Tag: Narita Dog Fight

Automotive by Narita DogfightDec 1, 201706:25

Encounter: Version 2018 – Suwa Tomoki’s AE86

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve seen Suwa on track. In fact, the last time I saw him wasn’t at the circuit at all; it was at Umihotaru of all places. When we held our last Winter Cafe back in 2014, he stopped by to say hello. For the past 3 years he’s been laying low, driving in choice attack and one make races, enjoying life and little by little improving his AE86. You can read a little bit more about here, but it seems like quite a bit has changed in the past couple years. If I get the time, I’d like to reach out again to see how everything’s been going.

Automotive by Narita DogfightNov 30, 201702:34

Feature: Against The Grain – Igarashi-San’s GTR33

Of all the different types of Nissan chassis’s competing in time attack around the world, it’s fairly rare to see the GTR33 among them. It’s definitely the lesser of the chosen Skyline models for road racing, and if I’m speaking honestly, I’m not overly sure why. It is a bit heavier than the 32, but not too far off of the 34. It’s longer wheelbase leaves it prone to a bit more understeer, and some might say it’s lacking in the looks department (now that I list the reasons, I see why). Perhaps the R33 was just born to be the middle-child; loved, but not destined to be a favorite. There are some people, however, that refuse to believe the popular mindset, and work outward from the R33’s positive traits to create something so overtly great, you can’t help but like it.

Automotive by Narita DogfightNov 28, 201701:34

Close Up: The Forgotten Samurai – Autech’s Flagship GTR

It’s been 3 years since I had the privilege of seeing ATTKD’s GTR take on the titans of Japanese time attack at Fuji Speedway. Witnessing the somewhat lesser known car back then clock times within seconds of the fastest at the time was something that really impressed me. I know it’s not intentional, but when cars like the Top Secret S2000RR and HKS R35 GT1000 take center stage, their opponents seem to get put on the back burner. When the ATTKD GTR32 hits the track though, it’s performance alone will demand the attention back from everyone in attendance.

Automotive by Narita DogfightNov 17, 201716:57

Feature: The Finer Things – Garage Mak GTR35

There are few companies these days that go out of their way to cultivate a culture of quality. Unfortunately, it’s all too common for people to squeeze out as much profit as possible from mediocre products, sacrificing integrity for a quick buck. While it may be the more difficult route, those companies that are dedicated to ensuring the experience of buying and owning a product goes further than just fulfilling a desire, are the companies that are likely to be around for years to come. The Nagano based tuning shop, Garage Mak, falls into this category, ensuring that the reputation of their brand comes before all else.

Automotive by Narita DogfightNov 15, 201720:14

Event: VTEC Club – Autumn Speed Festival 2017

This past weekend, Willow Springs International Raceway once again played host to the annual, all-Honda, VTEC Club event; Autumn Speed Festival. Since the inaugural event last year, it’s one of the only events I look forward to attending here in the US (actually in the past two years it’s the only event I’ve attended). While VTEC Club usually runs alongside another facilitating vendor to host their normal events, Autumn Speed Festival’s attendance, and management are proof that, time forbidding, the organization can survive on it’s own. With over 80 registered drivers, the pits were packed with Honda driver’s both veteran and new, ready to take on the ‘fastest road in the West’; Big Willow.

Automotive by Narita DogfightNov 8, 201700:57

Locale: Garage Mak – Nagano’s Total Tuning Shop

Years ago I had the good fortune of befriending a couple of Garage Mak customers who have close relationships with the Miyagawa brothers; owners of the Nagano based tuning powerhouse, Garage Mak. Amemiya, Tsubaki, Seki, and others, have become good friends of mine, and have also given me the opportunity to meet, and work with, the two men behind one of Japan’s most comprehensive tuning shops. This last week I made the drive out to Nagano again to talk to Tatsuhiro and Kazunori Miyagawa about the upcoming Attack season, and get a better look at their new line of R35 GTR aero.

Automotive by Narita DogfightNov 2, 201720:19

Locale: Auto House Solid – Gunma’s Engine Cerberus

Tucked away in the Southern countryside of Gunma, situated on a corner just behind a beautifully scarce rice field, in a very cliche Japanese building, lies a haven of meticulously crafted engine bays that rivals that of any other shop in the country. In fact, if you weren’t looking for it, it wouldn’t be hard to pass it by, writing it off as just another unmarked building in the foreground. The unassuming tuning shop Auto House Solid, is owned and operated by Hayashi Kazuyaki; the foremost authoritarian on what a clean motor package should look like.

