The Final Run… Toyota Motor Sports Festival Part I

Full event report from this year’s Toyota Motor Sports Festival held at Fuji Speedway.

This year’s festival was looking to be one of the worst on record. It was bitterly cold and the intermittent rain in the morning was doing nothing to help. However, it was going to be the last time that Toyota would be pulling off the covers on their Formula One machines so it was going to be a big day. The weather wasn’t going to hold the fans back either and as we headed towards the main grandstand we kicked into high gear seeing just how many fans had turned up to say their last goodbyes.

Just as we arrived, the Toyota 2000GT owners club was peeling off the main circuit and back to the pits so I quickly grabbed a snap. This mint condition 2000 was one of the leaders of the rest of the pack. Unfortunately it was a long weekend here in Japan and just about every man woman and child was out, causing us to get stuck in traffic on the way.

No sooner had we spoken another word though when the hordes of press were called down over to the main straight. Just about anyone and everyone from Toyota was there and thousands had turned out especially to see their last glimpse of the Toyota F1 team.

Jarno Trulli came speeding in to screaming and waiting fans, waving his hands as he got out of the new 2010 3.5 Liter Mark X.

In the end though all it took was one deep bow from Akio Toyoda apologizing for having to axe the Formula one team,  a big wave to the fans from Trulli and his teammates and everyone began to leave the stage. “Thank you for being part of it” was Toyota’s way of saying thank you to all who came out on the freezing day, a mighty turnout at twenty eight thousand fans.

After quickly being ushered away again, the LFA’s were started up and it was all green lights!

Downstairs in the pits, fans could get a closer eye at some of the cars from this year celebrating some of the highs and lows of the year. Up first were the two Nurburgring LFAs, one of which was piloted by CEO Akio Toyoda himself..

..a few of the SuperGT cars..

Including that strangely shaped ‘Corolla’..

..and of course all of Toyota’s F1 machines.

When he wasn’t out on the circuit driving, Trulli was kept busy downstairs with fans flocking for an autograph and photograph op!

Back to business end of things, Kamui Kobayashi sits in the number 10 car in front of onlookers before going out and setting a few hot laps for the fans with Trulli.

Not letting the F1 boys take all the lime light, Toyota’s SuperGT cars, from both the GT500 and GT300 were out in force too. Here Yuji Tachikawa takes the Lexus Zent SC430 down the main straight in front of fans for SuperGT demonstration run.

Joining in the fun was the #35 KRAFT SC430 and Hiroaki Ishiura, fresh out of the garage with a new lick of paint and some new livery for the 2010 season.

Hot on his heels was Kouta Sasaki from GT300 with the white hot looking Kumho Tires Shift IS350, but a dismal result for them this year with the team only managing a 13th position overall in the team ranks.

Back outside there was another sight to behold! The Toyota 2000GT Owners Club had regrouped, showing off their pride and joy. I must have counted almost twenty of them, all beautifully kept and/or restored.

This yellow specimen in the middle of the pack was even rarer, a left hand drive! I couldn’t track down the owne to pick his brain about how he’d acquired it though..

Just in behind in them was the Toyota Sports 800 Club too, joining together with the 2000GT boys for the event.

Just before the F1′s were about to head out for the last time, we quickly rushed back to the pits. Listening to engine starting with Trulli and Kobayashi jumping in, speeding away saying thank you to all for being part of it.

What a sight and and sound to behold. Never can you get this close to a F1 car screaming past you leaving a trail of thick rubber behind..

Stay tuned for more photos tomorrow though as we take a look at some of the fan’s cars and other events that were going on throughout the day.

Peter Horniak

Images/Text: Peter Horniak

l event report from this year’s Toyota Motor Sports Festival held at Fuji Speedway.

This year’s festival was looking to be one of the worst on record. It was bitterly cold and the
intermittent rain in the morning was doing nothing to help. It was going to be the last time that
Toyota would be pulling off the covers on their Formula One machines so it was going to be a big
day. The weather wasn’t going to hold the fans back either and as we headed towards the main
grandstand we kicked into high gear. 

At first glance, this year’s event looked like every other in the past. But it was a welcome sight
to see that Toyota had gone out and thought of some new events. Maybe this was Akio’s doing? From
the morning, there was more than just the usual demo car and super GT fare. For one, Toyota got to
using all the different quarters of Fuji Speedway. It’s handy having your own speedway like that..
Down the bottom, the Short Course was being used throughout the day for EcoCar passenger rides and
drift demonstrations care of all Toyota driving D1 drivers. 

Closer to the top, the 

The confirmation came and in the end all it took was one deep bow from Akio Toyoda, a wave to the
fans from Trulli and the sound of sad song sung by all as the Toyota F1 team departed the stage.
“Thank you for being part of it” was Toyota’s way of saying thank you to all who came, all
twenty eight thousand. For many this would be the last time they could pay their respects to all
involved and the chief of ToMoCo’s F1 team. For some it was a little too much as they started up
Trulli’s car and made it sing it’s last song.Full event report from this year’s Toyota Motor Sports Festival held at Fuji Speedway.

This year’s festival was looking to be one of the worst on record. It was bitterly cold and the intermittent rain in the morning was doing nothing to help. It was going to be the last time that Toyota would be pulling off the covers on their Formula One machines so it was going to be a big day. The weather wasn’t going to hold the fans back either and as we headed towards the main grandstand we kicked into high gear. 

At first glance, this year’s event looked like every other in the past. But it was a welcome sight to see that Toyota had gone out and thought of some new events. Maybe this was Akio’s doing? From the morning, there was more than just the usual demo car and super GT fare. For one, Toyota got to using all the different quarters of Fuji Speedway. It’s handy having your own speedway like that.. Down the bottom, the Short Course was being used throughout the day for EcoCar passenger rides and drift demonstrations care of all Toyota driving D1 drivers. 

Closer to the top, the 

The confirmation came and in the end all it took was one deep bow from Akio Toyoda, a wave to the fans from Trulli and the sound of sad song sung by all as the Toyota F1 team departed the stage. “Thank you for being part of it” was Toyota’s way of saying thank you to all who came, all twenty eight thousand. For many this would be the last time they could pay their respects to all involved and the chief of ToMoCo’s F1 team. For some it was a little too much as they started up Trulli’s car and made it sing it’s last song.

Whilst the end 

Whilst the end