Toshio Suzuki (racing driver)

Japanese racing driver (born 1955)

NASCAR driver

Toshio Suzuki

The Toyota GT-One driven by Suzuki at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Born|  (1955-03-10) 10 March 1955 (age 70)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality|  Japanese
Active years| 1993
Teams| Larrousse
Entries| 2
Championships| 0
Wins| 0
Podiums| 0
Career points| 0
Pole positions| 0
Fastest laps| 0
First entry| 1993 Japanese Grand Prix
Last entry| 1993 Australian Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years| 1985–1986, 1988–1990, 1993, 1995–1996, 1998–2000, 2008
Teams| Dome, Team LeMans, Tom's, NISMO, TV Asahi Team Dragon, Tōkai University YGK
Best finish| 2nd (1999)
Class wins| 1 (1999)
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish| 96th (1996)
First race| 1996 Meridian Advantage 200 (Nazareth Speedway)
| Wins | Top tens | Poles

|
|

0 | 0 | 0

Toshio Suzuki (鈴木 利男, Suzuki Toshio, born 10 March 1955) is a former racing driver from Saitama Prefecture, Japan.

## Racing career

[edit]

As a youth, Suzuki won the All-Japan Kart Championships in 1975 and 1976. In 1979, he took the title of the first All-Japan Formula Three Championship.

In 1992, he won the 24 Hours of Daytona with Kazuyoshi Hoshino and Masahiro Hasemi. In the same year, he was runner-up in the Japanese F3000 championship.

### Formula One

[edit]

In 1993, he participated in two Formula One Grands Prix, standing in for Philippe Alliot at the Larrousse team. Though he scored no championship points, Suzuki finished both races.

### After Formula One

[edit]

Suzuki competed mainly in national championships, including the Japanese Formula 3000 Championship (later Formula Nippon), Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) and All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC). He also participated into the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1996, he made a single start in the NASCAR Busch Series, driving for Joe Bessey at Nazareth Speedway; an accident during the race left him with a concussion.[1]

In 2006, he became director of the R&D SPORT in Super GT to continue the team that Direxiv abandoned.

## GT-R

[edit]

Most recently,[when?] he worked for Nissan as a test driver to help in the development of the R35 Nissan GT-R.

## Motorsports career results

[edit]

### 24 Hours of Le Mans results

[edit]

Year  | Team  | Co-Drivers  | Car  | Class  | Laps  | Pos. | Class
Pos.

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1985 |  Dome Team |  Eje Elgh
Geoff Lees | Dome 85C-L-Toyota | C1  | 141  | DNF  | DNF
1986 |  Dome Co. Ltd. |  Eje Elgh
Beppe Gabbiani | Dome 86C-L-Toyota | C1  | 296  | DNF  | DNF
1988 |  Italiya Sport
Team Le Mans  |  Michel Trollé
Danny Ongais | March 88S-Nissan | C1  | 74  | DNF  | DNF
1989 |  Nissan Motorsports |  Masahiro Hasemi
Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Nissan R89C | C1  | 167  | DNF  | DNF
1990 |  Nissan Motorsports International |  Masahiro Hasemi
Kazuyoshi Hoshino | Nissan R90CP | C1  | 348  | 5th  | 5th
1993 |  Toyota Team Tom's  |  Eddie Irvine
Masanori Sekiya | Toyota TS010 | C1  | 364  | 4th  | 4th
1995 |  NISMO |  Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Masahiko Kageyama | Nissan Skyline GT-R LM  | GT1  | 157  | DNF  | DNF
1996 |  NISMO |  Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Masahiro Hasemi | Nissan Skyline GT-R LM  | GT1  | 307  | 15th  | 10th
1998 |  Toyota Motorsport
Toyota Team Europe |  Ukyo Katayama
Keiichi Tsuchiya | Toyota GT-One | GT1  | 326  | 9th  | 8th
1999 |  Toyota Motorsport
Toyota Team Europe |  Ukyo Katayama
Keiichi Tsuchiya | Toyota GT-One | LMGTP  | 364  | 2nd | 1st
2000 |  TV Asahi Team Dragon |  Masami Kageyama
Masahiko Kageyama | Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S-Élan | LMP900  | 340  | 6th  | 6th
2008 |  Tōkai University
YGK Power  |  Haruki Kurosawa
Masami Kageyama | Courage-Oreca LC70-YGK  | LMP1  | 185  | DNF  | DNF

### Japanese Formula Two/Formula 3000/Formula Nippon results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year  | Entrant  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | DC  | Points

