Prepped To Take On The Turns

Generating plenty of responsive power under the hood allowed Barnes to focus on other equally important facets of circuit racing. Each lap of the track pushes the engine to its threshold and cooling soon becomes an issue. Spending more time at the high horsepower levels, the modified 2JZ-GTE engine generates considerably greater heat. This heat quickly exceeds the cooling capacity of the factory radiator. To reject the added heat generated under the hood, a Fluidyne radiator with increased coolant capacity replaces the factory unit in front of the engine. In addition, a Titan oil cooler rejects heat built up in the engine oil to further facilitate the cooling process.

Now satisfied with the cooling system, attention shifted to another important aspect of circuit competition, handling. Eliminating body roll, lowering the center of gravity and quickening response are just a few aspects of handling that require improvement in order to best prepare a chassis for competition. Starting with ride height and dampening, a set of Moton 3-way adjustable coilovers paired with Hyperco springs lower the chassis and offer improved customization of damper settings. A Titan front sway bar and JIC Magic adjustable front upper control arms work in conjunction with solid rear sub- frame and differential mounts to further improve the handling of the JZA80. Taking advantage of the chassis work and suspension, Barnes selected 18-inch CCW Corsair wheels wrapped with sticky Hoosier slicks to provide the incredible traction and adhesion needed for high-speed cornering. To properly adjust entry speeds, a serious brake upgrade was in order. Barnes chose a set of Stoptech 4-piston brake calipers and Stoptech steel-braided lines along with 355mm 2-piece rotors to do the job in the front. These calipers applied friction to the rotors by way of Hawk Performance DTC70 brake pads.

Cabin Fever

Inside the cabin, every interior component had been removed except for the factory dash. A custom 6-point roll cage adds rollover protection and chassis stiffness to the body. A pair of Sparco EVO2 race buckets and Schroth Profi II Hans 6-point harnesses secure the occupants firmly in place. A carbon-fiber panel houses the SPA Techniques shift light controller as well as the SPA Techniques fire suppression system controller. GReddy gauges mounted to the A-pillar relay boost pressure and exhaust gas temperature readings to the driver.

It’s Showtime

After pouring plenty of blood, sweat and tears into the build, Barnes could finally take the Toyota Supra to the track. He spends most of the time at Sebring and Roebling Road Raceway, but has been as far as Virginia International Raceway and Road Atlanta. Future track visits include Daytona, Moroso Motorsports Park and Homestead. When asked by Supra owners if he regrets making his Supra a dedicated track car, he simply responds that he wishes he had made the commitment to the track sooner.