Tsukuba Circuit

Tsukuba Circuit (Japanese: 筑波サーキット, Tsukuba Sа̄kitto) is a motorsport race track located in Shimotsuma, a neighboring city of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It is 2.045 kilometres (1.271 mi) long, with 32 pit garages and a 437 m (0.272 mi) long back straight.[1] There is a small chicane used only for motorcycle racing that increases the track's total length to 2.070 kilometres (1.286 mi).

Tsukuba Circuit
Home straight
LocationShimotsuma, Ibaraki, Japan
Time zoneJST, UTC, GMT +9
Major eventsMFJ Superbike
Tsukuba 1000
Tsukuba Time Attack
Length2.045 (without chicane)
2.070 (with chicane)[1] km (1.287 mi)
Turns14[2]
Race lap record44.008 seconds (Kamui Kobayashi, Dallara SF14, 2015)

The track was established in 1966 with the aim of attracting young people to participate in motor sports, but was not actually completed until 1970.[2] At the present time, an event is held every week.[3] The track has a large variety of corners, ranging from wide sweepers to hairpins.[2] The circuit accommodates 8500 spectators on the track, 3000 in the stands, 5000 on lawn seats, and 500 standing over the pits.[2]

Admission is free on weekdays and ¥500 on weekends, but only when there are no scheduled events. Visitors are allowed to drive on the track with a license. Tsukuba Circuit is not accessible by public transportation, so renting a car is the best way to get there. A taxi is also available from Kanto Railway's Soudou Station, though it will take longer.

A satellite image of Tsukuba Circuit in 1990

Time Attack

Tsukuba's "Time Attack" event (alternatively known as Super Lap or Tuner Battles) originated in Japan when the tuning media organized the event on race circuits such as Tsukuba, as a proving ground for street tuned cars built at a large budget by highly respected tuning companies. As a result of the quick rise in popularity, tuners developed specialized cars to beat the competition,[4] including the purpose-built HKS CT230R Lancer Evolution with a body made entirely out of carbon fibre.

Unlike other timed motorsport disciplines such as sprinting and hillclimbing, the car is required to start off under full rolling start conditions following a warm-up lap, where they will have to accelerate out as fast as possible to determine how fast they enter their timed lap.[4] Commonly, as competing cars consist of modified road-going models, they are required to wear tires authorized for road use. In all, drivers are allocated to three laps in a final event run; warm-up, timed and cool-down.[4]

Rankings

The following is a table of best Time Attack times, last updated 18 January 2021:

Pos Team Car Best lap (sec) Top speed (km/h)
1HKS with Nobuteru TaniguchiToyota 86 TRB-0349.445---.---[5][6]
2Scorch Racing with Under SuzukiNissan Silvia (S15)50.366245.622[7]
3Escort Drag Racing ServiceMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII50.588236.169[8]
4Top Fuel Drag & Street ShopHonda S2000 (AP1)51.762233.080[9]
5Garage G-ForceMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII52.391223.927
6Racing Factory AutoBahnToyota Soarer (JZZ30)52.454248.447[10]
7Vibrant Performance with PZ TuningHonda Civic (FG4)53.071237.781[11]
8EspritHonda NSX (NA1)53.474239.734[12]
9Car Shop Dream KJM with VoltexMazda RX-7 (FD3S)53.489225.894
10HKSMitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX CT230R53.589228.xxx[13]
11RevolutionMazda RX-7 (FD3S)53.673225.894[14]
12Friends RacingNissan Silvia (S15)53.821223.602
13Kyushu DanjiHonda NSX (NA2)54.101222.635[15]
14DLanguageSubaru Impreza (GRB) R20554.115225.282
15Admix Racing Service with SeyamaxNissan Skyline GT-R (BNR32)54.118221.584[16]
16Autech Tsukada (ATTKD)Nissan Skyline GT-R (BNR32)54.145232.909[17]
17Sakamoto EngineeringMazda RX-7 (FD3S) 54.252225.282[18]
18Sun Automobile with Garage HRSMitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII CyberEVO54.392---.---
19M SpeedNissan Skyline GT-R (BNR34)54.481229.348
20EndlessMazda RX-7 (FD3S) 54.483212.014[19]
21Top Fuel RacingMazda RX-7 (FD3S) 54.585224.439

Tsukuba Circuit has appeared in numerous video games, including iRacing, Forza Motorsport, 2, 3, and 4, Gran Turismo 4, PSP, 5, 6, and Sport, Tourist Trophy, Enthusia Professional Racing, rFactor, Assoluto Racing, and D1 Grand Prix.

The track is commonly used for tuner events and has appeared in the final installment of the Shuto Kousoku Trial series, SKT Max. The circuit has also gained popularity because of its use by Best Motoring to test and race a variety of vehicles.

References
  1. "Tsukuba Circuit". Moto Racing Japan. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  2. "Go! Go! Speed Racer!". Ibaraki Prefecture. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  3. "What is the Tsukuba Circuit?". She Japan. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  4. Time Attack FAQ's Archived 2007-09-12 at the Wayback Machine
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HUIzTdfcWE
  6. https://www.hks-power.co.jp/en/news/osirase/180221.html
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ9dXIWRiO0
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrGZn5RVwbU
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sn7WhukUNlA
  10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg4OoKnzvZs
  11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adPNm-ZJmpk
  12. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y1o7sMQQvb4&feature=youtu.be
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xci_anRJV1A
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd-AnG3LYUg
  15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRgxFyRJ-Lw
  16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62BDawQjwHA
  17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-B9nMEkeVI
  18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCO1BGUKqXQ&list=PL_TdfZKRDV4udSM86-pHXVWWTiQ4koapE
  19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2xoDsB8Cvg

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