Circuit Machine: バナすけ MR-S (Banasuke MR-S)
About a week or two ago, I received word from Kyosuke-san (also known as Banasuke = バナすけ) that he would be running his MR-S (MR2 Spyder/ZZW30) at Pro-T’s afternoon track day held at Tsukuba Circuit (TC2000) after the DKM (DoKu-Mamushi) track day. Since Banasuke-san only runs a few track days a year, I had to check out his machine.
Pro-T Speed Meeting:
The track day was hosted by Pro-T (X: @protsmtg), a track day event series created by Toki-san (X: @toki_tsukaze) which focuses on time attack at Nikko Circuit and Tsukuba Circuit (TC2000). During the time attack season in Japan, late autumn to early spring, they host many track days which are open to anyone who wants to get into the Kanto time attack scene and have varying levels of participants ranging from low level to high level drivers.
Banasuke-san (X: @runshop329) has been a prior participant at Pro-T with one of his prime moments being when he went aerial at the chicane at Nikko Circuit. His MR-S rarely sees time on the circuit anymore, as often as once or twice a year at this point in time. When he isn’t driving his MR-S he is driving his Daihatsu Mira in the Pro-T 足車バトル (足車 ashi-sha ＝ daily driver) held at Nikko circuit.
Modifications:
With the MR-S curb weight coming around 960kg originally, Banasuke-san found it fit to see how far he lighten the car to see how fast he can drive at local circuits. Current curb weight as of January 2025 is 776kg.
To do such, he has replaced majority of the car with carbon fiber body panels, replace glass with polycarbonate windows, remove all creature comforts/interior pieces/related wiring, drill holes in the body where unnecessary, and as of last year, make a one off front pipe frame to replace most of the front core support. To do all of this to the car means that he wouldn’t be able to drive the car on the public roads anymore so he turned in his vehicle registration and has made it a dedicated time attack machine.
As for the track day itself, Banasuke-san came short of his personal best clocking in 1’01.257. For reference, Techno Pro Spirit’s MR-S ran 58.404 with a turbocharged 2ZZ-GE in 2022 and Kyon-san’s MR-S (impact magic K24R) has run 58.916 in 2023. Great results for a home-built attack car and cutting time under 1 minute is foreseeable in the future.
As to when we’ll see his return to TC2000, we might have to wait until next season.
Current Personal Best:
Nikko Circuit: 37.501
Tsukuba Circuit (TC2000): 1’00.378
Tuning Menu:
Exterior:
・Varis carbon fiber bonnet
・ZUKY工房 carbon fiber hardtop
・Handcraft carbon fiber door
・Handcraft carbon fiber front fender
・ヤフオク side duct
・ヤフオク GT mirror
・Kagotani front splitter type 1
・Esprit GT Wing 052 1800mm
・Rear Diffuser (DIY)
・Polycarbonate front/door window (DIY)
Interior:
・7pt rollcage (welded, DIY)
・ Momo deep corn steering wheel (350mm)
・Recaro SP-G full bucket seat
・Sabelt 5pt racing harness
・Original dash/meter panel (DIY)
・Racing fuel cell (20L)
Engine/Intake/Exhaust:
・2ZZ-GE swap
・APEX’i Power FC for 2ZZ-GE
・1ZZ-FE oil pan
・Duracon engine mounts
・TODA Racing oil pump
・Trust 13-layer oil cooler
・APEX’i air intake/filter
・TRYBOX big bore throttle body
・Exhaust manifold (unknown mfg)
・Straight mid-pipe (unknown mfg)
・Kakimoto rear piece exhaust (modified)
Transmission/Drivetrain:
・Kaaz C60 close-ratio gear set
・4.529 final gear (ZZT231 Celica SS-II)
・ORC metal clutch
・Cusco 1.5way LSD
・Rear wheel hub 5-lug conversion (ZZT231 Celica SS-II)
Suspension, Wheel/Tires, Brakes:
・Endless Zeal Function X-Plus
(spring rate FR: 11k RR: 16k)
・ZSS rear tension rod, lower arm, toe rod
・Advan Racing RZII 16x8J +38 (4x100)
・Enkei NT03RR 17x9J +40 (5x100)
・Yokohama Advan A050 G/S
FR: 225/45R16 RR: 255/40R17
・ABS delete, DIY brake piping
・Zone brake pads
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