CRC Driver Blog: Jono Lester’s Sunday Wrap from Suzuka

Jono Lester

Today I took my first win in the Land of the Rising Sun, and doesn’t it taste sweet!

Leading up to it, however, we had a torrid day with race one going far from the plans. I was slapped with a drive through penalty for passing the slow to get-away BMW Z4 at the start, and soon after I rejoined the race was abandoned with a serious accident at the end of the fast front straight.

A sombre mood swept over the pits when we found out that the driver involved has passed away in the accident.

This put a bit of a dampener on the second race, but we put our troubles behind us and started fresh to lead into the first corner and fend off my PETRONAS team mate – Super GT and Super Taikyu Champion ‘NOB’ Taniguchi – for the first half of the race.

I pitted soon after from the lead and an efficient stop and driver change had us rejoin with a comfortable buffer which my ‘partner in crime’ Melvin Moh was able to further extend to assure us of our first victory of the season.

It’s a real ‘monkey off the back’ scenario. We’ve had clear pace right from the get go but the results have never come our way, so as a unit – drivers, crew and management alike – we are all very happy right about now!

For me, it’s now into V8 SuperTourer mode. I return to NZ on Tuesday morning to prepare for the Pukekohe 500 with John McIntyre Racing. Bring it on!

Thanks to CRC motornews.co.nz for the continued support!

Jono

CRC Driver Blog: Jono Lester’s Sunday Wrap from Suzuka

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