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Racing Project Bandoh Ltd. is a Japanese racing team competing in the
Created in 1990 by Masaaki Bando, Racing Project Bandoh raced in the
Super GT
Super GT (stylized as SUPER GT) is a sports car racing, grand touring car racing series that began in 1993. Launched as the , generally referred to as either the JGTC or the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, the series was renamed to Super ...
series.
Racing History
Created in 1990 by Masaaki Bando, Racing Project Bandoh raced in the All Japan Touring Car Championship
The Japanese Touring Car Championship (abbr: 1985–1993: JTC, 1994–1998: JTCC, officially known as All Japan Touring Car Championship, ja, 全日本ツーリングカー選手権, link=no), was a former touring car racing series held in Japan. ...
from 1987 (as an earlier organization created by Bando until 1990) to 1997 and entered the Japanese Grand Touring Championship
All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship is a grand touring car racing series that began in 1993. Originally titled as the , generally referred to as either the JGTC the series was renamed to Super GT in 2005. It was the top level of sports car r ...
in 1997, competing with a Nissan Silvia S14 in the GT300 class winning five consecutive podiums. In the team's first year of competition, drivers Hideo Fukuyama and Manabu Orido won the GT300 class championship. The next year Bandoh switched to a Toyota Celica, but could not recreate the success of the previous year, taking no podiums with driver Manabu Orido placing second in the drivers' championship. Racing Project Bandoh won the first race of the season at the Suzuka GT 300, and ended the season with drivers Takahiko Hara and Manabu Orido taking third in the drivers championship. Three points behind the winner, Morio Nitta
Morio (written: , , , , , , , or ) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor
*, Japanese anime director
*, Japanese karateka
*, Japanese actor
*, pen-name of Sokichi Saitō, ...
. Bandoh would win one race in 2000 at Sportsland SUGO, and one race in 2001 at Twin Ring Motegi
Mobility Resort Motegi (モビリティリゾートもてぎ) is a motorsport race track located at Motegi, Tochigi, Motegi, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Originally named Twin Ring Motegi (ツインリンクもてぎ), the circuit's name came from ...
.
2003 brought more success for the team after changing to a new Toyota Celica
The is an automobile produced by Toyota from 1970 until 2006. The Celica name derives from the Latin word '' coelica'' meaning 'heavenly' or 'celestial'. In Japan, the Celica was exclusive to the '' Toyota Corolla Store'' dealer chain.
Produ ...
mid-way through the season, taking wins at Mt. Fuji and Suzuka and drivers Takayuki Aoki
is a Japanese auto racing driver.
Career
JGTC and Super GT
Aoki competed in the GT300 class of the Japanese GT Championship between 1998 and 2004, winning the class in 2001 in a Nissan Silvia.http://www.fiawtcc.com/Drivers_Details.asp?idDriver= ...
and Minoru Tanaka finishing fourth in the championship. Bandoh won one race at Sportsland SUGO in 2004.
It was not until 2007 that Racing Project Bandoh would achieve victory again, winning the fifth round of the season at Sportsland SUGO. In 2008 the team won the seventh round of the season at Motegi Motegi may refer to
* Motegi, Tochigi, a town in Japan
**Twin Ring Motegi
Mobility Resort Motegi (モビリティリゾートもてぎ) is a motorsport race track located at Motegi, Tochigi, Motegi, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Originally named Twi ...
. The same year Masaaki Bando's son Masataka Bando took over operations of the team after Masaaki Bando was appointed as the chairman of the Super GT
Super GT (stylized as SUPER GT) is a sports car racing, grand touring car racing series that began in 1993. Launched as the , generally referred to as either the JGTC or the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, the series was renamed to Super ...
series. The following year in 2009 drivers Manabu Orido and Tatsuya Kataoka
is a Japanese racing driver.
Racing record
Complete Formula Nippon results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
Complete JGTC/Super GT Results
(key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Co ...
in a Lexus IS350
The is a compact executive car sold by Lexus, a luxury division of Toyota since 1999. The IS was originally sold under the nameplate in Japan from 1998 (the word ''Altezza'' is Italian for 'height' or 'highness'). The IS was introduced as an ...
took five podiums including one win. As a result, Racing Project Bandoh won both the team and drivers championship by 3 points over Nobuteru Taniguchi
is a Japanese racing driver and drifting driver who currently competes in Super GT and D1 Grand Prix. Taniguchi is commonly nicknamed "NOB" (first three letters from his name, meaning "No One Better") or "The Pimp" as a reference to his S15 Silvia ...
and Ryo Orime in the GT300 class.
In 2011 Racing Project Bandoh moved to the GT500 class competing in a Lexus SC430
The is a grand tourer that was retailed by Lexus (a luxury vehicle division of Toyota), and built from 1991 until 2010. It features a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive design and seating for up to four passengers. The first-generation SC debuted as ...
under the name LEXUS TEAM WedsSport BANDOH.
In 2015 and 2016 the team fielded both a Lexus RC F
The Lexus RC (Japanese: レクサス・RC, ''Rekusasu RC'') is a compact executive two-door coupé manufactured by Lexus, Toyota's luxury division. The RC which according to Lexus stands for "Radical Coupe" is a two-door coupé version of the Lex ...
in the GT500 class and a Toyota 86 in the GT300 class in conjunction with UP GARAGE.
Racing Project Bandoh has long been associated with the team's main sponsor WedsSport
Weds Co., Ltd. is a Japanese wheel manufacturer for both motorsport and street use. Weds currently produces three brands of wheels; WedsSport, Kränze, and Maverick. The company is most notable for their WedsSport line of motorsport wheels and fo ...
, a Japanese aftermarket wheel manufacturer.
Results
References