1998 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship
The 1998 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship was the sixth season of Japan Automobile Federation GT premiere racing. It was marked as well as the sixteenth season of a JAF-sanctioned sports car racing championship dating back to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship . The GT500 class champion was the #23 Pennzoil NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R driven by Érik Comas and Masami Kageyama, and the GT300 class champion was the #25 Team Taisan Jr with Tsuchiya MR2 driven by Keiichi Suzuki and Shingo Tachi , who won a record five championship races, plus the post-season all-star race, giving them a total of six wins in 1998.
The season was marred by a horrific crash at the All Japan Fuji GT Race on May 3, 1998, when Ferrari Club of Japan driver Tetsuya Ota lost control of his Ferrari F355 in heavy rain and fog, and crashed into the stationary Porsche 911 of Tomohiko Sunako . Ota's car erupted into flames upon impact, and fellow racer Shinichi Yamaji rushed to extinguish the fire. Ota suffered severe burns and nerve damage that would force him to retire from full-time racing. Sunako suffered a broken leg, but would continue to race in the series later on.
1998 also saw the first GT500 class victory for Honda , at the Japan Special GT Cup at Fuji Speedway.
Drivers and teams
GT500
Team
Make
Car
Engine
Drivers
Tyre
Rounds
Nismo
Nissan
Nissan Skyline GT-R
Nissan RB26DETT 2.7 L Twin Turbo I6
2
Masahiko Kageyama
B
All
Aguri Suzuki
1, 3–7, NC
Pedro de la Rosa
2
23
Masami Kageyama
All
Érik Comas
1, 3–7, NC
Ralph Firman
2
Hasemi Motorsport
Nissan
Nissan Skyline GT-R
Nissan RB26DETT 2.7 L Twin Turbo I6
3
Masahiro Hasemi
B
All
Tetsuya Tanaka
All
Team 5ZIGEN
Toyota
Toyota Supra
Toyota 3S-GT 2.0 L Turbo I4
5
Marc Goossens
D
All
Yasutaka Hinoi
1–3
Eiichi Tajima
4–7
INGING
Toyota
Toyota Supra
Toyota 3S-GT 2.0 L Turbo I4
6
Shinichi Takagi
B
All
Pierre-Henri Raphanel
1, 3–7
Anders Olofsson
2
Team Power Craft
Toyota
Toyota Supra
Toyota 3S-GT 2.0 L Turbo I4
8
Wayne Gardner
B
1–4, 6–7
Minoru Tanaka
1–4, 6–7
Calsonic Team Impul
Nissan
Nissan Skyline GT-R
Nissan RB26DETT 2.7 L Twin Turbo I6
12
Takuya Kurosawa
B
All
Kazuyoshi Hoshino
1, 3–7, NC
Michael Krumm
2
Endless Sports
Nissan
Nissan Skyline GT-R
Nissan RB26DETT 2.7 L Twin Turbo I6
13
Mitsuhiro Kinoshita
Y
All
Mitsuo Fujimura
All
Castrol Mugen
Honda
Honda NSX
Honda C32B 3.5 L V6
16
Ryo Michigami
B
All
Osamu Nakako
All
Dome Racing Team
Honda
Honda NSX
Honda C32B 3.5 L V6
18
Katsutomo Kaneishi
B
All
Katsumi Yamamoto
1–5
