Time Attack EVO X debuts with a podium finish!
Posted on June 22nd, 2009

This past weekend marked the first ever Redline Time Attack at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, IL. It was also to be the debut for the AMS Performance / NOS Energy Drink Time Attack Mitsubishi EVO X (TA-X). Just days prior TA-X was in pieces and in its final stage of assembly. The team was able to come together and get the car up and running for the weekend’s events.

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AMS EVO X (TA-X)

Saturday’s testing went very well with the AMS /NOS EVO X getting quicker and quicker. Some new car bugs prevented the AMS team from running the car at peak power. The team was only able to compete at the 450 wheel horsepower level, down from the 600whp level they had hoped to compete at.

Each session brought about a new series of changes and tweaks to help improve the car. AMS driver Mark Daddio worked his magic with the underpowered car as each practice session the AMS/NOS Energy drink car got quicker and quicker.

This event brought out some stiff competition but early on Saturday it became clear that the Crawford Performance STI driven by Tarzan Yamada was the car to beat. With 580 wheel horsepower and in its second year of competition was running very quick laps all day. TA-X and the Crawford STI exchanged fastest lap times Saturday leaving Sunday open to either team.

Sunday started out with the TA-X setting the fastest lap of the event thus far in their first practice session. Rain was imminent as the radar showed a storm cell moving towards the track. As the first competition session kicked off once again it was AMS and Crawford within a couple of tenths of a second with the Crawford car edging them out. It would come down to the last session…so long as the weather would hold out AMS had a chance to take TA-X out for one last chance.

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AMS EVO X (TA-X)

Down on power AMS brought TA-X out for its last session of the day with only minutes before the approaching storm rolled in. In exciting fashion both AMS and Crawford once again reset each other’s best lap time with Crawford edging TA-X out on its first lap. It all came down to the last lap. With a blistering first section as Mark Daddio rolling into turn four tragedy struck as the shifter cable on TA-X snapped…ending their session and the day.

In only its first competition the AMS/ NOS Energy Drink Time Attack EVO X was able to take a podium finish.   TA-X claimed second place in the unlimited AWD class and second fastest overall lap of the day. What is even more impressive is that it was achieved without the additional 150 wheel horsepower the car will have later on in the season.

After TA-X’s appearance at the Mitsubishi Owner’s Day in Cypress, Ca July 11th, the next race will be July 25/26 at the Redline Time Attack in Nashville, TN. With what was learned over this past weekend AMS hopes to improve TA-X  by restoring its horsepower level back to 600, adding more aero and more importantly even more testing time. The AMS / NOS Energy Drink Time Attack car should be back stronger than ever.