Twin Ring Motegi
Encyclopedia
is an automobile racing track located at Motegi
, Japan
. Its name comes from the facility having two race tracks: a 2.493 kilometres (1.5 mi) oval and a 4.8 kilometres (2.98 mi) road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda
, as part of Honda's effort to bring the IndyCar Series
to Japan, helping to increase their knowledge of American open-wheel racing.
held the inaugural race at Twin Ring Motegi Speedway. The race was won by Mexican driver Adrian Fernandez
. CART
continued racing at Twin Ring Motegi Speedway from 1998-2002. In 2003, Honda entered the Indy Racing League and the race became a part of the IRL schedule. In addition to IndyCar Racing, the track has also hosted a single NASCAR exhibition race in 1998.
Honda, which had built the oval for the express purpose of developing its oval-racing program for Indycar Racing, did not win a race at the track for its first six years of operation. In 2004, Dan Wheldon
took the first win for Honda on the oval. In 2008, the Motegi oval gained additional publicity when Danica Patrick
became the first woman to win an Indy car
race there.
The 2011 season will be the last season IndyCar
held in Motegi. It has been dropped from the calendar as organizers seek to maximize viewing audience. The road course, rather than the Super Speedway, was used for the 2011 race due to damage to the oval track resulting from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake
.
For race results, see Indy Japan 300
won the only NASCAR Winston Cup exhibition race held at the track in 1998, the Coca-Cola 500
. Skinner won driving the #31 Lowe's Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing
. The race was most notable for being the first oval NASCAR race in Japan as well as being the first in which Dale Earnhardt
& his son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
competed with one another, driving #3 & #1 Coca-Cola
Chevrolets, respectively.
The course itself is built in a stop-start straight/hairpin style; this less than flowing arrangement has attracted criticism including that of Valentino Rossi
. By Japanese standards the circuit is exceptionally flat, with only a slight elevation rise towards the hairpin turn. The road course is much busier than the oval track, with Formula Nippon
visiting twice, Super GT
and Super Taikyu cars once each, and local events almost every weekend. The road course can be used in three ways: the full course, or two 'Short Courses' can be made, using connecting roadways. These short courses are usually used for junior formula events, such as Formula 4
or FJ1600.
The road course is also a popular motorcycle racing spot, with the MotoGP usually visiting once a year, as well as several Japanese national bike racing series. It has hosted the Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix
from 2000 to 2003 and the Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix
since 2004.
for modified and sprint car racing. In addition, the FIM
Trials series visits the track every year for the World trials Championship. Therefore an outdoor trials course exists on the facility.
Outside of racing, Twin Ring has the Honda Collection Hall, which features historic Honda racing and production cars and motorcycles, and Honda Fan Fun Lab, which features Honda's next generation technologies such as robotics, fuel-cell vehicle and aviation. Honda also operates a technology demonstration center on the site, as well as educational centers.
Track access is a major concern, with only two entry and exit points by two-lane public road. Motegi is not a particularly large town, and accommodation is virtually non-existent close to the track, except for the on-site hotel. Train links to the area are extremely limited (the major regional lines, JR East
and Tobu Railway
do not service the area), nor has a planned superhighway been completed. Thus the stated track capacity (about 65,000) is dictated largely by traffic flow, not by actual seating capacity
(estimated to be nearly 100,000 for road-course events, 80,000 for the oval).
In 2011 Casey Stoner
and Jorge Lorenzo
proposed to boycott the MotoGP race out of fears for their health from radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant even though all the independent scientific experts including the World Health Organization
and Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
have stated that it is safe to live permanently 80km or more from the plant. Motegi is more than 120km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. In the end, all the teams showed up for the race.
Motegi, Tochigi
is a town located in Haga District, Tochigi, Japan.As of 2005, the town has an estimated population of 16,403 and a density of 95 persons per km². The total area is 172.71 km²....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Its name comes from the facility having two race tracks: a 2.493 kilometres (1.5 mi) oval and a 4.8 kilometres (2.98 mi) road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, as part of Honda's effort to bring the IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
to Japan, helping to increase their knowledge of American open-wheel racing.
Super Speedway
The oval course is the only one of its kind in Japan, and currently is only used once a year for racing. It is a low-banked, 1.549-mile-long egg-shaped course, with turns 3 and 4 being much tighter than turns 1 and 2. On March 28, 1998, CARTChamp Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
held the inaugural race at Twin Ring Motegi Speedway. The race was won by Mexican driver Adrian Fernandez
Adrian Fernández
José Adrián Fernández Mier is a Mexican racing driver and co-owner of the Fernandez Racing team.-Early career:...
. CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
continued racing at Twin Ring Motegi Speedway from 1998-2002. In 2003, Honda entered the Indy Racing League and the race became a part of the IRL schedule. In addition to IndyCar Racing, the track has also hosted a single NASCAR exhibition race in 1998.
Honda, which had built the oval for the express purpose of developing its oval-racing program for Indycar Racing, did not win a race at the track for its first six years of operation. In 2004, Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
took the first win for Honda on the oval. In 2008, the Motegi oval gained additional publicity when Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
became the first woman to win an Indy car
American Championship Car Racing
Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
race there.
The 2011 season will be the last season IndyCar
IndyCar
IndyCar is the trade name of an American-based open-wheel auto racing sanctioning body. IndyCar sanctions three racing series, the premier IZOD IndyCar Series with its centerpiece Indianapolis 500, and developmental series Firestone Indy Lights and the U.S...
held in Motegi. It has been dropped from the calendar as organizers seek to maximize viewing audience. The road course, rather than the Super Speedway, was used for the 2011 race due to damage to the oval track resulting from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
.
For race results, see Indy Japan 300
Indy Japan 300
The Indy Japan 300 presented by Bridgestone is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. The 2008 race marked the historic first ever win for a woman driver in American open wheel racing when Danica Patrick of Andretti-Green Racing took the checkered...
NASCAR history
Mike SkinnerMike Skinner (NASCAR)
Mike Skinner is an American driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is the primary driver of the #60 Big Red Soda Toyota Camry for Germain Racing. He is the father of former NASCAR drivers Jamie and Dustin Skinner...
won the only NASCAR Winston Cup exhibition race held at the track in 1998, the Coca-Cola 500
Coca-Cola 500 (Motegi)
The Coca-Cola 500 was an exhibition NASCAR stock car race of held on November 22, 1998, won by Mike Skinner. The race took place on the Twin Ring Motegi oval course in Motegi, Japan. It was the third straight year that NASCAR held an exhibition race in Japan, previously hosting races on the Suzuka...
. Skinner won driving the #31 Lowe's Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
. The race was most notable for being the first oval NASCAR race in Japan as well as being the first in which Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
& his son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...
competed with one another, driving #3 & #1 Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
Chevrolets, respectively.
Road Course
The road course is 4.8 kilometers long and is unique in sharing garage and grandstand facilities with the oval course, but being entirely separate otherwise. Although they are separate tracks, it is impossible for races to occur simultaneously on the two courses at the same time; to access the oval track, teams must cross the road-course pit and front straight. The road course also runs in the opposite direction from the oval; clockwise, rather than counter-clockwise.The course itself is built in a stop-start straight/hairpin style; this less than flowing arrangement has attracted criticism including that of Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi
Valentino Rossi, , is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – seven of which are in the premier class.Following his father, Graziano Rossi,...
. By Japanese standards the circuit is exceptionally flat, with only a slight elevation rise towards the hairpin turn. The road course is much busier than the oval track, with Formula Nippon
Formula Nippon
Formula Nippon is a type of formula racing and the top level of single-seater racing in Japan.Formula Nippon evolved from the Japanese Formula 2000 series begun in 1973 by way of the Japanese Formula Two and Japanese Formula 3000 championships...
visiting twice, Super GT
Super GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
and Super Taikyu cars once each, and local events almost every weekend. The road course can be used in three ways: the full course, or two 'Short Courses' can be made, using connecting roadways. These short courses are usually used for junior formula events, such as Formula 4
Formula 4
Formula 4, also called Formula Four, F4 or 750 Club Formula 4 Championship, is a club class of open-wheel formula racing based in the UK.-History:...
or FJ1600.
The road course is also a popular motorcycle racing spot, with the MotoGP usually visiting once a year, as well as several Japanese national bike racing series. It has hosted the Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix
Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix
The Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix was a round of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship between 2000 and 2003.-Multiple winners :-Multiple winners :-By year:...
from 2000 to 2003 and the Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix
Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix
The Japanese Motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.-Multiple winners :-Multiple winners :-By year:...
since 2004.
Other facilities
In addition to the main racing complex, Twin Ring Motegi features a second road course (called the North Short Course) for karting and Formula 4 events, as well as a 1/4 mile dirt trackDirt track racing
Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
for modified and sprint car racing. In addition, the FIM
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....
