Masanori Sekiya, Japanese race car driver
Masanori Sekiya (関谷 正徳, Sekiya Masanori, born 27 November 1949) is a racing car driver, most famous for being the first Japanese driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1995.
Sekiya drove in single-seaters in his early career, contesting the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship and Formula Nippon from 1987 to 1993, mostly for the Leyton House team. He never achieved any victories, but finished 4th in the standings in 1988 and 1989, scoring three and four podiums, respectively.
A long-time works Toyota driver, Sekiya drove in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, All Japan Grand Touring Championship and Japanese Touring Car Championship, a series which he won in 1994, driving a Toyota Chaser for the Tom's team. He was also runner-up the following year.
As Sekiya is rather fond of Le Mans, in 1987, he got married in the town prior to the race. His best result in international sports car racing was winning the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the wheel of a McLaren F1 GTR for Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing. He became the first Japanese-born driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was also fourth in the 1993 edition. He competed in the JGTC until the 2000 season and now works as team manager for the Super GT division of the Toyota Team TOM'S and also runs a racing school at Fuji Speedway. In 1998, Sekiya also appeared in a TV commercial in Japan driving a JZA80 Supra promoting its handling package.
1949Nov, 27
Masanori Sekiya
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Events on 1949
- 1Apr
Communist Party of China
Chinese Civil War: The Chinese Communist Party holds unsuccessful peace talks with the Nationalist Party in Beijing, after three years of fighting. - 20Jul
1948 Arab-Israeli War
Israel and Syria sign a truce to end their nineteen-month war. - 1Oct
Mao Zedong
The People's Republic of China is established and declared by Mao Zedong. - 2Oct
Mao Zedong
The Soviet Union recognises the People's Republic of China, proclaimed the previous day by Mao Zedong. - 14Oct
People's Liberation Army
Chinese Civil War: Chinese Communist forces occupy Guangzhou.