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Race Report
2019.06.30
Rd. 4 GT300 Race: GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R stages winning overtake in the final lap!

Rd. 4 GT300 Race: GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R stages winning overtake in the final lap!の画像

Round 4 Chang International Circuit : Race GT300

On Sunday, June 30, the Chang SUPER GT RACE, Round 4 of the 2019 AUTOBACS SUPER GT, was held at Chang International Circuit (4,554m X 66 laps) in Buriram, Thailand. In the GT500 class, the No. 6 WAKO'S 4CR LC500 (Kazuya Oshima/Kenta Yamashita) started from the pole position to win their first victory in six years. In the GT 300 class, an overtake in the final lap gave the No. 10 GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R (Kazuki Hoshino, Keishi Ishikawa) a come-from-behind the victory.

 

Weather: clear; Track: dry; Temperature (air/track surface) at start: 33℃/48℃ (15:00), 34℃/43℃ (15:30), 34℃/44℃ (16:00), 34℃/45℃ (16:30)

 

 

 

2nd-position qualifier, No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN AUTOMOBILE TECHNICAL COLLEGE GT-R leads the race

The Round 4 race in Thailand, the only round competed outside Japan, started at the Chang International Circuit at exactly 3:00 in the afternoon (17:00 Japan time).

 

In the GT300 class, the opening lap saw the pole-starting No. 25 HOPPY 86 MC (Kimiya Sato) be chased and finally overtaken by the 2nd-position starter, the No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN AUTOMOBILE TECHNICAL COLLEGE GT-R (Sacha Fenestraz), on the third turn to take the lead and then rapidly begin to expand its margin of lead.

 

Meanwhile, it was the battle for 2nd place that captivated the spectators in the early going. Behind car No. 25 came the No. 7 D'station Vantage GT3 (Joao Paulo de Oliveira) and the behind it the No. 10 GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R (Kazuki Hoshino) that had been moving up through the field, making it a three-way battle for 2nd. Although there was no change in the order of the three for a while, on the fourth turn of the 16th lap, the No. 7 D'station Vantage GT3 took the inside to pass No. 25 with the No. 10 GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R following suit. Next, No. 25 was passed by the No. 11 GAINER TANAX GT-R (Hironobu Yasuda) to fall back yet another place in the order.

 

The first among the top group to make its routine pit stop was the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Haruki Kurosawa) running in 6th place on the 19th lap, then changing drivers to Naoya Gamou. Then, on the 23rd lap, the No. 11 GAINER TANAX GT-R made its pit stop, followed in close succession by the No. 10 GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R and the No. 25 HOPPY 86 MC. On the 29th lap it was the leading No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN AUTOMOBILE TECHNICAL COLLEGE GT-R that made its stop and changed drivers to Kazuki Hiramine.

 

 

 

Two GT-Rs, REALIZE and the GAINER car No. 10, take the race climax down to the last lap

Meanwhile, the No. 7 D'station Vantage GT3 had held of to make a late pit stop on the 34th lap, changing drivers to Tomonobu Fujii. Here the team decided to change only the left side tires. Soon after that, there was a crash between two GT500 class cars and the cars came to a stop on the track, thus bringing out the Safety Car.

 

The cars finished their pit work during the Safety Car break and returned to the track in the same order as before their pit stops, with the No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN AUTOMOBILE TECHNICAL COLLEGE GT-R (Hiramine) followed by the No. 7 D'station Vantage GT3 (Fujii) and then the No. 10 GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R (Keishi Ishikawa), No. 11 GAINER TANAX GT-R (Katsuyuki Hiranaka) and the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Naoya Gamou). At the restart, cars No. 10 and No. 11 were passed in succession by No. 7. In the late stages of the race, No. 7’s pace began to slow and on the 57th lap a problem developed in its right rear tire. It managed to return to the pit to replace it, but with this time loss it dropped out of contention for any series points.

 

 

Despite the appearance that the race had been won by car No. 56, Ishikawa in car No. 10 gradually bridged the gap, coming nose-to-tail with the leading No. 56. The heated battle ensued between the two NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3 cars that was finally brought to a close when No. 10, who was able to pass No. 56 on the final lap after going side-by-side. In the dramatic overturn in the final lap the No. 10 GAINER TANAX triple a GT-R (Kazuki Hoshino/Keishi Ishikawa) won their first victory of the season. This was the first SUPER GT victory for Ishikawa. With second place claimed by the No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN AUTOMOBILE TECHNICAL COLLEGE GT-R (Kazuki Hiramine/Sacha Fenestraz) that led for most of the race, NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3 cars claimed the top two positions.

 

Cars No. 11 and No. 65 fought over 3rd place until the final lap, with last year’s GT300 class champions, the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Haruki Kurosawa/ Naoya Gamou) also winning in a dramatic overtake. Finishing in 3rd place brought the team its first podium ascent of the season.

 

 

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