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SAM LAW

This Spotters Guide to WTAC 2025

  • #WTAC
Read time: 103 minutes

Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge is an absolute spectacle that draws people from around the world to feast their eyes & ears on some amazing machinery in the Time Attack, Drift and Modified realms, but more than that; it's a gathering of family from around the globe.

Each year it seems like CEO Ian & Event Director Alain are able to wrangle up wilder, crazier and more left of field vehicles and personalities to out-do their previous efforts. We keep looking at the glass ceiling to spot the moon, but it gets loftier and lofiter, which is a treat for us local Sydneysiders to have such a world class event in our backyard.

As all the announcements come out, it's easy to get lost amongst it, and keep a finger on the pulse, so I thought it might be good to try and put out a little spotters guide, to assist you with things to keep an eye or an ear out for. (Admittedly I've jumped on this ambitious project way too late to do it any justice....)
This will comprise of a little commentry from me, and some links to any further info and sources for further digging.

I'll try to keep adding to this piece up until the event launch (or at least practice day).

Bookmarks for easy navigation:

Time Attack

Drift

Anything & Everything

TIME ATTACK🔗

WTAC HYPERCAR CLASS🔗

The WTAC Hypercar class is a new addition for 2025, and set to induce plenty of eargasms, as some of the worlds most exotic cars tear around the audiodrome of Sydney Motorsport Park, driven by a current batch of Australia's best drivers.

Tim Slade - Pagani Huayra R🔗

I got to hear and see this at Adelaide Motorsport Festival 2025, and it sounds insane!!! Very much looking forward to hearing it roar around SMSP. Whilst AMF Street Circuit is nice and picturesque, it doesn't have the acoustics and the undulation of SMSP. For the best audio experience, get yourself to the Grandstand as this rushes down the main straight.

Fraser Ross - Ferrari FXX🔗
James Golding - Brabham BT62🔗

EMTRON PRO CLASS🔗

The last couple of years has seen the outright dominance of a certain Porsche 968, which is taking a hiatus. With only 2 cars running in Pro-Class last year last year, having 5 cars on track, even if it's for 3 laps at a time, will be a welcome change.

Kunihiko Bando - B-A-R JOYO Real Estate - RSC300🔗

Bando-San returns to World Time Attack Challenge in an all new build, and stepping up a class.
We last saw Bando-San take to SMSP in 2019 piloting his JZZ30 Soarer, taking 3rd place in Pro-Am class behind the Mighty Tilton Evo and R8 1:1 'FatCat'.
Since then, he's gone and rebuilt an entirely new car from a Lexus SC300.

Tim Slade - Scura Motorsport - Lotus Exige🔗

The Scura Motorsport Exige has been building for a few years now and unfortunately bowed out last year with some engine issues. They've been able to find the issues (and identify a few more along the way), sort them out and continue on with Superstar Tim Slade piloting as he performs double duties over the weekend.

Cole Powelson - Horizon Motorsport Hammerhead - Pontiac Firebird🔗

Perhaps the most underrated car of the event!!! Russell and Cavan Cameron of Horizon Motorsports out of Indianapolis, Indiana USA have been building this beast for the last few years, finally unveiling it at the 2023 SEMA Show.

For me, watching the walkaround from Autotopia highlighted some of the amazing tidbits to this build. The build started from a rusted drag-car shell. The gearbox was rebuilt by Cavin with guidance from a McLaren Indycar mechanic, and the shocks were also done by a specialist from McLaren Indycar.

With plenty of the panels on the original car rusted from exposure to snow, they had 3D artist Adry 53 [@adry53customs] render a look for the car and used that as a basis for the car.

Todd Hazelwood - Tanuki Racing - Nissan Silvia S13🔗

The history of this machine is rich; with multiple Pro class podium placings, including back to back top-step in 2016 & 2017, and an all star class of driving talent behind the wheel with Earl Bamber, Shane van Gisbergen, Tim Slade, Warren Luff and Andre Heimgartner, the journey back to the top is a difficult one. What started as MCA Suspensions "The Hammerhead" in 2011 was sold in 2021 when they seemed to hit a ceiling for it's development, unable to catch RP968's forminidable dominance and lap-breaking performance year on year.

We saw the car drive the wheels off (literally) upon debut in 2023 when owner Wayne Lee had a suspension failure coming into turn 2, taking it out of Pro and Pro-Am competition.
In 2024 it was limited to Pro-Am class with Wayne driving, but this year it's back purely in Pro Class with Supercar driver Todd Hazelwood at the helm in a hotly contested class which we can call the post-968 era.

