39th Team Lineup

Fujio Yoshimura / President

The 39th Suzuka 8Hour Endurance Race is coming as the biggest motorcycle race event in Japan! Team Yoshimura is the only team that has never missed the event since 1978. I never knew that we actually have beaten factory Honda RCB, with the Yoshimura Suzuki GS1000 that had little red bikini fairing with high-positioned handle bar, and it made such a huge impact among the motorcycle industries as well as world wide racing fans!
Pop Yoshimura, riders, all crew members and myself were just wishing to win, and hoping that our bike was faster than factory Honda RCB! It was a tough race with difficult condition, but Yoshimura tuned Suzuki GS1000 has finished the race at 1st place after 8hours! I still remember it had to be some sort of miracle!
It was the beginning that Japanese local teams to attend World-class race, and Japanese motorcycle industries had a huge bike race boom, especially for Suzuka 8Hour with lots of fans and enthusiasts.
We feel we are lucky enough to be able to continue the Suzuka 8Hour this year for simply because there are people supporting our race team and these Yoshimura fans are so loyal to Yoshimura itself!

Yoshimura Japan Co., Ltd. / President
Fujio Yoshimura

Yohei Kato / Team Manager

Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE Racing Team is pleased to announce the rider-lineup of Takuya Tsuda, Josha Brookes and Noriyuki Haga as our riders for Suzuka 8H 2016. Tsuda has been our regular rider for All Japan Championship and Suzuka 8H since 2013. He has been making solid results this year and we feel he is much stronger both on his riding and mentally. For sure he would be the nucleus of the team. Brookes worked with us at Suzuka 8H in 2013, and made 2nd finish after an unfortunate crash when he was recovering pit lane speed limit penalty by his team mate. We are impressed his fighting spirit at that time. He is such a passionate rider and finally he achieved to get BSB title last year. Haga is well known rider all over the world, and his riding skill and experiences will make the combination stronger. Of course our fans will enjoy his aggressive riding style! All 3 riders are always with high motivation and for sure they will bring the team on the podium this year.
In the last few years, Factory teams have been coming back to Suzuka 8H race and it is much more competitive than before. So we are required highest level to get the victory. We are proud to be a representative team of Suzuki and will fight against strong rival teams.
Yoshimura tuned Suzuki GSX-R1000 has been improving and we are working hard it to be even competitive machine. Hope we will be able to race in the highest condition.
Thank you for supporting us at the 39th Suzuka 8H race.

Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE Racing Team
Team Manager
Yohei Kato

RIDER

Name	Takuya Tsuda
Place of birth	Wakayama, Japan
Date of birth	27 April, 1985
Height	171cm
Weight	71kg

This is my 4th time of Suzuka 8hours endurance race with Yoshimura Suzuki. I am glad to race in the team and appreciate all the sponsors and fans supporting us. In 2013 and 2014, we finished 2nd. This is something I should be glad but I was so disappointed as we were in the winning position. Then I made small mistake or got unfortunate last year, and finished the race in 5th. What we wanted to get was 5th win for Yoshimura team and I have to make it this year. Suzuka 8hours is the toughest race but I am ready to go!

Race Career

2013	Suzuka 8H 2nd place / Team Yoshimura All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 4th / Team Yoshimura
2014	Suzuka 8H 2nd place / #34 Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE All Japan Championship JSB1000 Ranking 3rd / Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE
2015	Suzuka 8H 5th place / Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE All Japan Championship Series JSB1000 Ranking 4th / Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE
2016	All Japan Championship Series JSB1000 / Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE

Name	Josh Brookes
Place of birth	Autsralia
Date of birth	28 April, 1983
Height	176cm
Weight	72kg

I am very excited to join Yoshimura team again this year. It was such an amazing experience in 2013 to be standing on the podium in 2nd place. To be invited back again from Yoshimura is a great honor, and I will try my best to Win this time. I have a lot of experience in this race so I remember exactly how difficult it is. I know how hard the teamwork preparing the bike so this gives me confidence…. If we have luck with us we can win.

Race Career

2013	British Superbike Championship Ranking3rd place Suzuka 8H 2nd place / Team Yoshimura
2014	British Superbike Championship Ranking4th
2015	British Superbike Championship Series Champion
2016	Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE World Superbike Championship

Name	Noriyuki Haga
Place of birth	Aichi, Japan
Date of birth	2 March, 1975
Height	168cm
Weight	64kg

I am glad to announce that I will be racing Suzuka 8hours with Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE this year. It is a surprise for me but honor that Yoshimura has asked me to take part in, and I am very excited to join the team as they have lots of experiences with long racing history. In the last 3 years, I raced with Team Kagayama and have ridden Yoshimura tuned GSX-R1000 engine. And finally, I would be able to ride genuine Yoshimura GSX-R1000 and it makes me thrilled. I won Suzuka 8hours in 1996 and made 3rd finish in the last 3 years. My target is of course climbing back to the center of the podium with my team mates, and I will do the best to make it true.

Race Career

1996	Suzuka 8H 1st place
2013	Suzuka 8H 3rd place (Team Kagayama : Yoshimura tuned GSX-R1000)
2014	Suzuka 8H 3rd place (Team Kagayama : Yoshimura tuned GSX-R1000)
2015	Suzuka 8H 3rd place (Team Kagayama : Yoshimura tuned GSX-R1000) Asia Road Racing Championship
2016	Suzuka 8H / Yoshimura Suzuki Shell ADVANCE Asia Road Racing Championship

2016 Denso Suzuka 8H Promotion Girl

Name	Tsukasa Arai
Date of birth	29 November, 1994
Height	168cm
B/W/H	83/60/86
Place of birth	Gunma, Japan
Blog	Tsukasa Arai (Japanese only)