Kanamaru recovers from last on the grid to victory

Yu Kanamaru drove his Team Goh Honda Civic to a second victory of the season in TCR Japan’s Race 1 at the Fuji Speedway. It was a remarkable victory as Kanamaru had started from the back of the grid following and engine change after Qualifying.
The start was taken under the rain and on a very wet track. Shuji Maejima’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta took the advantage at the start but was seriously challenged by Matthew Howson, Shogo Mitsuyama and pole-sitter Takuro Shinohara. The Alfa slid wide at the last corner of the first lap, having to let past its three rivals, but also ‘Hirobon’. Takeshi Matsumoto took the lead and the positions stabilized with Matsumoto able to build a small gap and the others fighting for the top position, or more correctly, exchanging positions as they slid and struggled on the wet track.
By lap 5, Matsumoto was still in the lead, followed by ‘Hirobon’, Mitsuyama, Maejima, Kanamaru and Howson. The last three were tangled in a superb fight, as events unfolded ahead of them with ‘Hirobon’ slowly catching Matsumoto and getting onto his heels on lap 7. On a drying track, all the top drivers got together again and Kanamaru came from behind with a couple of daring moves, jumping into the lead ahead of Matsumoto, Mitsuyama, ‘Hirobon’, Maejima and Howson.
With Kanamaru then opening up a gap from Matsumoto, ‘Hirobon’, Maejima and Mitsuyama were all fighting for the final podium place. The battle went right down to the final lap, with Maejima and ‘Hirobon’ side by side as they started the lap and ‘Hirobon’ easing ahead. It didn’t last however and the positions swapped again to allow Maejima to retake third place. Mitsuyama then also passed ‘Hirobon’ to briefly lie in fourth place, but ‘Hirobon’ quickly struck back to regain the position and that’s how it stayed until the chequered flag.
Kanamaru’s Honda won the race, with the Volkswagen Golf GTI of Matsumoto in second place and Maejima’s Alfa Romeo third, so Maejima took victory in the Gentleman class. ‘Hirobon’ held off the determined Mitsuyama to finish fourth while Howson was sixth and retained the leadership in the standings, though his advantage over Mitsuyama was reduced to a single point. Matsumoto lies in third position a further five points adrift, while Kanamaru moved up into fourth with a gap of nine points from the leader.
Action will resume Sunday at 08:10 local time (01:10 CET) with the Qualifying session for Race 2 that will start at 11:55 local time (04:55 CET) and will be streamed live at www.tcr-series.com and ww.tcr-series.tv. 

Race 1
1. Yu Kanamaru (Team Goh Models, Honda Civic FK7), 12 laps
2. Takeshi Matsumoto (RT Team Wakayama, Volkswagen Golf GTI), 9.328
3. Shuji Maejima (Go&Fun Squadra Corse, Alfa Romeo Giulietta), 9.917
4. ‘Hirobon’ (Birth Racing Project, Volkswagen Golf GTI), 10.990
5. Shogo Mitsuyama (Green Brave, Volkswagen Golf GTI), 11.096

Championship points
1. Howson 82 pts; 2. Mitsuyama 82; 3. Matsumoto 77