hrd-hr30

that's the way Tsukuba Supelap is run in Japan. its all about how fast you can go on R tyres. and if you don't want to run against the Open class cars you can go to Clubman class on normal road tyres. Most guys running the kind of cars targeted (late model JDM) at sprints and track days will already have 2 sets of rubber - street and semis, so its no big deal. If you really want to win Clubman, you'll probably need to buy (and buff) tyres, but some guys will already have suitable tyres too like the 595RS. And some won't care and just turn up on their normal street rubber, like me. The street tyres will be a big equaliser too - he with the most power won't neccisarily win. It will be more about overall handling balance. I think its a good concept. I'm in for the Clubman

ah, fair enough. I guess he's probably less known in these circles. certainly are some fast and interesting car/driver pairings in open class. If I had any confidence in my CA18DET Datto giving me some value for my entry money instead of an early return to the trailer, I'd have EOI'd that instead of the Supra road car. wouldn't have been in the running outright, but would have liked to see how she stacked up against some of the rwds. But I'll be there with the Supra in Clubman having some fun and a front row seat to see these Open class weapons.

don't really know how Loftus could ever be called a dark horse, if I was putting money on someone it would be him. lap record of 1:15.5 in restricted IPRA trim, set in race conditions and on 048's is pretty impressive. He could turn up in that spec on better rubber and knock a couple of seconds off.

good luck guys, and enjoy! I'm very jealous of anyone who does Targa.

it hasn't actually started operationally yet. we're all eagerly waiting to hear what events will be there!

that's good mate. Tim has booked a holiday on Hamilton Is returning on the 12th, so he's probably not going to be able to either. but he's checking with the missus anyway. I passed on your email addy.

I asked a few navvies I know for you. One doesn't have any holidays or money, the other hasn't nav'd since before they needed suits in State rallies so he doesn't have the gear, and the last one, my old navigator who has done a few Targas, was "very tempted". I got the impression he was asking permission... I've just sent him another email to chase him up for ya.

one of the BLCC guys told me it was going to be Mtn Straight, but that was late last year. Shame if its not. The Esses Hillclimb is boring. Don't think I'll bother driving that far for a course that really only has one left-right corner combo and such a steep uphill start.

good, more space for us guys who aren't afraid of fitting a muffler. you're missing the point - how often do you hear about a racetrack re-opening? never! particularly one that was closed primarily to limit noise to nearby residents! If you're not prepared to quieten your car down, don't go there at all. You'll just be ruining it for everyone. All those people who worked so hard to get it re-opened in the first place. And all of us who have been waiting so long for it to re-open so we could drive one of the best racetracks around again. If you don't want to quieten your car down, stick to QR and other venues. There'll be no shortage of real enthusiats who will do whatever it takes to run their cars at Lakeside. Fitting an extra muffler is hardly the end of the world. If you don't think the trade-off is worthwhile, you've obviously never driven there. There were plenty of modified cars there the other week that were OK for noise. Porsche GT3 RSR's (not exactly slow cars), a screaming Ferrari 360, a couple of older porsche racecars, a couple of turbo rotaries, and lots of other things. You don't need to be loud to be fast.

The AHC is 7-9 November. Using the Mountain Straight Hillclimb. I'll be there for sure - that course is awesome! And it will suit my Datto much better than last year's AHC at Mt Cotton.

yeah, I wish they had the radar gun after the kink! I do know a few navvies from forest rallying. My old navigator has a few Targas under his belt too. I'll ask them for you.

Hey Ben, your mate in the GTR was the fastest car on the straight (by the control tower) at 188kph - faster than those GT3 RS, the blue Porsche was next at 187 and the black/ orange one 185. My Supra apparently got 181 there. There you go, fastest car in a straight line AND whisper quiet!

I don't think so. If the noise limit and conditions are made clear before you enter, no problem. The possibility of forfeiting an entry fee might make people make sure their car is quiet enough before they go out there - which is best for everyone. If Lakeside is to survive, noise restrictions need to be taken seriously. should add its a 92db drive by restriction - so you're on the track when you are measured.

the noise limit was 92db last Wednesday. If you were over that, you got sent home - no refund. I'd say that's what they're going to stay with. So make sure your car is quiet before you go to Lakeside - it will save you money/hassle, and it will keep the local residents happy - well, as happy as possible. Noisy cars will ruin this for everyone.

