JGTC: Japan’s Golden Era of Motorsport

 JGTC:  Japan’s Golden Era of Motorsport 

    In the annals of motorsport, many racing series came and went over the years, but only once in a while will there be a gem that captures the raw spirit of competiton and national pride like the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, or JGTC. Launched in 1993, the series launched when the Japanese automotive industry was at its all time high. Fueled by the economic boom of the late 80s and early 1990s, for nearly two decades until it was renamed as Super GT in 2005, the JGTC was the pinnacle of Japanese engineering and post war economy. For the viewers at the time, it was a high-octane showcase of sheer excitement and national pride. In that period, Japan had also gave the world some of the most skilled and talented drivers of all time. The fierce rivalry between Toyota, Nissan, and Honda is a legacy that is still celebrated by motorsport fans around the world.

    The series was a successor of the All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship (JSPC), a series that had fizzled out by the early 1990s as Japan's economy cooled, and the demise of the FIA Group C regulations. The Japan Automobile Federation teamed up with manufacturers to create a new championship centered on production car based grand touring cars. Since they think it's more exciting to see the cars you can buy being raced on the circuit, and boy were they right. Fans could immediately associate the race cars on the grid with the road cars displayed in the showroom. On the first JGTC race on may 2, 1993, at Fuji Speedway, the field was split into two classes: GT1(Later renamed as GT500) for heavily modified machines with bespoke chassis, and GT2(Later renamed as GT300) for less modified, less powerful cars. From the very beginning, the JGTC series was a hit—sleek silhouettes, roaring engines, and colorful liveries that stood against the grey asphalt like a painting.

    Nissan dominated the early years with the R32 Skyline GTR, a car originally built for FIA Group A racing's demanding circuits and race conditions. The R32 GTR, with its sophisticated twin turbo straight six engine named RB26 and an extremely advance four-wheel-drive system called Attesa E-TS, took the first title in 1993 with ease. For the fans, not only could they watch the speed machine cut through corners on track, they could also order one from the showroom themselves! For the people living in Japan at the time, this was actually not really unfeasible.

    What sets the JGTC apart from other championships wasn't just the racing, it was the culture around it. The famous comic book series Initial D and video game Gran Turismo pushed the influence even further. The racing series represented the bubble era of Japan, when manufacturers had cash to burn on innovative technologies, and the public had the free time to enjoy them. For many old Japanese people, the colorful race cars, noisy race tracks signifies a golden age that once existed. It was a time when carmakers weren't just building vehicles--but forging legends, one lap at a time.

    I got to know JGTC during COVID when I was staying at home for a long time. At first I say Japanese car shows featuring a few old drivers. But the seemingly old drivers showed incredible skills while testing the cars, which was totally unexpected because of how old they look. Later I found out they were retired champions from the racing series and since then I was hooked. To know such a legendary period of time way before my birth is truly fascinating.