The 1997 Japanese Touring Car Championship season was the 13th edition of the series. It began at Fuji Speedway

Fuji Speedway

is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...

 on April 6 and finished after eight events, also at Fuji Speedway on November 2. The championship was won by Osamu Nakako, driving for Mugen Honda

Mugen Motorsports

Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...

.

Teams & Drivers

EWLINE Team Car No. Drivers Rounds Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company... Honda Accord Honda Accord The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world.... 1   Naoki Hattori Naoki Hattori is a motoring journalist and racing driver from Japan. After being Japanese Formula 3 champion in 1990, he failed to pre-qualify for two Formula One grands prix with Coloni in 1991 as a late-season replacement for Pedro Chaves... 8 15   Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for... All 16   Osamu Nakako All Object T Toyota Corona EXiV Toyota Corona The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown"... 11   Takahiko Hara All 22   Hidetoshi Mitsusada Hidetoshi Mitsusada is a former Formula 3000 driver from Japan. He competed in his first F3000 race at Spa in 1998. His best race result was at Germany in 1998. He drove again in F3000 in 2000, for World Racing Team. Unfortunately, he did not manage to qualify for the first three races of the season. Later that year,... 8 Nismo Nismo Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona... Nissan Primera GT Nissan Primera The Nissan Primera is a medium sized family car produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan for the Japanese domestic and European markets.-Nissan Primera P10 :... 12   Kazuyoshi Hoshino Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969.... All 23   Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004... All Asano Racing Service BMW 318i BMW E36 The BMW E36 is the third generation of the 3 Series compact executive cars produced by BMW. It was introduced in late 1990 for Europe and in late 1991 for US and Canada. It was the successor to the E30 3 Series and was eventually replaced by the E90 3 Series in 2005, though E36 coupes were still... 13   Takeo Asano 8 Mooncraft Mugen Honda Honda Accord Honda Accord The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world.... 14   Ryo Michigami All 33   Hideki Okada All Endless Sport Endless (company) Endless is a Japanese automotive brake company. They specialize in brake pads, and their pads are used extensively in Japanese automotive racing, from D1 drift competitions to JGTC grand touring. Endless owns a sister brand which it is often confused with, ZEAL, which sells non-brake parts,... BMW 318i BMW E36 The BMW E36 is the third generation of the 3 Series compact executive cars produced by BMW. It was introduced in late 1990 for Europe and in late 1991 for US and Canada. It was the successor to the E30 3 Series and was eventually replaced by the E90 3 Series in 2005, though E36 coupes were still... 18   Mitsuhiro Kinoshita 1, 8 Racing Project Bandoh Toyota Corona EXiV Toyota Corona The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown"... 19   Katsutomo Kaneishi Katsutomo Kaneishi is a Japanese racing driver. He has competed in such series as the Japanese Touring Car Championship, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and Formula Nippon.-External links:*... All Hitotsuyama Racing BMW 318i BMW E36 The BMW E36 is the third generation of the 3 Series compact executive cars produced by BMW. It was introduced in late 1990 for Europe and in late 1991 for US and Canada. It was the successor to the E30 3 Series and was eventually replaced by the E90 3 Series in 2005, though E36 coupes were still... 