Trials series visits the track every year for the World trials Championship. Therefore an outdoor trials course exists on the facility.
Outside of racing, Twin Ring has the Honda Collection Hall, which features historic Honda racing and production cars and motorcycles, and Honda Fan Fun Lab, which features Honda's next generation technologies such as robotics, fuel-cell vehicle and aviation. Honda also operates a technology demonstration center on the site, as well as educational centers.
Track difficulties
Twin Ring is a separate-but-combined road-and-oval track (as opposed to 'roval' tracks common in the United States), and the decision to include a full road course contained largely within the oval necessitated design compromises. For spectators, sightlines can be extremely poor for road-course races, as the grandstands are much further back than usual. The oval course blocks the view of much of the road course, including the best passing point on the track , and several large-screen televisions are needed. Seating outside the grandstand is limited to areas of the infield and along the backstraight of the road course.Track access is a major concern, with only two entry and exit points by two-lane public road. Motegi is not a particularly large town, and accommodation is virtually non-existent close to the track, except for the on-site hotel. Train links to the area are extremely limited (the major regional lines, JR East
East Japan Railway Company
is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....
and Tobu Railway
Tobu Railway
is a Japanese commuter railway company in the Greater Tokyo Area as well as an intercity and regional operator in the Kantō region. It operates in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, Tochigi, and Gunma Prefectures...
do not service the area), nor has a planned superhighway been completed. Thus the stated track capacity (about 65,000) is dictated largely by traffic flow, not by actual seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
(estimated to be nearly 100,000 for road-course events, 80,000 for the oval).
In 2011 Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner is an Australian professional motorcycle racer. Born in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia and raised in Southport, Queensland, Stoner raced from a young age and moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a racing career...
and Jorge Lorenzo
Jorge Lorenzo
Jorge Lorenzo Guerrero , is a Spanish professional motorcycle road racer. He is the 2006 and 2007 250cc World Champion, and the MotoGP World Champion...
proposed to boycott the MotoGP race out of fears for their health from radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant even though all the independent scientific experts including the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
and Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency
The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency is an Australian body that monitors and identifies solar radiation and nuclear radiation risks to the population of Australia....
have stated that it is safe to live permanently 80km or more from the plant. Motegi is more than 120km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. In the end, all the teams showed up for the race.
In popular media
As a large recently constructed Japanese circuit, Twin Ring Motegi has and continues to be utilised virtually in a large number of electronic video games, both in arcade machines and in PC and console games for home use.- In Honda's 2005 Clio AwardsClio AwardsThe Clio Awards are annual awards bestowed to reward innovation and creative excellence in advertising, design and communication. The categories include work in nearly all types of media, and the judges are advertising professionals from around the world....
winning commercial Impossible Dream, the sequence in which the BARBritish American RacingBritish American Racing was a Formula One constructor that competed in the sport from 1999 to 2005. BAR began by acquiring Tyrrell, and used Supertec engines for their first year...
Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
car is driven into the bridge is filmed at the circuit. - During the opening sequence of Kamen Rider AgitoKamen Rider Agito, is the eleventh installment in the popular Kamen Rider tokusatsu franchise. The series represented the 30th Anniversary of the Kamen Rider Series. The series was also a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei and was shown on TV Asahi from January 28, 2001 to January 27, 2002....
, the three main Kamen Riders are shown riding around the circuit, as Honda is the series sponsor. - During the ending sequence of Engine Sentai Go-ongerEngine Sentai Go-ongeris the title of Toei Company's thirty-second Super Sentai series of Japanese tokusatsu television series. It premiered on February 17, 2008, a week following the finale of Juken Sentai Gekiranger, and ended on February 8, 2009. It aired as part of TV Asahi's 2008 Super Hero Time block alongside...
the series' characters are shown dancing in the main straight of the Motegi's road course. The racetrack is revealed in the series as the primary Go-onger team's origin (it is known that Saki Rouyama, Go-on Yellow, works there), and used in the series finale.
See also
- Suzuka CircuitSuzuka Circuit, Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...
, a Honda owned track built in 1962 and host to the FIA Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Japanese Grand PrixJapanese Grand PrixThe is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Traditionally one of the last, if not the last race of the season, the Japanese Grand Prix has been the venue for many title-deciding races, with 13 World Champions being crowned over the 27 World Championship Japanese...
. - Fuji SpeedwayFuji Speedwayis a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...
, a road track originally conceived as a high speed oval, and former host to the Japanese Grand Prix.