Take Us Back To World Time Attack 2014

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This year we thought we would do something different for our World Time Attack Coverage. By now you would know the results of the nail biting event. For those die hards like us, you would now be going through withdrawal. It is hard to go back to normal life after enjoying perfect weather at Sydney Motorsport Park with some of the most exciting cars in the world at full noise. So for those of you who are missing it and for those of you who weren’t lucky enough to be there, we will be going through the highlights of this year. If you haven’t already, now is the time to start planning for 2015, this is an event that gets better and better every year.

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The Pits

Surprisingly in an event filled with some of the most exciting on track action in the world. It is the pits that rank highly as one of the best things at WTAC. It is very rare in motorsport that you get the opportunity to get this close to the action. At a normal motorsport event you get to see half the story. You see all the on track drama but you miss out on some great moments. With WTAC having the back of competitor pits you get to see the whole story. Every drop of sweat, every bit of frustration and the indescribable moments when everything comes together and a team triumphs. Even as a member of the media you find yourself running around all day just trying to keep track of everything that is going on. If you can make it next year you need to! This is an event that you want to be there in person, chatting to drivers, meeting legends and appreciating the absolute dedication that it takes to run a Time Attack Car.

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The Live Stream

If you can’t make the event, this is the next best thing. An addition to this years event that drew unanimous praise from spectators and teams alike. This year it didn’t matter whether you were standing in pit lane or half way across the world. You could enjoy every moment of the action and keep up to date with the latest thanks to this great service. One of the most interesting parts of Time Attack Racing is the story behind the cars and their teams. The story of what got them to the point where they pour their time and money into a car built to smash out one quick lap. The story of their weekend, which is often a rollercoaster of emotions. The live stream enabled us to hear and see more than ever.

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The Cars (Obviously)

This may seem like an obvious choice however this year the entrants were on another level. Never have we seen such a variety and quality of builds at WTAC. Major motorsport events these days are run by very large corporate partnerships. This isn’t a bad thing, but what it does do is lock in teams a long way out from the event. You know exactly what cars will be like and in what format usually at least a year out from the event. The beauty with WTAC is that you never know what you will see at the next event. There are no restrictive regulations on manufacturer and the competition rules allow teams to run with their passion and inspiration to build not only fast cars but create something truly different. Some of the standouts for us this year were the Automotive Plus 20b PP powered MX5 and the Insight Motorsport’s Astra.

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The on Track Entertainment

This is an area where WTAC organisers certainly deliver! It would be hard to jam any more entertainment on track in between the competitive sessions. What makes it better is the effort they go to in order to organise unique opportunities. Entertainment you aren’t going to see at every event, new faces, new cars and a real focus on involving international guests. Our highlights this year were the static and moving (read: full throttle, flame spitting, tyre smoking displays) of both the Legendary Mazda 767B and Alex Kelsey’s “home built” MC2 Peugeot Rally Car. There is not much you can say about the 767B that you wouldn’t already know. The sound of that rotary, the le mans spec design and that classic livery! It was standing room only at the best vantage points to see and hear this thing head around Sydney Motorsport Park.

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Alex Kelsey’s MC2 on the other hand. In the best way possible, it is the complete opposite to the 767B. It is new, barking mad and uses a mixture of the latest technology to put on a hell of a show. Alex drove the pants out of this Formula Renault powered beast. Putting on a gymkhana show at lunch time there was everything you would hope for. Tyre smoke, flames, ear piercing engine notes and he got a chance to show off just how agile the MC2 is.

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You can’t leave out Mad Mikes RADBUL! As usual, there are very few people in motorsport that can draw a crowd and put on a show like Mad Mike.

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The International Competitors

This is a big one. There is nothing better for Australian motorsport and the Time Attack community then having international competitors make the journey each year to Sydney Motorsport Park. It gives spectators the unique opportunity to see cars they would likely never see otherwise, it provides tough competition for local teams and finally it makes the event that much more social and exciting. There is nothing better than heading to breakfast at our trackside hotel and seeing some of the best Japanese teams and drivers preparing for the day. A special mention needs to go to the inspiring privateer behind the Scorch Racing S15. Under Suzuki has slogged it out year after year to narrowly miss out on the podium. Not this time, the driver and car combo really stepped it up to earn one of the most well deserved 2nd place finishes in the history of WTAC.

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So there it is, a very brief (because there is just too much going on!) list of 2014 highlights and reasons why you should be at World Time Attack Challenge in 2015!

Photos // James Payne & Ibrettowski Photography

Words // James Payne

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