Curt LiddellIt’s that time of year again…
World Time Attack Challenge! This year, I decided to switch things up and make a full week out of it. I gave myself plenty of time for the ~1000km journey in my stripped-out, straight-piped CR-X, complete with the most uncomfortable bucket seat known to man. Perfect!
Arriving in my old hood is always a treat, the M4 Motorway traffic, the heat and of course, NSW police. Within 30 minutes of reaching my destination, the CR-X was pulled over and defected for just about everything on the car…
I wasnt going to let a little run in with the law get me down though, I had made it to Sydney Motorsport Park!
Immediately, I ran over to Turns 2, 3 and 4 to warm up for some panning shots (IYKYK), around the same time as the Rodin FZED was blasting its Cosworth V8 around track.
However, the light wasnt really working in my favour, and I didnt want to get the same pictures as all the other amazing photographers that covered the event.
So I decided I was going to give something different a crack, at World Time Attack this year.
Less: vibrant, high octane shots.
More: Mellow, human and emotional pictures.
So, with that in mind I headed towards the pits to check out what was going on this year. As I made my way down the hill I spotted a very famous livery… on a MAZDA 3?! Yep, Mad Mike’s rotary powered Pikes Peak Mazda 3.
I ran into an old friend of mine, Ben Walker from Third Strike Fabrications. Ben was about to go out to drift the full track, which is quite rare for a drifter to get the opportunity.
Unfortunately, he missed the first session due to an electrical gremlin as the boys were trying to give his K-swapped AE86 a push to get it started.
Keep an eye out for a future feature on Ben and Third Strike, he makes really cool stuff!
He did eventually get the car out on track, and absolutely killed it.
As I walked through the paddock I encountered a figurehead of Youtube automotive content, it was none other than the “King of The Ring” Misha Charoudin!
Dripped out head-to-toe in Hyundai Motorsport gear, I had to go ask him to take a picture with me. I palmed off the camera to a Manda @divided.creative and got the shot! I felt somewhat bad for Misha as he was trying to get a snack in before his next session, so I told him to just take a bite whilst we got the pic.
He was pretty chuffed at the idea, clearly.
Speaking of youtubers, a wild Clay appeared! Caught off-guard talking to some fans, not sorry, Clay!
Running through the pits was great, the vibes were on, the sun was shining and I bumped into the most handsome man in media, Scotty Mitchell. @scottmitchellmedia Scott was filming a piece for Team RP968. I asked very kindly to take advantage of the situation, Scotty entertained the idea so I could get a few snaps. Thanks Scotty!
It was incredible to capture a shot of Bart and his team just before they broke another WTAC and SMSP lap record, beating the 2023 time of 1:17.86. They surpassed the previous record held by Nico Hulkenberg from 2007 in an A1 open-wheeler (1:19.142) with an impressive 1:17.444. What an achievement!
As usual, the StylizeD show and shine brings out some of the greatest street cars from around the country, here are a few that caught my eye:
As the day wound down, I found myself up on the paddock rooftop across from the grandstand, beer in hand and catching up with official WTAC photographer, Ash Wilson (@ashh.93). Ash is one of the coolest people I’ve had the pleasure to meet, and she’s an absolute weapon with a camera in hand.
It’s always awesome to connect with fellow photographers and get a glimpse into how they see the event from their perspective. Hearing about their creative process, what moments stand out to them, and how they capture the energy of the day is a great way to learn and grow in the craft. Every photographer has their own unique approach, and sharing those insights brings a fresh appreciation for the art of storytelling through images.
I really appreciate Ian’s philosophy for WTAC: once you’ve paid for your ticket, you shouldn’t have to pay extra to experience the full event. You get the chance to immerse yourself in the action, check out the cars, meet the drivers, and take a walk down pit lane without any additional costs. It adds a unique element to WTAC that you don’t really find at many, if any, other events. That level of access and engagement makes it feel more personal and creates an atmosphere that’s hard to match anywhere else.
I think that pretty much sums up my experience and coverage. I’ve got plenty more photos, so we might do a gallery dump at some point. Hopefully, you vibe with the direction I took!—it’s totally ok if you don’t get it.
-Curt Liddell
