2017.12.01

Champions and all members of SUPER gathered at this season's award-giving "SUPER GT HEROES 2017"

In the evening of December 1st, AUTOBACS SUPER GT 2017 Series award-giving ceremony “SUPER GT HEROES 2017” was held at a hotel in Tokyo. This year was the third holding of the award presentation which brings together not only this year's series champions, participating drivers, and team managers, but everybody supporting SUPER GT from AUTOBACS SEVEN CO., LTD (AUTOBACS) as well as all other sponsors, automakers, tire manufacturers, hosting circuits, Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), etc. It was just a perfect celebration to conclude the 2017 season reawakening the memories of exciting battles. Pierre Kitagawa, the SUPER GT official announcer well-known as the voice of circuit, and Amie Izawa, a SUPER GT pit reporter for J SPORTS, hosted the presentation as the masters of ceremonies.

 

 

To mark the opening of ceremony, Masaaki Bandoh, the chairman of GTA Co.,Ltd, the governing body of SUPER GT, addressed the floor. "We saw 45 cars in the SUPER GT entry list this year and completed all eight events in success. This would not have been possible without supports from SUPER GT fans as well as all the teams, drivers, automakers, tire manufacturers, circuits, organizers, officials, JAF, and everybody who are here tonight. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you. This year marks the third holding of SUPER GT HEROES 2017 and this is also an opportunity for us to extend our appreciation to everybody who are involved with SUPER GT." SUPER GT HEROES 2017 started with the chairman's words of appreciation to all members for their hard work.

 

 

Many guests from companies and organizations that support SUPER GT were invited to the GT HEROES. From Liberal Democratic Party Parliamentary Association for Motorsports, Honorary advisor Shozo Nakamura, Chairman Keiji Furuya, Deputy Secretary-general Kenji Kanda, and Secretary Toshitaka Oooka attended the ceremony. Congratulatory message was received from Secretary-general Junko Mihara, a former SUPER GT (JGTC back then) competitor who could not attend due to her busy schedule of official duties.

Chairman Furuya gave a brief comment before he returned to his public duty, "I have been appointed to the chairman of the Committee on rules and administration of the House of Representatives, and I have to go back to the parliament right after this, therefore, I have asked Mr Shozaburo Nakamura to take up the role of presenter. I am very sorry. I not only like watching SUPER GT, but I myself also compete in a race, though it's only an amateur-level racing. In my college years, I enjoyed racing in the rally, and when I went to see and support a women-only rally last week, it was very crowded and I felt confident that we can entrench the motorsports culture in Japan by expanding the base through circuit racing and rally. The collaboration with DTM is showing a progress, and I'm sure it will create more fans if the two series can have a race together in future, so I am hoping Chairman Bandoh to definitely realize this. We will give a firm support from a legislative standpoint." Furuya promised to support SUPER GT and motorsports in Japan and returned to his duty.

Masatoshi Akimoto, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, also gave a comment on behalf of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, which governs the transportation related administrations. "I'm sure the passion of all teams that competed the one-year-long series have reached the fans. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has been supporting SUPER GT and F4 since 2014 and awards the MLIT Minister Award. We have a high expectation on an improvement in the automobile racing as well as the automobile technology in our support to promote safer and more exciting tuned cars and race cars. In fact, I wanted to be a racer when I was young, and I used to drive on a kart circuit which Motoyoma is involved. I even have an experience in participating in a race in USA. Now, I tell myself that I was not talented enough and put all my effort in the politics. Supporting motorsports in this ways actually gives me a joy too." Akimoto revealed his feeling towards motorsports and the passion to support it.

 

  

 

The stage moved on to introduction of 21 sponsoring companies that supports SUPER GT. GTA Chairman Bandoh handed over a commemorative gift to each and every representative.

