Unlimited FF Class Winner!!

Team 5ZIGEN continues its challenge on time attack in USA and finishes as Fastest Unlimited FF (front engine, front drive) during the Super Lap Battle on Buttonwillow CA on November 12, 2008.

5ZIGEN TSX also obtained a prize for the fastest NA during the Buttonwillow event.
It is the first time a normal aspirated car won the FF Unlimited class against forced induction cars.

Super Lap Battle is a time attack which is competed with the best rap time in the 3 sessions during a day.

It was Team 5ZIGEN’s third challenge in time attack in Buttonwillow. Last two years 5ZIGEN obtained 2nd place in the Unlimited FF class and lost against Hasport K24 + super charger Integra Sedan.

In this year, Team 5ZIGEN Formula Nippon driver, Katsuyuki Hiranaka piloted 5ZIGEN TSX (Accord Euro-R , CL7) to win the FF class this year.

The cars were divided in 5 groups depending on its best time in the morning practice session. To get more clear raps, it is better to belong in a faster run group. Therefore, we decided to push since practice session to belong in the fastest run group.

The biggest news in the morning practice was that Chris Rado of World Racing, and his turbo + NOS Scion tC got 1:53s!!

The time was almost one second faster than last years Unlimited FF winner Hasport Integra Sedan.
It was more than enough to be in group A (the fastest run group).

For Hiranaka, it was his first time driving the 5ZIGEN TSX and driving in Buttonwillow Raceway, but he has proven how talented and quick driver he is.

He constantly rapped in 1:55s in the practice session and succeeded to be in group-A.
5ZIGEN TSX will run with bigger power RWD and AWD cars – no need to worry to be stuck with slower cars.
However, Scion’s 53s was still big threat for us…

Hiranaka pushed the TSX hard from beginning of the first session to catch up Rado’s 1:53 in the practice, even it is un-official time for competition.
He broke 55s and got 1:54.987.

Scion tC showed up last 10 minutes of the session after replacing the transmission which was broken in the practice session after Rado got 1:53s.
However, the tC could not get any time; the transmission could not hold the big power and burst again in the out rap.

The tC could not leave from the paddock, even after second session started.
They have been working on the transmission still.

However, new rival of us came up.
Mishimoto/Motorworld Hype RSX driven by Andy Hope start shaving their rap time.
This K20 with turbo RSX was in group-D because of intercooler pipe problem in the practice session.
Hope is an experienced former Honda Challenge H1 champion who knows Buttonwillow inch by inch.
But time attack is not about the driver is about team work and 5ZIGEN excels on it. If the car got fixed, this team will threat us.

Hiranaka and his team kept trying to get better timing. But due to the high temperatures and course conditions, it got harder to accomplish the 54s in the second session. But the team did not fall back.

The last session was in the afternoon.
Team 5ZIGEN has been in the leader of the class since the 1st session.
We still had to push the TSX in case Rado’s tC came back.
So Team director, Masaharu Kinoshita delayed TSX to course in for best timing to get clear raps.
Hiranaka kept pushing the TSX and tried for another 54s.

In the middle of the last session, after the Scion team mechanics hard work, Rado’s 700hp tC backed to the course and tried to beat our time.

The team informed Hiranaka that tC was back through radio.
He struggled to shave the time and showed very aggressive cornering however, the dusty course and high temperature bothered him to get better time.
The dust on the cause spread by the cars went off took grip away.
Most of all FWD cars could not time up in the afternoon.

In the tough cause condition, Rado continued trying to beat our time.

But he also seemed to have a hard time to control the car and could not get a super rap like in his morning session. The best time for tC was 1:56.126.

The last session was finished - in this moment, Team 5ZIGEN's victory in Unlimited FF class was finalized with 1:54.987, 12th position in overall.

Natural aspirated 5ZIGEN TSX won against many of forced induction powered cars with trouble free.
This victory is another proof of high level of 5ZIGEN’s racing technology and craftsmanship.

Offical result can be seen at http://www.superlapbattle.com/

Overall & Unlimited AWD winner, Team Tarzan
Unlimited FR winner, C-West S2000

We are looking forward to have more good competition with World Racing’s Scion tC and Hasport’s new time attack Prelude next year again.
Also hope for new competitors to appear in this class for next year.

Stay tuned what kind of car 5ZIGEN brings for next year.
Who will break the FF record of 1:51 by GM factory built Chevy Cobalt SS?