TGR Team KeePer Cerumo Ends Winless Drought at Fuji GT 3 Hour Race
In a remarkable return to form, TGR Team KeePer Cerumo triumphed at the Fuji GT 3 Hour Race: GW Special, securing their first victory since 2019. Hiroaki Ishiura and Toshiki Oyu drove a flawless race, with Oyu starting from pole and establishing an impressive lead of over 20 seconds before yielding the wheel to Ishiura.
The #38 Toyota GR Supra was virtually uncontested throughout the race, only briefly relinquishing the lead during pit stops. This win serves as a significant rebound for the team, particularly following their challenging start to the season at Okayama, marred by a multi-car incident on the first lap.
The battle for second place saw Sho Tsuboi and Kenta Yamashita in the #1 au TOM’S GR Supra fall short of a record fourth consecutive win but managed a strong points finish, extending their lead in the GT500 Championship standings.
Completing the podium in GT500 was the #100 Stanley Honda Civic Type R-GT, driven by Naoki Yamamoto and Tadasuke Makino. Their final stint featured an aggressive overtaking maneuver to secure the position against the #12 TRS Impul Nissan Z NISMO GT500.
The race also highlighted strong performances in GT300, where the #6 Uni-Robo Bluegrass Ferrari 296 GT3 achieved victory after capitalizing on a mechanical failure for the leading #61 Subaru BRZ R&D Sport. This win marks Ferrari’s first in the series since 2009 and a notable achievement for drivers Yoshiaki Katayama and Roberto Merhi, both earning their first career wins.
The #777 D’station Aston Martin Vantage GT3 finished second after a mid-race puncture disrupted their strategy, while the #7 CarGuy MKS 296 GT3 secured third.
This event reaffirms the competitive landscape of the SUPER GT series, with implications for the championship as the season progresses.
