The "Mote tai" 7-hour endurance race has returned! Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the schedule was changed to qualifying and a 3-hour race on Sunday, but this year, after conducting health checks and implementing infection control measures, the original 7-hour race was held! A full grid of 77 cars aimed for the finish line 7 hours later at 9:30 am, and the 24th "Mote tai" race began.

In endurance races, familiar riders run to their machines in a Le Mans-style start, with the first group (top 39 qualifiers) all aiming for the first corner at once. Starting from 6th on the grid, #32 TEAM SANMEI's Motohiro Suzuki made a good start and took the holeshot for the second consecutive year. He then led the race, with #40 NMC×ATJ Racing close behind. #41 Komei TSC & DF Noris also caught up, and in the early stages, these three teams battled for the top spot. Behind them, #86 M Garage + i-factory led the way, followed by #16 G-racing, #42 RS-ITOH's Chain Shop, and #10 Team Dendenmaru. Pole position starter #62 TEAM MASSA-R and 2nd place qualifier #88 Besla with Braking Girls yss were around 10th place.

As a highlight of the early stages, rider #67 Tetsu Uchikawa from Riding Sports Fire A, who started from 75th on the grid, climbed up to 6th place after 24 laps. He steadily improved his position with each lap, demonstrating the skills of a former MotoGP™ rider.

Team SANMEI, who was leading the race, pitted in on the 30th lap. G-racing then took the lead. However, on the 37th lap, #57 Santoku RT Fan Factory Tatsuaki riding a BMW G310R took the lead for the first time. But #88 Besla with Braking Girls YSS was catching up from behind and took the lead on the 42nd lap. They continued to lead the race and pitted in on the 60th lap. This is when Team MASSA-R took the lead for the first time. Team MASSA-R held onto the lead for a while, but the rankings changed again during the pit stops.

At the 3 hour and 30 minute mark, [#62 TEAM MASSA-R] was in the lead with 86 laps. Following closely behind was [#57 Santoku RT Fan Factory Tatsuaki @zip] with a 38.555 second difference, [#310 BMW Motorrad G310R & PEO] with a 52.678 second difference, and [#88 Vesra with Female Braking YSS] with a 1 minute and 22.222 second difference, making the top 4 all on the same lap. This was an unprecedented development with 2 of the top teams using BMW G310 bikes.

However, when #88 Vesra with Braking Girls YSS, who is also the points leader of MFJ CUP JP250, stands at the top again, they solidify their position. However, there was a pass during the yellow flag zone, resulting in a painful penalty stop of 180 seconds and dropping to 5th place. #62 TEAM MASSA-R takes the lead and enters the final pit stop on lap 138. Here, #86 M Garage + i-factory rises to the top for the first time. It was about to enter the last hour, but they also make their final refueling on lap 141. #62 TEAM MASSA-R had 7 pit stops according to their strategy, but #86 M Garage + i-factory took a gamble to win, as there was a possibility of running out of fuel in the last 2 laps. On the other hand, #88 Vesra with Braking Girls YSS makes their final refueling on lap 146 and replaces Shinzaki with the car on the track. Shinzaki drives faster than anyone else and marks the fastest lap of 2 minutes 13.724 seconds on lap 155, catching up. However, there is still a gap of over 20 seconds with the top and it seemed that #86 M Garage + i-factory would escape.

However, at the S-curve corner exit with 20 minutes remaining, a crash occurred. The car remained on the track, resulting in the introduction of the safety car. Behind the safety car, #86 M Garage + i-factory driver Hisahiro Nakazawa desperately crouches down on the cowl to reduce air resistance and maintain fuel. At this time, Nakazawa calmly checks the position of driver Shinzaki. Then, with 6 minutes remaining, the safety car enters the pit and the race resumes. The gap between the two cars is about 8 seconds. Nakazawa sets the best time in the section, but Shinzaki can only reduce the gap by a few tenths of a second. And with about 7 seconds remaining, they enter the final lap. Nakazawa confirms his victory, while Shinzaki continues to chase without giving up. The gap between them gradually narrows, but #86 M Garage + i-factory manages to hold on and crosses the finish line first.

"We decided to participate as a team in August, and we were added to the entry list at the last minute. In the 22 days since then, the rider, pit crew, fuel analyzer, and each of us have done what we needed to do to win. We didn't have much time to prepare, but we ran with a spirit of cooperation. I'm glad we could give a good report to Takayuki Miyamoto, who is in heaven and has taken care of us," said rider Shinji Misu.

【#88 Vesla with Braking Girl YSS】finished in 2nd place, just 2.846 seconds behind. In 3rd place, 25.155 seconds behind the leader, was 【#62 TEAM MASSA-R】and the top 3 completed 167 laps. In 4th place overall, 【#57 Santoku RT Fan Factory Risshu @zip】finished as the top G310R/VTR class with 166 laps completed.

11th place 【#17 Insurance Craftsman】 won R25/WS, 12th place 【#61 Nakamura Engine Research Institute】 won NST-CBR, and 29th place 【#932 APPRISE Akuzawa Automobile Yumomi】 won NST-Ninja, each winning their respective class.

The 24th "Mote tai" held during the COVID-19 pandemic was able to reach its finale without any major accidents thanks to the cooperation of all participants. While praying for the end of the new coronavirus as soon as possible, let's meet again at next year's "Mote tai"!