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World famous time attack driver Tarzan Yamada drove the wheels off the Carbon Creations Evo IX and was able to secure a spot in the Open Class Superlap Shootout with a time of 1:31.34. As the Open Class cars started lining up to start their final time attack session of the day, the Carbon Plus team was scrambling around the car. I'm not exactly sure what was wrong with it, but ultimately they would not be able to get the car back out on track and would have to settle for the final spot on the Open Class podium. But that's not where the story ends! Apparently a protest was in full effect and the WTAC staff was requesting pics of the Evo IX, specifically of the morning sessions. We love a good controversy and were happy to provide the picture above, which you can click on to see a bigger image and get a closer look at what was in question. Take a real close look at the “clear” thing-a-ma-jiggies right under the side skirts and rear diffuser.
During the Open Class Superlap Shootout John Boston drove the Road Track Rally Evo X to a 1:31.39, which was 5 one hundredths of a second slower than Tarzan in the possibly illegal Carbon Plus Evo IX. Boston's time would place him in fourth place in the Open Class, which would pay serious dividends later in the day.
The Powertune R32 was one of two GTRs Dean Little drove in the Open Class and he pushed Lighting McQueen to a class leading 1:30.99. Records are not continuously falling just in the Pro Class. Last year the best time in the open class was 1:31.80. These teams and drivers just keep raising the bar!
The other GTR Dean Little was piloting was the Powertune R34 which was in second place before the Superlap Shootout began. Little was able to find a few more fractions of a second in the R34 and clocked in a 1:30.43 lap and placed the Powertune R34 in first place!
GTR driving specialist Dean Little hogging the podium after driving sub 1:31s in both Powertune GTRs. The protest against the Carbon Plus Evo IX wasn't final when the Open Class hardware was handed out, so Tarzan accepted the third place trophy on behalf of Carbon Plus. The celebration was short lived as later the Carbon Plus Evo IX would be officially disqualified on the grounds of “Illegal Aerodynamic Components”. Which meant John Boston's efforts during the Open Class Superlap Shootout earned him the final spot on the podium. See kids…cheaters never win 😉