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1980  | Heroes Racing Corporation  | SUZ | MIN | SUZ | SUZ | SUZ
Ret | SUZ |  | NC  | 0
1982  | Heroes Racing Corporation  | SUZ | FUJ | SUZ | SUZ | SUZ
9 | SUZ
12 |  | 21st  | 2
1983  | Kondou Racing  | SUZ | FUJ | MIN | SUZ
Ret | SUZ
6 | FUJ
Ret | SUZ
9 | SUZ
10 |  | 14th  | 9
1984  | Team Le Mans | SUZ
5 | FUJ
8 | MIN
3 | SUZ
7 | SUZ
9 | FUJ
Ret | SUZ
10 | SUZ
Ret |  | 8th  | 30
1987 | Heroes Racing Corporation  | SUZ
3 | FUJ
Ret | MIN
1 | SUZ
5 | SUZ
6 | SUG
8 | FUJ
2 | SUZ
Ret | SUZ
5 |  | 5th  | 72
1989 | Cabin Racing Heroes  | SUZ
7 | FUJ
Ret | MIN
12 | SUZ
13 | SUG
8 | FUJ
20 | SUZ
17 | SUZ
6 |  | 19th  | 1
1990 | Super Evolution Racing  | SUZ
20 | FUJ | MIN
14 | SUZ
11 | SUG
8 | FUJ
11 | FUJ
Ret | SUZ
22 | FUJ
11 | SUZ
12 |  | NC  | 0
1991 | Universal Racing  | SUZ
11 | AUT
DNS | FUJ
8 | MIN
5 | SUZ
5 | SUG
9 | FUJ
DNQ | SUZ
11 | FUJ
C | SUZ
12 | FUJ
11 | 15th  | 4
1992 | Universal Racing  | SUZ
Ret | FUJ
Ret | MIN
Ret | SUZ
7 | AUT
Ret | SUG
2 | FUJ
2 | FUJ
1 | SUZ
17 | FUJ
1 | SUZ
Ret | 2nd | 30
1993 | Universal Racing  | SUZ
6 | FUJ
4 | MIN
Ret | SUZ
Ret | AUT
C | SUG
4 | FUJ
C | FUJ
1 | SUZ
3 | FUJ
5 | SUZ
Ret | 5th  | 22
1994 | Mirai Corporation  | SUZ
7 | FUJ
6 | MIN | SUZ | SUG | FUJ | SUZ | FUJ | FUJ | SUZ |  | 16th  | 1
1995 | Hoshino Racing  | SUZ
5 | FUJ
C | MIN
2 | SUZ
1 | SUG
Ret | FUJ
3 | TOK
6 | FUJ
3 | SUZ
1 |  | 1st | 34
1996 | Team Impul | SUZ
18 | MIN
Ret | FUJ
12 | TOK
11 | SUZ
9 | SUG
10 | FUJ
7 | MIN
4 | SUZ
3 | FUJ
Ret |  | 12th  | 7
1997 | Mirai  | SUZ
8 | MIN
5 | FUJ
7 | SUZ
Ret | SUG
4 | FUJ
16 | MIN
9 | MOT
8 | FUJ
Ret | SUZ
9 |  | 13th  | 5

### Complete Japanese Touring Car Championship results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year  | Team  | Car  | Class  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | DC  | Pts

|
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|
|
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|
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|

1990 | Impul | Nissan Skyline GT-R | JTC-1  | NIS
1 | SUG
1 | SUZ
2 | TSU
1 | SEN
1 | FUJ
1 |  | 1st  | 230
1991 | Impul | Nissan Skyline GT-R | JTC-1  | SUG
1 | SUZ
Ret | TSU
3 | SEN
1 | AUT
2 | FUJ
1 |  | 3rd  | 174
1993 | Nismo | Nissan Skyline GT-R | JTC-1  | MIN
14 | AUT
5 | SUG
3 | SUZ
5 | AID
2 | TSU
1 | TOK
2 | SEN
18 | FUJ
3 |  | 3rd  | 106
1995 | Nismo | Nissan Sunny |  | FUJ
1 | FUJ
2 | SUG

23 | SUG

Ret | TOK

11 | TOK

6 | SUZ

7 | SUZ

21 | MIN

Ret | MIN

Ret | AID

21 | AID

14 | SEN

8 | SEN

7 | FUJ

NC | FUJ

Ret | 17th  | 16

### Complete JGTC results

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year  | Team  | Car  | Class  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | DC  | Pts

|
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1994 | Team Zexel | Nissan Skyline GT-R | GT1  | FUJ
Ret | SEN
6 | FUJ
6 | SUG
2 | MIN
Ret |  | 10th  | 27
1995 | Nismo | Nissan Skyline GT-R | GT1  | SUZ
2 | FUJ
4 | SEN
6 | FUJ
2 | SUG
5 | MIN
7 |  | 3th | 58
1996 | Nismo | Nissan Skyline GT-R | GT500  | SUZ
6 | FUJ
Ret | SEN
17 | FUJ
5 | SUG
3 | MIN
10 |  | 11th  | 27
1997 | TOYOTA Castrol TEAM | Toyota Supra | GT500  | SUZ
3 | FUJ
6 | SEN
3 | FUJ
3 | MIN
3 | SUG
4 |  | 3th | 64
1998 | Toyota Castrol Team TOM'S | Toyota Supra | GT500  | SUZ
7 | FUJ*
C | SEN
6 | FUJ
11 | MOT
Ret | MIN
10 | SUG
2 | 9th  | 26
1999 | Toyota Castrol Team TOM'S | Toyota Supra | GT500  | SUZ
3 | FUJ
4 | SUG
11 | MIN
2 | FUJ
15 | TAI
15 | MOT
10 | 9th  | 38
2000 | Toyota Castrol Team TOM'S | Toyota Supra | GT500  | MOT
9 | FUJ
Ret | SUG
8 | FUJ
14 | TAI
12 | MIN
9 | SUZ
12 | 21st  | 7

*The race at Fuji Speedway was cancelled due to a large crash on the first lap and heavy fog afterwards.

