The TAKATA DOME NSX won the GT500 class pole position (fastest qualifier) and will start from the front row in the final race on the 24th.
In the first qualifying session in the morning, the TAKATA DOME NSX driver, Takashi Kogure, ran the top time at 1 min. 54.383 sec, which bettered the former course record (1 min. 57.824 sec. ) by a big margin. In the afternoon Super Lap for the top ten qualifiers (time trial run one machine at a time), Kogure ran a time of 1 min. 54.306 sec. to again lead the top ten machines and win the pole position. TAKATA DOME NSX also won the pole position in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of this year’s series, making it the pole starter for the third consecutive round.
In the GT300 class, the apr MR-S driven by Kazuya Oshima was top qualifier in class with a time of 2 min. 6.584 sec.
Pole position winner comments
No. 18 TAKATA DOME NSX [GT500]
Takashi Kogure: “Before coming here to Sepang I had the feeling that we might win the pole position for the third consecutive round. I am grateful to the team for having set the car up in such great condition. In the Super Lap the course condition had gotten better and the other machine were improving on there times, but I wasn’t able to put a faster lap together. Still, I am glad that I didn’t run much slower than my morning time. “
Ryo Michigami: “We were confident [about winning the pole position]. I didn’t drive [in the Super Lap] but I felt like I was out there competing too as I watched, and it was tense. This course has been repaved and the wear on the tires is intense. If we don’t win here it is going to be tough for us to get the season title, so I intend to go for the win tomorrow. “
No. 101 the apr MR-S [GT300]
Kazuya Oshima: “There was trouble for a moment when I had couldn’t downshift at the first corner, but after that I made no mistakes and was able to recover. In the morning qualifying we were still working on the tires but I was able to run a 2 min. 6 sec. lap. That is evidence of just how good the condition of the machine is right now. ”
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