21   Yasushi Hitotsuyama 1, 3-5, 8   Mikio Hitotsuyama 2, 6-7 Tsuchiya Engineering Keiichi Tsuchiya is a professional race car driver. He is also known as the "Drift King" for his nontraditional use of drifting in non-drifting racing events and his role in popularizing drifting as a motorsport... Toyota Chaser Toyota Chaser The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation... 24   Keiichi Tsuchiya Keiichi Tsuchiya is a professional race car driver. He is also known as the "Drift King" for his nontraditional use of drifting in non-drifting racing events and his role in popularizing drifting as a motorsport... 8 Toyota Corona EXiV Toyota Corona The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown"... 25   Masami Kageyama All Auto Tech Racing BMW 318i BMW E36 The BMW E36 is the third generation of the 3 Series compact executive cars produced by BMW. It was introduced in late 1990 for Europe and in late 1991 for US and Canada. It was the successor to the E30 3 Series and was eventually replaced by the E90 3 Series in 2005, though E36 coupes were still... 35   Akihiko Nakaya 5-6 Toyota Team TOM's TOM'S is a factory supported racing team and tuner of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The name stands for Tachi Oiwa Motor Sport. Their head office is located in Tokyo, Japan. They are currently heavily involved with Super GT racing and Formula 3 racing... Toyota Chaser Toyota Chaser The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation... 36   Masanori Sekiya Masanori Sekiya is a racing car driver from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, most famous for being the first Japanese driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1995.Sekiya drove in single-seaters in his early career, contesting the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship and Formula Nippon from 1987 to 1993, mostly for the... All Toyota Corona EXiV Toyota Corona The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown"... 37   Michael Krumm Michael Krumm Michael Krumm is an auto racing driver. At present, he competes in the FIA GT1 World Championship. Krumm married tennis player Kimiko Date on 1 December 2001 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo... 1-4 Toyota Chaser Toyota Chaser The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation... 5-8 Toyota Team Cerumo Toyota Chaser Toyota Chaser The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation... 38   Hironori Takeuchi Hironori Takeuchi Hironori Takeuchi is a Japanese auto racing driver.-Career:Takeuchi competed in the Japanese Touring Car Championship between 1996 and 1998. He competed in the All-Japan GT Championship between 1995 and 2004, winning it in 2001... All Toyota Corona EXiV Toyota Corona The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown"... 39   Juan Manuel Silva Juan Manuel Silva Juan Manuel Silva , nicknamed el Pato is an Argentine racing driver. In 1999 he was the champion of the TC 2000 competition and in 2005 he was the champion of the Turismo Carretera competition.... 1-6 Toyota Chaser Toyota Chaser The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation... 7-8 Dandelion Racing Toyota Corona EXiV Toyota Corona The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota between 1957 and 2002. Traditionally, the competitor from Nissan was the Nissan Bluebird. The word Corona is Latin for "crown"... 68   Tetsuya Tanaka All Team Something Toyota Corolla AE110 72   Masahiro Matsunaga Masahiro Matsunaga Masahiro Matsunaga is a Japanese race car driver. From 1997 until 2004 he raced in the JGTC Series B-Class, usually finishing in the midfield. He also raced in Japanese Formula 3 in 1988.-External Links:*... 1-6, 8   Minoru Tanaka 7 HKS Opel Team Japan Opel Vectra Opel Vectra The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards... 87   Akira Iida Akira Iida is a Japanese racing driver in the Super GT series, since 2002 affiliated with Toyota and Lexus. First driving in the series since 1994, Iida has won five races altogether and took one driver's title in 2002.... All

