MNTION the name Mark Skaife and in motor racing circles he is up there with the best.

Throw the name Tarzan Yamada into the hat and people would ask who? Recently a unique concept in motor sport was introduced to Australia known as Superlap/World Time Attack.

Conducted at Eastern Creek Raceway in Sydney, competitors attack the 3.9km circuit to see who can be fastest.

In Japan and America, this new form of motor sport has taken off with specially built sports and sedan cars pumping out obscene horse power.

For some reason people still like to boast horse power over kilowatt with many vehicles producing up to 1000hp.

The jury is out on what is best to deliver this kind of tyre-smoking performance but the real quick guys choose all-wheel drive.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and Subaru WRX are awesome road vehicles, so imagine stripping hundreds of kilograms then boosting engine output times four. To prove how weapon-fast these World Time Attack vehicles are, Tarzan Yamada smashed Mark Skaife's lap record by more that a second.

When you take into account all Time Attack vehicles must run a treaded R compound tyre compared to V8 Supercar race slicks the results are even more impressive.

Yamada is a professional racer and his first victory Down Under driving the Cyber Evo Mitsubishi Lancer was done in sub-record time of 1.30.58 seconds.

Second place went to the American Sierra Sierra Team Mitsubishi Lancer Evo driven by David Empringham lapping in 1.31.88. Making the podium in third position driving a Subaru Impreza WRX for the Tomei/Cusco race team was again Tarzan Yamada in 1.31.90.

The fastest Aussie was Warren Luff, driving an Enduro-spec Lotus Elise.

Putting turbo power through the rear wheels meant the ``Drive to Survive'' ambassador spent a lot of time sideways, which thrilled the most enthusiastic crowd.

Warren's time of 1.32.27 seconds had car owner Angelo Lazaris and his crew jumping for joy beating home two other Japanese teams and many other more powerful race cars.

Some 86 vehicles entered this inaugural event where horse power, handling and driving skills go hand in hand.

In the less modified Clubsprint Class, 28 cars battled it out against the clock with our academy graduate Nick Kalis top scoring in 1.44.37.

No doubt all competitors will be looking for more grunt and ways to go faster next year.

From my observations, driver training would unearth a lot of hidden potential which was reflected at the pointy end of the score board in all three categories contested.

Details on safe driving:

www.drive-to-survive.com.au