4 replies to this topic

[Graham Clayton]

I was having a browse through Darren Galpin's circuit database when I came across the Mutsuwan track in Japan:

http://www.silhouet....s/mutsuwan.html

I did a Google search on the Mutsuwan 300, but found no information. Does anyone have a list of starters and results? Did any other Japanese circuits host the US Trans-Am/Japanese stock car series, or was the Mutsuwan 300 a "one-off" race?

[PS30-SB]

Graham,
The Mutsuwan 300 was a bit of a one-off, and the Mutsuwan course soon died from natural causes - being too far away from anywhere to guarantee a good crowd - but American-style 'Stock Car Racing' was happening in Japan from somewhere around 1963 ( Don Nichols won the first event..... ) right up to 1972, when it fell victim to - amongst other things - the 'Oil Shock'. The NAC and, latterly, the NAK tried to get a series going in Japan, but their peak was something like four or five races a year. Some interesting domestic cars took part though, and one or two Japanese drivers ( notably Seiichi SUZUKI ) made pilgrimages to the USA in guest drives. Tiny Lund was a frequent visitor to Japan during this period and figured large ( literally! ) in the promotion and media coverage.

Are you interested primarily in the foreign visitors and their cars, or the whole field in the Mutsuwan 300? I have a list of starters, their cars / teams and results, but it will take a bit of writing-out and that might have to wait until later today.......

[Graham Clayton]

Originally posted by PS30-SB
Are you interested primarily in the foreign visitors and their cars, or the whole field in the Mutsuwan 300? I have a list of starters, their cars / teams and results, but it will take a bit of writing-out and that might have to wait until later today.......

PS30-B,
I would definitely be interested in an entry list. From what you have said, was there a Japanese version of NASCAR racing in the 1960's?

[PS30-SB]

Car Number - Driver - Entrant / Team name - Car:

0. Ed EMBREE - Plymouth Roadrunner
1. Masa NAKAMURA - 'Lucky' - Chevrolet Camaro
2. Masao KATAGIRI - 'Lappy'(?) SPL - Ford Mustang
3. Saburo KOINUMA - 'TEAC AC SPL' - Nissan Cedric 230 HT
07. Masahiro YAMADA - Toyota Crown MS50
12. Haruo SHUDAI - 'JASS Music Tape SPL' - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
18. James Non KUDO - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
20. Yukitaka MATSUMOTO - Nissan Cedric 230 HT
26. Taiichi YOKOYAMA - 'American High Performance SPL' - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
27. George KATSU - 'Mitsui Metalube SPL' - Nissan Cedric 230 HT
35. Kiyoto SATO - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
36. Kazuya NEMOTO - 'National Housing SPL' - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
43. Katsuhiko MATSUNAMI - Nissan Gloria 230 HT
45. Yoshimitsu INO - 'Three Bond SPL' - Nissan Gloria 230 HT
46. Shunichi SATO - 'Sato Group SPL' - Toyota Crown MS50
47. Norikazu SHIRAI - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
70. Shozo HARA - 'Daito Kogyo SPL' - Nissan Gloria 230 HT
72. Makoto YAMAZAKI - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
73. Kazuhito TANI - 'Takiron SPL' - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
74. Mitsuo TODOROKI - 'Maki SPL' - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
77. Kenichi KAMEDA - 'Central Auto SPL' - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan
84. Mutsuaki SANADA - 'Maruzen Technica SPL' - Nissan Cedric 230 HT
92. Suguru KANAI - Nissan Cedric 130 Sedan

Qualifying times top ten. Car Number - Time:

20. 1'20"70
84. 1'22"07
27. 1'22"24
2. 1'22"97
1. 1'23"31
45. 1'24"43
36. 1'25"00
77. 1'27"00
43. 1'30"16
73. 1'31"53

Result ( 70 laps @ 4.5km = 315km ). Car number. Laps. Time.
Top ten:

20. 70 laps. 1:38'18"79
77. 68 laps. 1:39'38"53
1. 66 laps. 1:38'33"82
73. 65 laps. 1:38'34"58
45. 65 laps. 1:39'41"88
46. 65 laps. 1:39'42"36
84. 62 laps. no time
12. 62 laps. 1:38'34"14
47. 59 laps. 1:39'33"99
18. 59 laps. 1:39'24"22



Hope that's of interest.

[Mark A]

Not much of the circuit left nowadays.

It really was right on the coastline of Mutsu bay.