Tsuchiya Engineering
{{short description|Japanese racecar team}}
{{Infobox motor racing team
|name = {{flagicon|JPN}} Tsuchiya Engineering
|logo =
|founded = 1971
|base = Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
|principal = Takeshi Tsuchiya
|founder = Haruo Tsuchiya
|current series = Super GT
|former series = Japanese Formula 3 Championship
Japan Formula 4
Super Taikyu
|current drivers = {{plainlist|
}}
|website = http://tsuchiya25.com
|driver titles = JGTC:
1998: Keiichi Suzuki & Shingo Tachi
1999: Morio Nitta
Super GT:
2016: Takeshi Tsuchiya & Takamitsu Matsui
|team titles = JGTC:
1998
1999
Super GT
2016
}}
Tsuchiya Engineering is a team located in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, founded by Haruo Tsuchiya, and now ran by his son, Takeshi.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2021/04/13/haruo-tsuchiya-1945-2021.html|title=Haruo Tsuchiya: 1945-2021|date=13 April 2021|access-date=23 December 2023}}
Origins
Haruo Tsuchiya used to work at TOMEI Automotive, before leaving in 1971 to create his own shop and team.
The team initially competed in local touring car races, before entering JTC, where it won the Division-3 title twice, in 1989 and 1990.
Tsuchiya later entered JGTC, and not long after, in 1998, they set a record-breaking season. A partnership with Team Taisan and with drivers Shingo Tachi and Keiichi Suzuki earned them 5 wins out of 6 races.
In 1999, they partnered with A'PEX and had 3 drivers throughout the season, one of which, Morio Nitta (who had entered in all the races) won the title, giving Tsuchiya back to back titles in GT300.
They entered in GT500 in 2000, but they couldn't build on their massive success in GT300, only achieving a win, in the season opener of 2005.
The team folded in 2008 due to the economic recession.
Return to Super GT
Haruo's son Takeshi, founded team SAMURAI in 2010, with his father as manager.
File:VivaC 86 MC.JPG and Takamitsu Matsui's title winning car at Suzuka in 2016.]]
In 2015, Tsuchiya Engineering made their official return to GT300, where they won the championship in 2016 with Takeshi Tsuchiya and Takamitsu Matsui at the wheel.
File:No.25 HOPPY Porsche at 2020 FUJIMAKI GROUP SUZUKA 300km (47).jpg
The team continued their strong form of results after 2016, but in 2020 the team switched to the Porsche 911{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/supergt/news/tsuchiya-engineering-porsche-2020-toyota/4607119/|title=Tsuchiya Super GT squad switches to Porsche|date=5 December 2019|access-date=7 January 2024}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dailysportscar.com/2019/12/06/porsche-switch-for-tsuchiya-engineering.html|title=Porsche Switch For Tsuchiya Engineering|date=6 December 2019|access-date=7 January 2024}} and began to struggle with results, leading them to ditch the Porsche after 2 disappointing seasons, switching to a self-built Toyota GR Supra.{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/supergt/news/tsuchiya-hoppy-porsche-2022-options/6672436/|title=Tsuchiya considering ditching Porsche after just two seasons|date=23 September 2021|access-date=7 January 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/supergt/news/tsuchiya-toyota-supra-gt300-2022/6818662/|title=Tsuchiya to switch to Toyota Supra GT300 for 2022|date=25 November 2021|access-date=7 January 2024}}
File:No.25 HOPPY schatz GR Supra GT at 2022 Takanoko no Hotel Suzuka GT 300km (22).jpg
Despite the car change, the struggles didn't stop as the team failed to score points in the first 3 races of the season and pulled out of the 4th round at Fuji following a testing crash at Suzuka.{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/supergt/news/tsuchiya-supra-fuji-entry-list/10343120/|title=Tsuchiya, Drago Corse teams to miss Fuji SUPER GT round|date=1 August 2022|access-date=7 January 2024}}
In 2023, at the 4th round of the season at Fuji, both Tsuchiya-ran cars caught fire, leading to both cars withdrawing from the following event and the rest of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/08/14/hoppy-team-tsuchiya-max-racing-out-of-suzuka-450km.html|title=Hoppy Team Tsuchiya, Max Racing Out Of Suzuka 450km|date=14 August 2023|access-date=23 December 2023}}
As of November 2023, Takeshi was still hoping to return to GT300, having started a fundraiser known as the "Hopico Revival Project" in order to help the small team return to racing.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/11/03/tsuchiya-engineering-racing-to-race-again.html|title=Tsuchiya Engineering, Racing To Race Again|date=3 November 2023|access-date=23 December 2023}}
The team is set to return to GT300 competition for the 2024 season with 2016 champion Takamitsu Matsui and Togo Suganami, with a rebuilt version of "Hopico".{{cite web|url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2024/01/10/toyota-gazoo-racing-announces-2024-gt300-super-taikyu-programmes.html|title=Toyota Gazoo Racing Announces 2024 GT300 & Super Taikyu Programmes|date=10 January 2024|access-date=10 January 2024}}
=Partnership with Max Racing=
Before the 2020 Super GT season it was announced that Tsuchiya Engineering would support newcomers Max Racing, by servicing their car.{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/supergt/news/tsuchiya-lexus-max-racing-toyota/4681839/|title=Tsuchiya to support new Lexus Super GT team|date=8 February 2020|access-date=7 January 2024}} The partnership lasted until the Fuji GT 450km Race in 2023, where both cars caught fire and Max Racing ceased operations.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/08/23/max-racing-withdraws-from-super-gt-ceases-operations.html|title=Max Racing Withdraws From SUPER GT, Ceases Operations|date=23 August 2023|access-date=7 January 2024}}
Race Results
= Complete JGTC results<ref name=":0" /> =
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |
Year
