Tuesday, June 5, 2007

The Circuit of Japan


Circuit-Motegi

Opened-1999

Location-Motegi

Modified-1999

Pole position-Left

Width-15m

Length-4801m

Longest straight-762m

Left turns-6

Right turn-6

Biult in-1997

Twin Ring Motegi is an automobile racing track located at Motegi, Japan. Its name comes from the fact that there are two race tracks at the facility: a 1.549 mile oval (2.493 kilometers) and a 4.8 kilometer (2.983 miles) road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda, as part of Honda's effort to bring IndyCar racing to Japan, as well as increase their own knowledge of that form of racing.
Oval CourseThe oval course is the only one of its kind in Japan, and currently is only used once a year for racing. It is a low-banked, 1.549 mile long egg-shaped course, with turns 3 and 4 being much tighter than turns 1 and 2. On March 28, 1998, CART held the inaugural race at Twin Ring Motegi Speedway. The race was won by Mexican driver, Adrian Fernandez . CART continued racing at Twin Ring Motegi Speedway from 1998-2002. In 2003, Honda entered the Indy Racing League and race became a part of the IRL schedule. In addition to IndyCar Racing, the track has also hosted a single NASCAR exhibition race in 1998.
In one of the great ironies of the sport, Honda, which had built the oval for the express purpose of developing its oval-racing program for Indycar Racing, did not win a race at the track for its first six years of operation. In 2004 Dan Wheldon took the first win for Honda on the oval.

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