$500,000 Purse for New South Korean Endurance Race

Photo: GT Asia

Plans for the first-ever endurance race in South Korea have been announced, with a total purse of $500,000 USD up for grabs in a GT and touring car event at the venue of the former F1 Korean Grand Prix.

Race123, which will be held at Korea International Circuit on April 20-22, is being run by Seoul-based J’s Consulting Co., Ltd., with an expected grid of more than 60 cars, comprised of five classes, including GT3, GTC, Sports Production, Touring Production 1 and 2.

The race will be 1,230 kms in length, or 219 laps, which is expected to be achieved in eight to nine hours.

According to the event’s Web site, the overall winner will claim $200,000 USD, while the top-three finishers in each class will be awarded “outstanding” prize money, totaling $500,000.

It would be one of the largest purses for a GT race in modern-day history.

While having not hosted a F1 round since 2013, the 18-turn, 3.489-mile circuit in Yeongam has seen regular GT Asia races since.

The Asian Le Mans Series, meanwhile, made one lone appearance to Korea in 2014, for a three-hour race at Inje Speedium.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John