以前予告しましたように「スーパーママチャリグランプリ（第5回 ママチャリ日本グランプリ）」に出場してきました。
We arrived at the venue after 10pm the day before. However, the situation behind the pit was already as you can see…. We were dumbfounded at how authentic the situation was.
We barely secured a barbecue area. However, only three of us were able to get a place to sleep in the VIP room on the second floor of the pit, called the « Crystal Room, » which was prepared as a bright room. Two boys including me had to sleep in the car.
The next day, clear skies!
Fuji could be seen clearly and beautifully. But it was still cold at Fuji Speedway….
In the camping and barbecue area behind the pits, there were many people eating breakfast. There was also a space selling curry and yakisoba.
Those who couldn’t set up in the back of the pit took a space a little far away. Even so, you can see the results.
By the way, we members are basically fellow orchestra members, so we have zero experience in the outdoors….
Even though we brought a barbecue set, we couldn’t make a fire after all. This is a point to reflect on next time.
But the main thing is that it’s the Mamachari Grand Prix!
I drove to Gotemba Station to pick up the group that would be joining us on the day of the race, so I wasn’t able to see what was going on right after the 8:00 start, but when I got back to the course at around 9:00, I saw a peaceful race scene that I had never seen before (laughs).
Anyway, we head to the pits, which is peaceful and tranquil (laughs).
He’s a great guy, isn’t he?
Well, of course I ran in the race! I ran two laps twice, for a total of four laps!
Here is the bike of our team.
The owner of the bike is also an Oke member. However, he had other plans on that day, so he only used his bike. It’s a mamachari, but it has 6 speed variable, so it should be able to handle the tight course.
Now here we go! There were still some users, too. (I can’t see myself…)
So I decided to take pictures for the first week of my first run. I hung my SLR from my neck and held it in my right hand while I ran taking pictures.
Oh, I stopped and took this picture from the first corner, but the attendant got angry when I kept taking pictures (laughs).
First, the first corner.
The second corner. It’s downhill all the way around here, so it’s a nice ride. Ryu’s bike is amazing…
Near the entrance of Coca-Cola Corner. It’s downhill to the entrance of Coca-Cola Corner, but it’s uphill for a while after the entrance. However, it is a slope that even a mom-chari can climb without much trouble.
The entrance to 100R is downhill.
From the middle of the way, it becomes an ascent. Fuji appears in front of you from where you start climbing.
This 100R seems to be unexpectedly tight corner. Especially, the entry is downhill, so it may be too much speed.
It might be because there are many riders who are stalling because of the uphill near the exit, but I witnessed several occasions where a rider with too much momentum ran into the 100R and hit the rider in front of him, or even crashed.
Just on the other side of the main straight, the road to the hairpin is uphill. This is where there is a lot of support.
Where we are turning the hairpin.
The weather is really wonderful. The temperature is also rising.
It is downhill from 300R to Dunlop corner, so this is also a very nice place to ride.
Dunlop corner is coming soon. From here on, there is an uphill to the end.
The curb of Dunlop corner. I never thought I’d see a curb like this up close and personal!
The chicane here is uphill and hard. I think it is the hardest part of the course.
There were many people who got off their bicycles and pushed them. By the way, I got off my bike and walked because I was taking pictures. As I expected, it was hard to drive with one hand and SLR camera…
From turn 13 to Prius corner, the road is flat.
However, it was uphill from Prius Corner to Panasonic Corner, the final corner.
Fuji in front of us, so the scenery was beautiful, but we didn’t have time to take our time and enjoy the view because of the slope (laughs).
Panasonic Corner is quite an uphill, but once you get past it, the straight and flat main straight awaits you, so you’ll have more energy than you would on the other corners.
After the final corner, it’s a 1.5km main straight!
Those taking turns will now head to the right hand pit lane. If you want to run down the main straight, you will have to do another lap.
These are the grid numbers on the main straight.
A view of the pit lane from the top of the main straight.
The main stand, which was not open that day.
By the way, when I was running, it was about 3 hours after the race started. This competition is a 7-hour endurance race.
Lap 2. This time I ran while tweaking.
I also took this picture with my iPhone in my right hand, driving with one hand. I heard a rumor that Softbank’s signal is not so good at the course, so I used Pocket WiFi of EMOBA to relay.
We finished the second lap without a hitch with a tweak and now we headed for the pit lane.
This is where I switch with the next fellow.
Well, here are the results of the race, and it was number 1140. It seems that the official result has not been published on the website yet.
Actually, we got a very nice trophy, but I forgot to take a picture of it, so I hope to introduce it later.
It was a race that made me think that I should learn more about the outdoors.
チームの皆様、参加者の皆様、そして主催者の皆様、大変お疲れ様でした！
