![2010 "Open Mote tai" August 22 (Sun) Race Report](img/photo_10report2_m.jpg)
72 cars advanced to the final race of the "Open Mote tai (Mote endurance)." In the sweltering heat typical of a summer endurance race, it started as scheduled at 10:00 with a Le Mans-style start. Masaki Kanai, driving the #21 SP3 Anfini Madoka Design, who started from pole position, took the holeshot and dominated the opening lap, followed by Keita Higashi in #28 FineRacing & Yoshi! Meeting, Naoyuki Sato in #53 Team-STR + GTMM, Tatsuya Koitabashi in #1 Bulldokka Tagos & Haruman, Yoshihiro Kishimoto in #86 Takatsuki Garage Racing Team, and Takashi Kanno in #336 ARMADA with SSM. Meanwhile, Tohru Ukawa, who started from the 22nd grid in #11 RC30 & BLUE EYES, quickly rose to 9th place in the opening lap. It seemed only a matter of time before he caught up to the leaders, but engine trouble occurred on the 3rd lap. He stopped on the track and desperately attempted repairs, but unfortunately ended up retiring.
In the early stages of the race, further turmoil occurred. #53 Team-STR + GTMM took the lead, followed by #21 SP3 Anfini Madoka Design and #28 FineRacing & Yoshi! Meeting. However, just 20 minutes into the start, #21 SP3 Anfini Madoka Design crashed at the hairpin exit. An accident occurred as #28 FineRacing & Yoshi! Meeting, which was running closely behind, could not avoid the crash. Both the pole position and the team in fourth place fell out of the top battle early on. After that, many teams entered the pits before an hour had passed, and the teams at the top, including #81 Team GTMM and #59 Gokukai Racing ☆ TORNADO!, changed rapidly.
No team was able to break away from the top battle, and at the 5-hour mark, there were as many as 7 teams on the same lap as the leader, #1 Bulldokka Tagos & Haruman. However, the faster #1 Bulldokka Tagos & Haruman began to pull away from here.
The battle for second place is becoming intense in the rear. #67 Riding Sports & Fire is being pursued by #68 RS-ITOH + Obsolete Alliance. #67 Riding Sports & Fire is also showing a performance that updates its best time, but #68 RS-ITOH + Obsolete Alliance's lap time exceeds it by more than 2 seconds, and with 30 minutes remaining, the gap is reduced to under 10 seconds. Then, with 15 minutes left, #68 RS-ITOH + Obsolete Alliance overtakes #67 Riding Sports & Fire to rise to second place. It seemed that they would widen the lead and secure the victory.
Running at the top, #1 Bulldozer Tagos and Haruman mentioned that fuel efficiency was tough, but despite making 8 pit stops, they covered the speed and completed 157 laps, winning the checkered flag at the 2010 "Open Mote tai" and achieving a remarkable victory. "The reason for our victory was switching to Pirelli tires and steadily refining the bike we've been using since 2009. Also, this time we had a team of 6, so we had all the bike data ready, which was significant. I was confident about fuel efficiency, but I never expected to complete 157 laps. In fact, while racing, I was quite nervous about the fuel (laughs). As a team, besides the victory, we also won the Best Design Award and the pole position and victory in the 3-hour endurance race, making it a great year," they commented.
In 2nd place, due to running out of gas on the final lap, #68 RS-ITOH + Obsolete Alliance stopped, allowing #67 Riding Sports & Fire to make a dramatic comeback and finish with 155 laps. #68 RS-ITOH + Obsolete Alliance ended up in a frustrating 3rd place with 154 laps.