SARD

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SARD Corporation
Company typeLimited
IndustryMotorsport and car tuning
Founded1985
Headquarters,
Japan
Key people
Shin Kato, President
ProductsRacing team, aftermarket tuning component
OwnerShin Kato
Websitehttps://www.sard.co.jp

SARD Corporation (株式会社サード, Kabushiki gaisha Sādo, abbreviated as Sigma Advanced Racing Development) is a Japanese tuning company and racing team from Toyota, Aichi, mainly competing in the Super GT series and specializing in Toyota tuning parts.

History[edit]

The company was formed in 1972 as Sigma Automotive Co., Ltd by Shin Kato to develop and produce motorsport related parts and accessories as well as operating their own racing team.[1]

In 1985, the racing division of Sigma Automotive became an independent company, Kato established a company called Sigma Advanced Racing Development (SARD) specializing in motorsport as well as producing aftermarket parts for Toyota automobiles.[2]

Products[edit]

SARD Supra 90 Complete at Suzuka Fan Thanksgiving Day 2022

Sigma Advanced Racing Development (SARD) develops and manufactures tuning parts mainly for Toyota cars, namely turbochargers, redesigned fuel systems and cooling systems, suspension parts and aerodynamic kits.[3] The company is not restricted to Toyotas as they are well known within the aftermarket tuning market for their fueling components used by numerous tuning companies.[1][4]

Current Product Lines[edit]

  • Complete Car
  • Aero
  • Wing
  • Dry Carbon
  • Interior
  • Exhaust
  • Intake & Suction
  • Fuel
  • Oil
  • Chemical
  • Cooling
  • Footwork
  • Body Build
  • Powertrain
  • Engine Parts
  • Turbo
  • Electronics
  • Sub Parts
  • Goods & Apparel

Also, under the SARD Marine Project, a separate project to its car works, it builds and sell its Toyota powered motorboats.[5]

Motorsport[edit]

SARD MC86X Toyota of Sasaki / Okamoto / Misaki at the Suzuka 1000 Kilometres (1986 All Japan Endurance Championship, Round 4)
SARD Supra
Mazda Sigma MC73 at the 1973 24 Hours of Le Mans
SARD MC8-R at the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans

Sigma Automotive began its racing career in the Fuji Grand Champion Series and in 1973 participated for the first time in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with their Sigma MC73, powered by a Mazda Wankel engine, becoming the first Japanese car to qualify for Le Mans,[3] before retiring early in the race with electrical problems.[6] The team returned for the following year with a Mazda backed MC74, finishing but not making enough laps to be classified. In 1975 the team switched to a Toyota powerplant in the MC75, only to suffer from another early retirement. After transitioning out of international motorsports, Sigma Automotive would continue to compete in numerous domestic series.

SARD returned to international motorsports in 1989, debuting as a Toyota backed team named Toyota Team SARD in the first round of World Sports Prototype Championship held in Suzuka, using a Toyota 89C-V, also competing in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship. With the demise of Group C in 1993, SARD switched to the newly formed JGTC series and also return to Le Mans with a V8 powered MR2 known as the MC8-R, having the same spell of misfortune as they had during the 1970s, competing in 1995 and 1996, only to fail to pre-qualify in the face of the newer generations of GT1 cars in the following year. SARD also entered a Toyota Supra in first two years of the MC8-R program where it faced against fellow Japanese GT machines in form of Nissan Skyline GT-R and Honda NSX, the latter which also raced in and won the GT2 class in 1995. The JGTC-specification Supra was entered in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans where it finished 14th, the team returned again in 1996 but did not finish.[7]

SARD continued to compete in the JGTC and Super GT series with works-backed Toyotas and Lexuses; the team currently fields a Toyota GR Supra under the Toyota Team SARD name. In the 2016 Super GT Championship, SARD won its first-ever Super GT championship with a Lexus RC F driven by Heikki Kovalainen and Kohei Hirate.[8][9][10]

In 2006, SARD competed in the 24 Hours of Tokachi, a Super Taikyu race, with a hybrid powered Lexus GS450h[2] finishing 4th in class and 17th overall.[11] For the following year, SARD took their Super GT specification Supra out of retirement, installed a hybrid version of its Super GT 3UZ-FE engine, giving out 480 bhp (358 kW) and 376 lb⋅ft (510 N⋅m) of torque.[12] The Supra, rechristened as the Denso SARD Supra HV-R and driven by series regulars André Couto, Akira Iida, Katsuyuki Hiranaka and Tatsuya Kataoka[13] started on pole and effortlessly dominated the entire race, completing 616 laps, 19 laps ahead of the runner-up. It became the first hybrid-powered car to win a race.[12]

SARD planned to take part in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship season with a LMP2-class prototype in association with Morand Racing, with plans for a future LMP1 entry.[14] However, SARD was forced to reduce its participation after a loss of backers before the season started; it was unable to come up with half of the season's budget, as agreed with Morand.[15] Nevertheless, Morand continued to compete under the Team SARD Morand name during the 2015 season.

