The second round of the Asian Le Mans Series confirmed the progress of the OAK Racing Total Team driver line-up of David Cheng and Jeffrey Lee joined by the experienced Chinese Cong Fu Cheng in Japan. The trio in the Morgan-Judd LM P2 n°24 finished in second place behind the KCMG Morgan-Nissan LM P2 giving Onroak Automotive, the OAK Racing construction department, a double. The Asian Le Mans Series continued in Japan on the Fuji Speedway. Ho Pin Tung was involved elsewhere and he was replaced in the no. 24 Morgan-Judd LM P2 by Cong Fu Cheng. In 2008, Cheng was the first Chinese driver to race in the Le Mans 24 Hours in which he finished in the top 3 in LM P2 in an OAK Racing prototype so he was able to apply all his experience to help his team-mates, David Cheng and Jeffrey Lee. In free practice David Cheng and Jeffrey Lee got down to the job of learning the Fuji circuit while Cong Fu Cheng worked on finding a good setup for all three drivers. Cheng was also given the job of qualifying the OAK Racing Morgan-Judd LM P2 and he fought a running battle with the KCMG Morgan-Nissan LM P2 in the hands of Richard Bradley coming out on top by 58/1000 seconds! As in South Korea the OAK Racing Total Team Morgan-Judd LM P2 was on pole for the race. On Sunday, Lee did the first stint in beautiful sunshine in front of a good crowd. When the lights went out the driver from Taiwan was passed by the KCMG car, but after 15-minutes racing he took advantage of a spin by his rival to go into the lead. However, Hiroshi Koizumi in the no.18 Morgan-Nissan LM P2 managed to get back in front. After 45 minutes, Lee in second place handed over to David Cheng.

Thanks to the impeccable pit work of the OAK Racing Total Team and a well-driven stint by the Chinese, the gap between the two prototypes designed and built by Onroak Automotive was still under a minute when it was time for the final stints. As in qualifying Cong Fu Cheng set a searing pace and clinched the fastest lap in the race. The Chinese went pedal to the metal to catch his rival in the KCMG team’s car. His very quick lap times combined with an aggressive strategy by the OAK Racing Total Team, as proved by the final refuelling stop that lasted a mere 20 seconds, helped the no. 24 Morgan-Judd LM P2 to finish just over a minute behind the no. 18 Morgan-Nissan LM P2 entered by the KCMG team, but well in front of the Team Mugen Honda. Thus, Onroak Automotive, the OAK Racing construction department, scored a double in Japan. The second race of the season proves that David Cheng’s and Jeffrey Lee’s apprenticeship is on the right road. The two drivers, who were third in South Korea with Ho Ping Tung and second in Japan with Cong Fu Cheng, are currently lying second in the drivers’ championship a few points behind James Winslow. In the teams’ championship KCMG leads the OAK Racing Total Team. With two races to go till the end of the first season of the Asian Le Mans Series, the outcome is far from decided. The next round will take place in China on 13 th October on the Zhuhai circuit with the final event in Sepang, Malaysia on 8th December.