On 20 April, the Super Taikyu Organisation (STO) held a press conference at Sportsland Sugo. The STO announced that its operations will be transferred to a new general incorporated association known as the Super Taikyu Mirai Organisation (STMO).
Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda – acting under his motorsport nom de course Morizo – was introduced as the Chairman of the Board for the new organisation that will begin operations on 31 May 2024.
STO Executive Director Harumi Kuwayama will continue to serve on the board as the Vice President of the new STMO. Former Nippon Denso Corporation Vice President, Toshiyuki Kato, will be appointed as the new Executive Director.
Meanwhile, the current STO will operate as a subsidiary of the new STMO and will manage and operate the Eneos Super Taikyu Series Empowered by Bridgestone.
The reorganisation comes after Kuwayama (above, centre) consulted with Toyoda (left) on how to push the series further forward after a decade of steady growth during her tenure – growth of entrants, races, and viewership.
By far the biggest change in this period was the introduction of the ST-Q class in 2021. This class has given manufacturers an area to develop their future automobiles in the field of endurance racing. This includes concept versions of future GT4 customer racing cars from Toyota and Nissan, and the groundbreaking, hydrogen-powered Toyota GR Corolla H2 Concept.
“Of course, we want to make it an environment where entrants who have already enjoyed Super Taikyu can enjoy it even more,” said Toyoda – who is also the team owner of ROOKIE Racing, and a full-time driver. “But, it will be difficult without forming a stronger organisation.
“Super Taikyu is more like an auto salon. It is not a series where OEMs are at the forefront, but one that is made by all 5.5 million people in the industry. As someone who loves cars and driving, I felt that the most important thing was to leave a framework for diverse people to participate – car lovers, driving enthusiasts, tuners, mechanics and engineers, et cetera.”
As the chairman of the new STMO, “Morizo-san” is committed to preserving the grassroots nature of the Super Taikyu Series. But going forward, the series is set to become more dynamic and “large scale” – at all of its events, including Super Taikyu’s crown jewel, the Fuji Super TEC 24 Hours.
“Mrs. Kuwayama told us that she wants to expand this grassroots race not only to Japan but also to the world, in particular, we were also asked about our desire to expand throughout Asia,” Toyoda added. Last year, I visited the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and other Asian countries, to experience the passion of car enthusiasts in many countries.
“It is conceivable that Super Taikyu races could be held overseas. On the other hand, we want to make this a series that will make car enthusiasts from throughout Asia think, ‘I want to race in Japan’s Super Taikyu Series!’ Wouldn’t that be a good idea? It’s something we’ve been talking about.”
Should the series achieve its goal of a race outside of Japan, it would be the first time Super Taikyu has raced abroad since it travelled to Korea’s Inje Speedium in 2013.
The addition of the word “Mirai” (future) to the company name signifies working together towards a new future – and the letter “M” honours the memory of Super Taikyu’s first chairman, Mitsuru Kuwayama, who served until his death on 2 March 2013 – leaving the company to his widow Harumi.
“Thanks to your support, I think Super Taikyu is now in very good shape. With the support of the teams and sponsors, the number of fans who support this participation-based series is increasing. And with the rise of the ST-Q class, we are beginning to see that it is not just a race for entertainment, but also plays a role as a member of the automobile industry,” remarked Kuwayama.
“When I think about the future of this series, I have to consider the next steps. Is it okay for a small company to be run by a single individual? For the past several years I have been troubled as I became more and more aware of this.
“Super Taikyu has accumulated a history of more than 30 years. What is it that this series must protect? How can we keep it that way and still give everyone involved a sense of the future through this series? When I was struggling with this, the only person who came to my mind was Morizo-san.
“Super Taikyu is a very pure and straightforward racing series. There was only one person I could consult with to ensure that we could continue to grow and develop without distortion.”
This year’s Fuji Super TEC 24 Hours on 25/26 May will be the final race before the management change.
“Morizo” is expected to drive the #32 ROOKIE Racing GR Corolla H2 Concept as part of a six-driver crew which also includes Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC Team Principal, Jari-Matti Latvala – and Masahiko Kondo, the owner of Kondo Racing and current president of Japan Race Promotion (Super Formula’s promoter), who will be getting behind the wheel for his first race since 2003.
Images © STO, Noriaki Mitsuhashi / N-RAK Photo Agency
