Racing Video: Five Laps Of Tsukuba Circuit In Japan With Five Different Cars


Racing Video: Five Laps Of Tsukuba Circuit In Japan With Five Different Cars

Racing with snow on the ground might be the norm for rally, but for road courses it’s a bad combination. Low asphalt temperatures and high power combine to make for a challenging surface to put power down, and with a course as tight as the 1.27 mile long Tsukuba Circuit in Shimotsuba, Japan, anything with any real horsepower and torque will have a hell of a time holding onto the course, which makes this video all that much better. This is essentially a real-life five-lap race from a video game.

Here you have five cars that couldn’t be more different yet well suited to each other. There are two Ferraris: a 458 Italia, which is pretty well automated with a dual-clutch transmission that shifts like you’re playing Gran Turismo and a 360 Modena with the traditional gated six-speed and less traction control. A later-model NSX-R and a 370Z round out the home court advantage, and a Corvette ZR-1 fills in for the American entry.

The action is good, with in car shots showing the drivers working all of their talents in order to keep from balling up the cars. The commentary is in Japanese, which doesn’t help, but reading the driver’s inputs and the car’s responses is great viewing. Which one finished first? Hit play below and find out.


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