Juichi Wakisaka
6–7, NC
Team Take One
Porsche
Porsche 993 GT2
Porsche M64/81 3.6 L Twin Turbo F6
30
Hideki Okada
B
All
Yoji Yamada
All
Toyota Team TOM'S
Toyota
Toyota Supra
Toyota 3S-GT 2.0 L Turbo I4
36
Masanori Sekiya
D
All
Norberto Fontana
All
37
Toshio Suzuki
All
Kelvin Burt
All
Toyota Team Cerumo
Toyota
Toyota Supra
Toyota 3S-GT 2.0 L Turbo I4
38
Hironori Takeuchi
B
All
Hideki Noda
All
Denso Toyota Team SARD
Toyota
Toyota Supra
Toyota 3S-GT 2.0 L Turbo I4
39
Keiichi Tsuchiya
Y
All
Tatsuya Tanigawa
All
Autobacs Racing Team Aguri
Nissan
Nissan Skyline GT-R
Nissan RB26DETT 2.7 L Twin Turbo I6
50
Takeshi Tsuchiya
B
All
Satoshi Motoyama
1, 3–7, NC
Hiroki Katoh
2
Team Taisan Advan
Chrysler
Chrysler Viper GTS-R
Chrysler Viper 8.0 L V10
55
Hideshi Matsuda
Y
1–2, 4, 7, NC
Eiichi Tajima
1–2
Fuminori Mizuno [ja ]
4
Anthony Reid
7
Mitsuhiro Kinoshita
NC
Mobil 1 Nakajima Racing
Honda
Honda NSX
Honda C32B 3.5 L V6
64
Tom Coronel
B
All
Koji Yamanishi
1–2, 4–7, NC
Koji Sato [ja ]
3
JLOC Corsa
Lamborghini
Lamborghini Diablo GT-1
Lamborghini L532 6.0 L V12
88
Naohiro Furuya
D
All
Hisashi Wada
All
Lamborghini Diablo Jota
777
Takao Wada
2, 4–5, 7
Masami Sugiyama
2, 4–5, 7
Kenji Kawagoe
Porsche
Porsche 993 GT2
Porsche M64/81 3.6 L Twin Turbo F6
89
Kenji Kawagoe
D
2
Toshikazu Kanamori
2
Raybrig Team Kunimitsu with Mooncraft
Honda
Honda NSX
Honda C32B 3.5 L V6
100
Kunimitsu Takahashi
B
All
Akira Iida
All
GT300
Team
Make
Car
Engine
Drivers
Tyre
Rounds
RE Amemiya Racing
Mazda
Mazda RX-7
Mazda RE20B 2.0 L 3-rotor
7
Shinichi Yamaji
D
All
Haruhiko Matsumoto [ja ]
All
Team Daikokuya
Porsche
Porsche 993 RSR
Porsche M64/80 3.8 L F6
9
Shuroku Sasaki [ja ]
D
1–2
Tsunefumi Hioki
1, 3
Yukihiro Hane
3–5, 7
Naohiro Kawano
4–5, 7
Hideaki Ichimura
2
99
Tsunefumi Hioki
5–6
Kiichi Takahashi
5
Akira Yoshitomi
6
Ability Motorsport
Porsche
Porsche 993 GT2
Porsche M64/82 3.6 L Turbo F6
10
Hidehiko Aso
D
All
Akira Ishikawa [ja ]
All
M Factory Racing Club
Nissan
Nissan Skyline GTS-R (HR31)
Nissan SR20DET 2.0 L Turbo I4
11
Hiromoto Ishimori
B
2, 4
Kazuo Miura
2, 4
Xanavi Racing with Nismo Jr.
Nissan
Nissan Silvia (S14)
Nissan SR20DET 2.0 L Turbo I4
15
Masahiko Kondo
B
All
Takayuki Aoki
All
Kageisen Racing Team
Mazda
Mazda Roadster (NA)
Mazda RE13B 1.3 L 2-rotor
17
Toshihiko Nogami [ja ]
D
1–2, 4–5, 7
Tomoyuki Hosono
1, 4
Masaaki Nagashima
2, 5, 7
Racing Project Bandoh
Toyota
Toyota Celica
Toyota 3S-GE 2.0 L I4
19
Manabu Orido
Y
4–7
Max Angelelli
4–6
Katsumi Yamamoto
7
Hitotsuyama Racing
BMW
BMW M3 (E36)
BMW S14 2.2 L Turbo I4
21
Hiroki Katoh
D
1, 3–7
Yasushi Hitotsuyama [ja ]
1–2, 4, 7
Mikio Hitotsuyama [ja ]
