World Time Attack 2018
 

Thursday test day is just wrapping up now. AUS is many hours ahead for those of us in the US, WTAC day 1 is tomorrow!
Live feed should be on the WTAC site and their facebook page. If you're tuning in from the US, here's when to be sure to have it on (I think I have the math right).

Friday (Thursday in the US)
8:00-11:05 AM Sessions 1 & 2 [Thursday 2PM - 5PM PDT / 5PM-8PM EDT]
12:15-12:30 PM Special Event - HKS TRB-03 [6:15-6:30 PM PDT / 9:15-9:30 EDT]
13:00 - 16:05 Sessions 3 & 4 [7:00-10:05 PM PDT / 10:00-1:05 AM EDT]

Saturday (Friday in the US)
8:00-11:05 AM Sessions 1 & 2 [Friday 2PM - 5PM PDT / 5PM-8PM EDT]
12:35-12:50 PM Special Event - HKS TRB-03 [6:35-6:50 PM PDT / 9:35-9:50 EDT]
13:35-15:30 Sessions 3 & 4 [7:35-9:30 PM PDT / 10:35-12:30 EDT]
15:50 - 16:45 Superlap Shootout [9:50-10:45 PM PDT / 12:50-1:45 AM EDT]

Keep an eye out for our two MT.net boys in Clubsprint, Mark Collingwood (Team Racepak) and Kendall O'Cconnor (Nitro Dann). Good luck guys!

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...27&oe=5C60E50A

Also pulling for our North American competitor, Will Au-Yeung:

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...7b&oe=5C49845F

Predictions -
PR Tech winning Pro in the Porsche with a 1:19, Escort Evo reverts back to 2017 aero before day 2.
Pro-Am is going to be a blood bath, Tilton and PZ on podium, can't pick a third but curious if the Swiss J-spec team can make it.
Adam Casmiri wins Open.

Live stream link:
Live Stream - World Time Attack Challenge Sydney

Agree on PRtech. Hammerhead seemingly has near zero development from 17 to 18. They have a whole new AMB aero pkg coming for 2019 though.
Escort has Voltex Evo v3r2specB aero now?

I would love to see PZ pull a win in ProAm. That gives us all a sightly better moving target for North American time attack pace, since Will has lap records all over the country.

The 968 has zero excuses now that the new engine is in, and that multi million build needs to justify itself.
They have Voltex aero plus amateur hour special additions.
Agreed and I'd love to see the same, but the Tilton car has gone seconds faster already, though in the hands of a pro driver Garth Walden... It's down to Kosta to make the most out of what is a proven winning package.
The J-spec team won a bunch of stuff in Europe including resetting track records as well, so the car is working well, but it is their first trip to WTAC so Will has a leg up on them in that regard.

Thursday practice coverage -
Thursday - End of Day Wrap - World Time Attack Challenge Sydney

Few notes I found interesting -
The MCA 86 has a new aero package from Barry Lock -
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1b0eaf1cf1.jpg

There are all kinds of interesting elements about this, but the one that sticks out the most is what prompted this development.
This car had AMB Aero on it for 2017 including an Infinity winged splitter -
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...33256a2d28.jpg

History lesson fill -
The MCA S13 Hammerhead was originally designed by Barry Lock, then received partial make-over by AMB Aero, but never really finished the AMB packaged and this year planned upgrade to the Infinity wings splitter was told to be delayed to 2019 because of rules issue.
Now I'm not entirely sure that this is the case, at any rate the S13 looks to be moving fine as it did a 1:22 flat in practice :party:

The Tilton car ran a mid 26 in the hands of the owner -
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...9f3e5e037c.jpg

Yeah definitely noticed the changes on the MCA 86, and lack of changes on the Hammerhead.

With the newcomer excuse gone, PR Tech should be winning this thing this year. But, there have been plenty of examples in history of programs with all the right parts fall short of realizing their potential for any number of reasons. So far, they haven't pulled it all together completely. Everyone is just watching and waiting to see if they do because I don't think anyone has doubts that car will dominate if they can get all the cogs meshed right.

Kosta is the one to beat in ProAm. With Mighty Mouse retired anyone else will need to make a few seconds' worth of improvements to give them a run.

In Open, agreed Casmiri is going to be tough to beat. I would have bet Longhurst would be right up there and possibly the one to come out on top this year. That R34 has the potential for it and they've made even more updates this year, but having to pull the drivetrain out last night isn't starting off on the right foot.

Thinking harder about the MCA 86, the class did have the aero envelope increased for this year.. I'm wondering if they shot themselves in the foot by flip-flopping.
The clock will tell, but I suspect the V-Sport 86 which DOES have the latest AMB Aero is going to have edge on aero performance.

V-Sport AMB Infinity wing with narrowed design to fit new max width regulations. I saw a picture of it with eleventy GoPro stickers on the new front end in testing, but can't find it now...
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ca965c9d42.jpg

The rooster tail video that was posted yesterday was pretty awesome!

It's 8 AM there, schedule says they should be starting. Live stream doesn't go up for 2 more hours, not sure what that's about. They've got light rain right now.

I seem to remember something like that last year too, the live feed jumped into the action when Pro-Am hit the track the first time, or something along these lines..

It's 4:02 and there's no live stream.
I give up, I want my money back.

I have been watching for a bit. Its fun seeing random miata's in the background on track when they are talking about other cars.

Feed wasn't working for me, but Natsoft Race Results will give you live timing, click on circuit racing at the top and it is at the top of the list. You have both live timing and static/historic lap times.

Goddman you HKS.
Nob pulling an easy 26 on a wet track with ZERO development time in a car that is visibly slower down the straight from lack of power.

For those who don't know, you can get full live timing and every lap time on natsoft.com.au.

edit: damn Gee emm beat me.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...57546bc027.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1b67e1f9fc.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...430a7dc1f1.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d160f62989.jpg

That is the blue MX5 that I watched chase a black FD.

I also saw part of Dan's lap where he hit a PB somewhere in the 1.4x range. They did not care for much keeping the MX5's on cameras.

The driver of the blue MX5 is Eipgam who posts in the aero section a fair bit.

It's a highly developed N/A engine with around 190-200whp, itbs, e85 etc... The car is also running more sensors and data loggers than a F1.