Christian Rado and WORLD Racing are, no doubt, names you're familiar with. Chris and his team have been setting records on the dragstrip for more than a decade, and more recently they've been blowing away FWD time attack records in their famous Fwing Scion tC. It wasn't long ago that GM's FWD time attack record of 1:51.381 at Buttonwillow Raceway with its highly modified Cobalt SS was considered unbreakable, but last year Chris piloted his front-winged Scion to a mind-blowing 1:49.703, shattering GM's record and breaking the vaunted 1:50.000 barrier in the process.
Some teams would be satisfied with this type of achievement, but Rado's WORLD Racing thinks big - really big. We're talking world domination big. Forget about FWD records, these guys want to take overall time attack event wins and reset the fastest lap time records - not only at local tracks like Buttonwillow but around the world and at the home of time attack, Tsukuba Circuit in Japan. To realize goals this lofty, a ground-up build of a world-class racing machine would be necessary, and the 19-month, 20,000-man hour build of WORLD Racing's new AWD Scion tC began.
According to the fearless Mr. Rado, "I knew we weren't going to be able to beat all the RWD and AWD cars with our FWD Scion. We've come pretty damn close now, but the lack of grip from a FWD platform is just too much of a limiting factor. While talking with Rod Chong from EA Games, he asked me what I was going to bring to the global time attack event they had planned. That's when I knew it was time to take it to the next level and build a car that I could race against the best from around the world. And I didn't want to just build something new, I wanted to build what I think defines speed in a piece of metal, composite and rubber. If you were to ask me today what my ultimate definition of speed is, you're looking at it."
-
-
-
Interior Recaro HANS-compatible SPA carbon-Kevlar race seat, WORLD Electronics TBC-1 boost
A truly next-level build, this AWD beast began its life as a stripped and seam-welded '10 Scion tC, a process designed to remove as much weight as possible from the chassis as well as stiffen it. Fully caged at just over 2,200 lbs (with driver and fluids), mission accomplished. Chris also wanted the chassis to be significantly more rigid than the Fwing tC because engine builder Gary Kubo put together an updated Descendant 2AZ-FE engine package that's capable of producing as much as 1,500 hp and more than 1,000 ft-lbs of torque. The 5-stage dry sump engine oil system, using a mechanical vacuum pump, is designed to ensure engine reliability while freeing up close to 200 additional ponies at extreme boost pressures.
This insanely powerful engine, designed around a low boost setting of 35 psi, a scramble mode in the 45-55-psi range and a "Booya!" button that maxes boost out at 65 psi, has been built around Turbonetics' new 76mm billet series turbocharger. According to Chris, "Turbonetics' billet technology, which has all-new aerodynamics for much-improved efficiency, as well as using stronger materials, is really the first turbo we've come across that can withstand these types of boost pressures. We're really happy with what Turbonetics is bringing to the table."
According to Chris, driving a car this powerful (having most recently produced 1,007 whp and 890 wtq at 50 lbs of boost on a 4WD Dynojet) is a very unique experience. "We've got the brake pedal and the throttle pedal spaced really far apart, so they line up with my right and left legs when they're stretched out. I only brake with my left foot, and since I always want to be on the gas to keep the big 76mm turbo spooled up, I've really had to adapt my driving style to make this car work. I've got the upshift button and the scramble button on the right side of the steering wheel, and the downshift and Booya button on the left side. This way I can upshift on the right while holding down the Booya button on the left."