Redline Time Attack

Last updated May 04, 2019

Redline Time Attack is a North American auto racing series, founded by Nikolas Malechikos and Chris Willard, that emerged with its first racing season in 2006.^[1] The West Coast Operations are still being held Today^[2] but the East Coast Operations were suspended in 2011 because it was no longer financially viable to continue.^[3]

Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition.

The basic format of time-attack racing is that production based sports cars compete for the fastest single lap around a paved road course. The cars range from lightly modified to very heavily modified production cars. Cars are classed based on their drive type (FWD, RWD, or AWD) and level of modification. Time Attack is most often associated with Japanese autos, because the sport originated in Japan. However, all makes and models are allowed to compete in Redline Time Attack events.

A sports car, is a small, usually two-seater automobile designed for spirited performance and nimble handling. The term "sports car" was used in The Times, London in 1919. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, USA's first known use of the term was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s.

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel-drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel drive vehicles.

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asian continent and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea in the south.

The courses are typically popular paved road courses such as Buttonwillow, Laguna Seca, Sebring, or Autobahn. Since drivers compete against the clock, instead of wheel-to-wheel as in traditional road course racing, the potential risk to participants is minimized. It is common for participants to use their daily driven autos in competition in the entry classes. The higher classes include semi and fully professional racing teams who often have some level of sponsorship. In addition to the traditional Time Attack, Redline Time Attack also includes a Super Session which consists of a 5 lap sprint race with a traditional wheel-to-wheel format. Participation is limited to teams with a sufficiently fast qualifying lap and possessing a car with the required safety equipment.

Autobahn Country Club is an auto racing road course located in Joliet, Illinois, operated as a country club, while also hosting many outside events. The facility includes a configurable main track with a 1.50-mile (2.41 km) north track, a 2.06-mile (3.32 km) south track, a full track of 3.56 miles (5.73 km), skid pad, and a 0.8-mile (1.3 km) kart track. The kart track has a kart fleet, and hosts touring kart races in addition to in-house races. The club has a free test fleet of Cadillacs, Lexus cars, AMG Mercedes cars, Porsche 911, Ferrari California, Acura NSX, McLaren 570, and a Nismo Nissan 370Z. The club has a sanctioning body called Autobahn Member Racing, which hosts series for Spec Miatas, GT cars, Radical Sportscars, a discipline called Chase Racing similar to bracket racing, open wheel cars, as well as series for rallycross and autocross. The club requires a $35,000 membership fee to use the tracks and 'club house', which contains a bar and banquet hall. The club has a racing school with instructors including Super Vee champion and 1978 Indycar Rookie of the Year Tom Bagley and 1990 SCCA Formula Ford champion Tony Kester. There is also a public defensive driving school, that uses specially prepared BMW cars to teach safe driving skills. Many members purchase land to build garages and personal condos. Notable members include legendary racers Bobby Rahal, Graham Rahal, David Heinemeier Hansson, Cooper MacNeil, and Tom Bagley. The club is home to many exotic cars, including a Ferrari Dino, a Ford Mustang Boss 302, a Nash Healey, a Ferrari Challenge Stradale, an Allard K2, a Radical SR8, an Alfa Romeo Zagato, and a Williams Formula One car.

Classes

The three classes are described below, with each class subdivided by drive type; (FWD, RWD, or AWD).

Enthusiast

- New for 2011. Enthusiast Class will not be part of the Redline Pro Time Attack Series beginning in 2011. **

Street Tire

The Street Tire Class is intended for vehicles that are "Street Legal" and use DOT approved Street Tires. Competitive cars in this class typically have in excess of 300 wheel-horsepower, with some of the fastest above 500 wheel-horsepower. The Street Tire Class is the most popular class based on participation.

Notable changes for 2011: "Pro" drivers are allowed, vehicles do not need to be currently registered with the DMV, mandatory safety requirements

Modified

The Modified Class allows extensive modification and does not require that the vehicle maintain a registration for street use. Cars are allowed the use of R-Compound track tires as well as much flexibility in the areas of suspension, aerodynamics, and body work. Professional drivers are allowed in this class, though many of the drivers are also the car owner. Competitive cars in this class typically have in excess of 400 wheel-horsepower, with the fastest above 600 wheel-horsepower.

Super Modified

Formerly the "Unlimited" class, the Super Modified class was renamed in 2010 because although the cars appear to be built without limitations, there are some requirements. Super Modified cars make use of carbon/composite body panels, large wings, wide racing slick tires and massive amounts of power. The fastest cars have 600 to 800 wheel-horsepower and reach speeds in excess of 180 mph on some courses.

Format

Typical Redline Time Attack events occur over the course of a weekend.

Saturday

Saturday is conducted much like a typical HPDE and offers drivers an opportunity to practice. Drivers share the course with drivers of similar experience level for four to five sessions of 15 to 20 minute duration. Participation in Saturday practice is optional. Some drivers choose to only participate only on Saturday perhaps because they are a novice driver not ready for competition or they simply choose not to compete. Redline Time Attack also offers driver instruction from professional driving instructors to anyone that requests it. Lap times on Saturday hold no weight in the competition on Sunday.

Sunday

Practice

Sunday begins with 2 additional practice sessions. Lap times recorded in these practice sessions are used to qualify the competitors for the Time Attack session. No points are awarded based on qualifying position.

Time Attack

The Redline style Time Attack consists of two sessions for each competitor for a total of six timed laps. Each session consists of one warm-up lap, three timed laps, and one cool down lap. Up to eight competitors may share the track for a Time Attack session, but the cars are staggered such that they typically will not encounter one another during the session. If a driver does catch the car ahead, safe passing is allowed. Only the fastest timed lap of the six total laps are used to rank the competitors. A competitor need not complete all six laps to be eligible for an award; a single lap is sufficient. Points are awarded to the drivers based on finishing position in their respective class.

Super Session

The Super Session is the finale of the event. The fastest competitors from the Time Attack amongst Street, Modified, and Super Modified classes are invited to participate in a five lap sprint race. Only vehicles with the necessary safety equipment are allowed to compete. One race with mixed classes is conducted in a traditional wheel-to-wheel format, with the grid arranged with the fastest cars up front and slowest in back. The field takes the green under a rolling start, and the winner is the first to cross the finish line after five laps. Passing is allowed at any time after the green flag. Points are awarded to the drivers based on finishing position.

As of 2011 Super Sessions were no longer a part of Redline Time Attack competitions.

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References

↑ Leung, Bryan. "Home Page". Redline Time Attack. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
↑ Leung, Bryan. "Event Schedules" . Retrieved 17 April 2014.
↑ Malechikos, Nikolas. "Future of Redline Announced…And the bad news for the east coast". Import2Race. Retrieved 17 April 2014.

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[1] Leung, Bryan. "Home Page". Redline Time Attack. Retrieved 17 April 2014.

[2] Leung, Bryan. "Event Schedules" . Retrieved 17 April 2014.

[3] Malechikos, Nikolas. "Future of Redline Announced…And the bad news for the east coast". Import2Race. Retrieved 17 April 2014.