In June 1985, a day before the All Japan Road Race Championship’s 200 km endurance race at Suzuka Circuit, a certain Kenny Roberts could be seen in the paddock. Roberts had announced his participation in the Suzuka 8 Hours at a press conference at the circuit hotel: “It’s my first race in a year and a half and it’s my first endurance race, but I have faith in the bike and I’m happy to be able to ride with [Tadahiko] Taira. He’s the fastest in Japan right now.” “King Kenny” had already retired from GPs, so the announcement that he would be riding in the 8 Hours made Japanese fans’ hearts leap. Until that point, the only chances they had to see him in action in Japan was a few times at the TBC Big Road Race at Sportsland SUGO in Miyagi Prefecture, so it was a mouth-watering prospect to see Roberts in full attack mode at Suzuka.