Mine's Motor Sport: The R32 GT-R Time Attack King of Tsukuba
Mine's Motor Sport is not a household name outside of hardcore Japanese tuning enthusiasts. But among those who know — especially R32 GT-R owners — Mine's (pronounced "My-nes") is sacred ground. Founded 1985 by Michizo Niikura in Yokosuka, Kanagawa.
Mine's Motor Sport: The R32 GT-R Time Attack King of Tsukuba
Mine's Motor Sport is not a household name outside of hardcore Japanese tuning enthusiasts. But among those who know — especially R32 GT-R owners — Mine's (pronounced "My-nes") is sacred ground. The shop, founded in 1985 by Michizo Niikura, has built the fastest naturally-aspirated and turbocharged Nissan Skyline GT-Rs in time attack history, dominating Tsukuba Circuit time sheets for decades.
The Founder: Michizo Niikura
Michizo Niikura was a Nissan factory race team engineer in the early 1980s. He left Nissan in 1985 to start his own tuning shop, Mine's, in Kanagawa Prefecture (Yokosuka) — the same general area as Top Secret, HKS, and many other legendary Japanese tuners.
Niikura's background as a Nissan engineer gave him unique insight into the Skyline GT-R platform. When the R32 GT-R launched in 1989, Mine's was immediately positioned as the R32 specialist — the shop that could extract the absolute maximum performance from the GT-R's RB26DETT and ATTESA E-TS AWD system.
The Tsukuba Domination
Tsukuba Circuit (near Tokyo) is Japan's most famous proving ground for modified sports cars. Tsukuba has a 2-kilometer layout with a mix of long straights and technical corners — it rewards a combination of power, grip, and chassis setup. Tsukuba lap times are the de facto ranking system for Japanese tuning shops.
Mine's Motor Sport set multiple Tsukuba lap records throughout the 1990s and 2000s with their R32 GT-R time attack car. At their peak, Mine's held the overall Tsukuba record for a modified street car with lap times around 57 seconds (on a normally 1-minute track), beating HKS, Top Secret, Nismo, and every other Japanese tuner.
Their records were set with RB26DETT engines producing approximately 600-650 HP, extensive aerodynamic modifications, and carefully-tuned ATTESA E-TS four-wheel drive calibration. The setup was designed to maximize total lap time rather than peak HP, meaning Mine's cars weren't necessarily the fastest on a straight — they were the fastest around a complete lap.
Niikura's Engineering Philosophy
Niikura is famous in the Japanese tuning world for prioritizing chassis balance and driveability over raw horsepower. His mantra: "a 900 HP car that's undriveable is slower than a 550 HP car that's perfectly balanced." — (attributed quote)
Mine's R32 GT-R builds typically emphasize:
- Comprehensive chassis bracing — chassis flex measured and eliminated before adding power
- Precise suspension geometry — bump-steer, roll centers, and anti-dive all calculated and optimized
- Matched turbo + cam + ECU combinations — no random bolt-ons, every component selected for system synergy
- Full ATTESA E-TS recalibration — the factory AWD system is remapped for race conditions
The result is cars that look stock-ish but lap circuits faster than much more powerful competitors.
Signature Products
Mine's Titanium Exhaust Systems
Mine's titanium exhaust systems are considered the best in the JDM tuning world. Hand-formed titanium construction, lightweight (often 30% lighter than stainless equivalents), and distinctive blue-gray titanium coloring from heat cycling. A Mine's Ti exhaust for an R32 GT-R costs $3,000-5,000+ but is considered worth it by serious owners.
Mine's ECUs (Mine's VX-ROM, VX-PLC)
Plug-and-play ECU replacements for Nissan GT-R, Silvia, and Supra. Based on OEM ECU hardware with custom Mine's calibrations. Extremely popular in the 1990s-2000s; less common today as standalone ECUs became cheaper.
Mine's R2A5 Turbochargers
Custom-tuned turbochargers for RB26DETT, based on OEM casings with revised internals. Larger than factory but still pressure-matched for OEM-like driveability.
Mine's Carbon-Kevlar Parts
Intake pipes, air boxes, and interior trim in carbon-kevlar weave. Visually distinctive and lightweight.
Mine's Coilover Systems
Track-focused coilovers with Niikura's signature spring rates and damping.
The Mine's R32 GT-R Demo Car
Mine's has maintained the same R32 GT-R as their demonstration car since approximately 1991. The car has gone through approximately 10 major revisions over 30+ years — starting with a 500 HP street build and evolving into a 650+ HP time attack weapon with full aero, roll cage, and race-spec internals.
The car is arguably the most famous single tuner R32 in Japan. It appeared in countless Best Motoring videos, Hot Version circuit attacks, magazine features, and documentaries. When Mine's R32 GT-R appears at a Tsukuba time attack event, other shops know they're competing for second place.
Why Mine's Matters
Mine's Motor Sport represents a specific philosophy of Japanese tuning: precision engineering over brute force. In a world where Top Secret, HKS, and others chase ever-higher horsepower numbers, Mine's focuses on making cars that lap faster through better balance, better chassis tuning, and better driveability.
For R32, R33, and R34 Skyline GT-R owners who want the best possible handling setup without resorting to race car compromises, Mine's is the destination. The shop still operates from Kanagawa Prefecture, and Michizo Niikura (now in his 60s) still actively drives and tunes cars. Visiting Mine's is a pilgrimage for serious Skyline enthusiasts.
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