A Commentary On The Toyota Supra: Drag Strip Demon, Previous & Current

If I needed to affiliate the Toyota Supra with only one motorsport style, it wouldn’t be touring automobiles.

I’m going to disregard your cries of ‘JGTC’ and the long-lasting GT500 TOM’s Castrol JZA80 Supra. I’ve even had first-hand expertise with GT4 A90 Supras on the Nürburgring 24 Hour race previously. As a result of regardless of its legendary touring automotive racing credentials, the Supra in my eyes has at all times been a drag racing hero at the start. And for quarter mile motion, nobody has constructed them higher than Titan Motorsports within the USA.

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This isn’t the primary time the subject has been broached on Speedhunters, however I’d prefer to throw my hat in and revisit the topic of Supra drag racing. Given the frankly astonishing energy positive aspects which were achieved since Paddy final mentioned the A90 as a tuning platform, it could be impolite to not.

“Our historical past with the Supra goes again nicely earlier than Titan existed,” recollects Wes Bourne, Titan Motorsports’ advertising supervisor. “One among Titan’s house owners, Nero, had a MkIV Supra and began the corporate to assist assist his racing behavior. As the corporate developed and grew, his authentic Supra went on to grow to be our Titan Copper drag Supra, probably the most profitable import drag automobiles in US historical past.”

How profitable? Effectively, ‘Copper’ can lay declare to constant 6.4-second quarter mile ETs with its tried and examined 2JZ-GTE engine.

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Time has moved on, and JZA80 Supras have grow to be collector gadgets with costs to match. And consequently, 2JZ modification has grow to be equally costly. Proper now, new-age fans are attending to expertise the ability potential of the present technology A90 Supra as an alternative.

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“The A90 is a good base for drag racing because of its extremely tuneable straight six powerplant and ZF automated transmission,” says Kyle Scott, Titan gross sales govt and high B58/S58 man. “It’s straightforward to package deal big-power builds for the B58/S58 automobiles. The recipe is there so it’s a lot simpler to maintain gadgets in inventory in bulk, and rinse and repeat. The 2JZ will at all times be our bread and butter, however the B58 and S58 have grow to be mainstays as nicely. We’re having fun with the problem.”

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The Supras we’re immediately are three of the quickest A90s anyplace on the planet proper now.

The pink Supra is a Titan buyer automotive, whereas the white Supra belongs to Adil Adams, one of Titan Motorsports’ technicians. Each are making simply over 1,200hp, with some key substances being Precision 7275 Gen 2 turbochargers, CSF Race consumption manifolds and warmth exchangers, and Titan’s personal cylinder head work on Titan 3.2-litre stroker quick blocks.

The yellow automotive belongs to Jordane ‘Peppa’ Jacobs, and lays declare to the title of the present third quickest and quickest A90 Supra on the planet.

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“I’ve at all times had various kinds of BMWs. They grew to become so fashionable in NYC that I needed to get one thing totally different however in a approach, nonetheless a BMW,” says Jordane. “NYC has extra of a avenue racing scene as a result of we don’t have any actual drag racing tracks.”

“BMWs have at all times been fashionable, however with the B58 and S58 engines’ capabilities extra persons are shopping for them to hitch the platform and attempt to grow to be the quickest. I began off with a inventory motor, and now I’ve a 3.2-litre ‘Stage X’ stroker motor made by my tuner, Visconti.”

The road racing scene is the place Jordane first reduce his Supra’s enamel, transitioning over to the drag strip because the construct grew to become drastically extra highly effective. In its present guise, Jordane has managed to crack the 7-second barrier with a 7.98-second quarter mile ET, crossing the end line at 176mph (283km/h).

“My favorite half is that it’s RWD and a bit tougher to drive quick, however on the similar time it’s much more thrilling with the ability it’s making,” he says.

That’s to not say it’s a track-only, one-trick pony – be aware the New York licence plate behind the parachute. In truth, for Jordane, the Supra is very drivable each day. “I’ve A/C, heating, and most of my inside. I simply did a four-day ‘drag and drive’ occasion throughout North and South Carolina the place I drove between every observe with out trailering.”

“I get quite a lot of consideration after I drive round. Individuals are at all times recording me driving and tagging me on social media. Typically they attempt to get me to do a pull within the automotive for a video, and even observe me round for a bit.”

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And but, for all of the pace, energy and a spotlight these automobiles get, neither Jordane nor Titan Motorsports are completely content material with the ridiculous feats they’ve managed to attain to this point. In Jordane’s case, he plans to race at extra occasions this 12 months, and hopefully go sooner than 7.9.

As for the madmen at Titan? In line with Kyle, they’re solely simply getting began. “There are complexities regarding the unlocking the [A90] ECUs, which have slowed issues down a little bit bit and added some additional tuning price and energy that may hopefully grow to be simpler as time goes on. The rumoured S58-powered [GRMN] Supra ought to flip issues up a notch within the tuning group.”

“With these being engines for production-based automobiles vs customized chassis race automobiles, I don’t suppose growth will ever attain the degrees put into the 2JZ. Then once more, should you instructed us 20 years in the past we’d be making 3,000+ horsepower reliably in our 2JZ drag automobiles, I most likely wouldn’t have seen that coming both…”

“The US appears to be rather more straight line centered than different components of the world; the biggest import occasions listed below are drag racing occasions and the potential BMW/Toyota left on the desk with this engine makes it tuner pleasant.” 

Trendy BMWs – and modern efficiency automobiles usually – are so over-engineered that it’s now simpler than ever to push ridiculous energy figures utilizing pretty easy formulae. Drag racing is probably not as scorching within the Europe as it’s within the US, however close to 1,000hp BMW M5 Competitions are more and more widespread sights at V-MAX airstrip occasions.

I like these builds and their duality. iDrive, air-con, automated gearboxes and an off-the-cuff 1,250hp on the wheels. Lengthy stay the Supra, king of the import drag racers and extra accessible than ever earlier than.

Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn

Pictures by Darrien Craven
Instagram: _crvn_