Honda S2000: The Most Fun Japanese Track Car You Can Buy Right Now

LapMeta Drivers Spotlight: Justin Yoo

Photo Credit: @Rogue.Spirit

Ever since the S2000’s release, it’s been a popular choice for many track enthusiasts. Beloved by the Honda community, one could consider it to be the best thing to come out of the late 90’s next to the Miata. Most petrol heads aren’t high on the early 2000’s time period as far as cool cars go, but the S2000 just might be the exception. With a redline at 9,000rpm, a short wheelbase, light curb weight, and good aesthetics it’s not hard to see why the S2K is such a popular platform to take to the track. Justin Yoo from SoCal has one of the prettiest examples we’ve seen and he drives it hard. So we had to do an interview and get the rundown on what he’s done to his, to try figure out why the S2000 platform is so popular.
 

LapMeta: What made you choose an S2000?

Justin Yoo: I purchased it back in 2012. I felt the S2000 chassis is the perfect balance between aesthetics and performance that has great aftermarket support. I was looking for a rear wheel drive, lightweight JDM car that had a raw driving feel like a kart. It checked all of those boxes.

Highlights of the Build:
-100% OEM motor,  transmission, and ECU.
-265/35/18 200tw tires; A052, CR-S, RE71RS.
-Voltex type 7 wing
-K1 Lab front bumper
-Voltex flares and skirts.
-Custom spec 1-way coilovers
-16k/16k swift springs.
-OSGiken LSD with 4.44 FD.

Photo Credit: @Rogue.Spirit

LM: What mod do you think has made the most significant benefit in making the car quicker and why?

JY: Pulling out weight has made the most significant change to the car's performance. Power mods can help with acceleration, tires and brakes can help with lateral grip and braking power, but weight improves all of those aspects. Car weighs 1080kg and has plenty more to pull out.  

LM: What are your accomplishments as far as results with the car?

JY: 1:19.8 at Streets of Willow, 1:54.7 at Buttonwillow and Chuckwalla. 1st place in class at a local honda time attack series, but nothing serious. I’m just building the car and driving it for my own enjoyment and goals.

LM: What hooked you into motorsports and gave you the urge to want to start tracking your car? 

JY: In 2000, Frankie Muniz came out with a movie called "Miracle in Lane 2", and I watched it many times as a kid when Disney Channel would often play the same movies/shows over and over. Although soapbox derby racing wasn't anything I was interested in, it made me want to go racing. I asked my parents for a kart but given our financial situation, it never happened. The following year, The Fast and the Furious came out and got me into drag racing. I was on many car forums as a 10 year old and my interest in cars grew. I would see how people would modify their cars to their own style and purpose and I was hooked. I went to a track day as soon as I could afford it and the rest is history.

Photo Credit: @Rogue.Spirit

LM: Throughout your history, what has been your best resource for improving your lap times? 

JY: My driving has been mostly self taught. My friend's and I are very competitive so that definitely pushed us to go faster and faster. We would often give each other tips and tricks that we picked up on to push each other. Then I started recording my driving and watched it over and over until I recognized mistakes in my driving and improved on them at my next track day. HP Academy actually reached out to me a few years ago and provided me with their track data course, so I would tinker with data here and there, but never got serious about it. Just recently in the past year, my friends have been going over my data on my AiM Solo and helped me understand what I was doing right and wrong. It's eye opening and mind boggling what data can teach you. 

LM: What are your future goals / plans for the car and/or your goals for motorsports?

JY: My future goal is to build a WTAC/GTA unlimited car. Current car will be built as my "practice car". Decent aero, 500ish hp, sticky tires, and a bunch of sensors for data. I would like to build the 'unlimited' car on the side so that I can continue to drive without downtime, and build it the right way. My goal is to send my car out to Australia for WTAC at SMP, Japan for Tsukuba, Suzuka, and Fuji, and compete at GTA COTA and Buttonwillow. 

Photo Credit: @Rogue.Spirit

LM: What's your favorite aspect of being a part of the track community?

JY: Just having fun with my friends, building cool looking cars, and going fast. I look up to the Japanese time attack community and model my style to theirs. They build amazing looking cars that go really fast. Not much of that stateside, unfortunately. 

Photo Credit: @Rogue.Spirit

LM: What's your favorite track and why?

JY: Chuckwalla. The track rewards balance between power, aerodynamics, brakes, and weight from the car, but it's also a track that requires skill and guts from the driver. It has fast and slow corners, elevation changes, banked bowls, off camber corners, and it flows well. If you mess up a corner, it punishes you. It’s also one of the best kept secrets in Southern California. 

We look forward to following along with Justin’s future endeavors on track hopefully in Global Time Attack!

Check out his onboard video from Chuckwalla Valley Raceway on LapMeta HERE.

Follow Justin on Instagram at: @justin__yoo