CENTURY BOSS AIMS FOR TOYOTA QUARTER-MILE RECORD IN 2018
Racer nathan fr eke has benchmark plans
British GT Championship ace Nathan Freke is aiming to build the fastest Toyota MR2 in the world, capable of completing a quarter-mile run in under nine-seconds.
Freke, the 2006 British Formula Ford champion, previously held the record for the fastest run in an MR2, set at 9.72 seconds with a top speed of 148.2mph set at Shakespeare County Raceway in 2009.
That car was terminally damaged when the trailer that was carrying it broke away from the tow vehicle shortly after the record was set. Freke and his Century Motorsport team then switched focus to racing Ginettas in British GT.
But recently Freke has resumed working on MR2S, with his latest 1000bhp creation nearing completion. The new car is based on an MR2 challenge race car, but with extensive performance modifications to the original S3GTE Toyota engine, which now features turbocharging, and an SQS Racing sequential gearbox.
Freke is aiming to complete his run at either Santa Pod or Shakespeare Raceway early next year and wants to crack the current world record of 8.9s.
“I grew up modifying Toyotas, and the MR2 was just sat in the workshop so I started toying with it and it gradually just grew and grew into this project,” said Freke.
“We’ve specced the engine with parts from all over the world and it’s been designed to break the world record and act as a showcase for our tuning ability. I want to get down to the 8.5-second mark eventually. As soon as the tracks open next year we’ll be out having a crack.”