Nippon Challenge

[PistonSquizz]

So, anyone view any of the Nippon Challenge races this season?

My wife's the racer in our family. We originally borrowed an MR2 MK1 Supercharger that myself and some friends got into race condition, but due to boost problems it was uncompetitive. Most of the races' outright winners were the RX7's or an Impreza S202. Plenty of class battles though and she did blag the odd class win (Uncontested! LOL!). We sat out the latter half of the season and saved the cash towards a new car...

Currently preparing a 1995 Impreza WRX for next year, in the Nippon Challenge and Subaru Cup. So it'll be production spec racing. Only real mods allowed are controlled coilovers, 17" wheels and Impreza 4-pot brakes/discs up front (not Brembo ones!)

Details on Karen's racing in the MR2 Challenge, Nippon Challenge and car prep can be found here: www.karenphillips.co.uk

Nippon Challenge details here: www.nipponchallenge.co.uk

Here's to more great racing next year!

[Hybrids]

Pist on Squizz...
I wonder who that could be

[neilrallying]

We put in an entry for the invitation class but were refused which was very disappointing (especially as we were invited to compete at Autosport in January!).

Still, going off to race in Britcar next season instead.

I wish you well with the racing for next year - just don't build something that is likely to be too competitive as it'll get banned!

Neil.

[wee_skids]

Neil, I will have been one of those dirvers that recommended to Steve that cars such as your's were not allowed into the Nippon. Down at the Autosport it was all new, what cars would we get, etc. As the year went on (and I've been in it right from the off and it was my Rx7 at the NEC) it became clear that there was a lot of interest in the series from people with prodcution jap cars. I also recommended a change to the regs that classified cars more like JGTC than the original multi-marque, production+modified classes Steve originally setup.
After all that, all the drivers agreed that they wanted to continue the series as a series for Production japanese cars, modified for racing. With the 'big bangers' being still recognisible Jap cars taking the flag.
By allowing a car such as your kit in, it would alter the flavour of the series, and it would open the door to Kawasaki engined plastic pigs and other cars that were not in the spirit of what had built up in that first years.

So, it was not really about competativness, and more about taking the series in a specific direction and I'm afriad it did mean the loss of your type of car.

[shivars]

heya Squizz, and to Karen!

I'll be there next year - racing in the MR2 series and in the Nippon Challenge in the GT150 class....racing Karen's old Mk1 MR2!

Hope to see y'all there!

cheers

Shane

[PistonSquizz]

Yes, it's me...

Hi Gareth, Tony, Shane!

Hi Neil,

Sorry that things worked out as they did and that the Murtaya wasn't actually allowed into the series. Obviously, it may be a bitter pill to swallow but I think it's the right decision to keep the core spirit of the Nippon challenge intact.

To a great extent, the Nippon Challenge is still a budget racing series with the vast majority of entrants preparing their own cars (at least to some extent!) without spending excessive amounts of cash. That may yet change as it becomes more popular...

Suffice to say, I'd sell my reproductive organs to be able to buy and prepare a Murtaya for racing and I'll be watching your progress in Britcar with interest. We've now got two Imprezas and a Forester Turbo as potential donor cars, after all!

Cheers,
Rich.

[micron750]

Bring the Nippon challenge to castle Combe in 2009 not only will you get a large spectator presence but also i expect a number of the EVO drivers from the Combe saloon championship would enter the event as i noticed that Gary 'superquick' prebble raced a few weeks ago,so us regulars to combe are used to powerfull jap cars racing even better if we could see a good grid of em

[pitbull86]

hope you dont mind me asking in your thread

but what is the nippon challenge like as a starting route into racing. i have a r32 gts-t, which im sure could be built over a couple years to race it.

[PistonSquizz]

micron750 said:

Bring the Nippon challenge to castle Combe in 2009 not only will you get a large spectator presence but also i expect a number of the EVO drivers from the Combe saloon championship would enter the event as i noticed that Gary 'superquick' prebble raced a few weeks ago,so us regulars to combe are used to powerfull jap cars racing even better if we could see a good grid of em

There's a few of us who'd love to do 'Combe, because we love it as a track and it's our local! However, cost is a factor and apparently it can be expensive. We have been offered a slot but only for a single race. We usually now try and make sure we get double-headers for better value for money.

Shame.

[PistonSquizz]

pitbull86 said:

hope you dont mind me asking in your thread

but what is the nippon challenge like as a starting route into racing. i have a r32 gts-t, which im sure could be built over a couple years to race it.

I replied to your email.

R32 GTS-T? Sounds great! We were promised skylines by the dozen and never had one appear!! There's no reason your car should not be competitive in its class. The class system will be by engine horsepower. Classes are: GT150, GT200, GT250, GT300, GT500. So an MX5 or MR2 mk1 will be in the GT150. Honda CRX GT200 or GT250 depending on mods. Standard early Impreza WRX in the GT300.

[pitbull86]

yeah thanks for your reply
are tuning/modifications allowed. it runs just under 300bhp, well when its back on the road. and as i want to keep this car, it seems good having a class set up like that. and always the opertunity to get up a class. intresting to see the bhp/ton of the cars running in gt300

[PistonSquizz]

pitbull86 said:

yeah thanks for your reply
are tuning/modifications allowed. it runs just under 300bhp, well when its back on the road. and as i want to keep this car, it seems good having a class set up like that. and always the opertunity to get up a class. intresting to see the bhp/ton of the cars running in gt300

Tuning/Mods are allowed, but we wanted production spec cars in there too. That's why we are going to use engine power banding. You'd end up in the GT300 in that case. It'll only be the second year of the series and the first on the new regs. Admittedly someone might hike up their power after their declaration, but everyone is clued up as to how the cars should perform and there's the hope we might use something like a racelogic DriftBox randomly (or pointedly!) placed in a car to confirm the rough power figure.

[PistonSquizz]

The Nippon Challenge 2008 video has now been made public on YouTube!

Plenty of racing action, with a sprinkling of thrills and spills.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PcpvCwl4BQM

If your line speed allows, click on the high quality link and then crank up the volume, sit back and enjoy...

[pitbull86]

Ill check that out at home

Well it will be a couple years. My main problem is building the car. its going to get to track day spec first then can build it will all needed msa requirements etc.
I unfortunately don’t have anywhere atm to build a car. the plan was if I get a house as renting an apartment atm, then I would put the skyline in the garage, strip it down and rebuild it. But don’t know when that’s going to happen. Also money for parts so it may be a slow process. But it seems a good championship. Some very nice cars in there as well. Obv I need to get some track days out of way which should be dealt with next year. And then on to my license. Well that’s the plan haha.

[pitbull86]

also, whats the budget roughly for the year. fee's, and tyres, fuel ish etc.
the other series i was looking at was ford xr. as i like fords and jap cars haha. would imagine there roughly the same.

[micron750]

PistonSquizz said:

micron750 said:

Bring the Nippon challenge to castle Combe in 2009 not only will you get a large spectator presence but also i expect a number of the EVO drivers from the Combe saloon championship would enter the event as i noticed that Gary 'superquick' prebble raced a few weeks ago,so us regulars to combe are used to powerfull jap cars racing even better if we could see a good grid of em

There's a few of us who'd love to do 'Combe, because we love it as a track and it's our local! However, cost is a factor and apparently it can be expensive. We have been offered a slot but only for a single race. We usually now try and make sure we get double-headers for better value for money.

Shame.

That's the trouble with the circuit which has three circuit based championships that are well supported so that's three slot's out of a possible 10 or 11 and with plenty more wanting to race i think steve burns try's to make room for all he can,which is a shame as there are 7 Evo's racing in the combe saloon championship Gary Prebble being one of them.
Who know's with the credit crisis as it is circuits may try to give some championships a double header to make it cost affective,maybe those who run your championship should approach combe again if you can supply a full grid you never know they might change their mind