Tuned In – Details, episodes & analysis

Driving talent only gets you so far in professional motorsport — if you want to make it, you’ll need the full package… Plus a healthy dose of luck.

In this episode, professional driver Billy Johnson gives us his thoughts on the challenges of turning driving into a job, the best way to spend 10k as a track newbie, why the Skyline GT-R is seriously overrated, the less glamorous realities of 24-hour racing, and much more.

Use “BILLY50” to get $50 off HPA’s Race Driving Fundamentals course: https://hpcdmy.co/raceb

Billy Johnson is a professional driving coach, race driver, and factory development driver who has had a long career in the game despite his young age. 

We start by discussing the path Billy took to be able to drive for a living full-time, despite not coming from a motorsport family. Predictably, this involves a deep dive into karts and his progression through the ranks towards working for Ford developing the GT, GT350, and GT500. 

Billy has also raced for Ford in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and NASCAR, as well as many other prestigious competitions all over the globe, meaning he’s able to give some great insight into what it takes to drive these gruelling competitions and the extremely long stints they sometimes demand.

This discussion provides a fascinating insight into the cutthroat world of motorsport at the higher levels, giving us a much better idea of what it takes to rise above all the other equally talented drivers out there gunning for the same seat.

The conversation also covers the cars themselves. With Billy’s experience behind the wheel of extremely rapid time-attack Honda NSXs, we have to ask him what makes this 90s icon so good, and, in his opinion, why it's so superior to another popular time attack weapon — the Skyline GT-R.

With some interesting discussion around motorsport-level driving aids, simulators, and the best beginner track car for under 10 and 50k (is Miata always the answer?), this episode is packed with great info!

Follow Billy here:
IG: @billyjracing
FB: Billy J Racing
X: @billyjracing
LI: Billy Johnson
WWW: billyjohnsonracing.com

Don’t forget, you can use “BILLY50” to get $50 off HPA’s Race Driving Fundamentals course: https://hpcdmy.co/raceb

Timestamps:
4:04 How did you develop an interest in cars?
13:38 Having an understanding of engineering as a driver
18:49 Why are karts a normal stepping stone into a motorsport career?
20:28 What is race craft?
31:18 What is it that makes time attack an interesting form of racing?
39:24 Difficulties of going from one warm-up lap to a flying lap in time attack?
44:21 What do I do to improve my lap times?
54:28 Time Attack NSX and its handling
1:07:14 Engine package in the NSX
1:09:08 Oil starvation and dry sumps
1:15:53 NSX aero package
1:18:18 Driver aids
1:32:40 24-hour endurance racing, physical and mental fitness
1:37:13 Tyre management over a long stint
1:44:29 Tips for novice drivers taking their car to the track
1:50:41 Does sim driving improve driver skills?
1:56:32 What is a good entry-level track car?
2:03:29 Final three questions

Why an RB26 is better than a 2JZ and vice versa is a common discussion between many 6 cylinder fans and while the 2JZ might have the edge when it comes to OEM components on lightly modified street builds, the RB hasn't been pushed or developed as far as the 2jz yet to see how things compare at the other end of the scale…

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Since filming the team has run a PB of 6.35 @ 222mph to set a new RB-Powered world record.

Dom from Tony Rigoli Performance runs us through some of the 12,000rpm spinning Nissan 350z build which uses a ‘tickled’ RB26 pushing out 2140HP (Mainline Dyno) at the hubs...for now. The plan is to fit a larger Garrett G57 turbocharger and GFB wastegates to push for 2300-2400HP in the quest to hit the 5’s with this full tube chassis car that runs an EMtron KV16 ECU, M&W CDI system, Rams cylinder head, Plazmaman inlet manifold, a Liberty Gears 5 speed, EZ Motorsports clutch, Spool crankshaft, Supertech valvetrain and in-house TRP pistons, rods and cam grinding.

Also discussed via this Sydney Jamboree interview is the switch from the old Nissan 300zx ¾ tube chassis to their new 350z full tune chassis, the difference between them and some of the advantages a full tube chassis allows the team. The clutch setup is also discussed as being something constantly being reset and adjusted, as well as up to this power level how bearings are the only major part that is checked regularly to ensure reliability.

As the event was rained off we didn't manage to get any in-car, but we'll be back.

