rta rd.3 las vegas motor speedway - 04.24/25.2010

Following an impressive finish at the Redline Time Attack season opener, Takata Time Attack was anxious to carry the momentum to another strong finish in Las Vegas for Redline's second west coast event. The LIC Motorsports crew made small adjustments to the Takata Impreza prior to the event including a new set of Black and Green Rota wheels from Wheeldude to match the new livery, as well as a new Aeromotions widebody wing.

"Our car was very reliable for the first event", said Noah Levy of LIC Motorsports. "Many cars at the first event had failures and we were able to capitalize because our car was reliable and consistent, despite the fact that James had never driven the car. The only significant issue we had was problems with the brakes overheating and locking up under heavy braking."

For the second event, the bulk of Saturday's practice session was spent experimenting to improve the braking system. After collaborating with Brembo Brakes via phone, the swap to a different brake pad compound yielded dramatic results. With confidence restored in braking, James immediately dropped over 3 seconds a lap, putting him in the hunt for a podium finish.

"I can easily say that driving the LIC Motorsports powered Takata Impreza is the best driving I have ever experienced. Even with 550 wheel horsepower on tap, the powerband is so smooth and responsive that it is fun and confidence inspiring to drive. Many heavily boosted cars buck and jerk at anything less than full throttle, but such is not the case with the LIC built engine and tuning provided by Cobb. With our braking problems out of the way, I see incredible potential for this car."

Things were looking up for Takata Time Attack until a blow off valve line burst shortly into the first Time Attack session, giving James a significant power handicap. The line was easily repaired in time for Session 2, but with track conditions much deteriorated it was not possible for James to match the times posted earlier in the day when the conditions were ideal. Despite the 4th place result, James and LIC crew are excited about the progress made in car development and look forward a better finish at the next event.

Thanks to our sponsors:
Takata / LIC Motorsports / Nitto / COBB / Wheeldude / Seibon / JE Pistons

LIC Time Attack STi Specs
Model: 2004 STi
Weight: 2800 lbs. (Dry), 3050 (Loaded w/ fuel and driver)
WHP: 550
Torque: 450
Fuel: e85
Motor: LIC Motorsports 2.5L Longblock
Turbo Kit: GT35R Turbo w/ LIC Motorsports Custom IC Piping, Perrin FMIC
Fuel Supply: Fuel Safe 12 Gallon Cell, Turbo XS Surge Tank, Dual Bosch 044 Pumps, Aeromotive Fuel Rails
Tuning: Cobb Accessport
Injectors: Injector Dynamics 2,000cc
Drivetrain: ACT Clutch, Cusco LSD's (Front/Rear)
Suspension: Triple Adjustable JRZ (Custom), M1 Knuckles/Control Arms (Custom)
Brakes: Front Brembo 6 Piston 355mm BBK, Rear Brembo (stock)
Exterior: Aeromotions Wing, LIC Fender Flares/Splitter (Custom)
Wheels: Wheeldude.com Rota DPT 18x10 e35 (5x100/5x114.3)
Tires: Nitto NT01 275/35ZR18