Going into the final round of the 2005 season, a trio of Toyota Supras sits at the head of the grid. Honda NSX machines occupy the next three spots, with the leaders in the drivers' title sixth. Nissan Z cars line up seventh, ninth and tenth; punctuated by the fourth of the Honda NSXs in eighth.

QUALIFYING SESSION 1

Official Qualifying for the season-ending round of the 2005 AUTOBACS SUPER GT got off to a sunny start this morning, the cars taking to the track at precisely 10:00. GT300 machines had twenty minutes to themselves before the GT500 cars took to the track, with the final twenty minutes featuring both classes running together.

Within minutes of the GT500 cars being on track, TEAM IMPUL driver Yuji Ide had a major off, his blue #12 CALSONIC IMPUL Z hurtling at very high speed into the foam barriers at the exit of the Dunlop corner. The session was halted for over 15 minutes while the driver was extricated from the car. Although not seriously injured, Ide was taken to hospital for a precautionary check-up. Whether he takes the start tomorrow will be decided by course doctors in the morning.

Once resumed, the remainder of the session saw competitors visibly working the cars to the limit, particularly over the kerbs at the chicane, in their effort to set times that would guarantee them a berth in the afternoon's SL (Super Lap).

And quick times they did set. Juichi Wakisaka broke the lap record with his scorching 1:53.882 around the 5.807-kilometer track in the #6 ESSO Ultraflo Supra. Next up, another Supra (the #38 ZENT Cerumo machine) was second, followed by the #37 Open Interface TOM'S Supra; making it trio of Toyotas topping the charts at this Honda-owned track. Results from the afternoon session were expected to be somewhat different as the #8 ARTA NSX fights for pole position - the best place on the grid from which to settle one's championship bid.

Conversely, the closest contenders for the title next to the orange Honda were hampered with differential problems, leaving the #36 Open Interface TOM'S Supra down in 14th. Assuming the Firman/Ito NSX runs as expected in SL, they will be miles up the grid from the Toyota pair, and could be set for a trouble-free run to the title tomorrow afternoon.

Following the brace of Supras were three NSXs; the #32 EPSON machine leading both the Team Honda Racing entries, with the #18 Takata Dome machine ahead of the #8 ARTA car in sixth.

First among the Nissans was the #3 G'ZOX Hasemi Z, just ahead of the #100 Raybrig NSX; with the #22 Motul Pitwork Z and #1 Xanavi NISMO Z rounding out the top ten.

GT300 saw the #31 Kicchouhouzen MR-S top the timesheets, with the #2 Privee Zurich Apple RD320R Vemac second. Another of the British mid-engined super cars was third, the #27 direxiv ADVAN 320R taking the spot in front of the #0 EBBRO M-TEC NSX. The #43 ARTA Garaiya was seventh, behind the #62 Willcom ADVAN Vemac 350R (sixth) and the #47 CCI Recaldent ADVAN Z (fifth).
Rounding out the top ten were the #11 Jim Gainer Ferrari Dunlop F360 in eighth, ahead of the #13 Endless ADVAN Z and the #19 WedsSport Celica.

QUALIFYING SESSION 2

After both classes had fifteen minutes' on-track running, the Super Lap session got underway at 14:35. As usual, GT300 cars were out first, followed by GT500 machinery.

It was a display of raw talent from youngster Kazuki Nakajima as he snatched pole in the last sector of the lap from the #2 Privee Zurich Apple RD320R Vemac with veteran Akira Watanabe at the wheel. The trio of Vemac entries in SL all showed extremely quick pace through the middle sector of the lap.
Next up, the #0 EBBRO M-TEC NSX took third, a full second off pole time. Fourth went to the #27 direxiv ADVAN 320R Vemac, with the #47 CCI Recaldent ADVAN Z fifth, the similar #13 Endless ADVAN Z in sixth and the #43 ARTA Garaiya taking seventh. Rounding out the GT300 top ten were the #11 Jim Gainer Ferrari Dunlop in eighth, the #62 Willcom ADVAN Vemac 350R ninth, and the first car out, the #19 Weds Sport Celica in tenth.

GT500 started with the all-new main straight grandstand packed to the rafters, fans leaning out to catch a glimpse of their heroes as they blasted past.

Just as it did when the GT300 competitors were setting their SL times, the track steadily got quicker as the session wore on for the GT500 competitors.

First out was the #1 Xanavi NISMO Z, reigning champion Satoshi Motoyama at the wheel. His time of 1:56.035 was quicker only than the next car out, the sister NISMO entry, Michael Krumm getting round the circuit in 1:56.403. Times then started to tumble as the third car, the #100 Raybrig NSX with Sebastien Philippe, set a 1:55.223. The #3 G'ZOX Hasemi Z was next out on track, driver Toshihiro Kaneishi the first driver to break into the 1-minute 54-second bracket with his 1:54.914, netting seventh place on the grid.

Lead protagonists for the drivers' title, Daisuke Ito lined the #8 ARTA NSX up sixth behind the #32 EPSON NSX with Andre Lotterer. The #18 Takata Dome NSX was fourth, with the top three positions taken by Toyotas. Although the order changed somewhat, it was the same three Supras at the top of the field as in the morning session. A scintillating run by Sakon Yamamoto meant third place went to the #37 Open Interface TOM'S Supra, with this morning's record breaker Juichi Wakisaka taking the #6 ESSO Ultraflo Supra to second.

Pole position went to the #38 ZENT Cerumo Supra, driver Yuji Tachikawa breaking the lap record with his 1:53.801.

Tomorrow's 52-lap race will no doubt be a nail-biter as the Hondas try to get past the trio of Toyotas at the head of the grid.

With rain forecast, the weather will add another element to the mix - and it could well be a complete surprise as to who crosses the line first at four o'clock.

(from left) T.Takagi/Y.Tachikawa, K.Nakajima/M.Tanaka

Driver comments:
Yuji Tachikawa - #38 ZENT Cerumo Supra - GT500 Pole Position
"First of all, we've achieved the first step of our goal. Our target for this race is to turn things around and take the championship. For us to achieve this, we absolutely have to win tomorrow. The possibility of this happening has increased with pole position. More than feeling relief, we have to focus on victory. Therefore, we shouldn't be overly happy today as we've still got to go out and win tomorrow.
The battle with the #6 car was very close (25 thousandths of a second). As Juichi (Wakisaka) is known to be very quick at Suzuka, I thought it would be difficult to overtake him. We changed the set-up on the car after the first session today and I think that worked out well.
Tomorrow depends largely on the weather. Honestly speaking, if it rains, I can't say which car will be quick or how the race will develop.
For us, we came here to take the title - and in that respect we have nothing to lose. We'll be giving it everything we've got in the race.
It's the last round of the championship, so for the fans, it would be better if the weather was nice."

Kazuki Nakajima - #31 Kicchouhouzen MR-S - GT300 Pole Position
"It's been a long time since I've been in Super Lap - as far back as Round 3 at Sepang! On track, I just concentrated on putting a good lap together rather than worrying about the split times as I drove. It's a great feeling to have scored Pole Position here at Suzuka. We ran a lot faster than in the morning, and I am extremely happy to have broken into the 2:03 bracket (2:03.951). The #2 car was very close behind, and I knew that if I made a mistake we'd never have been on top.
Although we don't know exactly what the weather will be like for the race, if it's dry, we're confident of running very strongly. The Michelin tires are good in both dry and wet conditions so on that front we're very confident ahead of the race."