Tomohiko Sunako (砂子 智彦, Sunako Tomohiko, born 6 November 1964 in Tokyo), professionally known as Jukuchou Sunako (砂子塾長), is a retired Japanese racing driver, motoring journalist, and driving instructor.[1][2][3][4] He is the son of former Nissan works racing driver and Yamaha factory motorcycle racer, Yoshikazu Sunako.

Sunako competed in the Super Taikyu Series (formerly the N1 Endurance Series, and Super N1 Endurance Series) from 1990 to 2008. He won the Class 1 championship in 1996 driving a Nissan Skyline GT-R.

He suffered a broken leg and minor burns in an accident at Fuji Speedway during the All-Japan Fuji GT Race on 3 May, 1998, when his car spun off during the formation laps in torrential rain, and was then struck by the Ferrari F355 of Tetsuya Ota which also lost control and burst into flames. Sunako recovered from his injuries and continued to race in the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship / Super GT Series until 2006.

He retired in 2008, but came back to racing in 2018 to compete in the GT World Challenge Asia series in a BMW Team Studie M4 GT4. Sunako and Takayuki Kinoshita steered BMW Team Studie to the GT4 teams' championship in 2018, and Sunako won the GT4 overall drivers' championship in 2019.

In 2012, Sunako established Tokyo Virtual Circuit, a simulator facility based in the Minato ward of Tokyo.[5]

Complete JGTC/Super GT Results

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Pts
1997 910 Racing Porsche 911 GT300 SUZ FUJ
8		 SEN
4		 FUJ MIN 13th 13
ecurie SiFo Renault Sport Spider SUG
18
1998 910 Racing Porsche 911 GT300 SUZ
5		 FUJ
C		 SEN FUJ MOT MIN SUG 23rd 8
1999 Team Taisan Jr. GT300 SUZ
5		 FUJ SUG MIN FUJ TAI 20th 10
910 Racing MOT
9
2000 GT300 MOT
Ret		 FUJ
8		 SUG
Ret		 FUJ
9		 TAI MIN SUZ
12		 25th 5
2001 GT300 TAI
5		 FUJ
6		 SUG
2		 FUJ
6		 MOT
10		 SUZ
4		 MIN
5		 3rd 54
2002 Team Taisan Jr. GT300 TAI FUJ
7		 SUG SEP 21st 7
910 Racing FUJ
14		 MOT MIN
8		 SUZ
2003 GT300 TAI FUJ
17		 SUG FUJ
21		 FUJ
15		 MOT
11		 AUT SUZ
16		 NC 0
2004 GT300 TAI
16		 SUG
24		 SEP
15		 TOK
19		 MOT
12		 AUT
22		 SUZ
20		 NC 0
2005 GT300 OKA
Ret		 FUJ
18		 SEP
15		 SUG
15		 MOT
17		 FUJ
Ret		 AUT
15		 SUZ
20		 NC 0
2006 Endless Sports GT300 SUZ OKA FUJ SEP SUG SUZ
Ret		 MOT AUT FUJ NC 0

References

  1. ↑ "BMW TEAM Studie体制発表会2020 | BMW Team Studie" (in Japanese). 2020-03-14. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  2. ↑ "Tomohiko Sunako | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  3. ↑ Magazine, Speedsport. "Tomohiko Sunako: Racedriver biography - career and success". www.speedsport-magazine.com. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  4. ↑ "Tomohiko Sunako Profile | Racing Years". www.racingyears.com. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  5. ↑ "砂子塾長挨拶・プロフィール | 砂子塾長.com" (in Japanese). 2020-05-10. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
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