2022.11.06

Rd. 8 Race GT300: ARTA NSX GT3 NSX GT3 runs from Pole to Victory! Amid numerous upsets, REALIZE NISSAN MECHANIC CHALLENGE GT-R emerges with season title!

Rd. 8 Race GT300

The MOTEGI GT 300km RACE GRAND FINAL, Round 8 of the 2022 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series, took place on November 6 (Sun.) at Mobility Resort Motegi (4,801m x 63 laps) in Tochigi Prefecture. In the GT500 class, the No. 100 STANLEY NSX-GT (Naoki Yamamoto/Tadasuke Makino) started from pole position to win the race. The series title went to the race’s 2nd-place finisher, the No. 12 CALSONIC IMPUL Z (Kazuki Hiramine/Bertrand Baguette). In the GT300 class, it was also a win from pole position for the No. 55 ARTA NSX GT3 (Hideki Mutoh/Iori Kimura), but in a trouble-bent contest for the season title it was the No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN MECHANIC CHALLENGE GT-R (Kiyoto Fujinami/Joao Paulo de Oliveira) that emerged the champions.

 

 

 

 

 

　The No. 61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT (Takuto Iguchi/Hideki Yamauchi) team that had suffered a crash in the Q2 qualifying session the day before worked to repair the machine by morning, but turbo trouble occurred in the pre-noon warm-up that prevented it from running. But the team was able to repair that as well in time to take their place on the starting grid. Furthermore, due to a penalty received during the qualifying, the No. 87 Bamboo Airways Lamborghini GT3 (Kosuke Matsuura/Natsu Sakaguchi) was dropped back two positions in the grid order and thus had to start the race from the 6th grid position.

　In the early stages of the race, Iori Kimura in the pole-sitting No. 55 ARTA NSX GT3 NSX GT3 found himself in a side-by-side battle with the No. 18 UPGARAGE NSX GT3E NSX GT3 (Takashi Kobayashi/Kakunoshin Ohta) that had started from the 2nd grid position. From this, it was car No. 18 that emerged in the lead. Among the title contenders, the top-ranked No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN MECHANIC CHALLENGE GT-R (Kiyoto Fujinami) was running in 6th position and the 3rd-ranked No. 10 TANAX GAINER GT-R (Riki Okusa) was in 7th position. Meanwhile, the 2nd-ranked car No. 61 that has started from 16th position on the grid found itself falling even further back in the pack.

　By the 8th lap of the race, the GT500 class leaders were coming up through the GT300 class, and this is when an accident occurred. What developed was a multi-car crash that included two GT500 machines as well as the No. 30 apr GR86 GT (Hiroaki Nagai/Manabu Orido) and also the No. 25 HOPPY Schatz GR Supra (Takamitsu Matsui/Seita Nonaka). This resulted in an implementation of an FCY as well as a SC run. During the SC run there was a collision on the main straight between the No. 5 MACHSYAKEN AIR BUSTER MC86 MACH GO (Yusuke Tomibayashi/Reiji Hiraki) and the No. 31 apr GR SPORT PRIUS GT (Koki Saga/Yuhki Nakayama).

　As soon as the SC run ended, it was possible to begin routine pit stops, and the leading car No. 18 opted to make its pit stop immediately. During the stop there was trouble with the clutch engagement that cost extra time in the pit to remedy, which dropped the team back in the field. In contrast, the No. 52 SAITAMATOYOPET GB GR Supra GT (Hiroki Yoshida/Kohta Kawaai) that had also opted for an early pit stop, managed to emerge in 2nd position despite having started the race in 9th position on the grid. On the other hand, No. 55 that had delayed its pit stop to continue running in 2nd place managed to get through its pit stop in good order.

 

 

 

 

 

　By the time all of the GT300 class cars had completed their routine pit stops and changed drivers, it was car No. 55 (Hideki Mutoh) that had emerged in the lead, while car No. 52 ran in 2nd position some distance behind. These two were pursued by the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Naoya Gamou/Takuro Shinohara) and the No. 10 TANAX GAINER GT-R (Ryuichiro Tomita/Riki Okusa). Further back, the No. 56 (Joao Paulo de Oliveira) was also closing in. Holding strong pace, cars No. 10 and No. 56 were able to pass car No. 65 one after the other to move into 3rd and 4th positions. Because the 2nd-ranked car No. 61 was running in 16th position and out of the series point range, if it didn’t succeed in moving up into the points, the title would go to car No. 56.

　However, on the 42nd lap car No. 56 was struck by unexpected trouble. Coming out of the fourth corner, its right front tire came off. Despite having to run slowly on three wheels, driver de Oliveira managed to make it back to the pit, have the tire replaced and get back into the race. At this point he had fallen back to 21st position, which meant that Riki Okusa in the 3rd-position car No. 10 (driver being Tomita at the time) would have a good shot at the title.

　But, this would not be the last of the upsets and unexpected turns of events. Next it was car No. 10 that began to fall off the pace, resulting in it being passed by cars No. 87 and No. 18 to drop to 5th position. With just five laps remaining in the race, this increased the chances of the title going to No. 52. But now, car No. 87 was rapidly closing in on No. 52. Keeping that momentum, it would pass No. 52, after which it looked as if the goddess of fortune would desert No. 52 at the last moment.

This revived No. 10’s chances for the title. But, closing in behind it now came the No. 88 Weibo Primez Lamborghini GT3 (Takashi Kogure/Yuya Motojima). Although Tomita did his best in a side-by-side battle with No. 88, he was not able to keep from being overtaken. After this, Tomita would also be passed by car No. 18, and it seemed that luck had run out for No. 10 at last.

　In the end, after having Kimura hold on to 2nd place in the first half of the race and Mutoh holding the lead throughout the second half, the No. 55 ARTA NSX GT3 NSX GT3 (Hideki Mutoh/Iori Kimura) managed a perfect pole-to-goal victory in the final round. Not only for the rookie Kimura but, unexpectedly, for former GT300 champion Mutoh as well, it was their felicitous first GT300 victory. Finishing in 2nd and 3rd place came the No. 87 Bamboo Airways Lamborghini GT3 (Kosuke Matsuura/Natsu Sakaguchi) and the No. 52 SAITAMATOYOPET GB GR Supra GT (Hiroki Yoshida/Kohta Kawaai) respectively.

　As for the 2022 GT300 class title, it went to the No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN MECHANIC CHALLENGE GT-R (Kiyoto Fujinami/Joao Paulo de Oliveira) that finished this race in 20th place but was still able to win the title with the series point it already held before the race. In this way, through all the upsets and unexpected turns of fortune, the team was able to win back the title.

 

 

 

 

 

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