! Car !Tyres !Class !No. !Drivers ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! Pos ! Pts |
---|
1997
|{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |25 |align="left" |{{flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Tsuchiya |style="background:#FFDF9F;"|SUZ |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|FUJ |style="background:#FFFFBF;"|SEN |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|FUJ |MIN |style="background:#FFDF9F;"|SUG | | !style="background:#FFDF9F;"|3rd !style="background:#FFDF9F;"|52 |
1998
|{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Keiichi Suzuki |style="background:#FFFFBF;"|SUZ |style="background:#FFFFFF;"|FUJ |style="background:#FFFFBF;"|SEN |style="background:#FFFFBF;"|FUJ | style="background:#DFFFDF;" |MOT |style="background:#FFFFBF;"|MIN |style="background:#FFFFBF;"|SUG | !style="background:#FFFFBF;"|1st !style="background:#FFFFBF;"|106 |
1999
|{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |25 | align="left" |{{flagicon|JPN}} Morio Nitta |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|SUZ |style="background:#FFFFBF;"|FUJ |style="background:#DFDFDF;"|SUG |style="background:#DFDFDF;"|MIN |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|FUJ |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|OKA |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|MOT | !style="background:#FFFFBF;"|1st !style="background:#FFFFBF;"|73 |
2000
|{{Yokohama}} |GT500 |25 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Manabu Orido |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|MOT |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|FUJ |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SUG |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|FUJ |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|OKA |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MIN |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SUZ | ! 13th ! 11 |
2001
|{{Yokohama}} |GT500 |25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Manabu Orido |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|OKA |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|FUJ |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SUG |FUJ |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MOT |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|SUZ |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MIN | !12th !11 |
2002
|{{Yokohama}} |GT500 |25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Shinichi Yamaji |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|OKA |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|FUJ |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|SUG |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|SEP |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|FUJ |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MOT |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|MIN |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|SUZ !10th !32 |
2003
|{{Yokohama}} |GT500 |25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|FRA}} Jérémie Dufour |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|OKA |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|FUJ |style="background:#FFDF9F;"|SUG |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|FUJ |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|FUJ |style="background:#FFDF9F;"|MOT |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|AUT |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|SUZ !10th !26 |
2004
|{{Yokohama}} |GT500 |25 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Manabu Orido |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|OKA |style="background:#DFDFDF;"|SUG |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|SEP |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|TOK |style="background:#CFCFFF;"|MOT |style="background:#FFDF9F;"|AUT |style="background:#DFFFDF;"|SUZ | !10th !31 |
= Complete Super GT Results<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=World Sports Racing Prototypes - All Japan Grand Touring Championship |url=http://www.wsrp.cz/jgtc.html |access-date=2022-08-24 |website=www.wsrp.cz}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |last=Magazine |first=Speedsport |title=Super GT & All Japan GT: Overview of seasons |url=https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/motorsport/grand-touring/super-gt-all-japan-gt.html |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=www.speedsport-magazine.com |language=en}}</ref> =
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year ! Car !Tyres ! Class ! No. ! Drivers ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! Pos ! Points |
2005
|{{Yokohama}} | GT500 | 25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Manabu Orido |style="background:#ffffbf;"|OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SEP |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|AUT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ | ! 10th ! 26 |
---|
2006
|{{Yokohama}} | GT500 | 25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Tsuchiya |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|OKA |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SEP |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUG |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|SUZ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|AUT |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ !14th !13 |
2007
|{{Yokohama}} | GT500 | 25 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Tsuchiya |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|OKA |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SEP |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUG |style="background:#EFCFFF;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#dfffdf;"|AUT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ ! 14th ! 38 |
2008
