Redline Time Attack 2009 – Auto Club Speedway (formerly California Speedway)

2009 was a long and expensive season for many Redline Time Attack teams. The competition has grown fierce and close, with podium spots now separated by mere hundredths of a second. Top Unlimited Class teams are now capable of outpacing World Challenge GT cars and the Street Class is filled with Evos and STIs that can beat Porsche 911 GT3s and Nissan GT-Rs.
Transmissions and engines have exploded, tires have worn out and shiny parts are present in every pit spot. But, at Auto Club Speedway, only one thing mattered – the 2009 season championship. Teams from all over the US converged on the ex-CA Speedway to fight it out for final season points.

It would be a close battle in many of the classes, with teams gunning for the season champion, fastest overall time and event win. Billy Johnson and FX Motorsports Development would overcome some mechanical troubles early on to rocket to the overall win and fastest time, 0.1-seconds ahead of 2009 Unlimited AWD winner AMS Performance. In Unlimited Front-Wheel Drive, Chris Rado’s monstrous 1,00hp, double-winged Scion tC easily cleaned up on the high NASCAR banking. This left the turbocharged 5Zigen Honda Accord Euro-R left to battle the Mazda6 World Challenge touring car of Tri-Point Engineering.

In Modified, JC Meynet left his stricken Subaru WRX STI at home and focused on the AQMotorsports/JHPUSA Honda S2000, edging out eventual season champion Matt Andrews’ Miata by 0.079-seconds. Ryan Gates would take the 2009 Modified AWD championship in his AMS Lancer Evo X, ahead of East Coast driver James Elterman’s Takata Subaru WRX STI.
In the Street Class, our own evil twin, the OR-sponsored M1 Fabrication & Development Lancer Evolution 8, took 3rd place behind the StopTech Lancer Evo X and the Reese Tuning Evo 8. With a fresh set of Yokohama tires and new Buddy Club Racing Spec coilovers, but no sleep before the race, Mack from M1 could be found furiously wrenching on the car between sessions. That’s racing for you.

The Stock Class, which could see some significant rule changes for 2010, also saw some very fast laptimes. Southern California resident Matt Dennison drove his street legal Lancer Evolution to a 1:53, giving him first place and the season championship.

With the season wrapped up and the trophies handed out, minds now turn to the 2010 season. Redline Time Attack has announced some new developments and investments, altering the structure and organization of the series for next year. The rulebook is also set to change, with some of the classes changing dramatically in design. So, if you’re a time attack junkie and are looking to get off the bench, keep an eye out for the proper regulations and go nuts from there.

Source
Redline Time Attack
www.redlinetimeattack.com

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Tri-Point Engineering, and driver Jason Saini, took time out from World Challenge to run the time attack with their Mazda6 and new Mazda3

The AMS Unlimited Lancer Evo X makes more than 750hp on the dyno

Chris Rado's 1,000hp Scion tC ran under 1:40, making it the fastest front-wheel drive car at Auto Club Speedway

Tom Barrett came out in his Corvette, complete with OR stickers

Robispec Nissan 370Z hitting the track

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Only days after his Super Lap Battle destruction, Manly Kao had his Lotus Elise up and running to take the Street RWD championship

The nicely prepared Sparco Lancer Evo X unfortunately ended its day with a tow

Another casualty of the day, the APM Racing Lancer Evo also went home on a flatbed truck

Matt Andrews prepares to enter the Roval banking in his turbocharged Miata

Fontana Nissan's very sinister looking Nissan GT-R

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