### Complete Formula One results

[edit]

(key)

Year  | Entrant  | Chassis  | Engine  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | WDC  | Points

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1993 | Larrousse F1 | Larrousse LH93 | Lamborghini V12 | RSA | BRA | EUR | SMR | ESP | MON | CAN | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | POR | JPN
12 | AUS
14 | NC  | 0

### NASCAR

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

#### Busch Series

[edit]

NASCAR Busch Series results

Year  | Team  | No.  | Make  | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18  | 19  | 20  | 21  | 22  | 23  | 24  | 25  | 26  | NBGNC | Pts  | Ref
1996 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9  | Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | NSV | DAR | BRI | HCY | NZH
33 | CLT | DOV | SBO | MYB | GLN | MLW | NHA | TAL | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | CAR | HOM | 96th  | 64  | [2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Erzar, John (20 March 1996). "Veteran Trickle earns fourth-place finish". Times Leader. Wikes-Barre, PA. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
2. ^ "Toshio Suzuki – 1996 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 August 2023.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toshio Suzuki (racing driver).

* Toshio Suzuki driver statistics at Racing-Reference
* Profile at grandprix.com

Sporting positions

Preceded by

Inaugural

|  All-Japan Formula Three Champion
1979  | Succeeded by

Shuroku Sasaki

Preceded by

Marco Apicella

|  Japanese Formula 3000 Champion
1995 | Succeeded by

Ralf Schumacher
(Formula Nippon)

* v
* t
* e

Winners of the 24 Hours of Daytona

* run as the Daytona 3 Hour Continental (1962–63)
* Daytona 2000 (1964–65)
* 6 Hours of Daytona (1972)
* 24 Hours of Daytona (1966–71 / 1973 / 1975–present)

Five-time|

* Hurley Haywood
* Scott Pruett

Four-time|

* Peter Gregg
* Pedro Rodríguez
* Rolf Stommelen
* Bob Wollek

Three-time|

* João Barbosa
* Derek Bell
* Hélio Castroneves
* Scott Dixon
* Christian Fittipaldi
* Butch Leitzinger
* Juan Pablo Montoya
* Brian Redman
* Memo Rojas
* Andy Wallace

Two-time|

* Filipe Albuquerque
* Max Angelelli
* Mauro Baldi
* Tom Blomqvist
* Terry Borcheller
* Elliott Forbes-Robinson
* A. J. Foyt
* Al Holbert
* Kamui Kobayashi
* Jan Lammers
* Ken Miles
* Felipe Nasr
* Simon Pagenaud
* John Paul Jr.
* Lloyd Ruby
* Scott Sharp
* Jordan Taylor
* Ricky Taylor
* Wayne Taylor
* Didier Theys
* Al Unser Jr.
* Renger van der Zande

One-time|

* Allmendinger
* Alonso
* Amon
* J. Andretti
* Ma. Andretti
* Ballot-Léna
* Bandini
* Barber
* Beretta
* Bergmeister
* Bernhard
* Boesel
* Bouchut
* Bourdais
* Boutsen
* Braun
* Briscoe
* Brown
* Brundle
* Buckler
* Cameron
* Campbell
* Collard
* Dalziel
* Derani
* Dismore
* D. Donohue
* M. Donohue
* Dupuy
* Durán
* Duxbury
* Dyson
* Elford
* Fellows
* Field
* Fitzpatrick
* Franchitti
* Fréon
* García
* Garretson
* Gentilozzi
* Gordon
* Graves
* Gurney
* Hand
* Hasemi
* Helmick
* Henn
* Herrmann
* Hezemans
* Hill
* Hoshino
* Ickx
* Jarvis
* Jelinski
* Joest
* D. Jones
* P. J. Jones
* Kanaan
* Kimball
* Kinnunen
* Kneifel
* Krages
* Larson
* Lässig
* Lavaggi
* Law
* Lienhard
* Luyendyk
* Martin
* McMurray
* Mears
* Merl
* Millen
* Moran
* Moretti
* Neerpasch
* Negri
* Newgarden
* Nielsen
* O'Connell
* Oliver
* Ongais
* Pace
* Papis
* C. Parsons
* Paul Sr.
* Pescarolo
* Pew
* Pilgrim
* B. Rahal
* G. Rahal
* Rice
* Robinson
* Rockenfeller
* Rossi
* Schneider
* Schrom
* Siffert
* Suzuki
* Tandy
* Unser Sr.
* Van der Merwe
* Van Overbeek
* Vanthoor
* Weaver
* Wendlinger
* Werner
* Wheldon
* Wilson

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Japan

*[Years]: Participating years
*[Best finish]: Best finish in the championship
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*[e]: Edit this template