|{{Yokohama}} | GT500 | 25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Tsuchiya |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|OKA |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SEP |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|AUT |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ ! 14th ! 44 |
2010
|{{Yokohama}} | GT300 | 25 | align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Tsuchiya |SUZ |OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |SEP |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUG |style="background:#efcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#fff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT | ! NC ! 0 |
2011
|{{Yokohama}} | GT300 | 25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Tsuchiya |style="background:#ffdf9f;"|OKA |style="background:#efcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#efcfff;"|SEP |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUG |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|AUT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT | !9th !49 |
2015
|{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |25 | align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Tsuchiya |style="background:#dfffdf;"|OKA |style="background:#efcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|CHA |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#ffffbf;"|SUG |style="background:#efcfff;"|AUT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT | !9th !51 |
2016
|{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Takeshi Tsuchiya |style="background:#dfffdf;"|OKA |style="background:#ffdf9f;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfdfdf;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#ffffbf;"|CHA |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#ffffbf;"|MOT | !style="background:#ffffbf;"|1st !style="background:#ffffbf;"|97 |
2017
|{{Yokohama}} | GT300 | 25 | align="left" | {{flagicon|JPN}} Takamitsu Matsui |style="background:#dfffdf;"|OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#ffffbf;"|AUT |style="background:#ffdf9f;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|CHA |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT | ! 6th ! 65 |
2018
|{{Yokohama}} | GT300 | 25 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Takamitsu Matsui |style="background:#ffdf9f;"|OKA |style="background:#efcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfdfdf;"|SUZ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|CHA |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|AUT |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT | !8th !52 |
2019
|{{Yokohama}} | GT300 | 25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Takamitsu Matsui |style="background:#efcfff;"|OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|BUR |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|AUT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT | ! 18th ! 29 |
rowspan="2" | 2020
|{{Yokohama}} | GT300 | 25 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Takamitsu Matsui |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ | !15th !33 |
Lexus RC F GT3
|{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |244 | align="left" |{{flagicon|JPN}} Atsushi Miyake |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |SUZ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ | !26th !19 |
rowspan="2" | 2021
|{{Yokohama}} | GT300 | 25 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Takamitsu Matsui |style="background:#dfffdf;"|OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUG |style="background:#dfffdf;"|AUT |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ | !12th !45 |
Toyota GR Supra GT300
|{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |244 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Atsushi Miyake |style="background:#dfffdf;"|OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#ffffbf;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|AUT |style="background:#dfffdf;"|MOT |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ | !4th !68 |
rowspan="2" | 2022
| rowspan="2" | Toyota GR Supra GT300 |{{Yokohama}} | GT300 | 25 |align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} Takamitsu Matsui |style="background:#cfcfff;"|OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#efcfff;"|SUZ |FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#dfffdf;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|AUT |style="background:#efcfff;"|MOT | !34th !1 |
{{Yokohama}}
|GT300 |244 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Atsushi Miyake |OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#efcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#efcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUG |style="background:#dfffdf;"|AUT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|MOT | !35th !1 |
rowspan="2" |2023
| rowspan="2" |Toyota GR Supra GT300 |{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |25 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Seita Nonaka |style="background:#cfcfff;"|OKA |style="background:#dfffdf;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#efcfff;"|FUJ |SUZ |SUG |AUT |MOT | ! 27th ! 10 |
{{Yokohama}}
|GT300 |244 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Atsushi Miyake |style="background:#ffdf9f;"|OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#efcfff;"|FUJ |SUZ |SUG |AUT |MOT | !20th !19 |
2024
|{{Yokohama}} |GT300 |25 |align="left"|{{flagicon|JPN}} Takamitsu Matsui |style="background:#cfcfff;"|OKA |style="background:#cfcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ |style="background:#efcfff;"|FUJ |style="background:#efcfff;"|SUG |style="background:#cfcfff;"|AUT |style="background:#efcfff;"|MOT |style="background:#cfcfff;"|SUZ | ! 22nd ! 12 |
‡ Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed.