Hideo Fukuyama facts for kids

Hideo Fukuyama (福山 英朗, Hideo Fukuyama, born August 13, 1955) is a retired Japanese race car driver. He was born on August 13, 1955. He is well-known for racing in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

In the early 2000s, Hideo Fukuyama tried to race in the top NASCAR series, called the Winston Cup Series. He only raced in four events before leaving the series. He made history as the very first Japanese driver to compete in NASCAR's highest level of racing.

Hideo Fukuyama's Racing Career

Early Days and Sports Car Success

Hideo Fukuyama started his racing career in his home country, Japan. He became a very skilled road racer. He won several important championships.

Some of his big wins include:

• The 1979 Formula Libre 500 Japanese championship.
• The 1992 Japanese Touring Car Championship.
• The 1997 Super GT GT300 class championship.

One of his greatest achievements was winning the LMGT class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2000. This is a very tough endurance race.

Racing Stock Cars in NASCAR

Fukuyama first got a taste of NASCAR racing in exhibition races in Japan. He raced at Suzuka Circuit in 1996 and 1997. He also raced at Twin Ring Motegi in 1998. In these early races, he gained experience with stock cars.

He then competed in two races in the NASCAR Winston West Series. These races were at Pikes Peak International Raceway in 1998 and at Twin Ring Motegi in 1999. The Motegi race was special because it was the first NASCAR points event held outside of North America.

Hideo Fukuyama was encouraged by the legendary driver Dale Earnhardt to try racing in NASCAR. In September 2002, he made history at Dover International Speedway. He became the first Japanese driver to qualify for a Winston Cup Series points race. He drove the No. 66 Ford car for Haas-Carter Motorsports. He finished 39th in that race. Later that year, he raced at Martinsville Speedway.

In 2003, Fukuyama aimed to be the NASCAR Rookie of the Year. He raced a few times in the Winston Cup Series and also in the ARCA Racing Series. He qualified for two more Cup races that year. His best finish was 33rd at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

After the middle of the 2003 season, Fukuyama returned to Japan. He continued racing in the Super GT series. He also became a TV commentator, helping Japanese viewers understand NASCAR races.

Motorsports Career Highlights

Hideo Fukuyama had a long and successful career in various types of motorsports. He competed in major races around the world.

• 24 Hours of Le Mans: He raced in this famous endurance event multiple times. In 1995, he finished 10th overall. In 2000, he achieved a class win, meaning his team was the best in their specific car category.
• Japanese Touring Car Championship: He was a champion in this series in 1992.
• Super GT Series: He also won the GT300 class championship in the Super GT series in 1997 and 2000.