LMP3 cars are impressively fast and the fact that people are bringing cars even faster than that is impressive.
To put it into perspective, an LMP3 level car is 40 seconds a lap faster than the Spec Miata lap record at my local track.
What does top-tier endurance racing and the Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge Presented by Grassroots Motorsports have in common? Both feature some slick-looking prototype-style track machines.
What is the Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge? It’s our annual no-holds-barred track competition. The only rules are that car and driver must pass a NASA safety inspection.
2021 saw Clayton Eley take the top spot in a 2018 Ligier JS P3, but does that mean a similar machine will win for 2022? The entrants of these three track cars certainly hope to:
James Paul’s Elan DP02 is virtually stock, but that doesn’t make it slow by any means: Power comes from force-fed, 2.3-liter Mazda engine good for 240 horsepower in vehicle that weighs only 1600 pounds.
Surely a twin-turbo, Cadillac V6-powered Elan NP01 good for over 570 horsepower and 550 lb.-ft. of torque requires lots of sponsors, right? Not exactly. Owner Tom Hanh lists only “me” as the car’s primary sponsor.
How do you make a Radical RXC Spyder with 600 horsepower on tap even more competitive? Try having over 30 years of racing experience–on both two and four wheels–like Michael Fitzpatrick.
View these cars, along with the rest of the field, on the UTCC website. If you think you have what it takes to win, enter your car here.
The 2022 UTCC returns to Virginia International Raceway May 13-14 in the center of NASA’s HyperFest weekend.
The Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge is presented by Grassroots Motorsports in association with Wilwood Engineering, CRC Industries, DeatschWerks, HP Tuners and SPA Technique, with trophies from BimmerWorld, Track Advantage and Stifflers.
LMP3 cars are impressively fast and the fact that people are bringing cars even faster than that is impressive.
To put it into perspective, an LMP3 level car is 40 seconds a lap faster than the Spec Miata lap record at my local track.
Hmmm, where have I seen that Cadillac before?
I first saw a NP01 at the GRM tent about 6 or 7 years ago (hell, maybe longer ha) - great looking prototype
What do those go for these days (price)? Not that I can afford, just curious
The NP01 is surprisingly affordable to buy and especially to race. It the best bang for the buck of anything I've raced in my 50+ years of racing.
In reply to VolvoHeretic :
Batman can only dream of having a car that performs like mine :)
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