We’re always in the mood for a day at the circuit and a few weeks ago Wakefield Park hosted the Import Monster SAU Nationals, so we went down for a look. Now with a name like that, it’s fair to assume that the whole field of competitors would be nothing but a sea of Skylines, but that would be wrong. The line up included a bunch of brutal GT-Rs, but the gates were also open to whoever wanted to take them on. Records were on the line, and at the end of the day it was the most unlikely marque that took away top honours.
Steve Ka’s GT-R is a familiar face around these parts, but it’s ever-changing underneath. The new wheels look the business and there’s serious stuff happening to get them turning even quicker.
Matt was there with his S14 to challenge the bigger 4WD brothers and defend his turf as the fastest S-chassis to lap Wakefield Park.
Andrew Hawkins was in pursuit of Matt, hoping to make use of a few recent upgrades to JET200.
Conditions were a little unpredictable and prevented some from really challenging their personal bests.
Plenty of people were surprised by the presence of BYP and their ballistic Hondas.
Most surprising of all was Brandon in his DC2R, getting everyone standing up and taking notice of what these guys are achieving.
Skylines from all over the country turn up to the SAU Nationals making it a truly nationwide event. The 33 GT-R above trekked from Western Australia, showing colossal dedication from owner and vehicle alike.
Our mate Shane was out challenging the Nissan’s with 370kW on tap. In the end Shane took out top spot in Mod 2WD class with a 1:07.59.
Steve has put in his fair share of laps at Wakefield and continues to push the envelope of what a GT-R can do.
The R34 GT-R has one of the most recognisable faces in automotive history.
Matt is a quiet achiever, and we love his S14 to bits.
Put together with harmony in mind, it’s a case study in how to build a track car the right way.
By the end of the track day, Matt was sitting in third place overall with a 1:02.27 best lap.
There’s nothing overly showy going on in here, just a well engineered package that has lap times to speak on its behalf.
A modern-classic in the making if ever there was one, R32 GT-Rs are an investment worth holding on to.
Development on JET200 hasn’t slowed despite the outward appearance remaining mostly the same since WTAC.
Power delivery has been refined and tweaked, and new brakes fitted to get it stopping properly.
Someone recently told us that new GReddy turbos no longer say ‘Performanced By Trust’ on them. It just won’t be the same!
New aero tweaks on the MotiveDVD S14 are getting it closer to challenging for the S-chassis crown at Wakefield.
Brandon Lockwood’s DC2 Integra is a take-no-prisoners workhorse.
Built to take home the win, this boosted K-series has been put together by the brothers at BYP in Sydney. Shockingly, it took out overall victory above all others with a 1:01.02 quickest lap. Bananas.
Seen here mid-interview, the BYP boys are possibly the fastest up-an-coming Honda tuners we’ve ever seen, building consistently eye-opening cars.
Their EG has been through a few livery changes, but now proudly wears Advan signage.
There it is again, that timeless black-over-bronze colourway on a neat 32.
A shot down pit lane with Matt’s S14 leading the Unique AutoSports 300ZX into the stables.
John and the team at Unique AutoSports are diehard lovers of the 300ZX, and years of R&D proved their usefulness at the Skyline Nats with the Z32 clinching second place overall. It posted a best time of 1:02.01.
It just wouldn’t be a proper family affair without a couple of R35s in the mix, and this one was one of our favourites, especially with those awesome plates.
The engine bay was as good looking as it is functional, with a few tell-tale signs hinting at the performance tweaks it’s received.
Pick up your jaw if you haven’t seen this car before, it’s Australia’s best street R32 GT-R. There are lots of amazing ones out there, but for our money this has to be number one.
Got GT wing? Every second track build we’ve seen in the last few months has had spoiler supports coming out of the rear bumper. The fad has hit.
Now this bloke was really looking out of place, but no-one was complaining.
And why would they? The sound of an RS5 V8 wide open is one of the most visceral pleasures.
Possibly the best thing about SAU Nationals was the overal attitude of having fun. There were smiles all through the pits and great conversations across the whole weekend.
It may have been won by a Honda, but spirits couldn’t be dampened. The Skyline crew are a switched on bunch, and they’ll be back next year to see if lightning can strike twice.
- Words: Ryan Lewis. Photos: MJ Digital.
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