On February 3, Brad Sherriff's R32 Nissan Skyline sent shockwaves through the Bathurst 12 Hour race as it officially clocked 203 miles per hour on Conrod Straight. This was an impressive feat, considering most GT3 cars only hit 174 mph on the same stretch. Motorsport Australia, the governing body behind the race, is now investigating how much power a floorpan car (a race car built on a road car's chassis) can make.
Sherriff's car was so fast that he eventually crashed it into the wall, damaging it enough to end its day at the race. This, combined with the potentially record-breaking speeds, was enough for the MA to consider changing regulations to limit power on floorpan cars. On Monday, February 5, Sherriff received a call from the MA, informing him of its investigation.
At first, Sherriff was understanding of the investigation but then took to Facebook to express his lack of interest in racing his Skyline if power will be limited moving forward. The R32's weight disadvantage forces Sherriff to use bigger power than most, something he's become very good at making. The R32 was running at 1,040 horsepower for the race in Bathurst, but the engine can typically run at 1,380 horsepower.
Though the R32 crashed out of the race and received the scrutiny of race officials, its performance was still impressive enough to break the Bathurst lap minimum time of 2 09.000. If the MA decides the R32 can't race again at its current power level, Sherriff said on Facebook that he'll repair the car and put it on display.
It's clear this R32 was built by a passionate driver who loves pushing the limits of power and speed. We'll have to wait and see what happens with the MA's investigation and the future of Sherriff's beloved Skyline.