Most of the time my ‘work days’ roll one-into-the other as I sit in front of a computer screen arranging words and pictures into some sort of coherent order.
Fortunately, however, every so often the decision I made (many moons ago now!) to mix the business of writing with the pleasure of things I actually like doing and – therefore – know something about, pays a dividend.
Case in point, the day late last year, when I received an email from long-time industry/racing contact Greg Brinck, inviting me to the official media launch at the Hampton Downs motor racing circuit in the northern Waikato, of the range of Radical sport/racing/track day cars the multi-talented ex-bike/car/boat racer is now importing from the UK.
On hand when I got to the circuit on the allotted day were two of the Peterborough (Cambridgeshire), UK-based ‘bike-engined sportscar pioneer,’ Radical Sportscars Ltd’s latest Suzuki Hayabusa-engined two-seater sports racing/track day ‘car’ the SR3XX, one to attract the eye of passers-by in the pit bay, the other for journos like me to actually drive and write about!
Since hanging out their shingle back in 1997, Radical founders Mick Hyde and Phil Abbott have made and sold more than 2000 of their distinctive open-top, two-seat sports racing cars, the vast majority – of their top seller, the seemingly ever-green SR3 at least – powered either by 1340cc, or longer stroke 1500cc, Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle engines.
Though they retain the standard Suzuki engine’s swept capacity of 1340cc the basic ‘Radical version’ comes complete with a bespoke dry sump system, aftermarket Individual Throttle Bodies (ITBs) and a special DOHC chain tensioner and produces an impressive 148kW (198hp) of peak power and 168Nm of peak torque.
Hold that thought, because if that sounds like a bit of you, then the 1500cc version fitted to the SR3XX I got to drive is more of the same but even better.
With a forged aftermarket crankshaft and set of rods adding the extra capacity and a set of Cosworth pistons doing what Cosworth pistons do, peak power rises to 168kWs (226.2hp), peak torque to 182Nm (134.3 lb/ft).
Again, these are serious figures for any ‘built’ normally-aspirated -say - 2.0l litre/4-cylinder ‘car’ engine, let alone a dimensionally much more, er, ‘compact’ bike one.
But that, as I worked out fairly quickly once strapped in and cutting laps round the 3.03km national circuit at Hampton Downs is an absolutely key part of any Radical’s DNA.
“Our original brief – 20 years ago now,” says company marketing manager Will Brown, “was to build a lightweight sportscar that utilised superbike technology. And it is this combination of lightweight construction, superbike engine and aerodynamic downforce which delivers models faster than a supercar, totally driver-focused and rewarding to drive.”
To which all I could do after experiencing the SR3XX myself is agree.
Speaking of which, the first thing I noticed once I was strapped into the driver’s seat was the new ‘small plane-style’ flat top and bottom steering ‘wheel’ which is part of the AIM data acquisition system which sets the new XX version apart from the one it replaces.
Like those you see in F1 cars the SR3XX ‘wheel’ is covered in buttons and digital screens and things including a large gear indicator slap bang in the middle of the display and a digital block rev counter which runs from left to right along the flat ‘top’ of the wheel’s centre section.
Though the SR3XX is fitted with a clutch pedal it also has a centrifugal arrangement meaning that once the engine was nicely warmed up and ready all I had to do was select first gear with the left-hand flappy paddle behind the steering wheel, ease my right foot down on the throttle and ease out of the pit garage and down pit lane.
Out on the track I spent the first lap-and-a-bit of my 20-or-so minute stint familiarising myself with the engine, gearbox & drivetrain and the (non-power-assisted) steering… which went something like; ‘right hand paddle to change up, left hand one to change down,’ ‘use your mirrors and don’t pass anyone under brakes, only pass on a straight’ (Track Day rules, remember), and ... ’don’t be a dickhead.’
The long-stroke 1.5-litre version of the 1340cc Hayabusa engine proved incredibly torquey amazingly tractable and not half as lively (or a better word might be ‘angry’) as I was expecting; suggesting to me that the wee SR3XX was running its highest (Spa-Francorchamps or Silverstone) gearing at a circuit better suited to something more akin to Brands Hatch (a lot lower).
The four-wheel disc/four-pot caliper front and rear brakes, of course were sublime – to the point where within a lap I was waiting until the 50-metre board before getting out of the gas and onto the brake pedal on one or two corners per lap.
Of course 20 minutes is really only scratching the surface when you have so much car to play with. In saying that it was enough to put a big, fat smile on my face.
So (you know, in overall terms) what did I/do I think about these new Radicals arriving here?
Simply put, I think Greg Brinck is on to a winner.
While there are already enough Radicals of various ages and stages already here to effectively rejuvenate the New Zealand Sports Car Championship, Greg sees the real opportunity to grow a long-term, sustainable business – for models like the SR3XX and SR10 – at Track Days rather than race days.
It’s a model already up and running in the US – where Radical is doing good business with the what it calls the ‘Country Club’ model.
Rather than (or for many that should probably read ‘as well as’) paying a big sub every year to belong to an exclusive golf or racquet sports club, some ‘car guys’ belong to clubs which own private circuits and store/run/buy and sell cars for their ‘ultra-high net worth individual’ members.
Here, Hampton Downs and Highlands already offer similar clubs and services, and that is where Greg is concentrating his initial marketing.
“I see it as an investment,” he says. “A lot of these guys already have a nice high-end luxury or sports car but once they have got on top of driving it at the track what do they do, buy another one?
“Or, do they buy a dedicated track car like the SR3XX and take their driving to a whole new level?”
If it’s the latter and you’re keen to find out more about the Radical SR3XX, Greg was set to move to a dedicated Radical showroom/workshop space at Hampton Downs in the New Year; a spot he no doubt will be spending a lot of time at over the next 18 months to two years as word gets out about the ‘Radical’ new movement he is behind!
