7年ぶりとなる日本国内でのレースは、Honda CIVIC TYPE R(現行型/FL5)を使用しST2クラスへ参戦いたします。2023年11月にアメリカで開催されたThunderhill25時間レースをFL5型CIVIC TYPE Rで戦い抜いた私たちは、その経験を基にスーパー耐久シリーズでもCIVIC TYPE Rのポテンシャルを活かし、チャンピオンシップ獲得を目指します。 ドライバーには、2023年の米国サンダーヒル25時間レースに北米仕様のCIVIC TYPE Rで出場した山田英二と、走るラジオDJとして知られるピストン西沢のベテラン2名をレギュラーとして起用します。また、ホンダのドライバー育成プログラムと連携し、「ホンダ・フォーミュラ・ドリーム・プロジェクト (HFDP)」の育成指定選手である小出峻、三井優介の2名を交互にBドライバーとしてラインアップする予定です。また、シリーズ最長の富士24時間レースは、経験豊富な松井猛敏、中島保典を加えた6名体制となります。
皆様、応援よろしくお願いいたします。
チーム名 : TEAM SPOON 参戦車両 : Honda CIVIC TYPE R (FL5) 参戦車両名称: SPOON CIVIC TYPE R カーナンバー: 95 参戦クラス : ST2 チーム代表 : 甲斐 琢也 チーム監督 : 原 剛
TEAM SPOON will be racing in the Japanese Endurance Race Series Super Taikyu 2024. After being away from the domestic racing scene, we will be fully participating the series in the ST2 Class, entering the Honda CIVIC TYPE R (FL5). In November 2023, we ran the 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race in the US, accumulating data and experience with the FL5 CIVIC TYPE R. Implementing what we’ve learned, we will try bring out the full potential of the CIVIC TYPE R to win the championship. One of the full entry drives is Eiji “Tarzan” Yamada, who also drove our US spec CIVIC TYPE R racing car at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill 2023. The other full entry driver will be Piston Nishizawa, aka DJ Racer. Along with the two veteran drivers, we are partnering with the Honda Formula Dream Project (HFDP), inviting their two young hopefuls, Syun Koide and Yusuke Mitsui, to alternately drive our car in the series. For the longest race of the series, the Fuji 24 Hours race, we’ll be adding two more experienced drivers, Taketoshi Matsui and Yasunori Nakajima, to make up the 6-driver team.
We look forward to seeing all of our fans at the track!
Team: TEAM SPOON
Base car: Honda CIVIC TYPE R(FL5)
Race car name: SPOON CIVIC TYPE R
Car no.: 95
Class: ST2
Team Principal: Takuya Kai
Team Director: Tsuyoshi Hara
Drivers
Driver A: Eiji Yamada
Driver B: Syun Koide (HFDP), Yusuke Mitsui (HFDP)
Driver C: Piston Nishizawa
Fuji 24H: Taketoshi Matsui
Fuji 24H: Yasunori Nakajima
*Driver B will be alternating throughout the series. Both drivers are scheduled to drive for the Fuji 24H race.
Race crew: TYPEONE staff
Driver comments
Driver A: Eiji Yamada
Winning the 25 Hours of Thunderhill Endurance Race in 2021 was my first time to drive for TEAM SPOON. Last year in 2023, I was honored to be called back to the team for the same race, sharing seat time with Keiichi Tsuchiya, aka The Drift King. I’m excited to be a part of the team again for the 2024 Super Taikyu Series, along with Piston Nishizawa, Syun Koide and Yusuke Mitsui. Piston and I are good friends being the same age. It’ll be exciting to drive with the young hopefuls from the Super GT and the Super Formula Series. As an old timer, I’ll have the chance to learn a few new tricks from the young drivers, although not much to from Piston Nishizawa. lol I’m truly grateful to be a part of this year’s TEAM SPOON! (Sorry for not sounding like the usual Ra-man!)
Driver B: Syun Koide (HFDP)
I‘m very excited to be driving for TEAM SPOON in this series. As I was growing up, I watched Honda and Spoon partnering to develop and lead the motorsports scene. I am hoping to contribute to a new chapter in the partnership of both companies.
Driver B: Yusuke Mitsui (HFDP)
My name is Yusuke Mitsui, driving the CIVIC TYPE R for TEAM SPOON this season. Being a fan of SPOON growing up, I am honored to be invited as a driver for SPOON’s come back to the Japanese motorsports scene. Please come out to the tracks and root for our team!
Driver C: Piston Nishizawa
I am honored to be a part of TEAM SPOON, a team with a great track record in the Super Taikyu Series and other touring car race series. Please look forward to seeing the blue and yellow trademark racing car ripping up the tracks! The team will be fully managed by SPOON and its crew. The spirit of TEAM SPOON will be on full display racing toward victory.
Fuji 24 Hours Driver: Taketoshi Matsui
Very excited to be driving for TEAM SPOON again! It’s been 8 years since I drove their S2000 and I can’t wait to be back in their new race car. The Fuji 24 Hours Race is an important race for the championship and I hope to deliver the results that is expected from the team. To the fans of SPOON, Please cheer for the yellow & blue No.95 race car for the 2024 Super Taikyu season!!
Fuji 24 Hours Driver: Yasunori Nakajima
It’s been 3 years since I raced in the Super Taikyu series. Although it’s been a while, I will focus on driving without incidents and to pass the race car in the best condition possible to the next driver. First on my to-do-list is strengthening my physical! Please look forward to seeing our team on the tracks.
Team Principal: Takuya Kai
For the last 7years, TEAM SPOON has been absent from the domestic racing scene. Throughout those years, we continued to receive warm messages from all over the world, longing to see TEAM SPOON on the circuit again. At the circuit and on the track is where SPOON started and is still rooted. It is the spirit which our founder Tatsuru Ichishima held when he created the company and the same spirit is still shared by myself and all of the staff at SPOON. We are grateful and excited to announce our come back, our entry to the 2024 Super Taikyu Series. The years of absence is nothing to be taken lightly and the entire team is committed to doing everything we can to achieve results that are expected from our fans and supporters. Through our racing activities in the Super Taikyu Series, we are hoping to share the joy of Honda cars and the CIVIC, as well as helping to expand the growing fan base of the Japanese motorsports scene. We are delighted to receive support from Honda Racing and to welcome the young drivers from their driver development program. The talent and energy of the young drivers will surely have positive effects on TEAM SPOON, helping each other to grow as racing drivers and racing team.
We look forward to the exciting season ahead of us!