Nobuhiro Tajima
Encyclopedia
, is a hillclimb racer, tuning shop owner, rally team manager and former rally driver who is best known for his participation in Suzuki's
rallying
program as well as his triumphs at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
.
was in the 1981 Lombard RAC Rally.
In 1983 he established Monster Sport International, a motorsport preparation shop. In 1986, he sealed his association with Suzuki when he established Suzuki Sport, its in-house motorsport division and returned to the World Rally scene where he competed driving a Suzuki Cultus
in the Olympus Rally
.
In 1987, he competed in the Olympus Rally, taking his first class win and finishing 15th overall. He returned again the following year where he won his class again, finishing 7th overall. Additionally, he competed in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship
.
As the Junior World Rally Championship
project took off in 2002, he decided to retire from rally driving while he was competing in the Asia Pacific Rally to become its team manager. He has continued to compete in Hillclimbing
, which he best known for. His debut at Pikes Peak came driving in the Unlimited category in 1992 with a specially built twin engined Suzuki Cultus
, which he followed up in 1995 with a rebodied twin engined Suzuki Escudo. The following year, he drove a car which he became famous for, the V6 Suzuki Escudo
which he finished second in, losing only to Rod Millen's
record-holding Toyota Celica
that won the Queenstown Gold Rush International Auto Hill Climb for three consecutive years from 1998-2001.
In 2006, at the Geneva Motor Show, he announced his plan for Suzuki Sport to form the Suzuki World Rally Team
, which would field a Suzuki SX4
in 2007. However, World Rally Championship
calendar changes meant Suzuki's team debuted in 2008. Tajima took Pikes Peak that year with a newer version of the Vitara. Despite crashing during practice, he achieved another overall victory in a race that was shortened by rain. In all, he has taken nine All Japan Dirt Trial Championship titles, four WRC championship class wins, two class wins in the Asia Pacific Rally championship and seven Race to the Sky
overall victories. He also scored four points in the 1988 World Rally Championship season
and finished 4th in the 2001 Asia Pacific Rally championship for drivers.
On July 21, 2007, Tajima bested Rod Millen
's thirteen year old course record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in his Suzuki Sport XL7, becoming at the time the fastest man in the history of the race, with a time of 10:01.408.
On June 26, 2011, Tajima bested his own record and broke the "10 minute barrier" of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with a time of 9:51.278. . Driving the GoPro Monster Sport SX4 Hill Climb Special, developed by Monster Sport.
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
program as well as his triumphs at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb , also known as The Race to the Clouds, is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado, a distance of over 156 turns, climbing from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway at on grades averaging 7% over...
.
Racing career
Tajima made his race debut in 1968 in the All Japan Dirt Trial Championship where he won his first race. His first involvement in the WRCWorld Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
was in the 1981 Lombard RAC Rally.
In 1983 he established Monster Sport International, a motorsport preparation shop. In 1986, he sealed his association with Suzuki when he established Suzuki Sport, its in-house motorsport division and returned to the World Rally scene where he competed driving a Suzuki Cultus
Suzuki Cultus
The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini first presented at the 25th Tokyo Motor Show, formally introduced to the Japanese domestic market in 1983 and ultimately manufactured in seven countries across three generations and marketed worldwide under more than a dozen nameplates — prominently as the Suzuki...
in the Olympus Rally
Olympus Rally
The Olympus Rally is an event in the motorsport of rallying. While it has usually been run as a national rally, in 1986-1988, it was a round in the FIA World Rally Championship, the most recent time a WRC rally has been run in the United States....
.
In 1987, he competed in the Olympus Rally, taking his first class win and finishing 15th overall. He returned again the following year where he won his class again, finishing 7th overall. Additionally, he competed in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship
Asia-Pacific Rally Championship
The Asia-Pacific Rally Championship is an international rally championship organized by the FIA. The championship was first held in 1988 and won by Japan's Kenjiro Shinozuka in a Mitsubishi Galant VR-4. Other winners include the two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz of Spain and the 1986...
.
As the Junior World Rally Championship
Junior World Rally Championship
The FIA Junior World Rally Championship is a complementary series to the World Rally Championship as is the Production World Rally Championship , and the Super 2000 World Rally Championship . As JWRC was originally envisioned as a series for developing drivers, it is limited to drivers below the...
project took off in 2002, he decided to retire from rally driving while he was competing in the Asia Pacific Rally to become its team manager. He has continued to compete in Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
, which he best known for. His debut at Pikes Peak came driving in the Unlimited category in 1992 with a specially built twin engined Suzuki Cultus
Suzuki Cultus
The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini first presented at the 25th Tokyo Motor Show, formally introduced to the Japanese domestic market in 1983 and ultimately manufactured in seven countries across three generations and marketed worldwide under more than a dozen nameplates — prominently as the Suzuki...
, which he followed up in 1995 with a rebodied twin engined Suzuki Escudo. The following year, he drove a car which he became famous for, the V6 Suzuki Escudo
Suzuki Escudo
The Suzuki Escudo is an off-road vehicle that has been in production since 1988...
which he finished second in, losing only to Rod Millen's
Rod Millen
Rodney K. "Rod" Millen is a racing competitor, vehicle designer, and business owner. He has competed in numerous genres of motorsports, including rally racing, off-road racing, hillclimbing, drifting, and super touring.-Personal life:...
record-holding Toyota Celica
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
that won the Queenstown Gold Rush International Auto Hill Climb for three consecutive years from 1998-2001.
In 2006, at the Geneva Motor Show, he announced his plan for Suzuki Sport to form the Suzuki World Rally Team
Suzuki World Rally Team
The Suzuki World Rally Team, also known as the Suzuki WRC Challenge was Suzuki's factory backed World Rally Championship team, as part of the Suzuki Sport organization. The team debuted for the first time at the 2007 Tour de Corse in France...
, which would field a Suzuki SX4
Suzuki SX4
The Suzuki SX4 is a compact car developed by Japanese automaker Suzuki and sold by Suzuki and by Fiat and produced since 2006.-History:...
in 2007. However, World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
calendar changes meant Suzuki's team debuted in 2008. Tajima took Pikes Peak that year with a newer version of the Vitara. Despite crashing during practice, he achieved another overall victory in a race that was shortened by rain. In all, he has taken nine All Japan Dirt Trial Championship titles, four WRC championship class wins, two class wins in the Asia Pacific Rally championship and seven Race to the Sky
Race to the Sky
The Silverstone Race to the Sky is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of a mountain. The race has been held every year since 1998 on two days over the Easter weekend...
overall victories. He also scored four points in the 1988 World Rally Championship season
1988 World Rally Championship season
The 1988 World Rally Championship season was the 16th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship...
and finished 4th in the 2001 Asia Pacific Rally championship for drivers.
On July 21, 2007, Tajima bested Rod Millen
Rod Millen
Rodney K. "Rod" Millen is a racing competitor, vehicle designer, and business owner. He has competed in numerous genres of motorsports, including rally racing, off-road racing, hillclimbing, drifting, and super touring.-Personal life:...
's thirteen year old course record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in his Suzuki Sport XL7, becoming at the time the fastest man in the history of the race, with a time of 10:01.408.
On June 26, 2011, Tajima bested his own record and broke the "10 minute barrier" of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with a time of 9:51.278. . Driving the GoPro Monster Sport SX4 Hill Climb Special, developed by Monster Sport.