2008 SUPER GT Round2
Preview
2008-04-04
Will GT-R score back-to-back? Or will it be NSX making its way out?
The stage is set for GT-R vs. NSX in Okayama!
A new machine makes its debut in GT300
Okayama International Circuit (Mimasaka, Okayama prefecture) is hosting the 2008 AUTOBACS SUPER GT Round 2 "OKAYAMA GT 300km RACE" on April 12th and 13th. SUPER GT kicked off its 2008 season with the newcomer NISSAN GT-R dominating the opening round in the GT500 class, but the rivals are no place near to stand watching GT-R go on its way either. The REAL battle begins here. Also a new model of the season, LEXUS IS350 will make its debut in the GT300 class. The stage is set in Okayama where the excitement continues from the opening round, or even more to offer, you just can't miss a bit in Okayama!
GT-R's domination may continue, but this time by No.12 CALSONIC and No.3 YellowHat
No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R
The season opener in Suzuka saw new GT-R's domination in the qualifying, taking from the pole position to third place, as well as in the race with No.23 XANAVI NISMO GT-R (Satoshi Motoyama / Benoit Treluyer) getting on the top of the podium. At the end of the day, GT-R had captured 1st and 2nd finishes at the '08 season opener. So the odds are on GT-R again for the second round, one might think, but things are not that easy as it may be seen.
The venue for the SUPER GT Round 2 is at a circuit known for its super-technical layout, Okayama International Circuit. Unlike Suzuka, the circuit consists of many slow-speed corners, which are considered to be unfavorable for GT-R. In addition, the Special Adjustment of Performance will be implemented for its outstanding speed that will enforce all GT-Rs to load adjustment weights on the cars. But with the innate speed that GT-R has, No.12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R (Tsugio Matsuda / Sebastien Philippe) and No.3 YellowHat YMS TOMICA GT-R (Ronnie Quintarelli / Naoki Yokomizo), the pair of GT-Rs who spent an unfortunate day in Suzuka, might take full advantage of the car's potential to run all over in Okayama to win in the rematch.
NSX will take itself to the fullest at technical circuit!
Out of all SUPER GT machines, the car that favors Okayama is NSX. It is especially true for No.18 TAKATA DOME NSX (Ryo Michigami / Takashi Kogure), the consecutive pole sitter of last year and the year before, and winning the race in '06. All the key factors remain the same at the team including the drivers, machine, and team organization, so they may well be the top contender looking to take down GT-R. Last year's winner, No.1 ARTA NSX (Ralph Firman / Takuya Izawa), and No.100 RAYBRIG NSX (Yuji Ide / Shinya Hosokawa) also have a good chance in Okayama in that sense.
Contrarily, SC430 might experience some difficulties at the circuit. SC430, favoring high-speed track, tends to have harder time at such technical circuits. Nonetheless, there is always a chance that underdogs will catch everyone by surprise, namely, No.38 ZENT CERUMO SC430 (Yuji Tachikawa / Richard Lyons) led by the winningest SUPER GT driver who is confident in driving in Okayama, Tachikawa, No.36 PETRONAS TOM'S SC430 (Juichi Wakisaka / Andre Lotterer) who shows a fantastic team work in bad weather, and No.25 ECLIPSE ADVAN SC430 (Takeshi Tsuchiya / Hiroaki Ishiura) with ADVAN tires.
No.18 TAKATA DOME NSX
No.38 ZENT CERUMO SC430
Midengined machine may seem brighter in GT300
As it is considered that midengined NSX has an advantage in the GT500 class, the favorite to win the GT300 class in Okayama would also be a midengined car. Sitting at the pole position last year in Okayama and finishing second at the season opener, Privée KENZO Asset Shiden (Kazuho Takahashi / Hiroki Katoh) would draw the spotlight in the GT300 class together with ARTA Garaiya (Morio Nitta / Shinichi Takagi). Having their ace driver Shinsuke Shibahara sidelined from the injury he suffered at the crash in the qualifying session of the first round Suzuka, No.62 WILLCOM ADVAN VEMAC408R (Haruki Kurosawa / Shogo Mitsuyama) will hand the Shibahara's portion of steering wheel to a substitute, Mitsuyama, for Okayama, which may create an interesting picture in the GT300 class race since Mitsuyama is a well experienced driver on Vemac.
Another compelling team in the GT300 class is No.95 Lightning McQueen apr MR (Kohei Hirate / Keisuke Kunimoto). Hirate and Kunimoto's senior member at TDP, Kazuya Oshima and Hiroaki Ishiura, won in Okayama last year on the same MR-S. It may be a difficult mission for a pair of GT rookies to win in their second race, but if they put up a performance to give them a boost, it will give a major impact to the GT300 class title race of this season.
No.2 Privée KENZO Asset Shiden
No.43 ARTA Garaiya
No.52 GREEN TEC KUMHO IS350 (Takuya Kurosawa / Takuto Iguchi) will start their season from Okayama and bring in one of the hottest news of the series. They are fielding a brand new machine, LEXUS IS350, to SUPER GT. Significant modification has been done on the car, giving it a potential to shake up the GT300 class hereafter. How does the car look? You just have to see it at Okayama!