KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) ended its 2019 Super Taikyu campaign with a season-best second-place finish at the Okayama International Circuit, completing a fine drive from the back in the three-hour endurance race.
Running the #501 Honda Civic TCR, KCMG brought its podium-winning driver trio from Suzuka, Matt Howson, Jim Ka To and team owner Paul Ip, with the trio showing front-running pace during free practice.
In qualifying, Ip set a good initial pace and was making improvements but an off saw the Hong Kong squad’s session end early, meaning it would start the race from the back of the grid.
After extensive repairs to the #501 Honda, Howson took the wheel for the first stage of the three-hour race. The 2019 TCR Japan Touring Car Series champion drove a superb opening stint, making up over 20 places to take the lead at the driver change.
A full course yellow and quick strategic thinking by KCMG allowed them to remain in the lead fight as Ip took over for his stint. Hong Kong’s 2019 FIA Motorsport Games GT Cup driver furthered the team’s podium chances, handing over to Ka To with an hour left.
Over the final stages of the race, Ka To rose from fourth to finish a well-earned second, marking KCMG’s second 2019 Super Taikyu TCR podium and best result.
The team will return to TCR machinery for the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup presented by OSCARO round in Macau this weekend (15-17 November), with KC Motorgroup fielding Ka To for his second wildcard appearance of the season.
Matt Howson: “I’m so very happy to clinch our best result of the Super Taikyu season at the final event with second. Especially coming from the back of the grid with an extensively repaired car. I have to thank the KCMG crew who rebuilt the Honda, it was superb and allowed me to climb from the very back of the grid to leading the TCR class. Smart strategy meant we kept that lead at the first driver change and took a strong second at the finish. Looking forward to what’s next!”
Jim Ka To: “I’m very pleased to have finished second in the Super Taikyu finale at Okayama. Thank you to KCMG for its great work in repairing the car ahead of the race. We started from the back but didn’t give up and both of my team-mates did a very strong and consistent job. There is a very good synergy in the garage, and I’d like to thank everyone at KCMG for the hard work. Super Taikyu is a great endurance series and I’ve really enjoyed racing in it.”
Paul Ip, KCMG Founder: “It’s been a good year back racing for me. The team has enjoyed strong results and scored podiums across all the TCR series it has raced, including WTCR, TCR Japan and, now for the second time this year, Super Taikyu. We’ve enjoyed great success in our GT programmes as well this year, in the VLN and Intercontinental GT Challenge, alongside the hybrid Formula 4 car we prepared for the FIA Motorsport Games. We have the WTCR of Macau this weekend and Malaysia to end the season, and we are already looking ahead to next year.”
For more information about KCMG please visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of all the latest updates, please like KCMG’s Facebook page or follow on Twitter and Instagram.
Who is KCMG?
KC Motorgroup Ltd (KCMG) is an international motorsport services group established in 2007 by Paul Ip. The group, with its headquarters located in Hong Kong, has operations reaching across the Asia Pacific region. KCMG operates closely with many partner companies and racing organisations around the world to provide unrivalled motorsport services, equipment, team management and quality distribution in the automotive industry. For more information on all of the team’s activities please visit www.kcmg.com.hk or email info@kcmg.com.hk.