that's what we like to hear! At least the bumps at Lakeside make it more challenging instead of just giving you a headache in the braking areas like QR's bumps. The stocko Supra (exhaust&teins) was puling about 180kph under the bridge (could only look at the speedo just before the braking area for hungary where it was on 180) on crappy Federals and couldn't quite go flat there due to the bumps throwing it a little bit sideways - awesome fun! Would be even better in a more powerful car on good tyres. I can't wait to see how the little Datto goes under there! The kink on the front straight is awesome too - speeds are a bit higher there. I agree with 260DET, who I think I used to see out at Lakeside all those years ago at Datsun car club track days, people with high powered cars who've only ever been to QR are in for one hell of a surprise!

a $!50K+ car shouldn't have all those tacky unpainted black plastic bits all over it in the first place. Definitely looks better with a bit of paint splashed over them, but its still not pretty.

its definitely worth the trip for this track! one of the highest average speed tracks in the country with some very challenging and exciting corners. And how often do you hear of closed racetracks getting re-opened? will let you know when I hear of an event there. Ben, I found one of the pics of the last time we were there. looks like it was July '06. longer ago than I thought!

that was a very tidy GTR. Had a quick chat with him too at the end of the day.

yeah, I was trying to work out when we were there last too. It was a while ago - before I bought the wheels for the GTR. I'll go through my receipts when I get home. I think it was in 2006 sometime. I have some pics from the day on my home PC, so the date on those files should give us the answer - if I can find the pics! What were you in this time? The Supra handles pretty nice now - I've been playing around with the ride height alot to try and find a nice balance - it was pretty good yesterday. With real tyres it would be a pretty good thing.

I was lucky enough to get a drive around Lakeside yesterday in a private practice session that was being used as a test run for Lakeside's re-opening. Noise limits were strictly enforced at 92db, but only one car had to leave - a porsche race car. Its not actually re-opened for business yet, but things are really starting to happen. The control tower is no longer boarded up, and all glazing has been repaired. Some minor works have also started to fencing, and there were workmen there yesterday doing stuff as well. Track condition is basically unchanged from last time it was used in anger all those years ago. Some people used to complain about its bumps back then, but I reckon they are part of its character - particularly those under the fast sweeping right-hander under the bridge. It was soooo good to get back on that track! It really is a great racetrack - fast, challenging, and a little bit daunting for the less experienced - and old school racetrack that sorts the men from the boys! Looking forward to the first event there, and I'm going to get cracking on a nice quiet exhaust system for my little race car next week! I had to take the road car Supra out there yesterday. Still awesome fun driving around that track!

bah. that thing was just cruising around. lets see a std road tyred R35 beat this! 2:17.16 what were the race prepped (free engine management, exhausts, suspension, brake upgrades, semi slicks, cages etc) Evo's running at the 12hr in qualifying? 2:30? on a much smoother, wider and faster Bathurst track than the old DR30 ran on. I doubt a standard R35 on road tyres is going to be any match for those times, let alone the old DR on slicks!

give Craig Hornibrook a call: Hornibrook Motorsport 3865 1072 U2/50 Northlink Rd Virginia

just found out the RE55S WT compound (super soft) is available in 245/40 R18, but not in 265/35 R18. Don't know if that's any good for you?

yes you can. the question is if they're allowed in the AWD turbo class or not. That's a class MG Car Club created themselves to get the fast modern cars out of Improved Prod and Road Registered classes to give the old bangers a chance of winning something! It doesn't exist in the CAMS manual so it really have any rules. You *should* be able to run slicks. If they won't let you run slicks in that class, you could always run in Sports Car or Sports Sedan class. Stuart Inwood ran his GTR in Sport Cars Closed in the AHC last year, so they're definitely eligible for that category. And they are now also eligible for Sport Sedan category, both of which permit the use of full slicks. on the RE55S, I've only used the SR compound, which i think is the hardest of their compounds. So I can't really comment on whether the Toyo is softer than the medium Bridgey. As for the Dunlops, I haven't tried them myself. Maybe a helpful tyre store would allow you to poke a durometer at a couple of new tyres? You can make one easily enough - it won't give you an actual duro reading, but will tell you which of two tyres is the softer compound.

I called Craig at Hornibrook Motorsports. Doesn't look like anyone makes softs in such large sizes. I guess they figure they're for big heavy cars that need a harder tyre. If Toyo RA1's are available in that size it might be the go. or maybe you could run slicks? the AWD turbo class doesn't really have any rules... it only exists at Mt Cotton. Otherwise, Stuart Inwood ran his GTR in Sports Cars at the Australian Hillclimb hampionship . Slicks are allowed in that class, but he was on semis.