Using the Blueprint Racing 6.53 @ 213mph Mazda 6 for some examples we dive a little into how to build a rotary engine for drag racing.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

Getting 1500HP out of a rotary engine isn't hard these days with the knowledge in the industry, but doing it with a window of safety and repeat reliability is still a struggle as Jon of Jon Blanch Racing explains. Naturally, some comparisons are made between the rotary and piston world in respect to aftermarket part support which has been growing in recent years but still lacks in many areas no matter how big your budget is, but most interestingly from what is out there the OEM Mazda rotors with some modification are still the go-to choice for performance builds.

An area where the aftermarket has made massive improvements, however, is when it comes to the plates with billet options not necessarily helping engine builders and tuners make more power but instead giving a little more reliability and tolerance to the small windows you have to work within when it comes to getting power out of your rotary.

Porting is also discussed and Jon shares why a semi-peripheral port (semi-pp) is preferred along with why the perfect port placement depends on more than just a single perfect physical location.

No matter how you feel about electric vehicles, there's no denying the incredible performance that can be achieved with these impressive driveline systems.  With more and more rapid EVs hitting the streets every day, inevitably, enthusiasts are now beginning to ask just what can be gained when working with them.

This week's HPA Tuned In podcast guest is Sasha Anis of Mountain Pass Performance, someone who has dived deeper than most into the world of high-performance EVs.

Use 'SASHA100'  to get $100 OFF HPA's Wiring Starter Package: hpacademy.com/hpa-wiring-starter-package/

Sasha is an accomplished driver and tuner who has, in recent years, refocused his efforts into the EV world, and his insight into this fairly new and constantly changing field of hyper-performance is invaluable.

In this episode, Sasha first breaks down the basics of how an EV system works, and spends time clearing up a few misconceptions around what is and isn't possible, the constant compromises that need to be made, and the future of EV tuning. MoTeC's M1 Build platform and how Sasha uses it in his EV builds is also discussed.

More of this new breed of vehicle on the roads equals more people crashing them, and that means some seriously enticing drivelines have begun popping up at the local wreckers. Sasha was an early adopter of EV swap exercises, and takes us through the process of swapping these monster drivelines into conventional ICE vehicles, and details what needs to be considered, eliminated, and purchased before the first spanner is turned. Mountain Pass Performance's Blue Lightning — a Tesla-swapped Lotus Evora package — is also picked apart.

Sasha also spends time discussing the braking and handling upgrade options he provides for Teslas, as well as a deep look at his well-known Nissan 350Z time attack car that uses a monster NA VQ engine working in tandem with a custom hybrid KERS system that Sasha has spent years developing and improving himself.

It doesn't matter how you feel about electric vehicles, this conversation with Sasha Anis of Mountain Pass Performance is genuinely fascinating and well worth the listen.

Follow Sasha here:
IG: @sashaanis14, @mountainpassperformance
WWW: mountainpassperformance.com

Want to learn more about motorsport wiring? Claim your spot for the next FREE lesson: https://hpcdmy.co/wireb 

The RZ34 Z is the newest offering in the Nissan Z line, and AMS Performance was quick to set a world-first 9-second pass using (by today's standards) relatively basic upgrades.

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Back in 2022 9.92 at 137mph was the first run in the 9's in a RZ34 Z 2023 Nissan Z Proto Spec and Nick Cassara of AMS Performance gives us some insight into the similarities and differences of this new platform compared to Infinity Q50 and Q60 models when it comes to the 3l V6 twin turbo VR30DDTT engine, and Nissan 370z on the chassis front.

The car is running upgrading turbocharges, a bigger DI fueling system, drag slicks and not much else to make 719hp with the aid of EcuTeks reflash tuning software capabilities. The biggest issue to overcome with this platform, party due to its very compact packaging, is heat soak and cooling complications making it the first port of call for any owner looking to make more power with aftermarket mods and tuning.

On this week's episode of the High Performance Academy Tuned In podcast, Andre is joined by an absolute legend of the import scene.

John Shepherd has been around since the very early days of import drag racing. Through campaigning his AWD Eagle Talon, John lead the first charge and pushed the boundaries of just what was possible with a Japanese performance car.