3, 5–6
Takayuki Kinoshita
2
Hirano Motorsport
Nissan
Nissan Skyline GTS-i (R32)
Nissan RB20DET 2.0 L Turbo I6
24
Toshiyuki Hirano
Y
2, 4
Teruhiko Someba
2, 4
Team Taisan Jr. with Tsuchiya
Toyota
Toyota MR2
Toyota 3S-GTE 2.0 L Turbo I4
25
Keiichi Suzuki
Y
All
Shingo Tachi
All
Team Ferrari Club of Japan
Ferrari
Ferrari F355 GT
Ferrari F129B 3.5 L V8
27
Tetsuya Ota
Y
1–2
Anders Olofsson
1
Steven Andskär
2
28
Masahiro Yamazaki
2–3
Hiroaki Suga
5
A'PEX
Toyota
Toyota MR2
Toyota 3S-GTE 2.0 L Turbo I4
44
Morio Nitta
D
All
Shota Mizuno
1–3
Peter Dumbreck
4–7
Cobra Racing Team
Porsche
Porsche 993 RSR
Porsche M64/80 3.8 L F6
51
Katsunori Iketani
Y
All
Seiichi Sodeyama
1
Masamitsu Ishihara
2–5, 7
"OSAMU"
6
KRAFT
Toyota
Toyota Cavalier
Toyota 3S-GE 2.0 L I4
60
Kumi Sato [ja ]
D
All
Masaoki Nagashima [ja ]
1
Junko Mihara
2
Akira Watanabe
3–7
Team Taeivon Ralliart
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi FTO
Mitsubishi 4G63 2.0 L Turbo I4
61
Akihiko Nakaya
T
All
Takahiko Hara
All
Team Gaikokuya
Porsche
Porsche 993 GT2
Porsche M64/81 3.6 L Turbo F6
70
Yoshimi Ishibashi
Y
All
Patrick van Schoote
All
SigmaTec Racing Team
Porsche
Porsche 993 GT2
Porsche M64/81 3.6 L Turbo F6
71
Kaoru Hoshino
D
All
Masaki Jyonai
All
Okura Rotary Racing
Mazda
Mazda RX-7
Mazda RE20B 2.0 L 3-rotor
72
Mark Porter
Y
3–7
Yoshimi Katayama
3–4
Isao Hirano
5–7
Cusco Racing
Subaru
Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Subaru EJ20 2.0 L Turbo F4
77
Katsuo Kobayashi
Y
All
Hideyuki Tamamoto
All
NAC West
Nissan
Nissan Silvia (S13)
Nissan FJ20DET 2.0 L Turbo I4
79
Masanori Sugiyama
Y
2, 4
Hiroyasu Aoyagi
2, 4
Team Daishin
Nissan
Nissan Silvia (S14)
Nissan SR20DET 2.0 L Turbo I4
81
Hideo Fukuyama
D
All
Nobuyuki Oyagi [ja ]
All
First Racing Team
Toyota
Toyota MR2
Toyota 3S-GTE 2.0 L Turbo I4
91
Masahiro Matsunaga
Y
1–3
Yasuhisa Fujiwara
1–3
Toyota Celica
Masahiro Matsunaga
4–7
Yasuhisa Fujiwara
4–7
Alta Racing Team
Mazda
Mazda RX-7
Mazda RE20B 2.0 L 3-rotor
117
Toshihiro Fukazawa
Y
2, 4–5, 7
Tetsuo Kozai
2, 4–5, 7
NSX Dream28 Competition
Honda
Honda NSX
Honda C32B 3.5 L V6
280
Hajime Oshiro
Y
4
Mamoru Suzuki
4
Yellow Magic
Ferrari
Ferrari F355
Ferrari F129B 3.6 L V8
355
Hiroaki Suga
Y
4–5, 7
Takayuki Ohi [ja ]
4
Tatsuyuki Fujiwara
5
Seiichi Sodeyama
7
910 Racing
Porsche
Porsche 993 RSR
Porsche M64/80 3.8 L F6
910
Atsushi Yogo [ja ]
D
All
Tomohiko Sunako
1–2
Shogo Kobayashi [ja ]
3–4
Takayuki Kinoshita
5–7
911
Kiichi Takahashi
1–4, 7
Shogo Kobayashi
1
Kazushige Saito
2–3, 7
Hirotaka Nakajima
4
Schedule
Season results
Point Ranking
GT500
Drivers
GT300 Class (Top 5)
Drivers
References
External links