It’s not often you see a Honda S2000 on the road nowadays, and when you do have the pleasure of seeing one, its typically kept mostly stock. This S2000 though, couldn’t be any further from stock. Leo Ohayon purchased his S2000 January 1, 2025, with the soul purpose of being his track car.
Cars aren’t a fad for Ohayon, he’s been enamored with cars since a young age. “My first memory of appreciating a car was at around 5 years old”, Ohayon recalls. “I grew up in France, and my grandpa had purchased a first model year Mercedes 190E, which he kept for a long time. It was the late 90’s, I loved riding in the back of it with him.”
Ohayon’s grandfather
Ohayon bought his first car, a 2000 Mustang GT, when he was 17 years old. “I was 17 when I bought it and saved up for a long time because I wanted a ‘cool’ car. It was Dark Forest Green, the best color.”
Over the years, Ohayon has owned numerous vehicles from all ends of the automotive spectrum. Ohayon currently owns eleven vehicles, including multiple European, American, and Japanese cars. “Variety is the spice of life. I’d rather have a dozen ‘reasonably priced’ cars than having to drive the same thing every day.”
Ohayon’s S2000 certainly isn’t just for show, however. The car has been modified with a laundry list of parts, bringing out the full potential of the chassis.
The engine has been modified to redline at 8800 rpm, up from 8200. The car has also been fitted with an intake and full exhaust, as well as an AEM v2 standalone ECU, allowing Ohayon to dial in the engine exactly how he pleases.
On the suspension side of things, Ohayon’s S2000 rides on Tein Circuit Master coilovers and Titan7 wheels wrapped in Nankang AR-1 tires. Ohayon’s S2000 is also equipped with a Spoon transmission and OS Giken differential.
Most notably, Ohayon’s S2000 is sporting a Motul racing livery, making it easily recognizable on track. “I ended up deciding I wanted to pursue track stuff more and I needed a better car for the job. I narrowed it down to three choices: E46 M3, C5 Corvette, or S2000.”
“I chose the S2000 because I felt it was the cheapest one to keep running, had the best aftermarket for track use, lowest cost of consumables like tires, and immense headroom to grow into and mod the car as I gain skill.”
Ohayon says the car has been to a plethora of race tracks. Sebring, Sonoma, Chuckwalla, Buttonwillow, and Fontana Speedway just to name a few. “It’s definitely a forever car.”
To afford this addiction, Ohayon works in IT as a senior DevOps engineer. “I started going to college at UNF for finance but I dropped out.” Ohayon recalls. “I felt bored in school forcing myself in to a field I didn’t enjoy as much.”
“I was naturally good at IT, so i just kind of fell into the field.”
“I definitely wasted time struggling in my early 20’s, but I feel like going through that with no help or guidance was critical to learning how to handle life and it’s challenges.”
On top of working in IT, Ohayon is also involved in investing. “These days i just buy ETFs and let them ride, and then double down when something dips.”
“401k, HSA, IRA, for primary stuff, and a few bucks into a standard brokerage for ‘playing’ with. No crypto.”
“Pick a field that’ll make you money, not a field that you have “fun” in. Eventually the fun will fade and you’ll be stuck making low income.”
Ohayon’s story is one that many enthusiasts know well. We all start with a dream born from passion, often inspired by someone close to us.
“I have zero regrets or complaints about my path.”
Ohayon’s first regret may in fact be submitting this as his “portrait photo” for this post.