Complete JGTC Results[16] [17][edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Car Tyres Class No. Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pos Pts
1994 Toyota Supra M GT1 39 United States Jeff Krosnoff FUJ SEN FUJ SUG
Ret
MIN
10
NC 1
1995 Toyota Supra D GT1 39 United States Jeff Krosnoff SUZ
3
FUJ
12
SEN
5
FUJ
16
SUG
3
MIN
11
6th 32
1996 Toyota Supra D GT500 39 Australia Wayne Gardner
France Alain Ferté
Japan Naoki Nagasaka
Italy Giampiero Simoni
SUZ
17
FUJ
3
SEN
4
FUJ
9
SUG
7
MIN
8
6th 31
1997 Toyota Supra Y GT500 39 Japan Masami Kageyama
Japan Tatsuya Tanigawa
France Olivier Grouillard
SUZ
2
FUJ
1
SEN
5
FUJ
1
MIN
13
SUG
7
2nd 67
1998 Toyota Supra Y GT500 39 Japan Keiichi Tsuchiya
Japan Tatsuya Tanigawa
SUZ
3
FUJ
C
SEN
4
FUJ
9
MOT
Ret
MIN
3
SUG
Ret
7th 36
1999 Toyota Supra Y GT500 39 Japan Keiichi Tsuchiya
Japan Masahiko Kageyama
SUZ
16
FUJ
15
SUG
Ret
MIN
7
FUJ
10
OKA
13
MOT
Ret
12th 5
2000 Toyota Supra Y GT500 39 Japan Masahiko Kageyama
Republic of Ireland Ralph Firman
MOT
10
FUJ
Ret
SUG
6
FUJ
2
OKA
Ret
MIN
8
SUZ
16
7th 25
2001 Toyota Supra Y GT500 39 France Jérémie Dufour
Japan Masahiko Kageyama
France Romain Dumas
OKA
7
FUJ
7
SUG
9
FUJ
13
MOT
Ret
SUZ
9
MIN
4
11th 22
2002 Toyota Supra Y GT500 39 France Jérémie Dufour
Japan Manabu Orido
OKA
3
FUJ
Ret
SUG
12
SEP
DSQ
FUJ
15
MOT
5
MIN
7
SUZ
5
9th 33
2003 Toyota Supra Y GT500 39 Japan Manabu Orido
Germany Dominik Schwager
OKA
14
FUJ
3
SUG
14
FUJ
3
FUJ
7
MOT
7
AUT
1
SUZ
9
6th 57
2004 Toyota Supra B GT500 39 France Jérémie Dufour
Portugal André Couto
OKA
3
SUG
NC
SEP
1
TOK
7
MOT
6
AUT
2
SUZ
8
2nd 61

