Attacking Time with the LYFE Motorsports Nissan R35 GT-R
When Cole Powelson set out to build an R35 GT-R he initially didn't have the ambitious plans to build one of the world's fastest time attack cars. The 2012 GT-R originally was built as a modified but streetable time attack car which was run for fun. Then the car was repurposed and underwent a metamorphosis, eventually being rebuilt into the sophisticated machine that appears on our site here.
The car's debut after the extensive retrofit was at last year;s World Time Attack and like our own effort, it wound up being anticlimactic with the car suffering an engine failure right out of the block.
Then Motovicity Distribution announced the Speedring Challenge several months ago. Motovicity worked with Global Time Attack to sponsor a time attack at Cal Speedway with a twist. Motovicity, the North American Distributor of HKS would bring the HKS Time Attack R35 GT-R from Japan for the event.
Not only would Motovicity bring the HKS GT-R, they also announced that the legendary Nob Taniguchi would be driving it. To sweeten the pot to the point of it being irresistible, Motovicity put up a bounty of $25,000 on the HKS GT-R's head for any team that could beat it.
The combination of some stiff competition and some real money on the table was a lure that had the LYFE Motorsports crew in travel mode, shipping their GT-R out to the West Coast. At Cal Speedway, we were able to catch up with the team and get a good close look at the car and its insides. We had enough time to thoroughly go over the car and the crew were generous enough to share many of their speed secrets with us that we could put together this great feature. So check it out, we hope you enjoy!
The VR38DETT engine was extensively modified, being stroked to 4 liters with a Greddy crank featuring a 92.4mm stroke. The engine uses Carillo rods and CP forged pistons. The engine runs Kelford cams and valvetrain and is kept lubricated with the assistance of a Magnus dry sump system.
The engine uses custom charge piping fabricated by LYFE Motorsports vented by lightweight and compact Turbosmart Race Port blow off valves. A stock intake manifold is used with AMS fuel rails feeding 2000cc Siemens injectors. The stock but highly effective coil on plug direct fire ignition system has been retained to fire HKS Iridium spark plugs.
AMS cast exhaust manifolds feed efficient and fast spooling twin Garrett GTX3076 ball bearing turbos. AMS 3″ stainless downpipes feed the custom LYFE fabricated side exit exhaust system. Twin lightweight and compact 50mm Turbosmart external Pro Gate wastegates help keep the boost pressure under control. All of this hot stuff including engine compartment air is vented via a hole in the car's flat bottom that terminates into a central “Freedom Tunnel” that exists in the rear of the car. All told this engine setup produces a massive 1160 whp!
This internal bay holds the Fuel Safe Fuel cell, the car's electronics suite and the engine's dry sump tank. This offsets the driver's mass and helps keep the car's mass centralized between the wheels. 