Alex Rullo - IntelliSpatial Fleetcare Racing - Lamborghini Gallardo GT3🔗

When we saw some photos of this all new challenger step into the ring (courtesy of Event Director Alain himself), we throught it was wild!!! This machine is making the trek all the way from WA, with a host of other cars, and piloted by Alex Rullo; an experienced driver across multiple championships and currently driving in the Australian Rally Championship.

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 (Source)

PLAZMAMAN PRO-AM CLASS🔗

Aleck Kazakovski - GotItRex - Subaru Impreza WRX STI🔗

Fera Qartoumy - Quartoumy Racing - Chevrolet Corvette C6🔗

Peter Rullo - Intellispatial Fleetcare Racing - Nissan GTR GT3🔗

Sean Day - S&J Automotive - Porsche GT3 RSR🔗

Brad Moody - BSM Motorsports - Alfa Romeo 4C🔗

Laine Brandis - Brandis Motorsport - Nissan Skyline R32 GTS-T🔗

Nikolas Geyer - FSU Racing - Nissan Skyline R33 GTR🔗

Harry James - VTEC 86 - Toyota 86🔗

Drew Hall - Croydon Racing Developments Carbon Warrior - Nissan Skyline R34 GTR🔗

MOTEC PRO OPEN CLASS🔗

In a class where any car could take the win, this will be some hotly contested track time with veterans of the sport, and a couple of new comers.

Cameron McLeod - MCA Suspension - Toyota 86🔗

Nathan Morcom - GAS EVO - Mitsubishi Evo🔗

Tim Slade - XTREME GTR - Nissan Skyline R32 GTR🔗

Rob Nguyen - Dream Project S15 - Nissan Silvia S15🔗

James Golding - Nulon Racing - Datsun 1600🔗

GCG TURBOCHARGERS OPEN CLASS🔗

Josh Muggleton - GAS EVO - Mitsubishi Evo🔗

Benny Tran - BYP Racing - Honda Integra🔗

Yuuki Kamakura - HardTuned / Y's Produce - Mazda RX7🔗

We love when street car builds evolve into dedicated circuit cars, especially when Rotors beat at their hearts. This monster beats with a 26B Peripheral Port built by Scoot Sports.

Y's Produce RX7 FD3S / Narita Dogfight (Source)
David Newton - NTR Newton Team Racing - Ford Focus RS🔗

Cole Powelson - Coore / GotItRex - Subaru WRX STI🔗

Paul McKinnon - Evolution Motorsport - Porsche 944 Turbo🔗

Ben Trevenna - Benchmark Solutions / Refinish Motorsport - Mitsubishi Evo 8 MR🔗

Darren Bishop - GT Evolution - Mitsubishi Evo 7🔗

John Boston - Motive Video - Nissan Silvia S14🔗

Dan Day - SJ1000 S&J Automotive - Subaru Impreza WRX STI🔗

Andy Thomas - Unhinged - Honda Civic🔗

Justin Gaujenieks - Close Enough Racing - Toyota MR-S🔗

Alek Hoskins - T-Motorsports - Hyundai i30N Fastback🔗

HALTECH CLUBSPRINT CLASS🔗

Hana Burton - Tanuki Racing - Toyota GR Yaris🔗

Hana Burton is a relatively newcomer to the sport, but in the few short years, she has made a huge impact with Rookie of the Year honours in the 2022 Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris Cup, currently driving Kyojo Formula Cup

Trent Grubel - DC Jap Automotive - Subaru STI🔗

Will this team be able to clench the hat-trick of back to back to back wins?

The DC Jap STI has been campaigning since 2019 with a respectful 6th place back then, and then holding a podium place ever since. They have also gone and claimed first class honors at AusTimeAttack and SubieNats.

With sub-seconds differentiating placings on the podium over the years, we're bound to see some close finishes at the top end of Clubsprint class.

