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At Super Lap Battle 2014, Graham Downey opened eyes as to what a balanced S2000 setup could do with sticky tires and a modest supercharged powerband in the low 300 horsepower range. Leading up to Super Lap 2015, Graham wanted to capitalize on the formula while adding more power from the same supercharger, wider wheels with slicks to compliment the added width, and the body to match. With 18×10 all around and 275 slicks, the chassis had the mechanical grip to handle the 400whp output that Graham was packing for 2015.
The combination, plus Graham’s high levels of driving ability, got him 2nd place in Unlimited RWD with a time of 1:45.541 with only a Corvette quicker in class, and 3rd fastest time overall. Another fun fact is Graham’s Blacktrax performance AP1 is the fastest S2000 ever and overall at Buttonwillow Raceway Clockwise #13. 2016 will be exciting with even more brought to the table from Graham and Blacktrax.Watch Graham Downey wheel the quickest S2000 to date on Buttonwillow to 2nd in Unlimted RWD!
Cody Kishel changed the game last year by capturing the Limited RWD record at 1:44 with a somewhat basic setup with his C6 Z06 Corvette. The C6 and Cody’s ability were apparent, and people knew 2015 was going to be worth watching. Come Super Lap Battle, Cody was signed up for Unlimited Class and sporting slicks for the class with what didn’t look like much had changed with the setup, minus some aero additions. It left some confused as to the move upward, when he still didn’t even seem to look like a Limited class legal car.
All it took was one fly-by on the front straight for any spectator to know, things were different. The seamless and aggressive transition of up and down shifts confirmed Cody’s C6 had been upgraded to an exotic sequential gear box with ratios ideal for Buttonwillow. Taking full advantage of the 7 liter pushrod V8 powerband with tight gearing and high grip slicks, Cody found himself both 1st place in Unlimited RWD and 1st place overall with the fastest time of the day at 1:41.925. With further refinement for 2016, an overall record pace should be within reach.Cody running the quickest time at Super Lap Battle in his sequential gear box C6 Z06 Corvette!
Thanks to Global Time Attack and the continued passion and drive from the community, Super Lap Battle 2015 was not only a fantastic event, but it also showed that the health of the sport is strong and only getting better. With a handful of cars prepping for fast times next year, current competitors finding new ways to extract speed from the results of this year’s events, and new blood inspired by the field pushing for every tenth, 2016’s Time Attack season is one to look forward to.
This article is written in honor of Ivo Mitkov Tuchi, RIP.
