Lets Just Build Tsukuba Circuits Everywhere
We think the famously challenging course should be in everyone’s backyard.
We here at Honda-Tech are big fans of Tsukuba Circuit. As is anyone who grew up fascinated by Japanese car culture and/or playing games like Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport.
While we haven’t talked about it here before, a lot of you guys already know about Honda’s suspiciously familiar US test track. That track, located at a testing facility near Honda’s plant in Marysville, Ohio, looks remarkably similar to the famous Tsukuba Circuit.
There are a few differences between the US design and the original Japanese design. A few of the iconic corners have been compromised, and the overall layout is larger. These changes were likely made to improve testing conditions, as opposed to building the course for competition purposes.
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However, this sparked a conversation here at the Honda-Tech offices. Nurburgring lap times have become the standard by which modern performance vehicles are judged. However, when you really think about it, it’s kind of silly.
Among race courses, the Nurburgring is unique, with features and conditions found on no other circuit in the world. A good ‘Ring time is just as much about creating a perfect storm of car, driver, and conditions as it is about the performance of the car itself.
In our minds, there are far too many variables to accurately compare cars against one another. On the other hand, a small, standardized course like Tsukuba could be built in locations all over the world, standardizing new-car testing and simultaneously uniting enthusiasts. Think about it: imagine being able to build a Time Attack car to compete on the famous Tsukuba Circuit, driving a few hours to get there, and then comparing your times with drivers all over the world! Until Honda lets us visit their track in Marysville, it’s a mere pipe dream. We hope to get the ball rolling on our replica as soon as we hit that Powerball jackpot.
