"It's an awesome result," said Cassidy. "We didn't expect this having to carry 40 kgs of ballast after winning the first-round last month."

The Aucklander drove the first and third stints of the race, while Hirakawa took the wheel in the middle portion.

After qualifying seventh, Cassidy made up a couple of places in the early laps only to suffer from tyre degradation. "Ryo did a great job to hand me back the car in third place where we finished."

The race was again a lockout for Lexus with Yuji Tachikawa and Hiroaki Ishiura winning in another LC 500.

Cassidy and Hirakawa head to the next round at Autopolis on May 21 with a one point lead over Kazuya Oshima and Andrea Caldarelli who finished second at Fuji.

With their success, Cassidy and Hirakawa will have 62 kgs of ballast aboard the next time they race.

Results, Round 2, Super GT Championship.

1, Y Tachikawa, H Ishiura (Lexus LC 500) 110 laps;
2, K Oshima, A Caldarelli (Lexus LC 500) 4.797 seconds behind;
3, N Cassidy, R Hirakawa (Lexus LC 500) 25.196 seconds behind.

Series points.

1, Cassidy, Hirakawa, 31 points;
2, Oshima, Caldarelli, 30;
3, Tachikawa, Ishiura, 29.


Ends