Stuart Walker - Overtime Motorsports - Subaru Impreza🔗

Jamal Assaad - Team ERS - Mitsubishi Evo 6 RS🔗

Craig Klingbiel - Tint A Car Civic - Honda Civic ED🔗
George Jeffcott - The86Shop - Toyota 86🔗

Reuben Mardan - Tune House Racing - Subaru Impreza WRX STI🔗

Rahul Victor - Project 7Dere - Mazda RX7 FD3S🔗

Duane Fischer - NA Autosport - Mitsubishi Evo X🔗

Fabrice Charon - DC Jap Automotive - Subaru STI🔗

Nathan Wheeler - IOR Motorsports - Nissan Skyline R32 GTR🔗

Luke Iustini - GMW Racing - Toyota Supra🔗

Dai Nguyen - Team Takumi - Nissan 350Z🔗

David Calabria - TME Motorsport - Mitsubishi Evo 7🔗

Alex Luther - Team MoneyMe - Lotus Exige Cup R🔗

Paul Kovaceski - PK Racing - Porsche 944🔗

Kim Tai - Carboon Six / Race Division - Lotus Exige 410🔗

Stuart Chapman - CDT Racing - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X🔗

John Boston - Shockworks - Nissan Silvia🔗

Induwarra GT - GotItRex - Subaru STI🔗

Miji Kang - Shockworks - Honda Civic EG🔗

Jonathan Wong - DNA Autosport Australia - Toyota GR Supra🔗

Andrew Price - Semi-Pro Motorsport - Audi A3🔗

Jonathon Munro - RalliXMotorsport - Mitsubishi RalliArt🔗

Michael Garland - GotItRex - Subaru Impreza RX🔗

Andrew Price - Neotech / Adro / Cherry Tuning - Hyundai I30N Sedan🔗

Darrin Morice - Darrin Morice - Mitsubishi Evo X🔗

Daniel Cunningham - C A Hill Financial Services - VW Golf R🔗

Josh Muggleton - Zestek Australia / MGRIT Motorsport - Subaru Impreza WRX STI🔗

Daniel Burton - Competition Friction / V-Sport / Team Burton Racing - Honda S2000🔗

Rodney Middleton - Rotor Moster - Mazda RX7 FD🔗

James Blum - WTTS Racing - Lotus Exige S🔗

Alex Michalsky - Plazmaman - Mitsubishi Evo 6🔗

YOKOHAMA ADVAN TUNER CLASS🔗

Josh Muggleton - V-Sport by Compfriction - Toyota GR Yaris🔗

Daniel Laycock - Hocus Pocus Focus - Ford Focus RS🔗

Damian Lococo - Turbosmart / Locmans Advisors / EEP - Toyota GR Supra GTS🔗

Scott Diver - Ichiban - Subaru WRX🔗

Jordan Cox - Southern BM - BMW M2 Competition🔗

Xiaofeng Wang - Max Euro - Toyota Supra🔗

Ethan Paino - All Torque Autos - Nissan Skyline R32 GTS-T🔗

Stuart Rankin - ARTEC Supra - Toyota Supra🔗

Eleanor Terry - Semi-Pro Motorsport - Hyundai i20N🔗

Shaun Atherton - Prospeed Racing - Subaru BRZ🔗

Terrence Lam - TrustAlign - Honda Civic Type R🔗

Jeremy Morris - T-Motorsports - Hyundai i30N Sedan🔗

Thomas Davison - TJD Automotive - Nissan Skyline R34🔗

Andre Rovira - UpSpec Performance - Subaru WRX🔗

Jon Langhan - Driven Motorsport - Mitsubishi Evo VI🔗

Adam Casmiri - Lamspeed Racing - Toyota Yaris GR🔗

Chris Hunter - Diversion Garage - Toyota GR Yaris🔗

Nik Spartan - RP Motorsports Spartan - Mitsubishi RalliArt🔗

Jason Chau - JT Racing - Mitsubishi Evo 5 RS🔗

DRIFT🔗

GARRETT INTERNATIONAL DRIFTING CUP🔗

POOL PARTY!!! 🔗

Words by Legendary Drift Comentator Warren Sare (NZ)

The annual Garrett Advancing Motion International Drifting Cup has always been a hell of a way to end the all-day insanity of the search for one perfect lap, and the 2025 edition is no different with some of the biggest names in world drifting taking on an Aussie field that contains no less than 20 National and state titles.

If you haven’t quite worked out the format, there are 4 pools of 5 drivers who battle each other once in rounds and accumulate points for wins/ draws with the top 2 from each pool advancing to a great 8.
Tie breaks are based on seeding but no driver wants to let it get to that. Let’s take a look at the pools and you can play along and pick your top 8 semi-finalists, we’ve never really known anyone to get all 8 right, such is the challenge of battling multiple times in a night on a track no one gets much time on , and then you throw in the bright lights of SMSP and the pressure of those big names.
Did we also mention there are wildcard reserves who come in on mechanicals and can earn there own points?

