Suzuka 8-hour - Report & Pics

[colin]

Figured I'd put this here in the Racing section....

This was the end of my big Ecliptic tour, finishing up on the way home by swinging by the Suzuka 8 hour race. I intended to go on Saturday and spend the night with friends there, but the weather sucked, lots of rain. So I hung out in Kobe for another night and took off in the morning.

Suzuka 8 hours

Just missed being able to see the start. But I heard it. Here they are as early as I could see them, first or second lap around.

Eventually found friends in the Q stands. Nice view.

Right by the last chicane and the last corner.

Sat up there for a while and worked on our farmer's tans....

 

[colin]

The race was OK. The real action was across the walkway....

Day started really hot...these things were nice.

Andreas, the cameraman. Friend of mine doing the media gig. Poor guy had to wear that jumpsuit to go into the pits and take snaps....

Made are way into the pits.... Another friend is in there somewhere, pitting for Team Etching.

Didn't get a pic of him cuz we got a bit distracted.

:yahoo:

 

[colin]

Lots of ways to keep the racers cool. They air condition the leathers.

And have pools for them to jump into. Complete with rubber ducky.

Couple of bikes from one of the foreign teams.

Foreign teams.

 

[colin]

Wouldn't be one of my threads without a pic of lunch. Ate at the fancy cafeteria pit side.

pissed down rain right after lunch. glad to be walking around the pits and not outside in the stands....

some more random shots:

 

[colin]

 

[colin]

Hayabusa funkiness.

 

[colin]

A couple of us got adventurous and left our luxurious post and went off to the right (from here).

We were actually seated very close to where Daijiro Kato died at Suzuka. That was at the last MotoGP race at Suzuka.

This guy also got a bit adventurous, and was being helped to get into the exit for pit lane.

 

[colin]

The Hairpin.

So of course we get caught out in the rain with no umbrellas, trying to walk around the circuit. Enough rain to send us back. We ducked under some trees to try and wait it out in a couple of spots. oh well. safety car out and everything....

Got back to the seats and under some cover....

They were going a lot faster than I would have thought still!

 

[colin]

The weather was truly nuts.

After the rain pelted down, big crash on the main straight, one guy had to be airlifted out.

Decided to take a walk around the rest of the track. I have to say, Suzuka is great for being able to spend a lot of time walking around and seeing stuff, while the race is going on and not miss the end. Very cool.

Coming out of Dunlop corner, I think.

 

[colin]

These guys had a sweet setup.

 

[madmike2]

Empty stands....that can't help "pay the bills".

Nice photos, Colin. You always have great adventures!

 

[colin]

Hard to see what was going on, no idea who any of these guys are.

On the way home.... drenched and (almost) loving it....

 

[colin]

and now.... what you wanted to see in the first place....

 

[colin]

-the end-

 

[GunMD]

VERY cool!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

Great photos!

I really liked the custom Katanas with the GSX-R motors! I used to have a '82 GS1000SZ Katana.

And a '79 CBX.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Bugnatr]

Good stuff! Thanks for the pics.

 

[colin]

Empty stands....that can't help "pay the bills".

Yeah, this year it was apparently a bit less crowded, but still not empty.

The rain kept a lot of people out most likely.

The one thing that kinda sucked was that it overlapped with both a WSBK and MotoGP race weekend. Likely due to all factory teams (except yoshimura suzuki i think is 'factory') pulling out, no international series riders had any commitments to ride the 8 hour. Still, almost 60 bikes on the grid....

 

[jordylad]

I need a splash!