Sasha Anis has remarkably high standards. After getting frustrated trailing at the rear of the Grand-Am field, he could’ve called it quits with racing altogether. However, instead of hanging up his helmet and pursuing a more relaxed pastime, he set out to build one of the greatest 350Z time attack cars in existence. A gleaming paintjob, a soaring atmospheric engine, clean lines, plenty of downforce, and a high degree of reliability are all criteria he sought to meet on his way to his ultimate goal: a 1:18 lap at Mosport.

This was the time the quickest ALMS GT2 cars set in 2008 just prior to him leaving professional racing. Inspired by these cars, he’s built a 3.7-liter VQ to make over 400 horsepower, trimmed weight, added slicks measuring 12″ across at each corner, and, yet, he’s a few seconds shy of his goal. Still—he can run with 997 Cup cars!

A full-bore lap requires a hint of faith in the car; he wasn’t expecting this.

During a committed lap somewhere in the 1:26-range, his rear midlink/spring perch broke while descending down into Turn 2, which is taken flat in Fourth or Fifth gear! After that harrowing pop, his car spins wildly and quickly he becomes a passenger with nothing to do, and only by the slimmest of margins does he keep it out of the wall. His instinctive countersteering shows that he’s been in some trying situations before, but based on the moment of silence after he shuts his Z down, you can sense the spin really shook him.