Hideo Fukuyama facts for kids

Hideo Fukuyama (福山 英朗, Hideo Fukuyama, born August 13, 1955) is a retired Japanese racing driver. He is known for competing in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race. In the early 2000s, he tried to race in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. He was the first Japanese driver to ever compete in NASCAR's top racing series.

Racing Adventures

Early Racing Days

Hideo Fukuyama started his racing career in his home country, Japan. He was very good at road racing. In 1979, he won the Formula Libre 500 Japanese championship. He also became a champion in the Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1992. Later, in 1997, he won the Super GT GT300 class championship. One of his biggest wins was at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000, where he won the LMGT class.

Trying Out Stock Cars

Fukuyama first got a taste of NASCAR racing in exhibition events. These were special races held in Japan. He raced at Suzuka Circuit in 1996 and 1997. He also raced at Twin Ring Motegi in 1998. In his first race at Suzuka in 1996, he finished 22nd after a crash. The next year, he finished 21st. At Motegi in 1998, he finished 17th.

In 1998 and 1999, Fukuyama also competed in two races in the NASCAR Winston West Series. He raced at Pikes Peak International Raceway in 1998, finishing 19th. In 1999, he raced at Twin Ring Motegi again. This was a special event because it was the first NASCAR points race held outside of North America. He finished 15th there.

Racing in NASCAR's Top Series

A famous racer, Dale Earnhardt, encouraged Hideo Fukuyama to try a NASCAR career. In September 2002, Fukuyama 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. He started the race in 43rd place but finished 39th because of a problem with his car's transmission. Later that year, he raced at Martinsville Speedway, finishing 43rd.

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

After 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.