Adding to the controversy that keeps the JGTC series on its toes is the fact that many of the people who campaign in the NSX think the rules and weight penalties are unfairly biased. Everyone presently on the JAF committee and everyone making the rules are supporters of either Nissan or Toyota Motorsports. And for the record, no one from Honda sits on the JAF committee.
Under strict guidelines and sanctions, JGTC engines must be based on a factory production engine. With the biggest engine in the Honda family being the NSX 3.0-liter motor, Honda was able to punch out the NSX motor to a maximum cubic displacement of 3.5-liters. Now on the flipside, Toyota's biggest motor derives from the Land Cruiser, a 4.5-liter V8, and the engine is naturally aspirated (NA). Both teams run the same size restrictor plates. Which engine would you rather have? Nissan currently campaigns a VQ30 twin turbo setup but does not have the NSX's weight penalties and uses a smaller restrictor (32.2mm). Yet, it has less than a 1mm difference between the 3.0-liter and 3.5-liter engine of the NSX. In 2004, as a last ditch effort to stay competitive in the GT500 class, Honda decided late in the preseason to campaign a twin turbo setup for their V6 powerplant. New to the turbo-charging field in GT500, Honda resented the fact that they had to focus on turbos, as the team had been so successful over the years under the NA campaign. More importantly, forced induction did not relate to any of Honda production vehicles that have ever come out of the factory. With the 2004 race season underway, Honda has been using this year as a means of shakedown R&D for the vehicle, continually dialing in the vehicle and its engine, preparing for the upcoming 2005 season.
We asked race director for Dome, Tadashi Sasaki what lies ahead in the near future for the Takata Dome NSX and as he had this to say: "Right now the chassis is the best it can be, but Honda is still trying to figure out the turbochargers on the engine to make them low in horsepower compared to when the vehicle was naturally aspirated with the given air restrictors. Importantly, without power you can't make improvements on the chassis." Sasaki, a well-respected man in the automotive industry, came from the well-established Menardi team that dates from 1983-1993. Sasaki is now the lead race director of Dome. For those who are unfamiliar with Dome, it is a chassis manufacture that works in close relation with Honda racing, and was founded by Mr. Minoru Hayashi (president).
Although the Takata Dome NSX team has lost its competitive edge, mark their words, it is only a matter of time before Honda gets their turbocharger combination dialed in and they look forward to kicking ass in the 2005 season. Don't count them out just yet.
TeamName: Dome Racing TeamTeam Manager: Takuya NakamuraTeam Principle: Minoru Hayashi
SponsorsPrimary Sponsor TakataName of Company: Takaya Corporation
Other Sponsors:Honda Motor CO., LTDTechnoil Japon K.KTanabe CO., LTDBridgestone CorporationIBM Japan, LTD.