Kimio Kobayashi, Representative Director, AUTOBACS SEVEN CO., LTD., the series title sponsor, addressed the floor on behalf of all companies. "This year's SUPER GT was at a milestone in various aspects. It was 50th anniversary for Fuji Speedway, 20th for Twin Ring Motegi, and our ARTA also reached 20th year since the establishment. It was a heart-pounding season opener caused by some troubles, a record-breaking huge crowd of 52,000 people gathered at Round 2 Fuji, ARTA's GT500 and GT300 cars achieved pole-to-win at Round 5 Fuji, and the last 1000km race at Suzuka. We had over 400,000 spectators inside and outside of Japan in one year watching our race. This was only possible because of the participating drivers, teams, and all other members of the series. I would like to propose a toast and wish everybody here the best of luck in 2018."

 

  

 

The award-giving SUPER GT HEROES 2017 is also a party to reward all teams, drivers, and members involved in operation which showcased exciting battles. For such occasion, a gorgeous menu of cuisine welcomed the guests, and each dish had a special meaning. In support for people of Tohoku and Kyushu region that suffered damages from earthquake, foods from the areas were used in the dishes.

 

 

SUPER GT+, a TV program focusing exclusively on SUPER GT broadcast through the TV Tokyo network, was also at the venue to record the ceremony, and the winner of GT Plus Award, a special award named after the TV program, was announced during the shoot.

 

 

This award-giving ceremony GT HEROES is set to praise heroes of SUPER GT, but the heroes are not only drivers or team personnel. From this perspective, members from JAF, circuits (organizer), and GTA officials who enabled smooth operation of the series were introduced once again.

 

 

Then it was time for SUPER GT awards presentation, and, firstly, the team representatives of both GT500 and GT300 classes were called onto the stage. Each of the top three teams in the point standing received "AUTOBACS Award" from Teruyuki Matsumura, Director/Senior Managing Executive Officer, AUTOBACS SEVEN CO., LTD.

 

 

GT300 Team Champion No.4 GOODSMILE RACING & TeamUKYO was presented with the Liberal Democratic Party Parliamentary Association for Motorsports Cup and catalog of extra award by Shozaburo Nakamura, an honorary advisor of Liberal Democratic Party Parliamentary Association for Motorsports, and Takanori Aki, the representative of entrant, received the honor.

 

  

 

Award granted to the top finishing JAF-specification car or mother-chassis car in the GT300 class every year, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister's Cup, was given to No.25 VivaC team TSUCHIYA two years in a row, and the cup was handed over by Parliamentary Vice-Minister Akimoto of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to Team manager Takeshi Tsuchiya. GTA PRIZE given to the 2017-season champion team was handed over to Aki of GOODSMILE RACING & TeamUKYO by GTA Chairman Bandoh.

 

  

 

In GT500 class, the team champion receives “Economy, Trade, and Industry Minister's Cup.” Glittering Grand Cup was giving to Team manager Masanori Sekiya of this season's champion No37 LEXUS TEAM KeePer TOM'S by Hiroshi Tsuchida, Deputy-Director General, Manufacturing Industries Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. GTA PRIZE was also handed over to Team manager Sekiya from Chairman Bandoh.

 

 

After all team representatives of SUPER GT teams were invited on to the stage, Hiroto Kaneso, Team Manager of apr, addressed on behalf of all teams. "We would like to thank everybody from GTA, organizers, and officials for their operation which enabled us to race safely and also our fans who gave their 100% support no matter if it's hot or cold or even in the rain. I would like to extend our appreciation on behalf of the entrants. SUPER GT is the number one race in Japan. It is a premier race which the whole world pays attention to. What we, the entrants, need to do in such situation is to make the younger generation aware of SUPER GT as well as the racing industry of Japan. I jumped in to this world because there were many great predecessors who I admired. We need to continue the history in the same way. To do that, we need to improve the value of entrants, mechanics, and drivers more and more. If we can do that, then SUPER GT will flourish and the racing industry will develop more. We will make a progress day by day and put effort in improvement to achieve that goal. We are expecting to have a driver who would make you stunned in 2018. We will possibly see a new team too. New car is expected in GT300. Without a doubt, I am confident that we can assure you to see a race more exciting than this year in 2018." Team manager Kaneso expressed appreciation for this season and promised a hard work by each entrant and a new surprise in next season.

