Takuro Shinohara claims eighth victory in Race 1 at Fuji

After clinching the title of TCR Japan’s Saturday series two weeks ago at Suzuka, Takuro Shinohara finished the season in style, claiming another victory in the first race at Fuji. This was the fifth win from the six races of the series for the Team Hitotsuyama driver and his Audi RS 3 LMS, and the eighth of the season including those in the Sunday series. 
‘Hirobon’ was classified second at the wheel of his CUPRA, while Resshu Shioya beat Takeshi Matsumoto for third place. However, by finishing fourth Matsumoto managed to move into second in the final standings ahead of Rio Shimono, while the lady driver was crowned champion in the Saturday series’ Bronze class. 
After taking pole position by nine tenths, Shinohara led the field at the start, while Matsumoto jumped into second from P4 on the grid, but ‘Hirobon’ who had posted the second fastest lap in Qualifying overtook him already during the opening lap. 
Shioya and Shimono followed in fourth and fifth; further behind Mineki Okura – who had lost his third position on the grid after spinning during the formation lap – recovered to sixth after passing Jun Makino, ‘Mototino’ and Kenji Suzuki.
Soon Shinohara built a comfortable margin over ‘Hirobon’, while Shioya was putting the pressure on Matsumoto and eventually stole the third position from him in lap nine. Shimono and Okura took advantage by the situation to join the battle and, at the beginning of the penultimate lap, Okura overtook Shimono for fifth but then couldn’t pass Matsumoto who retained the fourth place.
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta of Junichi Umemoto did not start after suffering from electrical issues during the Qualifying.
The Sunday series’ race is scheduled to start tomorrow at 09:05 local time (01:05 CET), Shinohara will start from the pole position again after posting the best lap in the second Qualifying, eight tenths faster than ‘Hirobon’. The Audi driver will try to secure his second title, as he currently leads the series’ standings by three points over the reigning champion Matsumoto. Live streaming at www.tcr-series.com.  

Race 1
1. Takuro Shinohara (Team Hitotsuyama, Audi RS 3 LMS), 11 laps
2. ‘Hirobon’ (Birth Racing Project, CUPRA), 8.835
3. Resshu Shioya (Team G/Motion, Honda Civic Type R), 17.151
4. Takeshi Matsumoto (Team Wakayama, Volkswagen Golf GTI), 18.295
5. Mineki Okura (M-Prototyping Team Stile Corse, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce), 19.053

Championship points – Saturday series
1. Takuro Shinohara 149 pts; 2. Takeshi Matsumoto 94; 3. Rio Shimono 89

Picture: TCR Japan