PCCJ Opening Round

April 13 and 14.Porsche Carrera Cup Japan held at Okayama International Circuit(hereafter referred to as PCCJ)The opening round of theThe PCCJ is mainly held as a support race for SUPER GT, but it is also known as "the world's fastest one-make race.(All participants must ride in racing machines of the same specifications.)It is also known as "the

This is the second time for me to go to Okayama International Circuit to watch the PCCJ. The last time we went to Okayama International Circuit, it was just the two of us because our children were small, but this time, we went to Okayama International Circuit for the second time.This time, for the first time, our family of four can go see the show.The first time, the company was forced to

I just went to see a driving event at Fuji Speedway the other day, and in the past I've gone to watch the WEC, so I'm sure readers will be able to find out more about theI like to race.While it may have been a "goodBefore, I had no interest in racing.Even though my husband watches races like F1 and WEC on our TV at home.

What's so interesting about watching a video of cars running endlessly?

I've been poking fun at him for a long time.

However, as my husband took me to see the race several times, I realized thatWatching a race live is totally different from watching it on TV.I felt that(Is that true in any sport?)I have recently become a little more interested in racing.

Also at this year's Okayama International, the Carrera Cup Pilot(They call him Carrera Cup Pilot, though he is also called Driver)was looking forward to the event even more than usual, as some of the "Mere Old Men" were going to participate in the event.

Departure to PCCJ Okayama

On Saturday, the day of departure, the weather was fine. However, heavy rain was forecast for the following day, Sunday.I decided to go with boots because it was already a hassle (explosion).

Last month I went to Fuji Speedway, which was about 450 kilometers one way, a six-hour trip, butThis time, Okayama International Circuit is about 140 km one way and takes about 2 hours.It's so close. Two hours one way by car may seem like a long distance to most people, but... I think my husband has brainwashed me into feeling numb to the distance.

There was no significant traffic jam along the way, and when we were only a few kilometers away from Okayama International Circuit. "The car ahead of me is driving very slowly.As I was running along the road, I found myself wondering why they were catching rats. I see...they do that even in places like this.

Nevertheless, I arrived there safely, checked in at the entrance, received my pass, and parked my car in the parking lot near the paddock.

I walked from the parking lot to the Porsche Lounge, which is located behind the Carrera Cup car pit.The Cup cars were already lined up in the pit, and theEngineers were working on the project.

It's rare to see a Cup car without tires on it yet. Then a racer I know made this suggestion.

Would you like to ride in a Cup Car? Normally, I would never allow it, but since you're here, why don't you make a special effort to sit in the driver's seat this time?

And.

."No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...However, since such an opportunity may or may not come along once in a lifetime, I decided to take advantage of the offer and ask for a ride.

First of all, I was surprised when I opened the door.Extremely light and thin. Maybe it was because I still had the feeling of the heavy doors of the Panamera on the road, but it felt so light that it was a lie.It looks like a Porsche, but it is nothing like the Porsches on the market.Carbon is used throughout and the weight is thoroughly reduced.The Carrera Cup car is about 300 kg lighter than the production GT3Yes.

And when I actually sat in the driver's seat, the steering wheel, seats, and everything else was different from a production car.The seat also sits much deeper and the buttocks feel fixed in place.It was andThree pedals, too.And everything was race-specific, with paddle operation for all normal driving, but the clutch was used for starting, and so on.

As a courtesy, my 2-year-old daughter was allowed to sit in the driver's seat, but she was a little confused at the sudden change of events.

President of Porsche Japan and...

Afterwards, we went to the Porsche Carrera Cup Lounge.

This is where officials and drivers come in and out, andYou can check the race, time, and standings on the monitor.This is also where the awards ceremony will be held again in this lounge after the regular awards ceremony, again exclusively for Porsche personnel.

We got to the lounge around 10:00 and still had a little time before the PCCJ qualifiers.Official Practice for Super GTand decided to wander around the area. As one would expectThere were quite a few explosions all around us.Surprisingly, however, the children were not frightened by the sound of the explosions, but rather enjoyed watching the cars racing past in front of them.

Also, in the parking lot in front of the lounge is aGT2RSBut... andWeissach PackageIt is.

My husband is a

It's so cool when they actually put it up like this."

And then I looked at it for a long while, saying "W

In the afternoon, the Porsche people arrived in droves... and among them wereMr. Yamazaki, the executive officer I spoke with at the Porsche Japan headquarters earlier, was there...!

We visited Porsche Japan headquarters! -Showcases of the inside of the company and stories of the employees.

After greeting the guests, Mr. YamazakiMotorsports Manager of Porsche JapanWe were introduced to the "Mazda Group" and had the opportunity to hear a valuable talk, albeit only for a short time. In addition, we also participated in a pit tour guided by a public relations person, the contents of which will be introduced in a separate article to follow.