 

  

 

Ceremony had finally reached the climax. It was time for drivers award presentation. Firstly, the top three ranking drivers of both classes were given the AUTOBACS Award.

 

 

And then GTA Chairman Bandoh presented 3D crystals shaped in No.4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG and No.37 KeePer TOM'S LC500 cars to GT300 Champion Nobuteru Taniguchi / Tatsuya Kataoka and GT500 Champion Ryo Hirakawa / Nick Cassidy, respectively, along with extra prize Ise lobster as GTA PRIZE.

 

 

GT300 class Champions Nobuteru Taniguchi / Tatsuya Kataoka (No.4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG) and GT500 class Champions Ryo Hirakawa / Nick Cassidy (No.37 KeePer TOM'S LC500) gave comments on behalf of all SUPER GT drivers.

"I felt jealousy over the team that clinched the title last year when I was invited to this ceremony, and I pushed myself the whole year thinking we must become champion this year. That came true and I felt very good coming to this venue this year. I will continue to work had so that I can come back here again as the champion next year. And, I will try to show-off so the kids would admire us, the racing drivers." Taniguchi reflected back on past one year and reveled his thought on the future.

"Like Taniguchi said, I felt disappointed as I watched the back of the champions here last year. Our team seems to have this trend of becoming champion every three years, and there was an expectation from before the opening round. I kept on fighting by telling myself that we can clinch the title after winning the season opener. But our rivals were strong and we struggled in many races. I am thankful that I can make a speech like this here today. I want to make a speech here again next year, but I think the rivals right behind me would be fighting back strong trying not to allow that to happen, so I just need to be stronger standing against it next season." Kataoka looked back and told how intense the battle was in the GT300 class.

 

 

Hirakawa, who became GT500 champion for the first time in his career at record-marking young age with his 23-year-old duo, talked about appreciation and future. "GT500 class was once again a close battle this year where nobody knew who was going to be the champion until the final round, and two of us, young 23-year-old teammates, were able to clinch the title. I believe this title is not only ours, it was only possible because of the support from Lexus and TRD and all the cheering from our fans. Thank you everybody for your support throughout the year."

Though only five months younger than Hirakawa, Cassidy became the youngest champion in the GT500 history. "Kombanwa ('Good evening' in Japanese). I feel very honored and proud to be standing here. I didn't even think about this a few months ago, so I'm very happy. I would like to thank everybody from Lexus and TRD for giving me such an experience like this. And Tachi san from TOM'S, thank you for bringing me into the TOM'S family!" He extended his appreciation to his whole team.

 

 

As the closing remark of SUPER GT HEROES 2017, Chairman Bandoh said, "We always think about what we can do to improve the awareness of motorsports, globalization, and positioning of SUPER GT in Japan as we move forward step by step with your support. This year, we took Lexus LC500 and Nissan GT-R to the DTM's final round at Hockenheim for demonstration runs with DTM cars, and then, at SUPER GT'S final round at Motegi, Honda NSX-GT were added to this, and we were able to have six automakers running together along with DTM. This lead to improvement of the recognition of SUPER GT in not only Europe and Asia, but in the world. The unification of technical regulations with DTM is making a progress step by step, as you can see. We are aiming to enhance this collaboration to eventually establish a championship to decide the fastest GT car in the world. Also, besides fastest in the world, our goal is to focus more on environment-friendly race operation so that SUPER GT can be used as a tool by different companies. We will also put effort in volunteer activities, such as disaster recovery support and road safety promotion, as well as natural environment protection to dignify and establish the motorsport culture. You can expect to see SUPER GT develop even more next year." Chairman told the future of SUPER GT and closed the curtain on the 2017-season.

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