Use ‘SHEP100’ for $100 off the HPA Tuning Starter Package: hpacademy.com/hpa-starter-package/

John talks about his early days and the many workarounds and bodges that were necessary during the sport's infancy. The Ohio-based racer and car builder was squeezing record-setting high-ten-second quarter miles out of his 4G63-powered Talon, and as the game progressed, so did the car. Andre and John track the development of the Eagle through to its retirement, at which point it was running 7.7-second quarters — all still in a time well before billet blocks, proper race transmissions, and modern turbo technology.

John has since moved on to Nissan GT-Rs and Audi R8s, and lays down his recipe for what he considers to be the "perfect" street car when working with these platforms. Easy to live with, perfectly fine to take on long road trips,... and capable of mid-seven-second quartermiles.

Finally, the guys dive into the world of dual clutch transmissions. These DCTs have become ShepTrans' bread and butter in recent years, and John goes into detail on how the clever gearboxes work and how we can make them far stronger in order to put up with the massive torque figures modern performance engines provide.

There's plenty of nostalgia to be found in this episode, and if acronyms like DCT and TCM have always left you scratching your head, you definitely don't want to miss this one.

Don't forget, you can use ‘SHEP100’ for $100 off the HPA Tuning Starter Package: hpacademy.com/hpa-starter-package/

Say goodbye to the old saying "cast ain't fast" with Dart's 2JZ cast iron engine block.

When it comes to the many limitations factory cast blocks have when we try and take them from 200-300hp to 2000-3000hp or more, the go-to option in the aftermarket is generally a billet alloy block that offers more strength and improved design (sometimes application specific), but at a substantial cost given the nature of manufacturing.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

On display at SEMA, @DartMachinery  has come to the rescue with their newly developed cast iron engine block which gives us a middle option where we can gain many of the advantages we get with billet offerings, namely design improvements that address known weak points, for a lower cost,. This allows us to safely produce more power and also gives us a reliable source for replacements if the worst does happen as secondhand factory 2JZ blocks become more scarce with time too.

As Mike from @racewinningbrandsautomotiv766 explains with this aftermarket cast block you can expect added thickness to the bores and deck surface, reduced core shift, and a billet 4-bolt cap (centres are 12mm, outers 10mm) for improved strength as well as screw-in freeze plugs helping prevent a blow out which OEM press-fit versions sometimes do after a head lift. Additionally, the block can be clearanced on order to take alloy rods, making it perfect for those running stroker combinations and it retains the ability to run your factory accessories when it comes to oil and water pumps etc.

While at the moment we can still source factory-cast 2JZ blocks from Toyota, Dart's more accurate casting process ensures consistent rather than unpredictable wall thicknesses and they don't force you to purchase accompanying factory components that you will never use in your performance build. Yes, this is the angle you can take with the wife when you tell her how much you are SAVING when you buy this block. It's foolproof, honest.

We're hoping to see these on the market in late 2023 for around $4,500 USD, but note no price has been confirmed yet.

What makes a good intake plenum? How do you fabricate one to ensure it can handle 100+psi of boost without blowing itself to pieces? And why do we even need to fit an aftermarket intake plenum in the first place? This week’s episode with D’Arcy French of Plazmaman answers these questions and many more.

Use “PLAZMAMAN50” for 50% off our HPA 3D Modeling & CAD for Motorsport course here: hpacademy.com/courses/3d-modeling-and-cad-for-motorsport

D’Arcy started his journey in the motorsport world as a machine shop apprentice, but it wasn’t long before he stepped up in a serious way by joining the crew of a Top Fuel team as the blower tech. Eventually, this translated into full-time work designing and CNC milling parts for highly-regarded Australian performance part specialist, Plazmaman.

Plazmaman is well known for its ultra-high quality intercoolers, throttle bodies, and intake plenums and this is naturally where the conversation heads, as Andre and D’Arcy discuss the process of designing and fabricating these works of art that do a great job of attaining an ideal balance of form and function.

Throttle body sizing, the intricacies of plenum design, CAD modelling of parts, 3D printed prototyping, expected results of fitting an aftermarket intake manifold, and much more are all covered in this episode.

Follow D’Arcy and Plazmaman here:
IG: @biggercncguy
IG: @plazmamanracing
FB: Plazmaman.com
YT: PlazmamanAus
WWW: plazmaman.com

Don’t forget, use “PLAZMAMAN50” for 50% off our HPA 3D Modeling & CAD for Motorsport course here: hpacademy.com/courses/3d-modeling-and-cad-for-motorsport

Converting a FWD Honda to a RWD platform is not easy task, but it does come with some solid benefits as we will discuss looking at this F20c powered space framed Honda Prelude [TECH TOUR].

