[DATA]
Official Name: Fuji International Speedway
Course Length: 4,563m (width 15m to 25m)
Address: 694 Nakahinata, Oyama-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka Prefecture 410-1308
Website: www.fsw.tv

[History of Fuji Speedway]
• January 3, 1966
Fuji Speedway Opens for Business

• March 27, 1966
The first four-wheel car race sponsored at Fuji, the “4th Clubman’s Race at Fuji Speedway.” Jim Clark, F1 champion at the time, performs a demonstration drive in an F3 car.

• May 3, 1966
The “3rd Japan Grand Prix” featured a legendary fight among top racers (being the preeminent race in Japan at the time, this race is given the moniker, “grand prix”).

• October 9, 1966
The “Indianapolis International Champions Race,” known as the Indy Fuji 200. This race featured a number of world-class drivers, including three-time F1 champion Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill (winner of the Indy 500, Monaco GP and 24 Hours of Le Mans—the “triple crown” of racing, two-time F1 champion, and father of 1966 F1 champion Damon Hill), Jim Clark and Mario Andretti (later to become an F1 champion himself).

• April 8 and 9, 1967
The first 24-hour endurance car race in Japan, the “Fuji 24 Hours”

• May 3, 1968
The “5th Japan Grand Prix.” The Toyota 7 makes its debut.

• October 10, 1969
The “6th Japan Grand Prix.” A legendary race between the Toyota 7, the Nissan R382 and the Porsche 917.

• May 3, 1970
The “JAF Grand Prix.” Jackie Stewart wins.

• November 24, 1974
The “1974 World Winners F1 Demonstration.”

• October 22 to 24, 1976
The first F1 grand prix race ever in Japan, the “F1 World Championship in Japan.” Mario Andretti (one of America’s most famous drivers and taking 12 F1 victories in his career) takes the pole position. James Hunt (F1 champion that year) takes a commanding lead into the last laps, where Andretti fights back to score a remarkable come-from-behind win. Finishing third, Hunt scores one point to take the lead in overall standings from Niki Lauda (three-time F1 champion and one of the all-time best F1 drivers), who retired after two laps, and win the title for the ’76 F1 series.

• October 21 to 23, 1977
The “1977 Japan Grand Prix F1 Race.” Mario Andretti wins the pole position again. Unfortunately, Andretti crashes the 100R and retires from the race. James Hunt wins. Tragically, a crash at the first corner of the sixth lap costs the lives of a security guard and a fan who had entered a restricted area of the track.

• October 2 and 3, 1982
The “World Endurance Championship: Fuji 6 Hours.” The team of Jacky Ickx (six-time winner of Le Mans, world endurance champion, and race director of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix) and Jochen Mass (’89 Le Mans champion, ’75 Spain F1 Grand Prix champion) wins.

• 1984
After 20 years, the course undergoes a partial re-construction. Overall length is increased from 4.3Km to 4.4Km.

• 1987
This year saw the beginning of the “International Formula Championships” (F3000). In 1992, the name is changed to the “All-Japan F3000 Series,” and to the “Formula Nippon Series” in 1996. Until the course was temporarily closed for construction in the fall of 2003, Fuji Speedway supported this series with between two and four races annually.

• September 16, 2003
The Fuji Speedway is temporarily shut down for major construction.

• February 28, 2005
A Shinto ceremony is held, blessing the course before its re-opening. Ralf Schumacher of Panasonic Toyota Racing performs an F1 demonstration drive. Ralf drives the TF104B used in the prior season.

• October 4, 2005
Fuji International Speedway is re-opened as a certified Grade 1 course, capable of hosting F1 Grand Prix races.