Tokyo 200 Miles 1966 - Lotus Elan 26R #7
Added 2024-08-11 10:58:04 +0000 UTCFor the GTC Lotus Elan 26R.
Shintaro Taki may be known mainly for his successful racing team "Taki Racing Organization" but his career can be traced down to 1964, entering in the unique Japan Stock Car dirt-oval racing series in a Lotus Elan. He soon upgraded to a 26R, in yellow, one that would define his early career as a privateer racer.
At the time, Japan did not have many thoroughbred sports cars participating in domestic events, making Taki's 26R among the fastest cars on the few active racing tracks. In September 1965, Taki took his first win at the Funabashi Circuit's Golden Beach Trophy, with the Elan. He soon stepped over to endurance racing, participating in the first Suzuka 500km and dominating for most of the race. It wasn't until an oil cooler malfunction forced him to pit in extensively that he lost his lead to the works Toyota Sports 800 of the late Shihomi Hosoya.
A few weeks later, Taki entered the Tokyo 200 Miles endurance race at Funabashi, now with the oil cooler problem thoroughly sorted out - dominating the entire race and taking the checkered flag in 1st place. In March of 1966, he purchased the first Porsche 906 to go to Japan, 906-120, a car that would race in Japan for almost a full decade.
