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When there is 580 WHP and 380 ft-lbs of torque under the hood, stopping power is needed. Safety in the form of a full cage was completed this winter; you may recall from reading Attacking Time: James Houghton’s Integra Type R that last year was only a six point roll bar. The motor itself has not been changed from that point, simply torn down and rebuilt. Eric Lavigne at R-Division, Jimmy’s teammate, friend, and engine builder, wanted to be sure that everything was solid for the additional 60 WHP that would be added. The main source of these extra ponies was upgrading the Kraftwerks Race Kit C38-71 supercharger to a C38-91.
Why yes, Virginia, there really is 580 whp in that Integra Type R! And here's the dyno to prove it and show the increase over last year's numbers.
With the much larger Kraftwerks Race Kit C38-91 supercharger under the hood, the Acura Integra Type R now boasts 580 WHP and with Hankook TD 255/40/17s on the front and 215s on the rear, it puts the power down quite nicely.As I am typing, Jimmy is testing the car out at Canadian Tire Motorsport Parks’ Grand Prix track. The livery was updated mid-season in 2014. The car will be running on 17×9 wheels shod with 255/40/17 Hankook TD rubber. It is a typical spring here in Southern Ontario. During the ChumpCar Canada inaugural event there was lovely spring weather but while Jimmy was at CTMP testing the morning started out below freezing and with snowflakes falling. Snow tires were not required and it warmed up enough to show this car's true colours. And it is fast!
An advantage of maintaining and expanding an existing car is that you know what works and what needs to be improved. Jimmy and R-Division know this car inside and out – safety improvements in the form of the roll cage and power. It's got everything it needs for GTA! It may even be ready to join in the drift competition! Photo Credit: Lapada Photography.I will simply say that on a day with the temperature barely above the freezing mark all day, the car was blistering fast! The new aero modifications did what they were supposed to – and the horsepower, well, there is no replacement for displacement except forced induction. The times are obviously unofficial, but they break all Time Attack Records that I am aware of for a closed wheel car on the Ontario Time Attack record books at the CTMP Grand Prix track, formerly known as Mosport. Faster times were recorded by Rui Medeiros in 2005 in a Formula Renault and Bruce McIntyre in 2014 in a Radical SR8, but the 1:27.xx time that the Type R put down in less than ideal conditions is astonishing.
With the car being on a weight reduction plan this winter, more power, more braking, and improved aero – this car and driver will be a powerhouse at Road Atlanta. The hood and front air dam/splitter still have to be painted, but the car has been on track and is ready for GTA.Last season there was a slightly larger Canadian contingent that made it to Road Atlanta. Sasha Anis in his highly modified but naturally aspirated OnPoint Dyno Nissan 350Z won second in Unlimited RWD, Michael Gardner captured fifth place in his very cool 350Z while running in Limited RWD, and Will Au-Yeung brought home first place in Limited FWD driving his PZ Tuning Acura RSX. You can read more about the PZ Tuning RSX in Record Breaker – because after breaking the class record at Road Atlanta in the spring Will hauled the RSX to Buttonwillow in the fall where he broke the Limited FWD record at that track. The PZ Tuning RSX with 531 whp was running in top form.
531 WHP and two records with Global Time Attack in his Acura RSX – that would be all many of us would need. Will, however, is not any of us and he's looking for more. His winter project has been taking a Civic shell and building a race car.Will will not have the RSX at GTA Road Atlanta – unless he can find someone with room to haul it down, as his back-up car. He decided that he would like a faster FWD platform and so has been burning the midnight oil as he prepares a Honda Civic for it’s debut at Road Atlanta. This car was just a shell only a few months back and Will is making great progress; he knows Road Atlanta is mere days away.
This pic was taken in late March. The cage is in place. The positioning of the driver's seat – so often overlooked and placed at the last minute with many compromises – was placed by Will with precision. He knows that the driver's comfort can save those precious fractions of a second that are required for a podium spot.
