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Mote tai (Mote endurance) Home PageReports & Winners2017 Motegi Open 11 Hour Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report

2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race
11 Hours Endurance Race Day 1 (4 hours 30 minutes elapsed)

#090 Teruru MotoUP Racing overcame a fall from pole position and advanced to the top!

2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report

The 20th "Mote tai (Mote endurance)" will be held for the first time ever over two days, competing for 11 hours within a total of 24 and a half hours. After winning the 3-hour qualifying race held on July 9 (Sun), 74 vehicles advanced to the 11-hour endurance road race and will reconvene at Twin Ring Motegi on August 26 (Sat). After the briefing, they first participated in the grid qualifying to determine the starting grid.

The grid qualifying was contested based on the combined times of the first and second riders. Each session lasted 20 minutes, starting with the first rider's session. Shortly after, heavy rain began to fall, but it stopped quickly, allowing for an attack in dry conditions. The top time of 2 minutes 14.895 seconds was marked by Katsumi Nagano from #12 CLUB1.2FK Kushitani Kawaguchi. Following him was Kazuki Tomita from #090 Teruru MotoUP Racing with a time of 2 minutes 16.547 seconds, and then Toshiyuki Arakaki from #23 TEAM ARA Tiger's Den AFH.

In the second rider session, Shinsuke Kawada of #6 PyuPyu Electric Construction marked a top time of 2 minutes 14.081 seconds, updating the Course Records. In second place, Tomohiro Toyoshima of #090 Teruru MotoUP Racing clocked 2 minutes 15.684 seconds, and in third place, Gaku Fujii of #1 YSS Racing Bulldokka Tagos followed with 2 minutes 16.426 seconds.

In the combined time, #090 Teruru MotoUP Racing achieved 4 minutes 31.755 seconds to secure pole position. Following in second place was #12 CLUB1.2FK Kushitani Kawaguchi with 4 minutes 32.868 seconds, and in third place was #6 Pyupyu Electrical Construction A with 4 minutes 33.906 seconds.

And the 20th "Mote tai (Mote endurance)" began with 74 vehicles lined up on the grid, and the riders rushing to their bikes in a Le Mans-style start, competing for 11 hours. First, the 37 vehicles of the first group all aimed for the first corner at once. The rider showing a good start was Fujii from #1 YSS Racing Bull Dock Tagos, aiming for his fifth victory in three consecutive years. Following him was former MotoGP rider Tetsu Ukawa from #11 BLUE EYES & DREAM Kashiwa, who started in fifth place. In third place was Hiroshi Toyoda from #78 D;REX, who started in tenth place but would receive a penalty for a false start. Following them were #68 Riding Sports Fire 68 and #23 TEAM ARA Tiger's Den AFH.

In the opening lap, Driver Ukawa from #11 BLUE EYES & DREAM Kashiwa took the lead, followed by Driver Fujii from #1 YSS Racing Bull Dock Tagos, but from behind, #12 CLUB 1.2 FK Kushitani Kawaguchi closed in at a high pace and took the top position by the third lap. From there, #12 CLUB 1.2 FK Kushitani Kawaguchi led the race, with #11 BLUE EYES & DREAM Kashiwa trailing but gradually falling behind. Behind them, #090 Teruru MotoUP Racing closed in and changed positions. However, #090 Teruru MotoUP Racing crashed at the fifth corner. They quickly restarted and pitted, minimizing their loss. When the leading #12 CLUB 1.2 FK Kushitani Kawaguchi entered the pit, #11 BLUE EYES & DREAM Kashiwa took the top position again, but during the pit timing, the positions switched between #12 CLUB 1.2 FK Kushitani Kawaguchi and #080 Teruru MotoUP Racing. The difference in pit stay times for each class was significant, allowing NST-CBR to emerge in the top positions. However, as night racing began, it was #090 Teruru MotoUP Racing that showed an incredible pace. Former Moto3™ rider Kenji Fujii lapped the course at a high pace of around 2 minutes and 18 seconds under the lights. They quickly took the top position, completing 109 laps and receiving the checkered flag. In second place was #080 Teruru MotoUP Racing with 108 laps, and in third place was #22 Go for it, Soichi!? Nakamura Engine Research Institute, also with 108 laps, while NST-CBR secured the second and third positions. Following them, from fourth place #11 BLUE EYES & DREAM Kashiwa to ninth place #15 WIN-RF, all completed 107 laps.

The machines that fought for 4 and a half hours will be stored in pits 40 to 45, and will be released to the grid at 8:15 AM on August 27 (Sun). The race will start with a safety car at 8:30 AM, aiming for the finish at 3:00 PM.

Some teams have entered the pit early to refuel, so attention is focused on the movements after the race resumes. Which strategy will prove to be successful!?

※Click on the photo to view the enlarged image.

2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report 2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report 2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report 2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report 2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report 2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report 2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report 2017 Motegi Open 11 Hours Endurance Road Race Day 1 Race Report