The Japan based Super GT photographer, Len Clarke recently got in contact with us to share some of his photos from rounds one, two and three of the 2009 Super GT Series. Tx Len for the photos! -Rod

Round 1 at Okayama International Circuit

Andre Lotterer in the Petronas TOM'S LEXUS SC430 puts his machine through its paces in preparation for Round 1 at Okayama International Circuit.

Joint session just prior to Super Lap. #17 NSX  sweeps past the #2 Privee Asset Shiden.

Joao Paolo Lima di Oliveira in the #24 HIS KONDO RACING ADVAN GT-R, qualifying for the season-opener. (One day away from the team taking its first-ever domestic victory – a big moment)

The #1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R threading its way round behind the Safety Car or two laps (because of torrential rain) before the race gets underway. It's Benoit Treluyer at the wheel.

A look at the second half of the GT500 pack prior to the race getting underway.

Andre Couto in the DUNLOP SARD SC430, following the Safety Car round.

New for this season, Toyota has taken its Corolla Axio model (normally a front wheel drive), replaced the powerplant with the same unit as used in the MR-S entries until last year (2GR-FSE), and made it a mid-ship entry. This example (#31) is piloted by Yuya Sakamoto (serious hotshoe) and Hideki Yamauchi

Spot-entry for three rounds this year in preparation for its entry in the Asian Le Mans Series (coming to Okayama on Oct. 31st/ Nov. 1st, and then to Shanghai the following weekend – sharing the bill with the WTCC for the Japan round), this Aston Martin DBR9 is the first of its kind ever to race in Japan. It's run by NOVA Engineering (super-successful team over the years, in GTs and Formula Nippon – and all sorts of other stuff). The car is owned by Morio Hitotsuyama of Hitotsuyama Racing (he and his brother share the team), they're the guys responsible or bringing the McLaren F1 GT-R (longtail – one of the two that raced successfully in the JGTC from 1999 – 2004) and Ferrari F550 to Japan.

Loic Duval powering through the spray in the opening stages of Round 1 of the 2009 AUTOBACS SUPER GT. The car is the #32 EPSON NSX.

The other of the pair of Toyota COROLLA Axio entries. The #74 car has Takuto Iguchi and Yuji Kunimoto racing it.

 
GT500 machines thread their way through the GT300 cars (GT500 – white lights, GT300, yellow)

Triple a MURCIE RG-1 about to lose its right front wheel.

Round 2 at Suzuka Circuit

#17 KEIHIN NSX coming up to the hairpin, Saturday morning Free Practice session.

#31 Corolla Axio approaching the same spot.

#24 GT500 machine dives down the inside – as you do!

The rear bodywork of the NSXs (this is the #17 car) showing huge development since the opening round. At Suzuka only two of the five Honda cars sported this wider, swooping rear.

Race start. The #1 MOTUL AUTECH GT-R leads the #38 ZENT CERUMO SC430 into turn one for the first time.

(a little later on in the race – about 45 minutes in) The #30 Tama Homes LEXUS IS350 spreads gravel all over the Esses after going off in a big way. The irony was that a couple of laps later, he went off again – this time on his own gravel from the first brush with the scenery.

 Andre Lotterer (#36) had been hunting own Richard Lyons (#38) for nearly a dozen laps. This is the entry to turn two, and with two wheels firmly on the grass, made the move stick – very exciting to watch.

The #17 KEIHIN NSX mid-race at Suzuka. This is the second half of the Esses.

Turn one-two. Motoyama leads as Richard Lyons chases. #19 Weds Sports LEXUS IS350 separates them.

 #33 HANKOOK Porsche 911 GT3RS (a spot entry this season), here with stalwart and former GT500 champion Masami Kageyama at the wheel.

The #7 Mutiara Motors Amemiya SGC 7 on the way to its second podium finish of the year (better check that – I know from the first three rounds there were two podiums…)

The #74 (probably in deference to ex-250cc World Champion Daijiro Kato, who was killed in a race at Suzuka in 2001) Corolla Axio heading out of the Esses and up and around toward Degner Curve.

Round 3 at Fuji Speedway

Satoshi Motoyama prepares to take his first pole position in over six years (only because he prefers his teammate to qualify). Benoit couldn't because he has a bunch of points against his license for an apparent punch-up with Yuji Tachikawa over the winter.

The RX-7 in Saturday's Super Lap session. This is from the inside of the hairpin.

The #110 Porsche Boxster gets all twisted up at the exit of the hairpin in Saturday's first qualifying session.

The #21 Aston Martin Akasaka DBR9 makes its second appearance of the season at Fuji.

Bjorn Wirdheim after qualifying for Round 3 – Fuji Speedway.

On the starting grid at Fuji Speedway. The new colouring of the car (it used to be blood-orange red) attracts a huge amount of attention.

Ralph Firman did an absolutely astounding job in his opening stint at Fuji, moving from 11th to 3rd before handing the car over to partner Takuya Izawa.

Rear of the #12 IMPUL CALSONIC GT-R as it heads up the hill towards Nets Corner after making it through Dunlop Corner without incident.

The #17 NSX in the Esses, followed by the #19 LEXUS IS350 (Weds Sports – GT300).

The #87 giraffa GALLARDO RG-3 spews some sort of fluid as it makes its way through Netz corner in the latter stages of the 400-km event.

The #30 Tama Homes IS350 at Netz. (This entry has, from this weekend, been changed to #52, and is now called the KUMHO TIRE SHIFT IS350.)

The pair of Corolla Axio entries approach Netz.

They head out of Netz, towards Panasonic, the final bend before the entry to the long main straight.

Tsugio Matsuda/Sebastien Philippe race on despite serious front end body damage, sustained on the opening lap after contact with a car in front. The car ended up many laps behind the leaders.

-Len Clarke