Calendar

Round		Circuit	Date	Pole Position	Fastest Lap	Winning driver	Winning team
1	R1	Fuji Speedway Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing... , Shizuoka Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...	April 6	Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...	Races cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.
	R2			Ryo Michigami
2	R3	TI Circuit Aida, Okayama Okayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...	May 11	Osamu Nakako	Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...	Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for...	Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
	R4			Osamu Nakako	Osamu Nakako	Osamu Nakako	Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
3	R5	Sportsland SUGO Sportsland SUGO is a motorsports facility located in the town of Murata, Shibata District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It opened in 1975 and is one of the largest motorsports facilities in Japan, with a total area of 2.1 million m²... , Miyagi Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...	May 25	Michael Krumm Michael Krumm Michael Krumm is an auto racing driver. At present, he competes in the FIA GT1 World Championship. Krumm married tennis player Kimiko Date on 1 December 2001 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo...	Kazuyoshi Hoshino Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....	Michael Krumm Michael Krumm Michael Krumm is an auto racing driver. At present, he competes in the FIA GT1 World Championship. Krumm married tennis player Kimiko Date on 1 December 2001 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo...	Toyota Team TOM's TOM'S is a factory supported racing team and tuner of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The name stands for Tachi Oiwa Motor Sport. Their head office is located in Tokyo, Japan. They are currently heavily involved with Super GT racing and Formula 3 racing...
	R6			Michael Krumm Michael Krumm Michael Krumm is an auto racing driver. At present, he competes in the FIA GT1 World Championship. Krumm married tennis player Kimiko Date on 1 December 2001 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo...	Hideki Okada	Kazuyoshi Hoshino Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....	Nismo Nismo Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
4	R7	Suzuka Circuit Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:... , Mie Mie Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....	June 8	Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for...	Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for...	Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for...	Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
	R8			Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for...	Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...	Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...	Nismo Nismo Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
5	R9	Mine Central Circuit Mine Circuit Mine Circuit was a 2.07mile motor racing circuit in Nagao, Nishiatsu-cho, Mine, Yamaguchi Prefecture 759-2152, West Japan. The track closed in February 2006.... , Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...	July 13	Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...	Osamu Nakako	Osamu Nakako	Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
	R10			Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...	Ryo Michigami	Osamu Nakako	Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
6	R11	Sendai Hi-Land Raceway Sendai Hi-Land Raceway Sendai Hi-Land Raceway is a 2.525mile motor racing circuit in 12 Hayasaka, Shinkawa, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture 988-3434, East Japan. On October 17, 2010, the Japanese mountain race track hosted the sixth race in the 2010 Super Taikyu Endurance Series.- External links :*... , Miyagi Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...	September 7	Akira Iida Akira Iida is a Japanese racing driver in the Super GT series, since 2002 affiliated with Toyota and Lexus. First driving in the series since 1994, Iida has won five races altogether and took one driver's title in 2002....	Kazuyoshi Hoshino Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....	Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...	Nismo Nismo Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
	R12			Akira Iida Akira Iida is a Japanese racing driver in the Super GT series, since 2002 affiliated with Toyota and Lexus. First driving in the series since 1994, Iida has won five races altogether and took one driver's title in 2002....	Kazuyoshi Hoshino Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....	Akira Iida Akira Iida is a Japanese racing driver in the Super GT series, since 2002 affiliated with Toyota and Lexus. First driving in the series since 1994, Iida has won five races altogether and took one driver's title in 2002....	HKS Opel Team Japan
7	R13	Tokachi International Speedway Tokachi International Speedway Tokachi International Speedway is a 3.164 mile motor racing circuit in 319 Takikubo, Sarabetsu, Kawai-gun, Hokkaido 089-1573, East Japan.-Events:... , Hokkaidō Hokkaido , formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...	September 21	Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...	Michael Krumm Michael Krumm Michael Krumm is an auto racing driver. At present, he competes in the FIA GT1 World Championship. Krumm married tennis player Kimiko Date on 1 December 2001 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo...	Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for...	Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
	R14			Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for...	Ryo Michigami	Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for...	Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
8	R15	Fuji Speedway Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing... , Shizuoka Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...	November 2	Naoki Hattori Naoki Hattori is a motoring journalist and racing driver from Japan. After being Japanese Formula 3 champion in 1990, he failed to pre-qualify for two Formula One grands prix with Coloni in 1991 as a late-season replacement for Pedro Chaves...	Osamu Nakako	Osamu Nakako	Mugen Honda Mugen Motorsports Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...
	R16			Naoki Hattori Naoki Hattori is a motoring journalist and racing driver from Japan. After being Japanese Formula 3 champion in 1990, he failed to pre-qualify for two Formula One grands prix with Coloni in 1991 as a late-season replacement for Pedro Chaves...	Naoki Hattori Naoki Hattori is a motoring journalist and racing driver from Japan. After being Japanese Formula 3 champion in 1990, he failed to pre-qualify for two Formula One grands prix with Coloni in 1991 as a late-season replacement for Pedro Chaves...	Kazuyoshi Hoshino Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969....	Nismo Nismo Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...

Championship Standings

Points were awarded 15, 12, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 to the top 10 finishers in each race, with no bonus points for pole positions or fastest laps. Drivers would have counted their best 12 scores, but with the cancellation of the first two races of the season, only the ten best were counted.

