HS30-H

This event was run on the 6km lap layout for Fuji Speedway.

100 laps? The A and B races at this event were 100 mile races and the heats for the main event were 150 miles each. For the period, those were relatively short races. There were plenty of races in Japan during this period, and of all formats. The bigger events - by their nature - tended to be longer format (in keeping with endurance Sports Car racing) and 500km and 1000km races were not unusual, but there were many regional and 'Clubman' type events of shorter length that could also be described as 'sprint' format.

I'm not hinting at anything. I'm not really interested in any race that was not sanctioned or properly organised, as it would just be subject to endless hair-splitting with no proof of anything. At least with sanctioned events - even on a local club level - you get some official record of what took place. And late October 1969, right? End of the main racing season. I very much doubt any team or privateer actually got hold of an S30-series Z until November 1969 earliest, and it would then need to be prepared for racing. So little or no time left in 1969 and pretty much zero in terms of events to run in. Nissan themselves didn't run a car (a Works 432-R) in an officially-sanctioned race until 18th January 1970. Yes. Moto KITANO in #3 and Motoharu KUROSAWA in #2:

That was one of the supporting card races, not the main event. Clue is the '100 Mile B' in the above. As I mentioned, there were two 150 mile heats of the bill-topping 'All Japan Fuji 300 Mile' race, plus an 'A' class supporting card race of 100 miles and a 'B' class race of 100 miles. The photos you asked about show some of the entries for the main event, not the supporting card. When I get some clear free time.

Simple answer, no. Nothing official anyway. If anyone wants to include a stoplight grand prix then maybe... The photos are from the 'All Japan Fuji 300 Mile' race at Fuji Speedway on 7th June 1970. A rather complicated points race system, the race was run in two heats (each at 40 laps, giving 150 miles) and the overall result was a combined total of points from the two heats, intended to give a chance to all competitors. The blue #19 car was Saburo KOINUMA's privateer 432, and he finished 5th overall and Class 3 winner. The orange #8 car was Kazuyoshi HOSHINO's Works 432-R. That's not the starting grid. It's the main paddock area at Fuji and they are waiting whilst one of the minor supporting races is run.

The blank recess in the early dash was indeed for an optional fog lamps switch. It has been discussed several times on classiczcars in the past. Kats in particular posted some good data on the fog lamps and dedicated switches themselves. Here's a factory RHD dash schematic from November 1969. The arrow is pointing to the switch recess and says 'Fog Lamps Switch (Optional):

This was the 'MUTSUWAN 300' race meeting of 2nd July 1972, a stock car race event held at the self-styled 'Mutsuwan International Speedway' near the town of Noheji in the northern Honshu prefecture of Aomori. Mutsuwan was a valiant attempt to set up a speedway style circuit in a region which was far from the established tracks, but it was in the middle of nowhere and the Oil Shock didn't help. Still, an amazing 92,000 spectators turned up to this particular meeting.

Apparently they designed it so that it could be run both ways. Fuji Speedway occasionally did that too. Check out the impressive Hokkaido Speedway ('HISCO') race control tower: 50m tall, according to the report:

5th July 1970 Its Yasunori TOSHIMORI in his 432-R at the inaugural race for the Hokkaido Speedway circuit. He took a win in the GTS class. The Hokkaido Speedway circuit, located in Shiraoicho - not so far from Noboribetsu's famous onsens and within reasonable travelling distance of Sapporo - seemed like it might become the focus of racing activity for the island of Hokkaido when it opened in 1970. But sadly it was to close in late 1973 after some fatal accidents and legal wranglings, not helped by the 'Oil Shock'.

You don't seem to have taken into account the significance of the incident(s) unfolding in turn one and beyond. Something you apparently have in common with Mr Morton

So, you know how long the piece of string is then...?

I have 45DCOE-9s on both my S20s. Driveability is fine. Even with 8L cams, S20 is a pussycat.

I must say it's a real privilege to have the input of veteran racecar driver Crashy McCrashface on the thread. Slightly late to the start line (comfort break?) but at least you got here before everyone else went home. However, all that 'contact with the barriers' over the years might just have degraded the old grey matter somewhat. Because this: ...doesn't quite match up with this: And this: ...doesn't seem to apply if you happen to be driving a yellow Chevron.

