Impreza wins the first Champion in Super Taikyu!
Eifel Dunlop Impreza upsets the Championship in overall 6th place!
First Championship in Class 2

The final round of 2002 Super Taikyu Series was held in Fuji International Speedway as 4-hour time race, and Eifel Dunlop Impreza finished the race being 6th place in Class 2. The team upset the 4 points difference to accomplish long waited Championship.

The weather was clear on the qualifying day, but a cold wind blew to bring down the temperature to winter cold 9ºC. There was total of 48 entries to fill all grid positions in the event, 44 qualified and 11 cars entered and 10 qualified for Class 2. #2 Eifel Dunlop Impreza with drivers Toshihiro Yoshida & Kazuo Shimizu who attempts to upset the Championship qualified in 3rd place in Class (overall 7th) with 1'38"022 and #57 Gramlights Sweet +GDB with drivers Masazumi Ohashi, Kunisuke Sadakata and Masaki Nishihara qualified in 8th in Class (overall 16th) with 1'39"534.

In strong contrast to the previous day, the race was held under a beautiful weather of 17ºC. Enthusiastic fans of 37,300 crowded the circuit. #2 Impreza ranked 2nd in the Championship needs at least to finish before #11Lancer in order to upset the Championship.

The race of 4 hours started at 12:19 and Yoshida from #2 Impreza dashed out to grab the top position of the class to create more chance for upset Championship. Ohashi from #57 Impreza kept his position in the class. #2 Impreza was overtaken by the class pole #20 Lancer on lap 3, and started to have problems on the left drive shaft which forced them to bring down the pace. Also, on lap 10, they dropped their position to 4th, being overtaken by #11 Lancer and #12 who is their direct opponent. However, on lap 27, #11 Lancer blown their engine suddenly, stopped the car and retired. This brought great advantage to #2 Impreza, as they will win the Championship as long as they finish the race in 6th in Class.

On lap 34, #57 Impreza broke its left drive shaft and pitted. #2 Impreza also had similar minor trouble, and the situation had become unpredictable. On lap 40, Yoshida returned to pit being 5th in class. And with only 5 minute pit work, exchanged its left front drive shaft, and Shimizu took over the steering wheel. At this point, #2 Impreza was sitting in 7th place in the Class. This is not enough for the Championship.

On lap 47, #20 Lancer who sat on the top of class returned to pit with transmission problems and turbines eventually losing position largely. Shimizu drove for 58 laps cautiously and returned for driver change in 2nd in class. Yoshida then returned being 5th in class. But this was not the end. Another problem with the drive shaft had #2 Impreza bring down their pace again to stand 6th on the final lap. They managed to receive checkered flag in that position after 4 hour race, and was greeted by the euphoric pit crew. First Championship in their challenge over 5 years.

The car broke its shaft almost immediately after goal; slowed down and stopped. Team staffs were more than relieved to see the result of this.

The point ranking is as of the end of round 7.

"Both last time (with only 1liter left of gasoline) and this time, the end was so risky. We got the Championship by a team effort, and it doesn't change the fact that we are still a challenger. Next year, we want to be able to battle side by side and tail to nose with the Lancers, and up grade the total level of Super Taikyu Series."

"The whole team fought so hard to enable the drive to checkered flag, and I'm glad that the fans of Impreza were happy. This year, we won 3, but it's not that it was all our potential only, so next year; I want to be able to battle with speed. Next year, I want to be able to fight straight face with the Lancers. Being a Champion is great because I haven't been one since the local one-make series."

The Super Endurance Series features 'well-tuned vehicles' emphasizing on the originality of commercial cars. This series is the only full-scale endurance race series in Japan, as represented by events such as 'Tokachi 24hours race'. A large variety of teams - from local skillful teams to professional endurance teams, fully supported by manufacturers - participate in this series of exciting and heated battle.