00-10-22 Round6 Qualify Report No.100 RAYBRIG NSX The curtain for the last round (seventh) of the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) rose at Suzuka Circuit on October 21st. With the Driver's Championship Title running close between five teams in the GT 500 class and four teams in the GT 300 class, and the Team Championship title on the line for a number of teams in both classes as well, the weekend event is a hotbed of excitement and anticipation. The weather for the Saturday qualifying sessions improved over the wet conditions of the free practice session of Friday, giving the drivers a chance to run on dry tires although under cloudy conditions. Even so, the fight for the pole made for an action packed day, with the course JGTC lap-time record being reset a total of nine times over the day. It was Akira Iida in the No.100 Honda NSX who gave the best qualifying performance, however, bringing cheers from the fans and his team when he broke the 2'00"minute barrier for the first time with a JGTC car, claiming a superb 1'59.923". The excellent time gave the No.100 car and driver pair of Akira Iida/ Naoki Hattori the pole, but just after the fantastic flying lap in the second session, Iida crashed the car into a trackside sponge barrier damaging the car. He fortunately escaped the incident uninjured, but the car condition was serious and the team began checking immediately if they could get it back into the competition by Sunday morning. (If repairs are not possible, the team will run a 1999 version for the race.) "Happy and unhappy things have come at the same time," said Iida afterward. "Our spirits have been high since we began running at Suzuka Circuit this week, and I have been confident that we could take the pole. But I'm very disappointed with the accident just after getting it... I think the problem might have been the suspension. As far as me, I'm all right." Dominick Schwager in the No.64 Honda NSX ran well too, putting in the fastest lap in the first session in the morning followed by Michael Krumm in the No.2 Skyline GT-R. Both German drivers improved their best lap times in the second session, ending the day with fine times of 2'00.204"and 2'00.905"for Krumm and Schwager, respectively. But Krumm's celebration was cut short when his car was later penalized for violating technical regulations. All lap times of the No.2 Skyline GT-R were disqualified due to illegal fuel tank capacity. As a result, the driver pair of Katayama/Krumm will start the race from the back of the GT500 class. Satoshi Motoyama in the No.12 Skyline GT-R fought a good fight in spite having an extra 60kg handicap weight on board, and turned a 2'00.992". The fastest Toyota was the No.36 Supra of Masanori Sekiya/Takeshi Tsuchiya. Tsuchiya recorded a strong 2'01.171" to take fourth position on the grid. Carrying a 70kg handicap weight, Driver Championship points leaders, Comas/Kageyama landed their Skyline GT-R tenth on the grid (2'02.330"). Comas was penalized too, due cutting across the chicane. Their main rival for the championship title, Michigami/Mitsusada in the No.16 NSX, put in a satisfying time of 2'01.209" to give them fifth on the grid. By the end of the day, five different cars had broken the old JGTC circuit record. No.24 986 BOXSTER The day was full of surprises for the GT300 class as well. Marco Apicella skillfully drove the No.24 Porsche Boxter to its first ever pole position. The Italian driver claimed an impressive 2'13.008"in the morning session, moving into a preliminary second on the grid behind Morio Nitta in the No.31 Toyota MR-S who timed a 2'12.304", both breaking the old GT 300 class circuit record. But Apicella improved dramatically in the second session, claiming a 2'11.647" lap and taking the pole position. (The car qualified last in the 2000 season opener at Twin Ring Motegi and now takes the pole position for the last round at Suzuka.) "Unbelievable. This is really one of my best days ever. The car ran very good and the team crew worked hard, so we were able to see the fruit of our efforts today. The only problem is in the reliability of the car," commented Apicella after the final session. The old circuit record was also broken by Morio Nitta in the No.31 Toyota MR-S (2'11.775") and Eiji Yamada in the No.55 Viper GTS-R (2'12.273"). POLE POSITION DRIVERS