2019 AUTOBACS SUPER GT 2nd round “FUJI GT 500km RACE”
The final race was held on May 4 at Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture (4,563 m × 110 laps per lap). The early race was interrupted by a sudden strong thunderstorm, but then the weather recovered and a good race developed. The GT500 class won the No. 38 ZENT CERUMO LC500 (Koji Tachikawa / Hiroaki Ishiura), and the GT300 class the No. 11 GAINER TANAX GT-R (Katsuyuki Hiranaka / Hironobu Yasuda) won.
Qualifying on the previous day, this morning was blessed with good weather, but it started raining before the race, and the road surface was completely wet at the start. For this reason, it started with the safety car lead and started the race after finishing two laps.
At the start of the pole position No.23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R (Ronnie Quintarelli) running at the top from the pole position, No.37 KeePer TOM’S LC500 (Nick Cassidy) aggressively attacked, and developing a hard top fight that sometimes slipped on a wet road surface . The addition was No. 38 ZENT CERUMO LC500 (Tachikawa Shino) that has been catching up in the rain from the seventh place in the qualifying.
The 38th car will also be ahead of the two cars ahead, and will be on top at the 13th lap. Just before that the rain was so strong and the thunder rang that the red flag was presented and the race was suspended.
Luckily, it took about 30 minutes and the rain went up, and the race resumed. After this, when the road surface gradually dries, it will be a match race between the 38th car and the 23rd car. After the first pit-in, No. 23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R (Tatsuo Matsuda) leads but No. 38 ZENT CERUMO LC 500 (Hiroaki Ishiura) reverses. In the last pit-in, No. 23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R (Quinartelli) comes ahead, but in the last 10 laps, No. 38 ZENT CERUMO LC500 (Tachikawa) turns over.
After all, No. 38 ZENT CERUMO LC 500 ran away and won the championship. The second place is No. 23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R. Last year’s champion No.1 RAYBRIG NSX-GT (Naoki Yamamoto / Jenson · Baton) was in third place from the 12th place after qualifying.
In the GT300 class, No. 11 GAINER TANAX GT-R (Hironobu Yasuda) raised its position from the 4th position in the early stage of the wet road surface and raised pole position No. 56 Realize Nissan Motor College GT-R Take out Takara) and stand at the top. Then, in spite of the race interruption due to heavy rain, GAINER TANAX GT-R (Katsuyuki Hiranaka) expanded the margin. At the end of the race, GAINER TANAX GT-R (Hironobu Yasuda) was nominated for No. 55 ARTA NSX GT 3 (Shinichi Takagi), but he ran out of it and won. The No. 55 ARTA NSX GT 3 (Takagi / Fukuzumi Hitoshi) came in second, and the No. 88 Manpa Lamborghini GT 3 (Takushi Kogure) came in third.
(Attendant mobilization: 56,000 people 5/3 (qualifying day) 35,800 people for two days totaling 81,800)
Winner’s comment
GT500 class
No.38 ZENT CERUMO LC 500
Tachikawa Kushiro
“I changed the team management this season, and my pressure increased, but I felt that I would definitely want to win today as the opening game ended in a disappointing result It was a really daunting development from the beginning to the end, but it was a great race, and it was a great result and we were able to finish it. Thank you for your support. “
Ishiura Hiroaki
“We were two years ago, and we won the first time in two years since we won in Fuji in this May. At that time, we shared the joy of winning with Tachikawa, but Tachikawa also said Well, this year, both of them changed their positions and their responsibilities became heavy, which is why I felt strongly that I would like to win this home course, Fuji. It was really good to win. “
GT300 class
No. 11 GAINER TANAX GT-R
Hiranaka Katsuyuki
“I think that Yasuda player in the final stage was really hot. I have experience, but the development being chased is physically and mentally hot. So I am grateful to Yasuda player I have won a tie with him in Thailand last year, and it has been a win since that, but today’s victory is a very happy race that I will remember in my own memory from now on. “
Hironobu Yasuda
“If I thought it was a one-on with the No. 56 car (Realize Nissan Motor College GT-R) today, it was a different development. The last run was a really tough battle, but the last one, the GT500 vehicle “I was able to take advantage of the situation I was overwhelmed by and managed to run away and win.”
