YotaTech Drives the 600 Horsepower Toyota C-HR R-Tuned Race Car
Just getting into the C-HR R-Tuned is a bit of an event.
The entire DG-spec team surrounded the car. DG-spec’s crew chief for the day, David Fredrickson, ushered me toward’s the car. Inside was a racing seat and six-point harness. Mercifully, the seat was on sliders. I hopped into the R-Tuned and was handed a racing communications system. An earpiece was attached to a remote setup, which linked me to my passenger for the day: Racing driver and coach, Craig Stanton. These guys weren’t willing to risk numb skulls like me possibly wrecking their one-off race car, so Stanton was riding shotgun, pointing me through the corners, and shouting in my ear as necessary. Once the racing harness was squeezing the breath out of my body, and the racing seat adjusted so I could reach the pedals, it was time to roll.
Willow Springs International Raceway, AKA Big Willow, is a daunting track. Granted, I have run more than a few laps here, but it’s still a gnarly, unforgiving track. Turns 8, and 9 have claimed their fair share of cars and drivers over the track’s 65 years of existence. So, having Stanton along for the ride was welcomed.
Stanton’s voice resonated in my ear: “Take it easy off the line, the clutch is just like your girlfriend’s old Tercel. Once you’re going, be gentle until we get into 3rd gear, then go for it.” Easy enough.
And, go figure, the clutch was easy to operate, just like any street car. Rolling off the clutch, I made a smooth, but deliberate short shift into 2nd gear, and then after into 3rd. I wasn’t going to be the guy to blow up this transmission.
Stanton gave me the go-ahead, and it was full throttle exiting the pit lane.
The R-Tuned comes onto power hard.
It’s not ’80s hilarity levels of turbo lag, but it is very noticeable once that Garrett starts getting some exhaust gasses flowing through it. The R-Tuned surged forward with a torrent boosty goodness. This was going to be fun.
Once on power, the C-HR R-Tuned was a pleasure to drive. I short-shifted into 4th gear coming out of turn 1, and rode the wave of turbocharged torque. Turn 2, a big 180° sweeper was enlightening. So much so, that I laughed uncontrollably like an idiot. I tracked nice and wide exiting turn 2 and shot like a bullet down the straight towards turn 3 and the Omega.
This section of the track is highly cambered and has a brutally quick elevation change, up and down. It will expose a lack of chassis balance entering 3, and will expose any understeer at the peak of the Omega. The C-HR had none of that, and it was amazing.
Exiting the Omega, I squeezed onto the throttle before having to brake for turn 5. Stanton had me place the car in the right spot and lay on the power. We jettisoned over 6 and we’re flying down the back straight and through 7. I didn’t look down, but my educated guess is that we were touching 130 MPH. I braked before turn 8, because I am a wuss, and maintained throttle through it. After braking hard for the infamous turn 9, it was back on the power, and into the pit lane. Someone give me a cigarette, I need a smoke after that.
Continue on to the next page to read about the wild ending of my day with the C-HR R-Tuned.