Also, Yuta Uemura, a PCCJ scholarship driver until last year, and

I was even introduced to the president of Porsche Japan, Mr. Shimeki......................................

President Shimeki was very friendly and smiling from start to finish. I had an image of a "president" sitting in the back of the room and giving instructions to his subordinates, but President Shichigosanki was very friendly and smiling from beginning to end.I went to say hello to various people, to see what was going on outside, and to talk with drivers and staff.The first time I saw the building, it was being used as a base for a new building.

I guess it's because of opportunities like this that they are trying to get a good look at the site.(Mr. Yamazaki gave us permission to post a photo of Mr. Uemura and President Shimeki on our blog.)

PCCJ finals start

And finally, it was time for the final race. The starting grid for the qualifying time attack.(Position and position at the start of a race in motorsports)was decided, and I just took a picture of him.Uemura is in pole position(Head of starting position for the final race)Start with.At the grid walk, we were able to see the cars and drivers right before the start of the race up close.However, there was an indescribable tension in the air.

After all, when someone we know is racing, it is quite different from the races we usually watch, and we are also very excited. Incidentally, PCCJ races at Okayama International are 15 laps or 30 minutes long.

There was a Michelin man on the grid.

＊Image Source.CS CRAFT Sports "SUPER GT Season Opener in Okayama! Race Report★③".

As soon as the children saw the Michelin Man, they said, "poopie manShe called it "thePoo! Poop!I don't know, I guess it looks like poo to the children's eyes....

The first-line final race then started, but shortly after, theYellow flag immediately after car contact accidentT. We were cheering for Mr. T., who wasHe passed 6 cars from the outside and quickly moved up from starting 9th in class to 2nd place.However, a penalty at the start of the race, a drive-through penalty, and other problems made for a thrilling race from start to finish.

The first race ended with a pole-to-win for Uemura, followed by this year's PCCJ scholarship driver Sasahara in second place and Otaki on the podium in third place in his first PCCJ race.(For detailed results of the PCCJ first line race and the overalls and gentleman's classes, please refer to the following website.this way (direction close to the speaker or towards the speaker))

When I went out to the pits, I saw a machine that had been involved in a collision in the previous race being carried in by a crane.

It looks like it's in some kind of pain...I guess the engineers will be repairing the machine over the night. Also, it seems that tires are naturally torn up during each 30-minute race, and they will be changed each time.

Well, it is an amazing world....

And the next morning. For the Round 2 race, the starting grid was determined by the second time of the first day's qualifying. In the morning, it was cloudy and the weather was holding up, but just before the start, heavy rain started to fall.

thereuponOn the grid, teams lifted their cars with aero jacks and changed to wet tires.I wonder how it is possible to change a tire just before such an event.

Unfortunately, the race started in the rain.The race was close, but there were no crashes or contact throughout the race.The race ended without incident. By the way, you are all very good drivers!(Of course not.)It was truly amazing that they were able to run so well in the rain with poor footing and visibility.

Fifteen laps goes by in a blink of an eye.It was.

I attended the awards ceremony in the lounge on both days of the event, and it was heartwarming to hear the comments from each competitor. Spectators watching the race only see "the drivers and the cars," but behind the scenes, there are so many people who are working hard to make the race a success.The team, families, and everyone involved have given extraordinary support.Drivers are competing with such thoughts and feelings on their shoulders.

So, winning the race is "not a matter ofA sense of accomplishment for meNot only to the "Mere Old Man" but also to all of you who support us on a daily basis."Giving back" or "gratitude."I guess it also has the connotation of...I thought it was deep.

After the PCCJ race was over, we headed home, but we were very satisfied and had a memorable two days with a number of valuable experiences.

PCCJ Live Streaming

My husband saw the season opener here at Okayama International.

Everyone is really amazing. When you are racing in a game, you can make a good time for one lap, but if you have to do it for every lap, it requires a lot of concentration and skill. It's really amazing. I also realized that there are a lot of people above me, and I need to earn more money and work harder!

They were somewhat energetic. My daughters also felt many things, and they would definitely like to go back next time.

In addition, this year, the PCCJ has started toJ SPORTS on DemandLive streaming of the event is now available at Until now, you had to go to the circuit to see it, but from now onSign up for a free membership and you can browse instantly online, and miss out onThe editing process was very interesting and gave us a detailed picture of how the race unfolded. My husband tried it after we got home, and he had no problem viewing the video, and it was interesting to see how the race unfolded in detail thanks to the editing.

Some Porsche owners probably do not know that there is a race called Porsche Carrera Cup Japan (PCCJ). However, it is very interesting to see it, and it is still a great experience for me.Porsche is a sports car manufacturer.So, if you are interested, please contact us.J SPORTS on DemandWhy not take a look at the following?