Kazuichi Saihara

Kazuichi Saihara is a former Japanese professional race car driver who is presently the team owner of Saihara Motorsports. He is the 2011 ESPLAR Elite Series champion who used to drive for Team Nitra in his championship winning season but defected to start his own team after Team Nitra refused to give him a new contract. He is one of the most successful owner-drivers in ESPLAR history despite not winning the Morson-Austin trophy as one.

Early History
Kazuichi Saihara was born on May 26, 1993 in Fukuzecho Ward, Izumi City in Osaka Prefecture. Based on Arktene data, no information was given on Kaz's parents.

Kaz himself states that he is the only son of Hiroto Saihara and Yoshiko Kashihara. Unfortunately, very little is known about the two, as two years after Kaz's birth, both Hiroto and Yoshiko died in the Great Hanshin earthquake while the family stayed in Kobe. Kaz notes that the Great Hanshin earthquake was the only thing he remembered of his very early childhood, and was visibly shaken when he found out about the 2019 Estlenhar earthquake while at his team headquarters.

Following the Great Hanshin quake, Kaz was raised in Osaka, and later Fuji, by his uncle Hiro Saihara.

(WIP)

Formula Beta
In 2009, Kaz entered into Formula Beta, initially as a substitute driver for one of the lesser known teams at the time, Addax.

2011 ESPLAR Elite Series Season
(WIP)

Trivia

 * Kazuichi Saihara is formed by the names of two characters of a certain franchise. Kaz shares no relation to either of them as to not violate Lean278's rule of copying the first and last names of one character as one of Lean278's ESPLAR OCs. He is the first character to follow this rule; since then characters like Yumiko Anjou, Hayato Kitanami, Naoto Kazami and Kaylani Tatsunami have abided by this rule.