Racers drive to keep the sport alive in Korea at Toyota Gazoo Racing 6000

작성일 08-12

<div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom">  <div class="image">   <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2025/08/12/0000074908_001_20250812161310926.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">A race car speeds along the track during the Superrace Championship night race at Inje Speedium in Gangwon on Aug. 9. [SUPERRACE]                 </em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div>    <br> The Inje Speedium circuit in Gangwon blazed with color Saturday night as the Superrace Championship’s signature night race &#8212; the Toyota Gazoo Racing 6000 Class &#8212; roared to life.  <br>    <br> Stock cars powered by a 6.2-liter V8 with a body modeled after the Toyota GR Supra sat in formation on the grid like predators ready to strike. Engines rumbled. Exhaust notes echoed. At the green light, they surged forward as a wave, the sound of 460-horsepower engines pounding through the chests of 12,285 fans.  <br><br>For 40 laps on the 3.908-kilometer (2.43-mile) track, drivers attacked and defended in a high-speed chess match. Overtakes came in razor-thin windows. Sparks flew after wheel-to-wheel contact. A skid on a curve sent one car off course, jolting the crowd.  <br>    <br> The fierce on-track battles evoked scenes from “F1: The Movie,” this year’s top-grossing film in Korea, starring Brad Pitt. Sparks flew like lightning after contact between rivals and a car skidding off the track on a curve brought moments of real danger.  <br>    <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom">  <div class="image">   <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2025/08/12/0000074908_002_20250812161311214.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Race cars speed along the track during the Superrace Championship night race at Inje Speedium in Gangwon on Aug. 9. [SUPERRACE]                          </em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div>    <br> The victory went to Lee Chang-wook of Kumho SLM, the current season points leader with 87 points. He seized the lead on lap 20 and never looked back, crossing the line first to take the checkered flag without allowing a single overtake. It was his second win in three night races this season, earning him the nickname “Emperor of the Night.”  <br>    <br> “During the summer, cockpit temperatures can soar to 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit), and spectators suffer in the midday heat as well,” said Hong Jung-wook, head of operations for Superrace. “Since we introduced night races in 2012, both drivers and fans have responded so positively that we’ve steadily increased their number and prominence.”  <br>    <br> While most racing events target fans in their 30s and 40s &#8212; often attending with their families &#8212; night races primarily attract spectators in their teens and 20s, who come with friends or partners. The numbers tell the story: Average daily attendance, about 9,600 in 2016, has climbed to 23,583 this year, with a record 31,558 set in July 2023.  <br>    <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom">  <div class="image">   <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2025/08/12/0000074908_003_20250812161311578.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Spectators gather ahead of the Superrace Championship night race at Inje Speedium in Gangwon on Aug. 9. [SUPERRACE] </em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom">  <div class="image">   <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2025/08/12/0000074908_004_20250812161311779.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Spectators cheer during the Superrace Championship night race at Inje Speedium in Gangwon on Aug. 9. [SUPERRACE] </em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div>    <br> Korea has long been seen as a “desert” for motorsports, with the failed Formula One (F1) Korean Grand Prix in Yeongam, South Jeolla, that ran from 2010 to 2013 often cited as evidence.  <br>    <br> Still, the sport’s promoters have continued experimenting, slowly shifting public perception. Incheon has formally announced plans to bid for an F1 Grand Prix and foreign media periodically report on Hyundai Motor’s consideration of an F1 entry.  <br>    <br> “I’d like to thank the drivers, teams and fans for making the final night race of the season a success,” said Superrace CEO Ma Seok-ho. “We will continue to deliver world-class racing along with diverse events to broaden the public appeal of motorsports in Korea. As events like the night race solidify their reputation for safety and quality, interest in motorsports has grown.  <br>    <br> “Korea, which has world-class automotive technology, will take the lead so that it can become a top country in motorsports as well.”  <br>    <br> <div class="ab_photo photo_center ab_zoom">  <div class="image">   <span class="end_photo_org"><img src="https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2025/08/12/0000074908_005_20250812161312085.jpg" alt="" /><em class="img_desc">Hip-hop duo Mighty Mouth performs ahead of the main event at the night race on Aug. 9. [SUPERRACE]</em></span>   <span class="mask"></span>  </div>  </div>  <br> <br><i>This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom staff.</i>

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Racers drive to keep the sport alive in Korea at Toyota Gazoo Racing 6000

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