EWLINE Pos Driver FUJ Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...   AID   SUG Sportsland SUGO is a motorsports facility located in the town of Murata, Shibata District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It opened in 1975 and is one of the largest motorsports facilities in Japan, with a total area of 2.1 million m²...   SUZ Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...   MIN   SEN   TOK   FUJ Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...   Pts 1   Osamu Nakako C C 2 1 8 Ret 4 5 1 1 4 10 Ret 2 1 Ret 107 2   Takuya Kurosawa Takuya Kurosawa is a Japanese race car driver.He raced in All-Japan Formula Three from 1988 to 1989, Japanese Formula 3000 from 1990 to 1995 and the JGTC series from 1994 to 1999, also driving in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing 10th. He then obtained sponsorship to drive in the American CART series for... C C 1 4 5 6 1 2 Ret 6 7 6 1 1 10 4 102 3   Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004... C C 4 2 3 3 Ret 1 DSQ 3 1 Ret 2 4 6 DSQ 100 4   Kazuyoshi Hoshino Kazuyoshi Hoshino is a former racing driver and businessman from Japan.Hoshino's nickname was . He won the Japanese motocross national championships in the 90cc and 125cc classes for Kawasaki in 1968 before switching to cars as a Nissan factory driver in 1969.... C C 6 14 2 1 2 6 4 11 2 Ret 3 Ret 8 1 95 5   Ryo Michigami C C 3 3 Ret Ret 5 4 2 2 13 2 5 3 5 12 88 6   Masami Kageyama C C 5 6 9 8 3 3 5 7 5 7 6 11 4 13 61 7   Katsutomo Kaneishi Katsutomo Kaneishi is a Japanese racing driver. He has competed in such series as the Japanese Touring Car Championship, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and Formula Nippon.-External links:*... C C Ret 10 Ret 7 11 10 3 14 Ret 5 4 5 3 3 52 8   Akira Iida Akira Iida is a Japanese racing driver in the Super GT series, since 2002 affiliated with Toyota and Lexus. First driving in the series since 1994, Iida has won five races altogether and took one driver's title in 2002.... C C 10 Ret 4 5 6 Ret Ret DNS 3 1 12 DNS 13 Ret 43 9   Hironori Takeuchi Hironori Takeuchi Hironori Takeuchi is a Japanese auto racing driver.-Career:Takeuchi competed in the Japanese Touring Car Championship between 1996 and 1998. He competed in the All-Japan GT Championship between 1995 and 2004, winning it in 2001... C C 9 5 6 9 7 7 8 9 8 4 8 8 11 6 43 10   Michael Krumm Michael Krumm Michael Krumm is an auto racing driver. At present, he competes in the FIA GT1 World Championship. Krumm married tennis player Kimiko Date on 1 December 2001 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo... C C 7 9 1 Ret 10 Ret 6 4 Ret DNS Ret 10 12 Ret 35 11   Juan Manuel Silva Juan Manuel Silva Juan Manuel Silva , nicknamed el Pato is an Argentine racing driver. In 1999 he was the champion of the TC 2000 competition and in 2005 he was the champion of the Turismo Carretera competition.... C C 8 13 7 2 13 8 Ret 12 6 Ret Ret 7 16 Ret 31 12   Hideki Okada C C 12 Ret Ret 4 8 Ret Ret 5 9 Ret 11 9 7 5 30 13   Masanori Sekiya Masanori Sekiya is a racing car driver from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, most famous for being the first Japanese driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1995.Sekiya drove in single-seaters in his early career, contesting the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship and Formula Nippon from 1987 to 1993, mostly for the... C C 13 7 11 Ret 12 9 Ret DNS Ret 3 9 6 18 8 25 14   Naoki Hattori Naoki Hattori is a motoring journalist and racing driver from Japan. After being Japanese Formula 3 champion in 1990, he failed to pre-qualify for two Formula One grands prix with Coloni in 1991 as a late-season replacement for Pedro Chaves... 2 2 24 15   Tetsuya Tanaka C C 11 8 10 10 16 11 7 Ret Ret 8 Ret DNS 9 Ret 14 16   Takahiko Hara C C 15 11 Ret 13 9 Ret Ret 10 11 DNS 7 12 15 7 11 17   Akihiko Nakaya Ret 8 Ret DNS 3 18   Masahiro Matsunaga Masahiro Matsunaga Masahiro Matsunaga is a Japanese race car driver. From 1997 until 2004 he raced in the JGTC Series B-Class, usually finishing in the midfield. He also raced in Japanese Formula 3 in 1988.-External Links:*... C C 14 12 12 11 14 12 9 15 10 Ret NC Ret 3 19   Mikio Hitotsuyama 16 Ret 12 9 13 14 2 20   Mitsuhiro Kinoshita C C Ret 9 2 21   Yasushi Hitotsuyama C C 13 12 15 13 10 13 DNS 11 1 22   Minoru Tanaka 10 13 1 23   Keiichi Tsuchiya Keiichi Tsuchiya is a professional race car driver. He is also known as the "Drift King" for his nontraditional use of drifting in non-drifting racing events and his role in popularizing drifting as a motorsport... 14 10 1 24   Takeo Asano 17 Ret 0 NC   Hidetoshi Mitsusada Hidetoshi Mitsusada is a former Formula 3000 driver from Japan. He competed in his first F3000 race at Spa in 1998. His best race result was at Germany in 1998. He drove again in F3000 in 2000, for World Racing Team. Unfortunately, he did not manage to qualify for the first three races of the season. Later that year,... Ret DNS 0 Pos Driver FUJ Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...   AID   SUG Sportsland SUGO is a motorsports facility located in the town of Murata, Shibata District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It opened in 1975 and is one of the largest motorsports facilities in Japan, with a total area of 2.1 million m²...   SUZ Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...   MIN   SEN   TOK   FUJ Fuji Speedway is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...   Pts

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