His final Shootout time of 1:17.444 not only set a new WTAC record but also reinforced why RP968 is the team to beat.
Their Porsche 968-based creation may have looked like last year’s entry, but it’s evolved greatly over the past 12 months. Countless hours spent reworking, replacing, and tweaking have made it sharper and faster than ever.
In the Plazmaman Pro-Am class, Sivonen’s R8 showed that Europe wasn’t here to play. The ‘Professional Amateurs’ team proved unbeatable upon their return to WTAC.
Despite Feras and his freshly rebuilt Corvette giving it their all, Sami’s Finnish precision secured the top spot.
Feras, however, wasn’t far off the pace, achieving a personal best of 1:25.4580 in the Superlap Shootout.
The GCG Open class was a rollercoaster. Rob Nguyen’s Dream Project Nissan Silvia S15 clinched victory in a nail-biting final session.
His 1:25.543 edged out Tim Slade, who, despite a heroic effort in the Xtreme GT-R, had to abort his final lap, leaving his 1:25.9350 best to stand. The crowd was on edge, feeling the tension as the final seconds ticked away.
In the Haltech Clubsprint class, Trent Grubel was a man on a mission. After an overnight engine swap, he didn’t just meet expectations, he shattered them, setting a new record with a 1:32.234 lap.
A new twist this year was the Turbosmart Flying 500.
Previously a single-car v-max speed challenge, this year it evolved into head-to-head street car roll races, which I can only describe as epic.
The ability to roll on the starting line shifted the rules of engagement, opening up the competition to a wide variety of rear and all-wheel drive cars.
As the sun set on the Flying 500, Sydney Motorsport Park’s main straight became a picturesque battleground. The sky was ablaze with golden hues, intermixed with dust, fuel vapour, and tyre smoke – simply unforgettable. I hope this format returns in 2025, perhaps with a tempting prize pot to attract Australia’s fastest street-registered machines.
The Final Word
As a World Time Attack Challenge regular, the 2024 event proved the formula of fun and speed still works. That said, the small changes implemented this year show there’s still potential for it to evolve, refine, and improve.
From intense on-track battles to vibrant displays in the paddock, Sydney Motorsport Park was the ultimate stage for two days of automotive brilliance. Records were shattered, legends were born, and once again WTAC proved why it’s the greatest time attack event in the world.
Matthew Everingham
Instagram: matthew_everingham
matt@mattheweveringham.com
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