Motor Sports by Narita DogfightOct 15, 201719:42

Site News: Storefront Announcement

In an attempt to expand the communication in regards to storefront opening dates and times, I’ve committed to announcing on the site each time the store is restocked and I plan to re-open it. I get plenty of emails from people who missed out, or request to be notified each time I open the store; as you know that would be impossibly tedious to individually email hundreds of people. Instead, the easier solution, is to subscribe to the site via the ‘follow’ button located on all pages, and when I post opening dates you will receive notifications straight to your inbox!

The NDF Exchange - Podcast by Narita DogfightOct 14, 201717:16

NDF Exchange: Duane Bada – October 13, 2017

The first Podcast since our return features guest Duane Bada. Listen along as he talks about growing up in the Philippines, his move to Los Angeles, the work that goes into facilitating VTEC Club, the […]

Automotive by Narita DogfightOct 12, 201722:23

Encounter: Ziek Power’s SR20 Powered ZN6

I was organizing one of my hard drives making room for the upcoming Attack season and I came across a few shots of the Ziek Power 86 from earlier in the year. This is one of the more unique 86 builds I’ve been able to see on track, with the main revision being the Nissan motor that now resides under the hood. Ziek Power has caressed a healthy 500 horsepower from the SR20, which is now 2.2 liter; plenty enough power to get it around any track they choose to in a very respectable time.

The NDF Exchange - Podcast by Narita DogfightOct 12, 201707:32

NDF Exchange: I Guess You Could Call It A Comeback – October 11, 2017

Well, well, well. Here we are again some 2 years later. Not a week has gone by since our last cast that we haven’t had requests to bring it back. I’m traveling a lot […]

Automotive by Narita DogfightSep 18, 201717:25

Feature: Bringing The Fire – Yoshiki Ando’s ESCORT Built CT9A

I feel like ever since the Cyber Evo set the standard for what a successful attack EVO should be, Mitsubishi devotees have been trying to redefine the level of what is considered top tier. Average power levels have risen, aerodynamics play a much larger role now, and tuning has come such a long way in the past decade that it’s almost hard to keep up. Even the Cyber Evo wasn’t immune to the changes; in the 2011 to 2012 transition, in order to defend their title, Takizawa turned to C-West in hopes of gaining an advantage in aerodynamics without unbalancing the winning formula they had. Competition in the sport was advancing so quickly that it soon became apparent that if you weren’t improving, you were for sure going to be left behind.

Automotive by Narita DogfightSep 13, 201703:36

Encounter: Midship Runabout – Masahide Fukushima’s TPS Tuned MR-S

I guess since we’re on the topic of mid-engined roadsters (although technically only the Elise, not the Exige, was roadster), rarely seen in the Japanese Attack arena, now would be a good time to post up some shots of this MR-S. Owned by Masahide-san, and tuned by the foremost MR-S tuners in Japan, Techno PRO Spirit, this is one of the only of it’s type in the Attack lineup. It’s aggressive exterior is backed up by some pretty formidable times at TC2000; a 59.4 to be specific.

Automotive by Narita DogfightSep 8, 201716:01

Encounter: A British Gentleman in Japan – Satoshi Konno’s Exige S

I’ve always viewed the Outer Plus Lotus builds as such a breathe of fresh air in the realm of Japanese time attack. They’re such a far cry from the norm, and among the only imported cars in the paddock at the grassroots level. The Lotus epitomizes the gentleman like qualities of motor sport that is sometimes harder to find in Japanese cars. The Chiba based outfit Garage Shimaya, known for race parts development of chassis’ such as Lotus and Caterham, has been providing their customers with the resources to infuse these British made cars with Japanese style. With over 20 years of experience under their belt, Kenji Shimakage and his team, are without a doubt the go-to group for people wanting to own and race these cars.

Automotive by Narita DogfightSep 7, 201701:55

Product Spotlight: APG Performance Brake Install

This past weekend I was able to knock out a lot of work on the car. For whatever reason I had this idea in my head that the rest of the build would be smooth sailing after the new motor setup got tuned; boy was I wrong. Getting the motor running properly was a huge milestone, but it far from marked the completion of the build. There is still much to do, and among them was to replace the overweight front calipers with a reliable, lightweight alternative – APG Performance answered that call.

Automotive by Narita DogfightAug 7, 201704:48

Encounter: Yuji Maruyama’s S2000

I had a handful of message requests on Instagram for more pictures of Maruyama’s S2000 – I had some extra time this afternoon so I scrounged around for some to edit and post. The car is very well built, and reflects the great balance that you can achieve with a few carefully selected modifications. It also makes a case for the C-West bumper being among the best looking front bumper choices for the chassis; I think I like it even more than Voltex.