Complete Super GT Results[18][edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Car Tyres Class No. Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pos Points
2005 Toyota Supra B GT500 39 Portugal André Couto
Italy Ronnie Quintarelli
OKA
8
FUJ
Ret
SEP
9
SUG
2
MOT
14
FUJ
12
AUT
11
SUZ
11
12th 21
2006 Toyota Supra B GT500 66 Portugal André Couto
Japan Katsuyuki Hiranaka
France Soheil Ayari
SUZ
11
OKA
13
FUJ
11
SEP
13
SUG
Ret
SUZ
11
MOT
9
AUT
10
FUJ
10
15th 9
2007 Lexus SC430 B GT500 39 Portugal André Couto
Japan Katsuyuki Hiranaka
SUZ
Ret
OKA
12
FUJ
8
SEP
13
SUG
6
SUZ
11
MOT
10
AUT
3
FUJ
13
15th 37
2008 Lexus SC430 D GT500 39 Portugal André Couto
Japan Toranosuke Takagi
Japan Koki Saga
SUZ
12
OKA
14
FUJ
13
SEP
12
SUG
6
SUZ
15
MOT
13
AUT
13
FUJ
5
16th 29
2009 Lexus SC430 D GT500 39 Portugal André Couto
Japan Kohei Hirate
OKA
15
SUZ
10
FUJ
10
SEP
13
SUG
2
SUZ
7
FUJ
11
AUT
12
MOT
5
13th 48
2010 Lexus SC430 D GT500 39 Portugal André Couto
Japan Kohei Hirate
Netherlands Carlo van Dam
SUZ
5
OKA
10
FUJ
Ret
SEP
10
SUG
10
SUZ
8
FUJ
C
MOT
11
12th 26
2011 Lexus SC430 M GT500 39 Japan Hiroaki Ishiura
Japan Takuto Iguchi
OKA
13
FUJ
6
SEP
13
SUG
2
SUZ
5
FUJ
8
AUT
15
MOT
3
7th 61
2012 Lexus SC430 M GT500 39 Japan Hiroaki Ishiura
Japan Juichi Wakisaka
OKA
9
FUJ
1
SEP
4
SUG
4
SUZ
Ret
FUJ
6
AUT
5
MOT
5
3rd 78
2013 Lexus SC430 B GT500 39 Japan Hiroaki Ishiura
Japan Juichi Wakisaka
OKA
8
FUJ
4
SEP
2
SUG
4
SUZ
9
FUJ
11
AUT
7
MOT
4
7th 70
2014 Lexus RC F B GT500 39 Japan Hiroaki Ishiura
United Kingdom Oliver Jarvis
OKA
4
FUJ
6
AUT
11
SUG
6
FUJ
12
SUZ
11
BUR
7
MOT
9
10th 43
2015 Lexus RC F B GT500 39 Finland Heikki Kovalainen
Japan Kohei Hirate
Austria Christian Klien
OKA
5
FUJ
5
CHA
7
FUJ
9
SUZ
11
SUG
Ret
AUT
13
MOT
6
13th 40
2016 Audi R8 LMS Y GT300 26 Japan Shogo Mitsuyama
Japan Yuya Motojima
Japan Tsubasa Kondo
OKA
20
FUJ
15
SUG
19
FUJ
8
SUZ
20
CHA MOT
6
MOT
7
16th 27
Lexus RC F B GT500 39 Finland Heikki Kovalainen
Japan Kohei Hirate
OKA
7
FUJ
2
SUG
2
FUJ
8
SUZ
8
CHA
7
MOT
2
MOT
1
1st 103
2017 Lexus LC500 GT500 B GT500 1 Finland Heikki Kovalainen
Japan Kohei Hirate
OKA
3
FUJ
7
AUT
14
SUG
1
FUJ
10
SUZ
13
CHA
6
MOT
8
6th 64
Audi R8 LMS Y GT300 26 Japan Shinnosuke Yamada
Australia Jake Parsons
Austria Christian Klien
OKA
21
FUJ
21
AUT
14
SUG
18
FUJ
19
SUZ
Ret
CHA
19
MOT
14
24th 11
2018 Lexus LC500 GT500 B GT500 39 Finland Heikki Kovalainen
Japan Kamui Kobayashi
Japan Sho Tsuboi
OKA
12
FUJ
2
SUZ
Ret
CHA
1
FUJ
11
SUG
10
AUT
8
MOT
8
9th 62
2019 Lexus LC500 GT500 B GT500 39 Finland Heikki Kovalainen
Japan Yuichi Nakayama
OKA
11
FUJ
4
SUZ
5
BUR
5
FUJ
Ret
AUT
1
SUG
7
MOT
11
5th 64
2020 Toyota GR Supra GT500 B GT500 39 Japan Yuichi Nakayama
Finland Heikki Kovalainen
Japan Kenta Yamashita
Japan Sena Sakaguchi
FUJ
5
FUJ
6
SUZ
5
MOT
9
FUJ
1
SUZ
11
MOT
8
FUJ
14
8th 64
2021 Toyota GR Supra GT500 B GT500 39 Finland Heikki Kovalainen
Japan Yuichi Nakayama
OKA
4
FUJ
6
MOT
10
SUZ
14
SUG
5
AUT
5
MOT
11
FUJ
4
9th 58
2022 Toyota GR Supra GT500 B GT500 39 Japan Yuichi Nakayama
Japan Yuhi Sekiguchi
OKA
8
FUJ
13
SUZ
4
FUJ
6
SUZ
3
SUG
6
AUT
10
MOT
Ret
8th 51.5
2023 Toyota GR Supra GT500 B GT500 39 Japan Yuichi Nakayama
Japan Yuhi Sekiguchi
OKA
8
FUJ
8
SUZ
15
FUJ
9
SUZ
2
SUG
3
AUT
14
MOT
7
8th 58

Half points awarded as less than 75% of race distance was completed. * Season still in progress.

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b SARD Archived 2007-08-15 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b JCN Network: Toyota to Enter Hybrid Sedan in 24-hour Race Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b Sard Racing
  4. ^ "SARD :: PRODUCTS". www.sard.co.jp. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  5. ^ SARD Marine Project Archived 2007-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Le Mans and the Racing Rotary Archived 2011-05-25 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Retrospective>>toyota Supra Gt Lm At Le Mans". Speedhunters. 2009-02-18. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  8. ^ Clifford, Joe (2019-01-21). "Lexus RC F in motorsport: the story so far". Lexus UK Magazine. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  9. ^ "DENSO TEAM SARD RC F Clinches Title In Motegi Finale | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  10. ^ "Lexus RC F Team SARD Wins Japan's 2016 Super GT Championship". Lexus Enthusiast Community Forums. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  11. ^ Autoblog: Denso SARD Supra HV-R takes the pole at Tokachi 24
  12. ^ a b Autoblog: Toyota SARD entering Supra HV-R hybrid racer in Tokachi 24 hours
  13. ^ (in Japanese) TOYOTA MOTOR SPORTS − 十勝24時間レース スペシャルサイト Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Noda (SARD): "In the Future, We'll Move to LMP1" – Sportscar365". 17 February 2015.
  15. ^ Dagys, John (21 April 2015). "Inside the Developing Tale of Team SARD-Morand". Sportscar365. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  16. ^ "World Sports Racing Prototypes - All Japan Grand Touring Championship". www.wsrp.cz. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  17. ^ "SUPERGT.net | Race Archive". supergt.net. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
  18. ^ "World Sports Racing Prototypes - All Japan Grand Touring Championship". www.wsrp.cz. Retrieved 2022-08-24.