That's because Morton had just driven into it! The clue is the fact that it is facing the wrong way and has a big chunk of its RH rear quarter missing... None of your analysis seems to take the infield-spinning car and/or the slowing green car into account. I'll say it again, Morton is attempting an overly optimistic pass of the yellow Chevron in the middle of an unfolding incident where other cars are taking avoiding action. That's brain fade, not brake fade. I don't get your 'keep in line' comments. If everyone had to keep in line and/or stay parallel to other cars, what was the green flag for? They are in race mode, not formation lap mode, as proved by Morton passing at least four cars between the green flag and the middle of turn one whilst moving from the inside to the outside of the track.

Not for the first time are the two of us looking at the same thing but seeing differently. You're pointing at the yellow Chevron and accusing it of "changing lines going into a turn braking", but that's exactly what Morton did to the two 911s after the green flag. He simply outbrakes them going into turn one. So you're pinning the blame 100% on Johnson in the yellow Chevron? Amazing. Here's another pair of freeze frames. The first one shows cars ahead on the grass, and they are on the grass because they are taking avoiding action. Three abreast isn't going to work. The second shows the stricken green car on the left side of the track with the Cobra Daytona passing it. Morton has driven into the Chevron between the first car half-spinning off to the left infield and this stricken, slowing car ahead. If you want to talk about "best practice" I suggest attempting a pass into a rapidly reducing gap - with two cars ahead on the grass and a dangerously slowing car on the inside - might not be 'best practice', to put it mildly. 100% Morton's fault.

Yesterday you were talking about "lanes" (?!) and now you're talking about "lines". The yellow Chevron moved from the left side of the track to the right side of the track - clearly to avoid an incident unfolding on the left - but he was also taking The Racing Line. You've mentioned "under braking". Why was everyone braking there? Turn two is not a normal braking point, it is little more than a kink between turns 1 and 3. The reason they were braking there was - as I have pointed out - the incident still unfolding on their left with a dramatically slowing car emitting steam/smoke. Key point in all this is - of course - that the Chevron was well ahead of the Z at all times. Morton simply drove into a reducing gap and hit the Chevron on its rear quarter.

Following an incident when a 240Z tried to use a B8 as a launch pad, Chevron have MODified one for Brian Johnson's next race:

This concept of "lanes" on a race track is a new one on me. The concept of requiring "situational awareness" doesn't apply to Morton, apparently. He also doesn't seem to have eyes in the back of his head. Might have been useful in this particular corner. I think Morton's view out of his front screen might be more relevant. I don't know about you, but I think if I was driving the Chevron my attention at that point might have been on the cause of the smoke/steam ahead, the stricken car on the left and the cars that were taking avoiding action by moving right. 'Mustang on Grass' is a dish I think many of us would tend to give a wide berth if at all possible.

I think if the cars and drivers were switched, John and Randy would be saying that the Chevron drove straight into the Z. In fact, that's what they do seem to be saying anyway, isn't it? I have the utmost respect for Morton and I am - of course - a Z fan, but it needs saying. Looks like he certainly had a better view of the incidents unfolding on his left, which explains why he was moving to the right side of the track ahead of Morton. I know it's all too easy to Monday Morning Quarterback this, but the key point(s) here are the incidents unfolding on the left side of the track in turns one and two. Ploughing into a crippled/stationary car because the regulations state that you should "maintain a predictable line" is not the best interpretation of the rules, so the Chevron driver was doing the right thing in my opinion.

Yes, the CHALLENGE car was quite a successful roof chop, I think. There were a few chopped Zs active in Japanese drags and speed trials, but the road-legal CHALLENGE car was probably the best proportioned:

I have a fair few of those old OPTION and Car Boy magazines here at home. I recognised the car as being one of the old early 80s drag specials. Some of them had interesting ad powerful engines, but chassis setup for drag was not very well understood or developed at the time. From the same OPTION magazine issue, this is the same car as the rear view in the first post:

'Japan'. Or - as everyone else calls it - The Internet. You might want to try using the Hoover attachment which picks up the relevant information and not just the photos. It might still be in the packaging. You did keep the packaging, I hope?

I'm familiar with historic racing. Your last sentence could (should) apply to Morton just as much as anyone else, and he certainly wasn't holding back when he overtook those two Porsches during a switch from LH to RH side of the track after the green light. There was a car spinning off on the inside of the first corner, then plenty of smoke/steam ahead on the left and unsighted cars were moving right to avoid the slowing car from which it was coming. Morton was overtaking cars whilst they were slowing for the incident(s) in the inside and there should have been waved yellow flags/yellow flashing lights at that point. The yellow Chevron started moving right while Morton was still behind it, the Mustang ahead was on the grass, and yet Morton was still on the throttle through the second corner and basically drove into the Chevron. I have the utmost respect for Morton and yes the whole incident played out quickly, but this looks like it is just as much his fault as anyone else's.