Automotive by Narita DogfightJul 31, 201717:08

Feature: Defining Simplicity – Shoutarou’s Attack DC5

In the realm of time attack, most often than not, the phrase ‘less is more’ can be aptly applied in most circumstances (I think power and tire size being the exception). Even those competing in street cars forgo the extra amenities in favor of shedding overall weight in their car; a willing sacrifice if it means quicker times. More and more we see entries into the sport that push the boundaries of limited modifications; some even entering the circuit with untouched motors. Such is the case with Shoutarou and his Integra – a pair that push simplicity to it’s limit.

Automotive by Narita DogfightJul 24, 201719:19

Feature: Shinobu Matayoshi – TFR AHW FD3S

One of my favorite things to do on my down time is research time attack builds in Japan. It’s akin to that of a treasure hunt for me. I enjoy the prospect of being among the first to find out about certain aspects of the build, and to both share it through the website and take inspiration from them for my own builds. There is still a large gap between the publicization of builds in Japan versus that of builds in Western countries, and because of this, information can be very difficult to come across sometimes. I think that’s what makes it interesting for me though; and this same theme plays true in other aspects of life as well. The harder you work towards something, the more satisfaction it brings you.

Automotive by Narita DogfightJul 5, 201719:50

Close-Up: Ready Go Next – 青木FD3S

Since things have been a bit slow during the off-season, I’ve been using the time to try and design a few new products for the site and make some progress on my own car as well. It’s been a long time coming, but just a few more things to wrap up and it’ll be ready for it’s first startup. Although the car won’t be completely done for another few months, I’m looking forward to the first shakedown with the new motor shortly after it’s tuned. I was browsing some shots from earlier this year to gain some inspiration for my own car and came across some shots that Matt took of Aoki’s FD.

Automotive by Narita DogfightJun 15, 201701:39

Feature: Hiroyoshi Shimada – The Soul of Kyushu Danji

The concept of forming an amateur race team is something that appeals to quite a few of us. Aside from the obvious attraction of building race cars with your friends, there’s the added benefits of friendly competition, commradery and support among teammates; turns out there’s more positives to emulating Initial D than just looking cool. As a result we see attempts of this springing up all over the world – some good, some not so good. While we may have a ways to go on this side of the Pacific in making names for ourselves, no one in Japan does it better than the boys from Kyushu – ‘Kyushu Danji’; quite possibly the most notable and dedicated, time attack team in Japan.

Automotive by Narita DogfightJun 3, 201717:13

Feature: Hiroki Sakamoto – A Conservative Success

Hiroki Sakamoto may have possibly built, not only one of the fastest, but also the cleanest RX-7 in Japan to date. With a best time of 55.801 around Tsukuba, and a 2’14.399 around Suzuka it can definitely hold it’s own among the frontrunners of Japanese time attack.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMay 30, 201715:08

Gallery: エスピーアール HURACÁN LP 620-2 Super Trofeo

While I wait to hear back from a few people in regards to pending articles, I thought I’d throw up some photos of a car that isn’t seen often in the Japanese Time Attack ring. This Huracan ST was at Suzuka a while back running in the Attack series. I’m so used to seeing Japanese builds that the owners have toiled over for so many years that seeing this new, untouched so to speak, Italian race car caught me off guard. It was really quite a treat to see it out on track putting in some impressive lap times.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMay 23, 201704:44

Feature: A Man And His Car(s) – Masao Otani

I first became acquainted with Masao Otani back in 2014 when he attended our Attack Meeting in Doitsu Mura, Chiba. He had brought his 180 to the gathering which, 3 years ago, looked much more tame than it does now. That was back when the Attack community felt a little tighter knit than it does today, given the recent popularity increase. Which isn’t to be taken as a negative; with growth comes sacrifice in some areas, and the truth is that there are a lot more people involved in the sport today. Later that year, Masao and I had the fortune of connecting again through some mutual friends, and actually began talking quite regularly.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMay 20, 201700:58

Encounter: Racing Service Takagi GTR33

RS-Takagi is a tuning shop that specializes in Nissan applications, namely the 180 and Skyline, that’s based in the Gifu Prefecture; just Northwest of Nagoya. Their demo cars range from extremely high powered drag cars, to very well-balanced time attack cars – they even assist in some drift events. The owner states that no customer request is too big or too small, and that they are able to tailor projects to meet any customer’s needs.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMay 19, 201704:12

