Qualifying Session 1 Cloudy, Air: 12ºC, Track: 14ºC - Dry

The second 20-minute session began at 10:10, this year's GT500 class machines taking to the track in force, looking to ensure a highly competitive morning. First out were tbe No.25 ECLIPSE ADVAN Supra and the group of cars running Yokohama ADVAN tires and the Dunlop tire group. By the beginning of the last 10 minutes of the session, the remaining team streamed onto the track one after another. The ensuing time attack battle was impressive.

Claiming the top early on was the No.23XANAVI NISMO Z, with Satoshi Motoyama clocking a time of 1.53.063sec, but shortly thereafter the Benoit Treluyer moved his No.12 Calsonic IMPUL Z into the best-time slot after circling the course at 1.52.853sec, and right behind him was Michael Krumm in the No.22 MOTUL AUTECH Z with a close second position at 1.52.954, and giving the Fairlady Z group a 1-2-3 positioning in the field. Juichi Wakisaka went into his attack lap in the No.36 OPEN INTERFACE TOM'S SC430 determined to challenge for the top, but the machine seemed lethargic and he was only able to time 1.53.284sec, for 5th position. In the last minutes of the GT500 time session, Daisuke Ito gave the fans a taste of things to come from the No.8 ARTA NSX completing his attack lap in 1.52.663sec, setting a new course record for the GT500 class, and stepping into the top slot above the three Fairlady Zs.

From 10:30 the track was open to both classes, and the machines filled the course like a bewildering swarm of bees. The No.100 RAYBRIG NSX (Shinya Hosokawa) started out well on a lap to clear the base qualifying time, but slid off the course at the S Corner, the car coming to rest against the sponge barriers at course side. This brought out a red flag and a brief session suspension. Hosokawa was uninjured, but it was still a tough break as the car failed to clear the qualifying lap cut-off time for the Super Lap even though teammate Sebastien Philippe set the 7th fastest lap of the morning. The session restarted at 10:46, with a little more than 10 minutes left. The teams whose cars were still sitting lower than 11th on the grid earnestly fought to improve their times and move up to within 10th in order to take part in the Super Lap. The GT300-class No.46 Kicchouhouzan DIREZZA Z, driven by Kota Sasaki, jumped from 11th to 9th in the final seconds, and the session ended.

The morning session ended with the No.8 ARTA NSX, No.12 Calsonic IMPUL Z, and No.22 MOTUL AUTECH Z leading the group of 10 GT500 machines for the Super Lap, and the No.13 ENDLESS ADVAN CCI Z and the No.2 Privee Zurich Apple Shiden leading the 10 berths for GT300 machines.

Qualifying Session 2 Rain, Air: 13ºC, Track: 12ºC - Wet

Super Lap Not Held in Best Conditions - Ito Maintains Strong Lead Over Rivals

Rain began as a drizzle from around 12:30, but by the start of the second qualifying session at 14:00 it had strengthened into a steady rain and the entire course was wet.

The GT300 class ran exclusively for the first 15 minutes of the afternoon session, followed by the GT500 class for the second 15 minutes. The cars of each group came out at their respective times, checking the surface conditions of the track. The Shinya Hosokawa brought the No.100 RAYBRIG NSX onto the track and was looking to improve the car's time to within the qualifying cut-off time. Things initially looked promising early in the lap, but he experience machine trouble and the car slowed and the team's qualifying hopes came to an end.

The GT300 class started its Super Lap runs at 14:35, the first car to attack being the No.88 AKTIO Murcie RG-1 with Marco Apicella behind the wheel. He completed the lap in 2.21.277sec, giving the rest of the GT300 field their target to beat. The next car out was the No.46 Kicchouhouzan DIREZZA Z driven by Kota Sasaki, whose time of 2.20.858sec was sufficient to steal the King's Seat from Apicella and the No.88 car. The rain continued to fall, and conditions gradually worsened throughout the afternoon. As a result, none of the last five cars of the GT300 class were able to improve their times. The No.46 DIREZZA Z claimed the pole, followed by the No.87 and No.88 Lamborghini Murcielagos at 2nd and 3rd on the grid.

In the time that it took to clear the course before starting the GT500 Super Lap, the rain had lightened and the track surface conditions were looking better. The first car out was the No.66 Triple A Supra GT (Andre Couto), marking a time attack of 2.10.508sec. Loic Duval was out next in the No.32 EPSON NSX, timing 2.09.673 to replace the No.66 car in the King's Seat. But not for long, as the third car out, the No.18 TAKATA Dome NSX driven by Ryo Michigami, dropped another 2 seconds off the best time, lapping at 2.07.489sec to take the provisional pole and put Michigami in the King's Seat.

Rain started falling again by the time the 4th car, the No.3 Yellow Hat YMS TOMICA Z driven by Joao Paulo de Oliveria, entered the track for his attack. The No.1 ZENT CERUMO SC (driver Yuji Tachikawa) managed to hold on to his third position spot. The second to last in the Super Lap lineup was the No.12 Calsonic IMPUL Z and driver Benoit Treluyer, a racer known for his skill in driving under wet conditions. Many were anticipating Treluyer to time better than the No.18 car, but the car went out at the Degner Curve and the time lost was too much. The final car of the day was the No.8 ARTA NSX.

In spite of the rain-filled day, the fans held out until the end, and Ito and the No.8 NSX gave a fine performance. His attack produced a lap time of 2.06.533, finishing with a gap of more than 1sec over the second car, the No.18 TAKATA Dome NSX. All over and done, Ito took the pole, and finished the day with a faultless and impressive attack under hard conditions.

R.Firman, D.Ito, K.Sasaki, T.Banba