As I get ready to head down to Fuji Speedway for the D1 Grand Prix double-rounder final this week-end, I thought this little clip might begin to get us all back in drifting mode. I was actually on the apex of that corner in Okayama this June and what Kawabata was doing looked pretty amazing. But seeing it form this angle makes you really appreciate the pure skill involved in a maneuver like this. If I recall correctly most drivers were throwing thert cars sideway with a flick of the handbrake at around 110 mph. Insane!

-Dino Dalle Carbonare

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1

That's insane! Love it!!

2

Wow! I've never seen anyone enter a corner ass first and come out alive, haha Amazing!

3

Only in japan!

4

yeah, saw it on motormavens last week.

that's the damn hottest entry ever!

5

the coolest thing I've ever seen, he even hits the apex...

6

@Neil: I've never seen anyone enter a corner ass first AND make the connection to the next corner that far away.

7

You can't defy the laws of physics, but you can apply them to your advantage. ;)

8

Unbelievably AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9

There is additional footage of his action. Look in the comments here:

http://www.banpei.net/blog/wtf-masato-kawabatas-cornering

From the different angles it looks less spectacular. After seeing the other two videos I reckon the entry of Kawabata is about 110 degrees. Still it is an amazing thing he pulled off there!!

10

DAAAAANG! I've been missing this type of pure, awesome, god-like tallent skillz!

I think that this is what drifting around the globe is missing and is being forgoten.

In my oppinion, being a majour element of the drifting culture; the element of pushing the envelope, the limmits, do what no one has ever done before, do something that only very few would ever be able to do.

And last but not least, impress! This is where drifting came from: impressing the crowd through the drivers outstanding driving skills. This is what street drifters aim for in Japan, deep in there hearts, Impress, stand out and in the end master the car to a god-like level.

Awesome! Respect and hell yeah, want more!

11

HOLY SHIT

WOW.....

im stuned

12

That was incredible! This is what those wide open drift courses take away from the sport.

13

wow!!!!!!!!!!

14

D1 Grand Prix, making you scream like crazy with what the drivers do since 2000 !

15

Thats crazy man i love it when i see some of this stuff. Japanese drift for life!!

16

WHAT?! Seriously, how? Why? Expletive expletive! That's why the japanese are in a league of their own at this stuff

17

that's soo sweet

18

BANPEI!! THANX FOR THAT TANDEM VIDEO, I WAS LOOKIN FOR IT ALL OVER WHEN I SAW THIS VIDEO POSTED, I COULDNT REMEMBER WHERE I SAW IT ORIGINALLY, THAT ENTRY IS SIMPLY EFFIN RIDICULOUS I LOVE IT

19

@AE71-4AGZE: NP!

But thank Oscar for it: he was the one who put it in the comments. ;)

20

Ammmmmm....

Kawabata is like Speed Racer???

21

reminds me of ken block

22

reminds me of ken block

23

reminds me of ken block

24

reminds me of ken block

25

reminds me of ken block

26

reminds me of that dude ken block...

27

Nothing about that entry is like Ken Block.

You are very very confused.

28

at first i was like, damn hes done. then afterwards i was like, "Did he really just pull that off??!?!?!"

29

WHAT THE MESS!!!!

30

i dont think ken block could ever do that in a fr car in competition...just sayin

31

At first I thought "no way is he going to not spin." Issac Newton would be proud! :D

32

Youichi Imamura must be a very happy chap. He is now the only professional D1 Grand Prix driver to have

33

I can´t close my mouth

34

Just like those insane angles in video games

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