Event: バリドリ天国 Vol 6 – Golden Heaven

1990’s motoring in Japan, for a few people, has recently increased in popularity, becoming somewhat of an abstract study into a very unique culture. A lot of what we see today, especially in drifting, is an amalgamation of trends and lifestyle cues from that era; things that we aren’t necessarily privy to (unless of course you were a teenager in Tokyo in 1995). Yuji Hasunuma, owner of Pro Shop Wave, was a prominent figure in the peak times of ‘hashiriya‘; a time where the older generation today, was growing up and exploring the world of motorsports. Despite the change in trends, Yuji and his shop is still around today in Kanagawa, and as a ‘tip of the hat’ to the age his generation loved, he began the Bari Dori Heaven events.

Automotive by Narita DogfightApr 27, 201705:47

Close-Up: Carbon Junkie – Takumi Hayashi’s AE86

To say that Takumi Hayashi has an affinity for the Toyota AE86 would be a rather dramatic understatement. The peppy, 130ps 4A-GE motor combined with the car’s FR drivetrain became an instant hit with not only himself, but many other tuners in the mid-80’s for that matter. It didn’t take long for the Corolla to be a favorite worldwide, and Japan was no doubt leading the pack in motor sport development of the chassis.

Automotive by Narita DogfightApr 25, 201723:18

Encounter: Tadashi Nakamura’s Attack S14

I posted a picture of Tadashi’s S14 on our Instagram account yesterday afternoon and it got a lot of positive feedback. It may be the very interesting combination of exterior parts; what looks to be an M-Sports front, Vertex sides, and Car Modify rear. Or perhaps it’s just a great example of an s-chassis time attack build. Nakamura built the car in conjunction with No-Mark, and completed all the body work himself at his sheetmetal and paint shop. The 470 horsepower SR packs quite the punch on track. Check out a few pictures past the break.

Automotive by Narita DogfightApr 22, 201702:55

Encounter: GNR Racing EK9

This 280ps K-powered EK9 from GNR traveled a long way from home to run at the Attack event at Tsukuba this year. The owner, Yasuko Asai, hails from the northern island of Hokkaido; needless to say he doesn’t get down to Ibaraki very often. At his local circuit, Tokachi International Speedway, the car clocks a 1’24.666 on the Clubman course configuration. An extremely respectable time when you consider that a Super Taikyu Porsche GT3 ran literally the same time.

Automotive by Narita DogfightApr 17, 201721:50

Encounter: Highend Makers RUN-UP GTR33

Highend Makers isn’t exactly a household name in motorsports today, and, quite frankly, up until a year ago I wasn’t even aware of the outfit. The shop, located on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, has made a name for itself this past year at the Attack Suzuka events. Being located far from the epicenter of Japanese motor sport, the shop gets few opportunities to test their builds in comparison to shops in the Kanto, Kanagawa, and Kansai areas that we’re used to seeing. It’s a big production for them to have a good showing at time attack events, and a venue like Suzuka is well worth the trip.

Automotive by Narita DogfightApr 13, 201723:45

Feature: Masumoto Shoichiro – The Shorin GTR32

If you had the opportunity to meet Masumoto just once, then it would go without saying that he is the definition of someone who lives for circuit racing. The energy that he resonates around the track is that of true happiness and excitement to be doing what he does. Over the past few years he has helped the Attack series grow into something much more than just a private, invite only track event. The fact that Attack is now a recognized championship series throughout Japan is thanks in part to Masumoto-san’s hard work and dedication. His personal GTR build has paralleled his work with Attack, and provides him the outlet he needs to channel his energy.

Automotive by Narita DogfightApr 11, 201720:55

Gallery: Shark Attack – Auto Select GTRs

For over 30 years now, Eiichiro Sawa and the Auto Select staff have been tuning and racing cars throughout Japan. Using the knowledge they gain from track events, they’ve been able to succeed in developing quality parts that work well alongside their OE companions. Over the years Auto Select has made a niche for themselves in the GTR market and, as a result, have several demo and customer cars that frequent time attack events regularly. This gives them the ability to collect a wide-range of data from cars built in varying degrees; from street cars to dedicated track cars. All of which they can take back to their headquarters in Osaka, and use in development of their future services.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMar 31, 201722:12