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

With an Ethanol fed, 24-26 PSI boosted, 9,000 RPM 750hp Dandy Engines F20c boasting Eagle Rods, factory crank and camshafts (because they're that good), aftermarket pistons, SuperTech valves and a new Garrett G35-900, this Fastr sponsored RWD converted Honda Prelude is no slouch in its regular appearances in the ACL Race Series.

Professional driver Brett Dickie took a few moments while at the World Time Attack Challenge to discuss his build (with the help of his skilled father) discussing the some of the advantages the rear wheel drive (RWD) conversion gives a driver behind the wheel along with his thoughts in passing on EMtrons torque management system.

As you might have guessed, the car runs an ProWire Performance Wiring fitted EMtron KV8 ECU along with a MoTeC CDL dash for some extra logging bandwidth and driver display duties which Brett felt was the best combination he could get for performance and his requirements without blowing out the budget too far. 

We caught up with Brett just before his first run with the new Garrett G35-900 turbocharger which is replacing a 3076 and we look forward to getting his thoughts on a comparison next time we chat along with some of the data this system can and will provide him with as he and his team gets it all dialed in with the help of a Turbosmart E-Gate (electronic wastegate), DBW blow off valve, MAP sensors pre and post the throttle body and an exhaust pressure sensor.

With no bolt-on solution available, the dry sump setup is a mix of BDG dry sump components and a custom sump, with Brett sharing some thoughts on what he has learnt and would do differently second time around. 

Tucked behind the F series engine is a 6 speed TTi GTO sequential gearbox and Motorsport Services strain gauge lever which feeds a GJ Drivelines driveshaft and R200 LSD diff center nicked from a Nissan Skylines rear end. The Nissan parts list also includes the uprights, with 300ZX ones used to help try and reign in custom work and give more bolt in part options, and of course being something that physically worked with the package.

Also touched on are some of the boost control strategies employed, but Brett is pretty straight up that his knowledge is more focused on being behind the wheel than behind the laptop, and with 20+ years of it his no doubt his feedback goes a long way to help dial things in for race day.

You can catch Brett and this build racing in the ACL Race Series, and you can catch Brett racing other cars like the previous title winning Elusive Racing DC2 Integra at the World Time Attack Challenge as well as other cars in Global Time Attack and Pikes Peak Hill Climb events.

The 2JZ-GTE isn’t Toyota’s only iconic tuner engine — before the famous straight six was anywhere near production-ready, enthusiasts and racers were already years deep into the development of the venerable 1600cc four-cylinder 4A-GE. In this episode, we sit down with Matt Trevena of MT Performance Engines to discuss everything Toyota 4A-GE, engine building, and much more. 

Use “MTPERFORMANCE50” for 50% off our HPA Engine Building Fundamentals course here: https://hpcdmy.co/enginebuild

As a teenager, Matt Trevena fell in love with a neighbour’s 4A-GE powered KE70, and that exposure, combined with a healthy dose of Initial D, started Matt on a path that would shape his entire career, culminating in where it is today, building some of the most hardcore 4A-GEs around — including a genuine holy-grail Formula Atlantic motor.

Matt spent the first few years of his career building everything from lawnmower engines to massive car-sized 16-cylinder train engines before jumping on board with Sydney’s Maatouk’s Racing to put together big-power RBs and everything else in between. Now running his own performance engine building company, Matt has become the go-to guy when it comes to hardcore Japanese motors — but especially the Toyota 4A-GE.

As you probably already guessed, this episode goes way deep into the weeds on all things 4A-GE, covering the differences between the available variants, the best combinations of parts and generations, how to extract the most power, revs, and longevity out of them, as well as a deep dive into the ultimate 4A-GE — the Formula Atlantic motor.

This conversation also covers plenty of general performance engine building information, so even if this classic Toyota motor isn’t of particular interest to you, the knowledge found in this episode makes it a must-listen for any self-respecting enthusiast.

Follow MT Performance Engines here:
IG: @mtperformanceengines
FB: MT Performance Engines
YT: 199niko199

Don’t forget, use “MTPERFORMANCE50” for 50% off our HPA Engine Building Fundamentals course here: https://hpcdmy.co/enginebuild