Something’s afoot in Canberra’s quiet suburb of Fyshwick. When we first heard rumours of a new Pro Class car being built at Notaras Motorsport we knew it was going to be something special.

And since we are an impatient lot we couldn’t wait untill the car was completely finished and turned up on Martin Notaras’ doorstep last weekend to see what’s up.



What we saw was a build that’s not only clever and unique but also a perfect example of how the same concept can be approached in many different ways. To satisfy our curiosity we took the opportunity and got all the nitty gritty details straight from the horse’s mouth.



WTAC: Let’s start at the beginning, when did you first decide to try your hand at time attack?

Martin Notaras: For me it all started in 2008. I competed at the first Superlap Australia at Oran Park and enjoyed the format, the competition and the atmosphere so much I’ve been doing it ever since.



Notaras Evo at WTAC 2011, the car was a tarmac rally competitor converted to time attack spec.

WTAC: Owning a high performance workshop that specialises in motorsport builds seems to be an ideal base to run a time attack team from. Do the two go hand in hand?

MN: Yes, both benefit from each other. That’s how and why I got into the business in the first place. I stil get a buzz out of building performance cars for people and seeing them do well.

Apart from time attack and tarmac rally we also do a lot of custom fabrication work for other racing categories and street machines through our other shop – Fyshwick Exhaust.



The car received new aero in 2012 but suffered from setup issues which resulted in a rear wing failure.

WTAC: You’re no stranger to top level time attack racing having competed in Pro Class in 2011 and 2012. What, in your opinion, does a Pro Class car need in order to be competitive in 2015?

MN: A Pro Class car nowadays needs to be a complete package. From aero and suspension to engine, gear box and diff. Everything needs to be planned in advance and built with one very clear goal in mind. Without this, you simply cannot compete with the front runners.



WTAC: Let’s move to the beast that you’re working on now. Is this a completely new build or a revamp of your old car?

MN: The car we campaigned in 2012 was originally built as a tarmac rally car. It then had been converted to a time attack racer. It was a bit on the heavy side and even with the addition of an aero package in 2012 I felt we have reached its limit.

I knew that I had to start from scratch so I purchased a new shell and started to build form there. While we’ve used many parts from the old car, this is very much a ground-up build, designed solely to compete at WTAC.



The engine will produce over 900hp which will give the car a killer power-to-weight ratio.

WTAC: We’ve heard Andrew Brilliant was involved in the project too?

MN: Yes, I spoke to Andrew in 2012. After our initial talk we flew him over so he could take a look at our previous car and come up with a package utilizing some of the gear we already had and incorporating it into the new build.



Even without its side skirts and with an incomplete nose piece Notaras’ aero is like no other we’ve seen to date.

WTAC: Even without the sideskirts and the front lip the aero looks quite different to what we’re used to seeing on Evos.

MN: When you’re building a car from ground up you have the freedom of custom making everything to suit your objectives. I really wanted to spread the weight more evenly so we have moved the dry sump away from the engine bay and the radiator will be mounted in the boot.



This massive side scoop will direct air onto a boot mounted radiator. It can also swallow a flock of birds. Or a small child.

WTAC: All that downforce will need some forward momentum to work, talk us through your engine and drivetrain setup.

MN: I have always built my own engines and we are running a 2.3L Nitto stroker kit with our own custom head work by Winter’s Head Service.



Boost comes via a Precision 6466 turbo matched to a twin wastegate manifold. We also run a Pro Speed intercooler with our own custom intake and intercooler piping. We run Turbosmart wastegates and bovs.



In terms of engine management we have struck a deal with Haltech we are running their new Elite ECU supplemented with all the latest Haltech gear.



I convinced Frank from Modena Engineering to build me a six speed sequential box to match the package we had. We are already running Modena front and rear diffs.



For suspension we went straight to MCA Suspension and now run their custom Gold Series units both front and rear.



The brakes are all AP from the pedal box, discs and callipers. We’re using Endless pads both front and rear. This is a proven setup that we’ve used before and are very happy with.



WTAC: It looks like weight saving was high on your list of priorities…

MN: Yes, that was one of our goals, to get the weight down to a minimum but also to have a better weight distribution. Lightweight carbon fibre panels sure help to shave those extra kilos.



We have encountered a number of challenges along the way and had to come up with some creative solutions. I’m very happy with the result though, it showcases what the workshop is capable of building.



A bigger, stronger rear wing, designed by AMB Aero will replace the current, somewhat smallish wing.

WTAC: What was the most challenging part of the build to date?

MN: Building the shell was right up there. We did it all ourselves, something I’m really proud of. But the hardest thing has been incorporating all the aero parts int the build.



WTAC: Pro Class looks exceptionally strong this year, what spot are you aiming at?

MN: Having not yet tested the car yet it’s hard to say. Realistically though, our aim would be to finish in the top 5 this year. We are yet to decide who’s going to drive the car at WTAC but we’ve narrowed it down to a couple of very capable guys and we’ll make our decision next week.



WTAC: Which team do you consider a favourite this year?

MN: Obviously Tilton, being the defending champion but I honestly believe the car to beat this year is the PMQ Evo. Although Mick (Sigsworth) competes in Pro Am and therefore flies a bit under the radar, I think he is the one to watch!



WTAC: What advice would you give to some considering building a time attack car?

[b]MN: Give yourself as much time as possible to build it. Try not to change too many things once you have started, come up with a plan and stick to it. And if you want to be competitive in the higher classes, be prepared to spend a fair bit of money, those fast lap times don’t come cheap!

WTAC: Thanks Martin, we can’t wait to see the car when it’s all finished. Good luck in October!

LINKS:

www.yokohama.com.au
www.worldtimeattack.com