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Motorsports Coverage
2007 Race Season for Igor Sushko
By AutomotiveForums.com
Feb 20, 2007, 17:08

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Release Courtesy of AutomotiveForums.com

The 2007 Race Season for Igor Sushko

The Ukrainian made history in 2006 with the first ever Nissan Skyline GT-R road racing program in North America. In 2007 he goes a step up... in Japan.

The AutomotiveForums.com R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R at Laguna Seca. Driver: Igor Sushko
The AutomotiveForums.com R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R at Laguna Seca in 2006.
Photograph © 2007 AutomotiveForums.com
Tokyo, JAPAN. (Feb. 21, 2007)
- Last year, Igor Sushko's AutomotiveForums.com race team made history by campaigning an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R in SCCA's Speed World Challenge GT series. Throughout the year, millions of automotive enthusiasts learned about the extraordinary journey through print, internet, and television outlets including AutoWeek, Automobile Magazine, SpeedTV, ESPN2, AutomotiveForums.com, and IgorSushko.com.

But the 2007 season is sure to bring even more excitement. Sushko will be racing with Shyuji Maejima, a veteran ace driver, in the famous Japanese Super Taikyu Endurance series with a brand new NISMO-built Nissan Fairlady Z (Z33).

Sushko's test with the team brought excitement in itself. Location: Sugo Circuit. Weather: Snow. Visibility: Poor.
Super Taikyu Race
The Super Taikyu Endurance race series even features a 24-hour race at Tokachi, Hokkaido.
Photograph © 2007 Super Taikyu Organization
Behind the wheel of a car he had never driven at track he had never seen, Sushko quickly impressed the owner and the team in just five hot laps. Immediately, Sushko was named co-driver for the entire '07 season in the Super Taikyu series.

Yet, there is more. Sushko has also been accepted into the prestigious Formula Challenge Japan (FCJ) development program. Organized by Japan Race Promotion, the same entity that promotes the Formula Nippon series, the FCJ program consists of an 18-race season in an open-wheel formula car. The vehicle, weighing in at 490 kg (1080 lbs), features a full carbon composite FIA chassis, a 2.0-liter engine, and a 6-speed sequential gear box. The series is augmented by coaching and advising by some of the best in Japan, including such names as Masanori Sekiya, first-ever Japanese to score an overall win at Le Mans; Tetsuya Tanaka, Group C Prototypes and Super GT driver; and former Formula One and CART driver, Naoki Hattori.

"I am always looking for ways to stretch myself professionally," said Sushko. "Racing in two series as disparate as FCJ and Super Taikyu should prove plenty challenging."

Formula Challenge Japan Race
The Formula Challenge Japan race series - the 1080 lbs cars with 200 hp and downforce are faster than the Super GT GT300 class.
Photograph © 2007 Japan Race Promotion
Igor Sushko at Fuji Speedway.
Igor Sushko at the Fuji Speedway - a circuit he will revisit many times in 2007.
Photograph © 2007 AutomotiveForums.com

Igor Sushko's 2007 Race Schedule

Series Round Date Circuit
FCJ (Formula Challenge) Test 1 March 3-5 Fuji
FCJ Test 2 March 13-14 Suzuka
FCJ R1/R2 March 17-18 Suzuka
Super Taikyu Test 1 March 20th Suzuka
FCJ R3/R4 March 31-April 1 Fuji
Super Taikyu R1 April 21-22 Highland
FCJ Test 3 April 25-26 Motegi
Super Taikyu R2 May 12-13 Suzuka
FCJ R5/R6 May 19-20 Motegi
FCJ R7/R8 June 16-17 Fuji
FCJ R9/R10 July 7-8 Suzuka
Super Taikyu R3 July 14-16 Tokachi 24hr
Super Taikyu R4 August 4-5 Fuji
FCJ R11/R12 August 25-26 Fuji
Super Taikyu R5 September 1-2 Okayama
FCJ R13/R14 September 15-16 Sugo
FCJ R15/R16 October 20-21 Motegi
Super Taikyu R6 October 27-28 Sugo
Super Taikyu R7 November 10-11 Motegi
FCJ R17/R18 November 17-18 Suzuka

Launched in November of 2000, AutomotiveForums.com is today a leader in connecting the auto enthusiasts via the Internet. Currently, more than 500,000 members enjoy Automotive Forums, with 200 new users signing up daily.


Igor Sushko's motorsports career began when he had a pole-and-win in his first ever race at Virginia International Raceway in Skip Barber Formula Dodge series. In 2006, Sushko competed in SCCA Speed World Challenge GT with R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R.


Contact: Bruce Ashmore / Automotive Network, Inc. / 317-496-9909


SCCA Speed World Challenge
Super Taikyu
Formula Challenge Japan

Photographs for media use are available at the AutomotiveForums.com Media Gallery

http://files.automotiveforums.com/media/v/MagazineCoverage/photos/

SCCA Speed World Challenge

http://www.world-challenge.com

Super Taikyu

http://www.so-net.ne.jp/s-taikyu

Igor Sushko

http://www.igorsushko.com

Automotive Forums

http://www.automotiveforums.com



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