The longest race in the SUPER GT calendar, a 700-km event was held at Suzuka Circuit over the August 21-22 weekend. Amidst the harsh and lingering summer heat, three NISSAN GT-Rs took part with new-spec engines onboard.

The #24 HIS ADVAN KONDO GT-R (Joao Paolo de Oliveira/Hironobu Yasuda) had 63 kgs' success ballast onboard. The car would end up starting 12th after having its fourth engine of the season installed.

Ranked 3rd in the series, the #12 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R (Tsugio Matsuda/Ronnie Quintarelli) had 82 kgs' success ballast onboard. Coming 10th in the first of the qualifying sessions and then a borderline 7th in the second session, the car remained undefeated until the third session where their attack ended. With the 4th engine onboard, they would start 11th.

After an unfortunate end to their campaign in the previous round at SUGO, the #23 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R (Satoshi Motoyama/Benoit Treluyer) had a 46kgs' success ballast in their car. Securing 2nd in the knock-out qualifying format pleased the multitude of NISSAN fans gathered for qualifying day.

At sunset on the 21st, a 30-minute free practice session was held from 18:30. Seeing the headlights on during the session brought about the true feeling of the midsummer's Suzuka event. The unique atmosphere of the GT machines running at twilight cannot be matched at any other race on the calendar.

Though without the humidity of the previous day, the sun shone unrelentingly, with the ambient and track temperature steadily rising from the morning. Some 25,000 race fans gathered on the 21st, surpassed by the 33,000 who came on race day, totaling nearly 60,000 over the course of the midsummer's event.

Just past the peak of the heat, at 15:00 the formation lap for the 121-lap event got underway for the 700-km event. With an ambient temperature of 34 degrees Celsius and the track measured at 49 degrees, the race started in intense heat.

Starting on the front row, Motoyama took the wheel of the #23 GT-R. In the opening stages he was unable to match the pace of the lightweight #8 HSV-010, and held his position. Meanwhile Matsuda in the #12 GT-R and Oliveira in the #24 machine took their chances to move up.

Moving up to 11th on the opening lap, the #24 machine was unable to shift from lap 7 and had to make an unscheduled pit stop on the following tour. After repairs the car came back out, but due to drive system trouble, regrettably had to retire on lap 59.

The #12 GT-R made contact with another machine at the second corner on lap 25. This resulted in a drive-through penalty. After that the car continued to run aiming at a higher position, but in the latter half had to stop due to engine trouble. Unable to score points, the car finished 12th.

The #23 GT-R of Motoyama and Treluyer continued its driver rotation, Motoyama taking the wheel for the final stint on lap 88, just after 6 o'clock. When the #100 HSV-010 made its stop on lap 94, it returned to the race in front of the #23 GT-R.

As the day gradually ended, Treluyer in the #23 GT-R began to line up the #100 HSV-010 with a scintillating push that saw him skillfully line up his rival utilizing a back marker on lap 99. With the move he successfully rose to 2nd.

Treluyer thereafter defended his position, never allowing the #100 HSV-010 to retake the spot as he held on to 2nd place. The 121-lap event ended in complete darkness, with a wall of camera flashes going off from the grandstand.

Although victory eluded them, following their Sepang result, this was the 2nd podium finish for Motoyama and Treluyer, bringing smiles to everyone's faces. Gaining 15 points, the pair moved up to 6th in the championship rankings. Team Director Yutaka Suzuki said, "Our aim is to win at the next round in Fuji"

"That was our only chance (to move up to 2nd place), and the car's performance has greatly improved," said a smiling Treluyer. "It's unfortunate we couldn't win, but all in all, I think everybody did very well," he rejoiced with the 2nd step of the podium result. The team's aim is for a reversal of fortune in the two races that remain.