Motoyama ties record again for most career GT wins. [photo courtesy of supergt.net]

The FUJI GT 400km RACE, Round 3 of the 2009 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series, took place at Fuji Speedway (one lap 4.563 km x 88 laps) in hizuoka Pref. on May 4. The GT500 class winner was the pole-starting MOTUL AUTECH GT-R driven by Satoshi Motoyama and Benoit Treluyer, bringing the team its first victory of the 2009 season.

The race started exactly at 14:00. Despite being the second longest race on the SUPER GT schedule at 400 km, the middle stages brought close-fought battles, including the pole-starting MOTUL AUTECH GT-R (Motoyama) giving up the lead at one point to the PETRONAS TOM'S SC430 (Andre Lotterer). Still, Motoyama and later teammate Treluyer stayed right on the tail of the SC430, waiting for the chance to retake the lead. The chance came during the second routine pit stops, where the PETRONAS TOM'S team lost time in the pit works and thus allowed the tables to be turned with some fast pit work by the MOTUL AUTECH GT-R team mechanics.

With Motoyama back at the wheel of the GT-R after the second pit stop, he maintained the lead until a tense moment on the last lap when the PETRONAS TOM'S SC430 driven by Lotterer was closing in on his tail. But Motoyama managed to hold off Lotterer's charge and take the checkered first. It was an exciting day for all of the 50,000 visitors enjoying the national "Golden Week" holidays at the Fuji Speedway near the Tokyo metropolitan area, and most of them were surely gratified to see the winners podium shared by a Nissan GT-R team, a Lexus SC430 team and a Honda NSX team.