Tag: Japanese

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Feature: Excellence In Craft – Arvou Motor Sports Service

Growing up with his father, Akira, Yusaku Shibata was embraced with motor sport from the moment he arrived in this world.  His life would see him behind the wheel of numerous race cars throughout a number of series, and eventually coming full circle to own and operate the tuning shop his father founded in 1985; ARVOU Motor Sports Service.

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Video: Attack Tsukuba Championship 2021 – Paddock Walk and Highlights

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the Attack Tsukuba Championship this year, personally, because of COVID travel restrictions.  Lucky for us though, we can join my brother Sekinei as he wanders around the paddock checking out some of the cars competing at the event.

Event: Super Taikyu – A Pit Walk In Japan

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Here’s a post I’ve been waiting to share with you for awhile now.  Let me preface this by saying that the pictures won’t really do this experience much justice.  In Japan, a pit walk is something you can pay a little extra for to take an actual walk on the pit road to view the cars and team.  Well, I thought you could view the cars and team anyway.  In reality, it turns out it’s a mad rush for the thousands of spectators that are there solely for the race queens.  I literally had to fight my way through the crowd and sneak my way past the stanchions to get a glimpse at the race cars.  I was even told a few times that I couldn’t be past a certain point I had snuck by.  Seriously though, I paid for a pit walk to see the cars!  My friend and I were probably part of the 5% of people there to view the actual vehicles.  They should really look in to separating the girls from the garages a little; throw them out on the straight or something.   With that said, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.  I find it extremely amusing being the only foreigner in a crowd of crazed motor sport (read ‘race queen’) fans, and getting caught up in the moment.  You know the saying “If you can’t beat them, join them”?  Well, about halfway through I gave up trying to get car shots and ended up joining everyone else in snapping some girlies.  They were all about it too!  Perks of having blue eyes I suppose.  Click past the break to see the experience of my first pit walk.

Close-Up: Honda NSX Concept

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I’d have to say, I feel Honda cheated us a little bit with the HSV; but it looks like they’re looking to make up for it in the coming years.  Honda has been lacking a flagship sports car in it’s lineup for some time now.  Sure, they had the S2000, but that wasn’t really super car status – plus they don’t even make it anymore.  So what we’ve been left with for the past few years has been…well…the CR-Z.  A mildly sporty, hybrid hatchback.  Not quite what you’d consider ‘flagship’.  All that is set to change, however, we probably will not see production until 2015.  I have a feeling the new NSX will be a game changer in terms of  technology.  While they are staying true to the NSX’s mid-engine roots, they’ve added a bit of a twist.  Click past the break for more shots of the 2012 NSX Concept at the Honda Welcome Plaza, Japan.

Close-Up: Subaru BRZ Concept-STi

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So, I finally made the quick trip over to the LA Convention Center to attend the LA Auto Show.  While it’s always great to see each manufacturers take on the cutting edge of automotive engineering, I really came to see one car; the Subaru BRZ STi Concept.  Of all the automotive topics discussed recently, Toyota’s predecessor to the now iconic AE86 has been the hottest.  Will it be Toyota or Scion?  What is the actual model name?  Turbocharged or naturally aspirated?  Will it use Subaru’s flat Boxer engine?  For quite awhile, consumers and fans were left in the dark, but finally some light is being shed on the details.  Check out some more shots of Subaru’s new member of the STi family past the break.

Event: 6th Annual JCCS, Long Beach V.2

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On to round 2 of the JCCS coverage.  Like I mentioned in the previous post, engine swaps are all to common at this show;  and this coupe is no exception.  This is Steve’s car.  Steve drove 2,000 miles from Alberta, Canada to show at Long Beach.  This is the way I like to see cars; put to use!  As if that wasn’t special enough, Steve had something out of the ordinary at the disposal of his right foot.  How does 260 ft/lb.’s of torque sound?  Yup, a 4.0 liter, V8 taken from a LS400 sits in place of the stock engine.  I got to talk to Steve for a little bit, and to my surprise, he said that the first generation UZ engine fit rather easily in the bay.

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