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Eric Hsu posted on October 31, 2011 18:46 
CyberEVO and Tarzan's Fastest Lap at WTAC 2011
by Eric Hsu
If you've been following the World Time Attack and its cars, then you already know that Tarzan just barely beat Dave Empringham in the Sierra Sierra EVO by a scant 0.173 seconds. If you don't know, then you can catch up here: 10 Fastest Cars of the World Time Attack Challenge Pro Class. It was a heartbreak for Sierra Sierra when 5th gear was ejected from the transmission case on the very last lap in the very last session. Anyhow, here's Tarzan's fastest lap:
You can tell the CyberEVO's torque falls off at the upper revs, but the CyberEVO's lightweight, Tarzan's mastery of the car, and the ultra extra sticky Advan A-050s were good enough to seal the deal. Since the CyberEVO team won two years in a row, it can be said that it isn't just luck. They have the winning formula (at the moment).
Dave has all of the in car footage of him driving the Sierra Sierra EVO, but it isn't edited. Hopefully I can get it from him soon and get it up. Then we'll see what 301km/h on the front straight looks like.
Monday, October 31, 2011 7:26 PM
Looks gnarly. I'm surprised that it doesn't have a sequential gearbox, or that he is using the clutch for both upshifts and downshifts if it's a dogbox. Eric, do you know what the gearbox spec is?
Monday, October 31, 2011 7:30 PM
Is it just me or did Tarzan miss at least one apex on that lap?
Monday, October 31, 2011 7:40 PM
Sequential trannies for AWD are $$$. I'm not positive on the gear box but I read somewhere (a while ago), they're using straight-cut OS Gigen gears. On a side note, you gotta give it to Tarzan, that guy has balls ! If Dave clocked 301km/h on the main straight, and the second fastest was clocking 250-260 (which is still fucking fast). I don't wanna know what would happen if the CyberEVO would crash into a concrete barrier with that shitty cage like that. Screw the "Tarzan" nickname ! I'd call him Eiji "kamikaze" Yamada !
Monday, October 31, 2011 11:13 PM
The thing that kills me is how I've always been taught to be smooth with my steering inputs, but watching him, holy crap! He makes it work and work very well, but just watching him jerk the steering wheel around also makes me cringe along with that skinny cage.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 1:37 AM
Watch any of the videos from Best Motoring. I think that style is a Japanese thing, although Francois Delacour is the jerkiest driver I've ever seen.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 1:41 AM
WTF. I know you guys have been saying they skimp on safety but that cage shouldn't be legal in any racing series. If you need a cage for whatever motorsport you're doing, you need one better than that. Especially given that that's (barely) the fastest time attack car in the world.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 2:24 AM
Referring to what DaewooofDeath said about Best Motoring International vids; I noticed it too that Japanese drivers (and maybe I'm wrong) tend to dive in deep into the turns, and rotate the car at the very end almost as if they miss the apex.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 3:16 AM
In a car like this with this kind of power and acceleration, you're going to have to give up an apex or two to better setup for the next turn or two. I think when we watch Time Attack and Best Motoring, we're watching a small sample of "japanese driving" that primarily involves impressions and 5 lap battles. I'm sure the professional drivers are smoother with their inputs when it matters and in cars where it is possible. An AWD time attack car really only wants to go straight because anytime you enter a turn, throw steering angle at it and maybe tap on the brake or throttle, all three heavily preloaded diffs start working and all four sticky ass ultra wide tires start turning at different speeds. I suspect the driver has to quite literally exaggerate his steering inputs most of the time. Option13: the way they get around the weak cage is that Time Attack isn't fender to fender racing.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 8:01 AM
His inputs look smooth to me, he's just obviously right on the limit so he's having to make some corrections. Smooth != making no corrections. It also doesn't mean slow hands (one of my biggest gripes about intermediate students, they think smooth = very slow inputs). He's obviously not upsetting the car, and his throttle pickup is nice and progressive once he starts it which is exactly how you drive a turbo car. Great driving overall really. Thanks for the vid.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 11:11 AM
Was that the FD he passed on the side there? Wasn't Advan also supposed to mention that the winning tyres could only be purchased in select stores/markets, or am I misremembering? :) With regard to Tarzan's steering, I've seen him drive in person (PIR Circuit Battles) and I've seen him jerk the car around like that. He definitely likes to drive it to the limit and a little further!
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 1:02 PM
a note about the "smoothness" thing. In track driving school, you're generally taught to be smooth with your inputs with the thought of, make the driver smooth and the car will be smooth. Ultimately this is all about making the *car* smooth while undergoing dynamic load, the end goal is not about making the driver smooth*. Very few production based race cars will ever make the driver look smooth and fast. Too many compromises have to be made to accommodate an acceptable street ride. Even with aftermarket modifications, the core geometry and superstructure are never optimal. *Dedicated race cars like prototypes and open wheel cars have a direct relationship between smooth inputs and fast driving. e.g. Jensen Button.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 7:00 PM
Pureyang, I'm not even sure you need to keep things smooth with the car. Check WRC champion Francois Delacour out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrYuvrD2Wgo
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 7:46 PM
I'm pretty sure they use a Holinger Group N gearset with a different final drive.
 
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