The season-opening round of Super Taukyu, due to be held at Sportsland SUGO on April 21st, was stopped due to exceptionally heavy spring snow. The #17 Demio and #99 RS☆R Demio had been due to participate in the race's ST5 class.

Although official qualifying on the 20th was conducted in low temperatures, it took place under clear skies and dry conditions. Positions were determined by a combined total of the fastest time of the A driver, registered by Super Taikyu as the primary pilot, and the B driver. Driving the #99 car, Ryuichi Hirai posted good times from the beginning of the session, catching the Vitz, its rival in the ST-5 class. For a while, the Demio stood at the top of the timesheets. Although the order subsequently changed, the car recorded the 2nd-quickest time. However, a penalty was later imposed as one of the car's wheels was deemed to have left the track in a yellow flag zone and its best time was disallowed. Despite this, the efforts of the B driver netted the pair the third-fastest time. The opening round could thus be started from a good position and the morale of the team was given a boost. “The tires on the Demio are different from those used last year, and the car runs accordingly. However, the car's performance isn't bad. Third in qualifying is a good place to be,” commented driver Hirai. The other Demio, the #17 NOPRO entry finished qualifying in sixth place.

Snow began accumulating in the early hours of Sunday, the 21st, accelerating further over the next few hours. The track and green areas of Sportsland SUGO became blanketed in pure white as a result of the dumping. The weather report predicted snow and rainfall during the morning, and the sponsor waited for the return of better weather, but at 11:30am determined that “the race meeting has to be cancelled.”