Tucked down low on a tubular manifold is a Garrett GTX3576R Gen2 helping make around 650whp. The previous turbo was a GTX3076R. Jenson much prefers the GTX3576R. In the corner of the engine bay looks to be a custom fabbed oil catch can.
Seeing the LRC, Laivins Race Cars sticker explains why the car is so clean. The old school Nissan SE-R crowd will remember Andris Laivins and his talents. CJ Wilson Racing hired in Laivins because he kicks ass, but for 2019 Lavins branched out on his own with Gradient Racing. Looking in the cockpit, the switch layout is super clean and it looks like it might have a sequential shifter.
I love this build! Just simple and clean. Even the wheels are basic and effective Enkei RPF1s wrapped in Hoosiers. The rear wing mounts are attached to the fenders providing a much stronger base than a trunk mounted wing. I would be very interested to see what the car could do with more aggressive aero. I mean, the side mirrors are stock for goodness sake!
Ulrik Szirka brought out his Miata and placed 9th in Limited with a 2:27.825. I love this car too for the low-buck approach and creativity. You can learn about the car from watching the Hoonigan Build Biology episode on it on Youtube.
Ryan Passey’s Miata lapped a 2:23.503 for 5th in Limited. It has some new aero compared to when we last saw it on MotoIQ. I think they lost the transmission, hence the legs sticking out from under the car. Don’t worry, we weren’t in Kansas, so they weren’t witches.
6 comments
That NC Miata is what my NC Miata wants to be when it grows up
Honest question? Is there a lack of participation / competition going on at this event? Doesn’t seem very many serious competitors for the top spots.
Looks like a total of 46 cars were entered. In reading comments on various forums, it seems the high cost of entry due to it being at COTA deterred some from participating. That said, I think the notable cars missing were the Professional Awesome Evo, PZtuning Civic which seems was in Japan and just set the Tsukuba FF track record, Chris Boersma Civic, Can-Jam STI. RS Motors Evo. Could any of them have beat the Lyfe GTR? Not so sure…. would have been interesting for sure. Hopefully they all make it out next year.
Great article on a great event. I’m positive that this will become a standout event that draws everyone. SuperLap Battle USA, well done on taking what must’ve been a huge risk and making it happen. Khiem, so glad you were able to get there!
Not too sure that radiatior on the Miata is going to be effective. Even though you have high dynamic pressure at the stagnation point on the front bumper, it the streamline would have to turn something like 80 degrees, into another high pressure zone under an unvented hood. I’m sure it works but it probably adds a ton of drag. I hope he builds a ducted hood vent eventually. Or you could do what Ferrari did recently with the 488 Pista and vent beneath the car. Ferrari claims 10% better cooling and 7%less drag. Another bonus is that the rear gets cool air instead of hot air which is denser, with less turbulence and entropy so the rear wing or spoiler becomes more efficient. The CoG is better too.
I had to know what was going on with the SR3 Radical suspension. Found a pretty fascinating message chain. The original inventor chimes in at the end.
The nik-link uses a bell crank to compress the top of the coil over as well as the coil over compressing from the bottom a-arm. This gives more shock travel to control the spring they say. The ARB is a tubular bar bent downward at one end and is mounted across the chassis connected to the bell cranks on either side. When the suspension moves the bar bends (bows) causing roll resistance.
ubrben (Automotive)
27 Jul 04 17:50
This is what I hate about the whole patenting system. The ‘nik link’ is identical in concept to the front suspension system Andrew Thorby designed for the early 90s Van Diemen Sports 200 car. He subsequently used the design on the Lister Storm LMP
LMP900 (Automotive)
4 Aug 04 13:25
I did indeed use it on the Van Diemen and the Lister. There are a number of benefits, but on the front of the Van Diemen (and presumably the Radical) it allowed the good motion ratio of a pushrod linkage with the chassis simplicity of a simple double A-arm/coilover layout. Didn’t realise it was patentable though….
Andy