Pool A🔗
  • Jaron Olivecrona (NZ)
  • Warwick Hill
  • Naoki Nakamura (JPN)
  • Alex Sciacca
  • Fernando Wiehl

Nakamura has to start as the odds-on event favourite overall, being in his comp winning V8 Silvia and having been here before. His ‘drive by feel’ suits the section where a chase car can get smoked out and he generally emerges right on, if not in the door of the lead car. That leaves a dog fight for spot 2 and there is little between the others.
Jaron Olivecrona gets the nod from me because NZ and also for the sweet V12 engine note.

Pool B🔗
  • Masashi Yokoi ( JPN)
  • Matty Hill
  • Saxon Moyes
  • Brendan ‘Bogga’ O’Grady
  • Scott Schembri

The speed of Yokoi vs last years event winner in Saxon Moyes, 2 Australian drift legends (aka old guys) in Scott Schembri and Matty Hill and the brute HP of Bogga makes this the pool of death. On their day any of the 5 are more than capable of absolutely blazing the section making it a pretty tough call to pick just 2.
Wouldn’t surprise me if this one went to a tie break and for that reason I have Yokoi and Moyes as defending champ moving into the 8.

Pool C🔗
  • Luke Fink
  • Mike Thorley (NZ)
  • Aaron Dewar
  • Brodie Maher
  • Jason Ferron

Fink was identified in the top 10 drifters in the world and for good reason, the man can drive anything sideways. He’s told us the stereo still works and he’s got a song in mind for each round opponent. Right up there alongside him or perhaps even ahead in terms of WTAC form is Brodie Maher in the rebuilt ‘Torretto’ RX7 . Add in another 1000hp car, the ‘Barrawagz’ out of KeepItReet and you have a good ole Aussie battle with Mike Thorley flying the Kiwi flag and ready to make life hard for all.

I have Maher advancing, with a fight between Fink and Ferron for the 2nd spot.

Pool D 🔗
  • Mad Mike Whiddett (NZ)
  • Matt Harvey
  • Rob Whyte
  • Nick Owen
  • Sam Tabbouch

Mad Mike and Rob Whyte again ? Like one of those boxing rivalries that just keep you intrigued the Rotor vs the Nascar V8 370 will have all eyes on the track. Tasmania's Matt Harvey has been to the podium and would have a bit of an unfinished business view and we know his unique tire suits the section. WA’s Nick Owen is a wildcard with regional success on board and Sam Tabbouch will have vocal local support spurring him on.
Matt Harvey to go through for a 3rd year in a row with the winner of Whiddett and Whyte to get the 2nd spot.

With a field this good, the only place to be will be on the Cellarbrations Drift Hill, or for the Kiwi fans glued to the free live stream cheering on the Kiwis.

With the YTG and YTB demo squads also doing runs, there with be no better Motorsport on display than World Time Attack Challenge!!

Naoki Nakamura - JAPAN - Nissan S13🔗
Jaron Olivecrona - NEW ZEALAND - Lexus RCF🔗
Masashi Yokoi - JAPAN - Nissan S14🔗
Mad Mike Whiddett - NEW ZEALAND - Mazda RX3 808 Estate Wagon🔗
Michael Thorley - NEW ZEALAND - Nissan 180SX🔗
Alex Sciacca - AUSTRALIA / NSW - Nissan S14🔗
Brendon Bogga O'Grady - AUSTRALIA / VIC - Nissan 180SX🔗
Saxon Moyes - AUSTRALIA / QLD - Toyota GT86🔗
Scott Schembri - AUSTRALIA / NSW - Nissan S14🔗
Aaron Dewar - AUSTRALIA / VIC - Nissan S14🔗
Brodie Maher - AUSTRALIA / TAS - Mazda RX7 FD3S🔗
Matt Harvey - AUSTRALIA / TAS - Nissan S13🔗
Fernando Wiehrl - AUSTRALIA / NSW - BMW M3🔗
Luke Fink - AUSTRALIA / QLD - Nissan Proto Z🔗
Nick Owen - AUSTRALIA / NSW - Nissan S14.5🔗
Warwick Hill - AUSTRALIA / NSW - BMW E46🔗
Matty Hill - AUSTRALIA / NSW - Toyota GR Supra🔗
Jason Ferron - AUSTRALIA / VIC - Nissan R31 Skyline Wagon🔗
Rob Whyte - AUSTRALIA / NSW - Nissan 370Z🔗
Sam Tabbouch - AUSTRALIA / NSW - Nissan R34🔗
Derek Newsome - AUSTRALIA / NSW - Nissan S13🔗
Ben Meir - AUSTRALIA / NSW - Nissan S14🔗
Jordan Sanderson - AUSTRALIA / VIC - Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 FD🔗