Feature: All In A Day’s Work – Chiba’s EK Frontrunners

Something happened last month that honestly didn’t get the recognition it deserved; at least from publications that I frequent. In hindsight I probably should have made it more of a priority to highlight the news on my end other than social media, but in my defense I was busy with work and part of me wanted to wait until I talked to a few people about it. When a guy like Suzuki Under breaks records it’s, because of his amassed following, it’s pretty easy to hear information about it. I remember when he clocked the 50.746 back in December everyone I knew was talking about it; and rightly so, it’s amazing. So when I heard that during last month’s Attack Tsukuba Championship, Yusuke had broken the 57 second barrier to clock a lap time of 56.748 I thought the internet would explode.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMar 30, 201717:32

Gallery: A Recipe For Suzuka – Esprit JZA80

Esprit has always been a shop that prides itself on building cars of all varieties. Regardless of the make or model, they will take a customers idea, or a demo car, and make it into something that excels in both performance and aesthetics. So when Sugimori Takuya propsoed the idea to build a JZA80 strictly to attack Suzuka Circuit, the shop embraced the challenge with open arms. The end result is a 2900 pound, 800 horsepower power house that runs 2’04.4’s at Mie’s home track.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMar 27, 201718:20

Close-Up: Step-Up Fairlady CBA-Z33

I almost didn’t recognize the Step-Up Z33 without it’s massive rear diffuser and front splitter attached to it’s exterior. The car in this state takes on an almost street car look, aside from the chassis mounted GT wing. It wasn’t running in the Attack event, but was there supporting other drivers. I would have liked to see how it performed around Suzuka in the wet compared to some of the other similarly powered RWD cars. I included a video of a hot lap around Suzuka below.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMar 22, 201723:25

Encounter: No-Mark Time Attack S15

No-Mark may not be a household name in the Japanese tuning industry, but they’ve been around long enough to hold their own against some of the best. Native to the Western area of Japan, it’s not uncommon to catch Maeda Yukio and his white S15 around tracks like Takasu Circuit, Suzuka CIrcuit, and Central Circuit every so often. The Silvia, a decade long build, has slowly grown from a lightly tuned street car, to a street car that pushes the boundary between comfort and performance.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMar 21, 201704:32

Encounter: ディサイドGTR33

I stumbled across this GTR33 built by Decide226 behind Suzuka’s pits. The notable shop, that’s based in Fukuoka, raised to fame years ago in Japan’s drag racing circuit. The RH9 accredited garage specialized in tuning high power, 400m focused builds. Concurrently they also prepped a range of cars for circuit racing; everything from GTR’s to EG6 Civics. This GTR is a great example of the street inspired builds the shop has become famous for.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMar 14, 201723:10

Feature: Soaring Progression – AutoBahn’s Carbon JZZ30

Without a doubt the most interesting thing for me, in following Japanese Time Attack so closely, is getting to see the progression of builds over an extended period of time. We all know that building a race car isn’t a quick task, and for most people at the grassroots level it’s a trial and error procedure; you find out what works and what doesn’t from your initial base, and head back to the drawing board after each event. Everyone has their own method of going about this, but the common goal for everyone, however, is to go faster.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMar 11, 201702:59

Encounter: M-Technic Subaru Impreza

M’Technic Hyper Circuit Machine Producer is, well, a rather dramatic name for a tuning shop to say the least; but one glance into the type of cars they produce in-house, and the name suddenly doesn’t seem so theatrical. Mr. Tsuchida has had the support of M’Technic throughout the build of his GDBE Impreza, and while still a young build, contains many of the qualities that the shop holds in high regard.

Automotive by Narita DogfightMar 1, 201720:41

Encounter: Auto Craft Evolution FD3S

About halfway between Kyoto and Osaka, there’s a stretch of road that houses a handful of ‘under the radar’ type automotive shops. Among the largest is Auto Craft; a rotary specialist shop, that’s slowly turned their focus to a larger population of cars, most notably Toyota’s new reiteration of the 86. While they may be playing to a larger audience these days, they certainly haven’t abandoned their dedication to developing the old Mazda chassis, and their flagship Attack FD is proof of this.

Automotive by Narita DogfightFeb 28, 201701:02

Event: Attack Maximum Challenge 2017 – Suzuka Circuit

Mie Prefecture is a long way from Yokohama; a lot further than I expected anyway. Whenever I’m planning road trips through Japan I get this false sense of distance because I’m not accustomed to using the metric system. So my brain still equates 60 ‘x’ of a distance to roughly an hour. Because of that drives typically go by quicker than I expect. Well, not this time. Maybe I’m getting used to it, maybe I underestimated the distance, or maybe it was the weather, but Thursday evening when we set out to Suzuka Circuit I had no idea I’d be driving for over 6 hours…