JGTC going to Zhuhai, China and California this year!

[Asa]

Just read in the JGTC official site (Japanese version) that the championship will bring 28 cars to Zhuhai (Oct) and 25 cars to California (Dec) this year for 2 exhibition races. Now that's interesting!

visit: www.jgtcusa.net

[nsxr]

yeah thats old there gonna run at fontana. I meet the guy who did the deal. Oh yeah in three years he wants to have a series. Bye bye IRL.

[Patrick B]

Bye bye IRL? Im not getting the connection...

[neiltbag]

This looks very interesting. I think I'll have to go to it.

[429CJ]

But why in Fontana? Both Laguna Seca and Sears Point would have been better for this type of racing. Road courses built on ovals are always so artifical.

[nsxr]

okay laguna seca and sears point dont have the space for the carshow, motocross and other lifestyle events. Oh and the irl remark is for once we have the jgtc series in the states. The sponsors will pull out. Pioneer, alpine,autobacs, sammy are all youth products. why waste your money on a series your cilents dont watch? jgtc is run out of the major factories. honda and toyota will leave. they know its more cost effective. with the new supras, nsx and gtr and the Z on the way . what better way to advertise then to take on your market opponent on track?.plus no one owns a v8 honda.

[JAG]

But this JGTC event is just a one off, like the DTM on tour in Europe

[tblincoe]

JGTC-type series in the US? hmmm i kinda like that idea but is there a place for another road-racing series in the US? get rid of GARRA and Trans-am and maybe, but i just dont see it happening.

[19dodge]

i think get the Speed GT series to step up and run new spec cars like the JGTC cars. or just have a 3rd class of cars for the speed world challenge. Have the "Super GT" for the GT500 and GT300, and have the regular 2 series. that way, all those cars would be on top notch tracks, included in ALMS races!

[JAG]

You do realise a GT500 car costs as much as an LMP1 car, and only factory backed teams have the resources and expertise to run them!

If Nissan want a presence in the US they could run the new NISMO backed 350Z GT that will debut at Spa 24Hr.

[skycafe]

Fontana puts them near Los Angeles and the huge 'tuner' culture there. Promoted well, this could move as many tickets as a Nascar event out there (ok, I am over optimistic there, but I would bet it would out sell IRL at Fontana easy).

I work with several people who know nothing about about any road race series, but do know Japanese GT, since the cars appear in tuner magazines. The 'Tuner' market is huge.

[Asa]

The JGTC is obviously targeting people who loves the 'Fast and Furious' movies and live in California.

The tuner market is very big in Hong Kong, too. People here worship the JGTC because for them the JGTC is the ultimate in car tuning. They think they can tune their cars to become a JGTC entry and it will still be street-legal...

Funny thing is that they intend to run the Zhuhai race on Oct 4-6, (Monday to Wednesday) which is a holiday in China but not in Hong Kong, but the tuner market is only just beginning to develop in China. But of course they will get a huge crowd, because the JGTC race queens are really 'professional', shall we say...

[skycafe]

Originally posted by Asa
They think they can tune their cars to become a JGTC entry and it will still be street-legal...

Sounds like Nascar fans!

[Fab]

Originally posted by Asa
Just read in the JGTC official site (Japanese version) that the championship will bring 28 cars to Zhuhai (Oct) and 25 cars to California (Dec) this year for 2 exhibition races. Now that's interesting!

visit: www.jgtcusa.net

A great welcome at the forum Asa ! That's great to have a new member from the "other side of the screen" !

Any chance to have you on the spot in June, at Le Mans ?

[Asa]

I cannot afford to come to Le Mans... anyway I will be totally useless and uninteresting for u.

[jhansen]

I have a question on this series. Could someone give me a brief description of these cars and how they differ from the ACO/FIA GT style cars? I checked out that link and the cars look very cool. Is there even coverage of this in the states?

[Cadete]

These cars are Group 5-like cars. They are silhouettes of road-going cars, GT Prototypes, if you want.

[neiltbag]

Originally posted by jhansen
Is there even coverage of this in the states?

For the last 2 years they've shown 30-minute cutdowns of each race during the winter on Speed Channel. They're from a New Zealand show called "On the Limit". Pretty good coverage, with interviews, some news topics and then the race itself.

[Asa]

The official site is www.jgtc.net, the English version has also got the news about the series visiting China and USA now.

Actually they do run some Porsche GT3 RSRs in the GT300 class, wonder if Alex Job maybe interested to join it for Fontana?

[Fab]

Originally posted by Asa
I cannot afford to come to Le Mans... anyway I will be totally useless and uninteresting for u.

What do you mean ? You don't like Le Mans ? :confused: Not that you have to, feel free to express your opinion !

[FIRE]

Originally posted by Asa
visit: www.jgtcusa.net

Compared to other GT championships JGTC has the nicest car liveries.

[Asa]

I'd love to come, I am sure it is a great race with great atmo. But really just no money and not important enough to be invited.

[gsmith2424]

Originally posted by Asa
The official site is www.jgtc.net, the English version has also got the news about the series visiting China and USA now.

Actually they do run some Porsche GT3 RSRs in the GT300 class, wonder if Alex Job maybe interested to join it for Fontana?

Only problem is that they would have to modify the car heavily.

Edited to add: Don't be surprised if some GTS teams decide to try it since there are less mods need to run GT500.