YEAH THE GIRLS (Drift Demos)🔗

Catherine 'Driftcat' Coleiro - Holden VK🔗
Miji Kang - HardTuned Nissan 180SX🔗
Christina Vithoulkas - Nissan Silvia S13🔗
Kim 'Driftmama' Thorley - Nissan 180SX🔗
Yuura Momo - Honda Odyssey🔗
Mercury 'Mercurial Mouse' Lien - Nissan 350Z🔗
Caroline Kadziela - Toyota GT86🔗
Denver Silvias - Nissan S13 Silvia🔗
Kahli Bell - Nissan Silvia S14🔗
Jessica Schembri - Toyota Cressida🔗
Sarah Jane Holland - Nissan S15🔗

YEAH THE BOYS (Drift Demos)🔗

Luke Fink - Nissan Patrol🔗
Jay Duca - Holden VL Commodore🔗
Mike Lake - "Slambo"🔗
Rob Whyte - Supercheap Auto Porsche 911🔗
Naoki Nakamura - HardTuned R35 GTR 🔗
Benny Wilkinson - Mazda RX7🔗
Jarrod Klingberg - Toyota Corolla Wagon🔗
Callum Matthews - Nissan R35 GTR🔗
Jordan Sanderson - Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5🔗
Peter Kay - Levi Clarke's Drift Rod🔗

ANYTHING & EVERYTHING🔗

TURBOSMART FLYING 500🔗

SHANNON'S INSURANCE SHOW 'N SHINE By DONUT GARAGE🔗

DEMOS🔗

Horizon Motorsport Hammerhead🔗
Mad Mike Drift🔗
LibertyWalk 4-Rotor S15🔗
Matt Hall - Red Bull Stunt Plane🔗

MEET & GREET🔗

At the Yokohama Main Stage, not only will you find queues for merchandise, you will also find queues for autographs and the chance to meet and hear from some legends in the world ot Time Attack, Drift and beyond. The lineup includes Tatsuru Ichishima from Spoon Sports, DriftCat, Miji Kang, Kunihiko Bando, Yuuki Kamakura, Hana Burton, Feras Qartoumy, Cole Powelson, Tim Slade, James Golding, Fraser Ross, Alex Rulo, Russell Cameron, Cavan Cameron, Wataru Kato, Mad Mike, Luke Fink, & Red Bull Stunt Pilot Matt Hall, just to rattle off a few.

MERCHANDISE & TRADERS🔗

WTAC Official🔗

Official WTAC Merchandise is definitely something you want to grab, and early!!! There is a perpetual line - the WTAC Logo (designed by Justin Fox of ZEN Garage infamy) in various forms, and then a limited event line, which generally features some hero cars and personalities (Brilliantly illustrated by Deadface [@deadfaceart]).

New WTAC Merch (Source)

This year, with LBWK bringing their 4-Rotor S15, there is also a super limited run of collab merchandise - T-Shirts and Hoodies. Wataru Kato & Tetsuya Hibino will also available to sign merchandise at the event!!!

LBWK Official🔗

Liberty Walk are coming for thie first time and bringing a swag of merchandise. Not sure what sort of merchandise we will be seeing, but I'd expect Tees, Hoodies, scale model cars (Mini GT & Tarmac) & hopefully some jackets!!

HardTuned🔗

HardTuned are stamping their presence all over WTAC this year, and no doubt they will have plenty of Merchandise to go with!! Throughout the weekend they will have Yuuki, Miji and Naoki signing autographs at their stand!!.

Haltech🔗

Haltech always have a great stand at WTAC and I expect nothing less this year either. It's always great to see their eye-catching yellow hoodies dotted throughout the crowd at any event. They've just added puffer jackets to their apparel lineup, and I've been told they will be launching a new Tee with the winner of last years Haltech Hero!!

Alongside their apparel, they will have some of their Dash and ECU units on hand, with techs around to discuss your requirements and answer any questions.