Indy Japan 300
IndyCar Series
VenueTwin Ring Motegi
First race1998
First IRL race2003
Last race2011
Distance304 miles (489 km)
Laps200
Previous namesFuji 200 (1966)
Budweiser 500k (1998)
Firestone Firehawk 500k (1999–2001)
Bridgestone Potenza 500k (2002)
Indy Japan 300 (2003-2010)
Indy Japan: The Final (2011)

The Indy Japan 300 presented by Bridgestone was an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. The 2008 race marked the historic first ever win for a woman driver in American open wheel racing when Danica Patrick of Andretti-Green Racing took the checkered flag.

The first American open-wheel race in Japan was held in 1966 at Fuji Speedway. Jackie Stewart won the Fuji Japan 200, which was held as an exhibition race, and no championship points were awarded. USAC did not return.

For a short period in the late 1980s and early 1990s the CART series explored the prospects of holding a race in Japan. Possible locations would be either Suzuka, Fuji, or a street course in another city. The FIA objected, citing conflicts with Formula One and other interests. In addition, rules were put into place requiring that any CART race outside of North America be held on an oval. Despite the objections, in 1991 CART made their first trip across the Pacific Ocean, and held a street race at Surfer's Paradise, Australia. The plans for a race in Japan were scrapped.

In 1994, Honda joined the CART series, and by 1996, was widely successful. Interest in holding a race in Japan resurfaced, and upon the completion of the Twin Ring Motegi oval, a race was first held in 1998 without FIA objection. The race continued as a Champ Car event through 2002. In 2003, Honda switched alliances to the Indy Racing League, and the race became an Indycar Series event. On February 9, 2011, it was announced that the series would not return to Motegi for the 2012 season.[1]

Scheduling

From 2003-2006, the race marked the final IRL race before the Indianapolis 500. The extended travel time required typically found the race held the weekend before or after Easter, leaving one or two weeks of travel and rest time until practice began at Indianapolis in early May. This situation was widely unpopular for fans, and for television, because it left a large gap in the schedule, and disrupted continuity leading to the series' premier event. In 2007, the race at Kansas Speedway was moved immediately after Motegi to be the race preceding the Indianapolis 500.

In 2008, following the open wheel unification, the race served as part of the unique "doubleheader" weekend with the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Existing IRL teams raced at Motegi, and former Champ Car teams raced at Long Beach. For 2009, in an effort to reorganize the IndyCar schedule, the race was moved to September (swapping with the MotoGP event) on the Respect-for-the-Aged Day and autumnal equinox public holidays, also kept for 2010.

Following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, it was announced that the 2011 event would be moved to the 2.98 mile road course (used by MotoGP but utilized oval pit lane rather than traditional pit lane due to lack of room) due to damage to the oval.[2] The 2011 event was the final running, a decision made before, and unrelated to, the earthquake and tsunami.

Past winners

Season Date Driver Team Chassis Engine Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph)		 Report Refs
Laps Miles (km)
CART Champ Car history
1998 March 28 Mexico Adrian Fernández Patrick Racing Reynard Ford-Cosworth 201 311.349 (501.067) 1:57:12 159.393 Report [3][4]
1999 April 10 Mexico Adrian Fernández Patrick Racing Reynard Ford-Cosworth 201 311.349 (501.067) 1:46:01 176.195 Report [5][6]
2000 May 13 United States Michael Andretti Newman/Haas Racing Lola Ford-Cosworth 201 311.349 (501.067) 1:58:52 157.154 Report [7][8]
2001 May 19 Sweden Kenny Bräck Team Rahal Lola Ford-Cosworth 201 311.349 (501.067) 1:44:48 178.113 Report [9][10]
2002 April 27 Brazil Bruno Junqueira Chip Ganassi Racing Lola Toyota 201 311.349 (501.067) 2:00:05 155.447 Report [11][12]
IRL IndyCar Series history
2003 April 13 United States Scott Sharp Kelley Racing Dallara Toyota 200 309.8 (498.574) 2:21:18 129.09 Report [13][14]
2004 April 16 United Kingdom Dan Wheldon Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda 200 309.8 (498.574) 1:49:48 166.114 Report [15][16]
2005 April 30 United Kingdom Dan Wheldon Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda 200 309.8 (498.574) 2:16:46 133.365 Report [17][18]
2006 April 22 Brazil Hélio Castroneves Penske Racing Dallara Honda 200 309.8 (498.574) 1:59:01 153.248 Report [19][20]
2007 April 21 Brazil Tony Kanaan Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda 200 309.8 (498.574) 1:52:23 162.295 Report [21][22]
2008 April 20 United States Danica Patrick Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda 200 309.8 (498.574) 1:51:03 164.258 Report [23][24]
2009 September 19 New Zealand Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda 200 309.8 (498.574) 1:51:38 163.401 Report [25][26]
2010 September 18 Brazil Hélio Castroneves Penske Racing Dallara Honda 200 309.8 (498.574) 2:04:04 147.008 Report [27][28]
2011 September 17 New Zealand Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda 63 187.929 (302.442) 1:56:41 96.635 Report [29][30]

Notes

  • Qualifying record: Dan Wheldon 201.165 mph (323.743 km/h), 2004
  • Race record: Dan Wheldon 166.114 mph (267.334 km/h), 2004
  • 2008: Held on same day as Long Beach Grand Prix due to scheduling conflict as a result of reunification.
  • 2011: Race held on road course due to track damage on the oval from the earthquake.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lewandowski, Dave. "Sayonara, Twin Ring Motegi". IndyCar.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  2. ↑ Series keeps Japan date, to run road course Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "1998 Budweiser 500K". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  4. ↑ "1998 Motegi Champ Cars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  5. ↑ "1999 Firestone Firehawk 500K". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  6. ↑ "1999 Motegi Champ Cars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  7. ↑ "2000 Firestone Firehawk 500K". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  8. ↑ "2000 Motegi Champ Cars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  9. ↑ "2001 Firestone Firehawk 500K". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  10. ↑ "2001 Motegi Champ Cars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  11. ↑ "2002 Bridgestone Potenza 500". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  12. ↑ "2002 Motegi Champ Cars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  13. ↑ "2003 Indy Japan 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  14. ↑ "2003 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  15. ↑ "2004 Indy Japan 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  16. ↑ "2004 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  17. ↑ "2005 Indy Japan 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  18. ↑ "2005 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  19. ↑ "2006 Indy Japan 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  20. ↑ "2006 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  21. ↑ "2007 Indy Japan 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  22. ↑ "2007 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  23. ↑ "2008 Indy Japan 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  24. ↑ "2008 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  25. ↑ "2009 Indy Japan 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  26. ↑ "2009 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  27. ↑ "2010 Indy Japan 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  28. ↑ "2010 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  29. ↑ "2011 Indy Japan: The Final". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  30. ↑ "2011 Motegi Indycars". Motor Sport. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
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