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Controversy #1 – The CyberEVO team protests Sierra Sierra for potentially using nitrous.
Ian came over with a couple of scrutineers from CAMS (the Australian version of FIA) after Dave rocked the morning session with a blistering 1:29.024 lap. I was putting up banners to keep people and photographers out (more on this later) for the work we decided to perform. The conversation went something like this:
Ian: “Hey mate, is it an issue if CAMS takes a look for nitrous? The Japanese are suggesting that you might be using nitrous.”
Me: “Uh…..nitrous? You sure, dude?”
Ian: “Yeah……umm….I can’t really say which team, but you can probably guess. They are serious.”
Me: “Wow they think we’re using nitrous? Mate, that’s a compliment. Maybe they aren’t accustomed to Cosworth power hahah.”
Ian: “It is a compliment, aye [some kind of Australian equivalent of between ‘huh’ and ‘eh’]? So is it alright if they have a look?”
Me: “Of course CAMS can have a look. Mike can show them whatever they want. In fact, we’re going to pull the head off right now so they can even look all around the inlet manifold for nozzles, holes, etc. The only thing I cannot show them is the deck of the block, but as you know, you can’t hide nitrous there. What the hell, why don’t you invite them over and have a look too?”
Ian: “Thanks mate. They think you are doing over 280 k’s [kilometers per hour] on the front straight.”
Me: “Actually Dave hit 298.89 kmh before slamming on the brakes. He was bitching about not hitting 301 k’s! ”
Imagine going into turn 1 at Eastern Creek with your speedo buried like this. Do drivers have a screw loose or what?
So while Mr. Takizawa, owner of the CyberEVO, may have protested us using nitrous, I don’t think anybody on the Sierra Sierra team ever took offense to it. He did come over and apologize after the event and personally apologized to me at the party at Darling Harbour the next day. I told him to give me a call if he needed an engine for next year (Sorry, Tomei). I have known Takizawa since 2005 and a little competitive protest wouldn’t be enough for me to dislike him. Competition is competition. Friends are friends. You can still be friends even in competition. I still remember the time Takizawa bailed me out in Phoenix back in 2005 when I burnt an ignition coil out on the XS Engineering EVO at PIR and will always be thankful for that. Unlimited Works, the shop that maintains the CyberEVO, were also concerned that we were offended or upset, but as you can see from the conversation between Ian and myself, that was not the case.
As I stated in my pre-WTAC article, Tarzan and the CyberEVO go fast with balance and response. Dave and the SSE EVO (Christine) lay down the lap times with brute power because Christine is a tank. Eastern Creek’s long front straight really just gave Christine the opportunity to stretch her legs (9000 rpm in 5th gear to be exact). The Cosworth engine and the BorgWarner EFR turbo is a truly wicked combination.
Carbon Fiber nitrous bottles aren't very heavy, but maybe next year I'll fill the roll cage instead. Smokey Yunick would have been proud of me.
