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Video: Gran Turismo Creator Laps the 'Ring In Real Life

 
4 1,622 views November 19, 2009

Kazunori Yamauchi's SP8 Lexus IS-F

Kazunori Yamauchi may not be a household name in America, but his work is already in millions of American households. As creator and producer of the Gran Turismo series, he's spent countless hours helping to create one of the most addictive driving video games known to human kind. It's only fitting that he'd also be a gearhead in real life.

In the video below, Yamauchi hits the 'Ring with a vengeance, racing in a four-hour endurance race in a caged Lexus IS-F. The outcome of the race? Yamauchi's team took victory in the SP8 class for nearly-stock passenger cars fitted only with safety equipment. The race was part of the VLN series, and Yamauchi's fastest lap time was 10 minutes, 9 seconds, the fastest on his team.

Yamauchi is a car geek on his own time, too, owning not just one, but two Ford GTs. The next installment in the Gran Turismo series, GT5, is due out in March, 2010.

[GranTurismo, YouTube]


HI-RES GALLERY: Kazunori Yamauchi's SP8 Lexus IS-F




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Comments (4)

  1. By IGTAUTO Posted: 11/19/2009 12:23pm PST

    Considering Sabine Schemitz did the same time around the ring in a Ford Transit van on a diet. This is mildly interesting. Kazunori is trying to stay in the media because GT5 has become less and less relevant as each new release date change.
     
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  2. By  number spy Posted: 11/19/2009 5:15pm PST

    I gotta agree.. He was barely pushing the car. Seems like more of a publicity stunt to me.
     
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  3. By  dsi r4 Posted: 11/19/2009 10:25pm PST

    I was wondering if he was really was pushing the car than will he be able to do so alone? I think this is an stupid act he is trying to show us.
     
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  4. By  gazzed Posted: 11/20/2009 12:18am PST

    What a load of rubbish all the comments made here.. give the guy the respect he deserves.
    Plus they were using more parts of the Nurburgring race track were the awesome Sabine drove on the one accessed for open track days for the public.
     
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