The niche motor sport of Japanese time attack is a constant battleground; an arena that mandates the Frontrunners to be forever in a state of forward thinking, pushing their limits in driving and innovation each year. As exciting as it is to watch the action unfold on track, the off-season has become a critical period for teams to fine-tune their builds; taking what they found to be weakness over the season, and exploring avenues for improvement. In recent years, seeing the cars undergo major changes from season to season has become almost common place. For some, these developments pay off in the form of faster lap times, but often times the changes don’t end up proving beneficial. It’s a path that is filled with unexpected obstacles and challenges that require both patience and determination. Trial and error is expected. It’s a true narrative of relentless pursuit.
The hyper-competitive FWD NA class is a model study in this aspect, with the record having traded hands multiple times this season. This year, while the spotlight was cast on Asai and the Rise-Up/GNR EK9, and Ton’s Aslan supported EG6, the former record holder Ryo Kaneko seemed to have lost stride, having faced a serious of unfortunate events. We would be remised, however, if we did not take a closer look at Ryo’s season more closely, given it was only March of last year when his previous record TC2000 time was surpassed by Asai.
In December of 2020, Ryo had set the FWD NA record at Tsukuba Circuit with a time of 55.984. It was Ryo’s second year of driving the EG after switching to K-series power – a move that almost all FWD NA competitors have made at this point (with few exceptions). We first highlighted the Yellow Factory build back in 2017 (you can view that article here). The car was still powered by the F-Drider built B18C, and he was consistently running in the high 57 second range. We featured the car again, with the most notable change being the Kanagawa Engine Works built K series, in our 80R Volume 2 publication in 2019 – the year before he set the new record. However, the most striking transformation took place leading into the 2021 Attack season with the unveiling of the new body work; a lowered roofline, molded widebody rear, and updated front aero package. Coincidentally, these major changes also marked the start of Ryo’s setbacks on track. Incorrect setups, dated components, and a variety of other small issues kept Ryo from driving consistently faster.
On March 15th of 2022, Asai ran a 55.964 in the K27 powered Rise Up EK9, overtaking Ryo’s FWD NA record by just .02 seconds – yet another blow to Ryo.
While certain aspects of the car’s performance were indeed improved with the changes, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. It soon became apparent that while the focused efforts on specific areas yielded positive outcomes, other crucial aspects of the car had been neglected or overlooked entirely. This year, in an attempt to cut weight even further, the frame around the front was made lighter with the use of dry carbon. The new front splitter gave Ryo more confidence in front end grip, but his neglect to maintain simple items related to the suspension arms and bushings negated any positive effect from the changes. He felt very neutral about the way the car drove, stating that he “…was running with a feeling of plus or minus.” To make matters worse, in January testing, Ryo’s motor had blown on the back straight of Tsukuba leaving a 120m line of oil on the track. The K20, which was built with a focus on high-torque output, let go under the high stress of the circuit. Not to be deterred, the team at KEW swapped in an older motor so that Ryo would still be able to participate in the 10th anniversary of Attack Tsukuba. Ultimately, however, Ryo was unable to even break into the 55’s this season under the weight of his obstacles. He ended the season with a best time of 56.2
While a lesser person might be overwhelmed with frustration at these misfortunes, Ryo’s ambition isn’t easily shaken. With the unwavering spirit of a true racer, his resolve grew even strong with each setback, driving him to seek solutions. With the understanding that being the fastest isn’t a single-step process, but an intricate journey that demands resolve, he vowed to push through. Relying on his solid team for support, Yukimasa Kanagawa (KEW engine builder) was quickly commissioned by Ryo to build him a new ‘displacement type’ motor for next season. The details of the motor are to be kept a secret, but this will be a motor capable of competition with Asai’s 4 Piston K27 build, but with a greater focus on reliability.
While no longer the fastest naturally aspirated FWD in the paddock, Ryo’s EG is sure among the most unique. From certain angles, the lower roofline is almost unnoticeable, and from others it’s hard to believe it is only lowered by 5cm (the view directly from the rear showcases this well). The Misato based shop of Yellow Factory processed the roofline bodywork as well as the widened rear quarter panels. The car is currently at Orange Ball for maintenance work, so I’ll update this article once Ryo gets back to me in regards to how much wider the rear end is now.
In its current state, the overall weight of the car has been reduced to 820kg (~1800 lbs). While cutting the roofline effectively lowered the center of gravity, it did very little to reduce any weight of the car.
Yellow Factory’s Katsu tapes up the gap between the bumper and hood for maximum efficiency.
The roofline is processed so well that, at a glance, one may not suspect anything. The rear quarter panels also look perfectly executed.
The interior is slightly updated with new Motec C127 dash inset in the carbon bezel. An Under Suzuki carbon steering wheel and Mozcraft Hyper EPS electric steering rack are visible from the driver seat.
An overall look of the 2023 package sitting on Spirit dampers with HAL springs. For Ryo to feel the full benefit of the current chassis, he is refreshing the suspension during the offseason in hopes to fully realize the potential of the car with the new motor and bodywork.
The EG utilizes an 18x11j front wheel with 295 series A050, while the rear is an 18×8.5j with 235 series tire. The difference in tire sizing can be slightly seen with the rake the car runs, but maintains a decent ride height overall.
The new front splitter also looks appropriately matched for the cars aggressive front end.
Ryo hanging out on the practice event the day before Attack Tsukuba.
From this angle you can get a good look at how wide the rear is.
The car looks right at home ripping around Tsukuba. Ryo’s ultimate goal is to break into the 54 second range, a time that is no doubt achievable given the current record now owned by Asai (55.144).
Ryo’s story is one that highlights the indomitable spirit of those who dare to chase greatness, proving that triumph is not merely a destination but a continuous pursuit of perfection. It’s also no coincidence then, that Ryo is an individual that feels that everything needed to achieve results in his life is connected; daily life, business, work and circuit.
「日々の生活やビジネス、仕事とサーキット、タイムアタックで結果成果を出す為に必要な事は全てに通ずると本気で感じました。」
He enjoys the team aspect of time attack and car building, and it shows in his interactions with the community. His work ethic and persistence in life is visible from the results, and there is no doubt that he will continue to contribute his own evolution to the motor sport. We look forward to seeing his progression next year.