Attack: The Day Of

Day 2 at Tsukuba Circuit couldn’t come quick enough, and I was still processing the teaser which was Day 1. Even so, I wasn’t ready for the sensory overload I was about to experience. Many years of attending World Time Attack Challenge had crescendoed to this point.

I was lucky to have paddock access in the early morning before pitlane opened, which gave a good opportunity to scope all of the entrants out – or so I thought. It was chaos. From all of the mechanics, drivers, media and spectators darting in, out of and between the cars, it was the familiar Japanese experience: chaotic but with a sense of calmness and organisation. A far cry from Day 1’s comparatively relaxed nature, but I managed to snap a few photos here and there nonetheless.

As soon as pit lane opened, it was more or less a continual stream of cars on track for the rest of the day. As was to be expected, given that Attack 2024 had the most entrants ever in its history. Who knew an unassuming local racetrack hidden in the countryside of Japan hosting an obscure grassroots motorsports stream could turn up to such intensity. If there’s any indication that Japanese tuning is alive and strong, it was here. This won’t be my last time at Tsukuba Circuit.