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The JDM Factory Racing Mitsubishi Evo IX and its driver, Alex Lewandowski, have their work cut out for them, but no doubt they’ll push the competition hard. Support from Feal Suspension INC., Idea Printing & Graphics in Visalia, CA and RePlay XD help to get this up-and-coming team ready for the big time.With 2 years experience under his belt, driver Alex Lewandowski has big competition to deal with in the JDM Factory Racing Mitsubishi Evo IX. From Visalia, CA, Lewandowski warns the competition to “watch out for our 370whp Evo!” Perhaps a little tongue-in-cheek humor, or perhaps he is dead serious and the car is so dialed in that not much power is needed. The car has improved aero for this year at Buttonwillow as well as a sick, new livery. While the car might not have the big horsepower numbers of its competitors, it does have great response and a lot of power under the curve. This licensed and registered Evo will have to bring its best to take down the king and we look forward to seeing if such an amazing feat is possible!
RD Engineering and Road Race Engineering support the Narvaez Racing Nissan GT-R. Driver Roy Narvaez Jr. hopes the monster power and grip overwhelms the competition, possibly forcing some competitors to forfeit out of fear!Limited AWD would not be complete without a Nissan GT-R and Roy Narvaez Jr. with Narvaez Racing was just so kind to bring out his beast. With 2 years of time attack experience, Narvaez, of Pico Rivera, CA, has these words for the competition, “Good luck to everyone, just move out of the way when I’m going down the front straight!” Absolutely the perfect words for a 3.8L, twin-turbo, dual clutch transmission monster. We’d like to see if Narvaez can translate that straight-line speed into the corners as well to put hurting bombs on the lap records. Too bad we can’t see into the future, but this year certainly feels like the possibility of a new champion, or even the same champion with a faster time, is right around the corner.
Unlimited Class
Well my friends, we’ve saved the biggest and baddest for last. Unlimited class. The cars here are quite possibly the fastest unibody road racing cars in existence. No holds barred on power, aero and weight. As long as the chassis is intact, suspension mounting points are close to stock and the bodies resemble the cars they once were, anything goes. It’s hard to imagine these cars going down the assembly lines at the factory, all the workers thinking they would end up in someone’s driveway for the next 100,000 miles or so. Instead, they were turned into incredible engineering marvels of speed and chaos and the current, fastest time attack car ever at Buttonwillow, is back as well.
Normally racing to the clouds, David Kern and the Kern Racing Evo are back at Buttonwillow looking to push their previous time further. With the support of Turbo By Garrett, Continental Tires and Mitch McKee of COBB Tuning, November 14th is shaping up to be a good day! Learn more about the Kern Racing Evo in a special Nerd’s Eye View.We’ll start with last year’s Unlimited AWD winner (1:49.804), David Kern and the Kern Racing Mitsubishi Evo “IX.” Kern has an incredible background of gravel hill climbs, starting in 2005, as well as competing at Pikes Peak since 2007. He set the Time Attack AWD record at Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2008 with and we’re pretty confident Kern has fastest AWD Time Attack class time at the Peak with a 10:20. The Evo also holds Rally AWD records at the Continental Divide, Gold Camp and Land’s End Hill Climbs. Kern will have his hands full the the next few competitors, but no doubt about it, this is a driver and car I would not want to bump into in a dark alley.
Everything is bigger and better with Travis Barnes and Snail Performance. With Turbo by Garrett power, Barnes is going straight plaid and engaging ludicrous speed!Next up is multiple BTA, also know as Beer Time Attack, record holder Travis Barnes. Barnes hails from Nor Cal and is driving the Snail Performance 2003 Subaru WRX. Barnes has been time attacking for 5 years and holds multiple TTU NASA Time Trial records in AZ. Barnes has no big surprises for the competition this year, but he’s coming for the Time Attack and staying for the party. Sounds like Novak Racing and Snail Performance have a lot in common!
The UMS Tuning Evo, driven by Tony “Hot CAWK” Szirka is expected to have a new turbo in time for Buttonwillow. With continued refinement, balance and driver confidence, this machine is shaping up to challenge the usual suspects in Unlimited AWD.
 We’ve done a Nerds Eye View of the UMS Time Attack Evo. Competitors can soak in all the knowledge possible to learn what they’re up against. |
What happens when you combine, questionable aesthetics, ridiculous power and the grandson of the inventor of Sriracha hot sauce? You get the utterly outlandish UMS Tuning Time Attack Lancer EVO VIII! Driven by Tony Szirka, of Mesa, AZ, there’s a 50% chance it will shoot a rod through the block, 50% chance a transmission will explode, 50% chance an axle will die and 100% chance Szirka will get dirty having to stay up all night replacing something to get it on track. Szirka has records in the UMS Time Attack series at Firebird West, Inde Motorsports Ranch and Phoenix International Raceway, so his car, when running properly, is no slouch. One thing is most certainly true, there’s no doubt he’ll give the competition a Sriracha flavored ass kicking that won’t be soon forgotten.
