Rob Huff won the race one at Okayama for Chevrolet after mastering the traditionally wet conditions at the Japanese circuit. The Briton made his way up from third on the grid early on to take the victory.
Due to the conditions the race began behind the safety car, with the race getting under way for real on lap three. Polesitter Andy Priaulx led the field through the first corner ahead of BMW Team RBM teammate Augusto Farfus and Huff. Several cars went into the gravel at the first corner, as Tiago Monteiro and Franz Engstler tangled. Further round the lap, Fredy Barth and Kristian Poulsen made contact, collecting Tom Coronel and Stefano D'Aste in the process.
Huff soon found a way past Farfus for second and began chasing down the race leader. Gabriele Tarquini made a strong start in his SR-Sport SEAT and got past Norbert Michelisz and Colin Turkington early on and into fourth place.
Joy doesn't win - Huff finds the opening for the lead
Huff found a way past Priaulx for the lead on lap five, and went on to score his second win of the season. Meanwhile, Tarquini was trying to find a way past Farfus for third when he ran wide and through the gravel, brushing the barrier. He was able to rejoin in ninth with minor damage. He gained a place when teammate Michael Rossi slid out of seventh and into retirement at Turn 1 on lap seven.
Championship leader Yvan Muller made good progress from his grid position of eighth. He passed Michelisz, Turkington and Farfus, but was unable to catch Priaulx so settled for third.
Michelisz found a way past Turkington to finish fifth, while Tarquini got past Michel Nykjaer at the end of the race to finish seventh, with the Dane taking pole position for race two. Alain Menu had dropped to ninth after running wide early on. Robert Dahlgren, who started 24th after an engine change, made his way up to tenth, although his nationally-homologated Volvo is ineligible to score points.
The remaining point was taken by Yukinori Taniguchi, who scored his first victory in the Independents' Trophy in the Bamboo Engineering Chevrolet Lacetti.
Taniguchi takes independent honours on home soil
