The official qualifying for the 12th "JOY TAI" will be held on July 14th (Sat) this year.
The road conditions were a concern due to the rain that started the day before, but the weather recovered and the road dried up, allowing for a safe time attack in dry conditions during the briefing before the qualifying.

The qualifying round was divided into two groups, Class 1-4 and the 1.5cc class A group, and Class 5-8 and the B group. Each group had separate sessions for A drivers and B drivers.

Group B qualifier, #18 Asano Automobile Integra, which participated in Class 9 last year, is now competing in Class 7. In the second lap, they marked a good time of 2 minutes 13.932 seconds. #48 Dijon Endless Wako's DC5, driver Keiichi Inoue, and #99 HR Integra, driver Akihiro Hasegawa, chased after them, but they were able to maintain their lead and take the provisional first place. In the following B driver session, #18 Asano Automobile Integra's Yuya Nakajima did not start even after more than 5 minutes had passed, causing concern for potential trouble, but this was also part of their strategy. When the surrounding attacks settled down, they started their run and in the third lap, they took the top spot in Group B with a time of 2 minutes 14.434 seconds.
"Getting pole position was something I really wanted," said Asano, who achieved it. "We can gain time by making more pit stops. Racing is more enjoyable when you have an aggressive attitude, so I want to drive as fast as possible," he added with confidence and a playful spirit.

In the qualifying round for Group A, driver A, Jun Tsuchiya of #2 C.K.Eng NB Roadster, set a course record of 2 minutes and 19.614 seconds on the second lap. However, driver Kazuhiro Koizumi of #2 wako'S.M-one shortened his time by nearly 3 seconds to 2 minutes and 16.737 seconds on the fifth lap, taking the top spot and securing the top position for Class 4 A drivers. In the following session for B drivers, Jun Tsuchiya's teammate So Murakami took the top spot, but his time of 2 minutes and 21.098 seconds was not enough to beat the #2 C.K.Eng NB Roadster's Class 4 top spot. It should be noted that in this Class 4, the top 4 cars all updated the previous record time in a high-speed battle. However, Koizumi calmly analyzed, "It was inevitable if we wanted to surpass our rival teams by analyzing the regulations." As he prepares for the final race, he is focused on the strategy of "where to make a move" and knows it will be crucial.

The final of the 2012 Motegi Enjoy Endurance Race "Joy Tai" will start at 10:00 on Sunday, July 15th. A heated battle will unfold towards the 17:00 finish line.