2009 proved to be a very exciting year for D1. Youichi Imamura became the first driver to win two championships, his first back in 2003 behind the wheel of the Apexi RX-7. His Auto Produce Boss built S15, based on Yasuyuki Kazama's old 2005 championship winner car, allowed him to grab points consistently at each round allowing him to finish ahead of Tezuka in the Bee-R GT-R and Nomuken in the Blitz Skyline.
I have put together a selection of pictures from both D1-GP and D1-SL that best represent the spectacle that drifting has become. Above is a wide pan of the Tokyo Drift exhibition that was held back in May in Odaiba with the futuristic Fuji Television building serving as a stunning backdrop.
The man behind D1, Daijiro Inada.
2-time D1 champion Imamura-san celebrating his season win at Fuji Speedway in October at the 2009 final.
Matsui behind the wheel of the Celica-front Guild One Supra at Ebisu circuit.
Bigger circuits like Fuji Speedway really go hand in hand with current D1 machinery. Power levels seem to keep growing helping drivers put on a greater show with higher speeds and tons more tire smoke.
D1 wouldn't be what it is with the usual antics the Japanese seem to be so good at! Here is Jikuya on board his customized pushbike made out to look like those crazy decotora trucks!
One car I always love seeing in action, the Kazama Auto JZX110.
Nikko is still one of my favorite circuits to shoot at, always waiting for that wheel in the air moment!
This year I made the long trek down to Okayama circuit for Round 3 & 4, and I am glad I did as I witnessed first hand those crazy physics-defying rear-end-first entries most of the drivers were pulling off.
This is what D1 is all about!
One of the most well known drivers in D1 has to be Ken Nomura, aka Nomuken, who always provides comic entertainment on top of his amazing driving.
We got to see some nice new cars in 2009 and I hope the same will happen in 2010. This used to be Orido's ST Garage IS powered by a 600+ HP 2JZ.
Drift Samurai will be swapping to a new car sometime in the next season…one to look out for.
This is precisely why D1 cars need lots of power!
Tezuka aboard his Bee-R GT-R finished in second position for 2009, 8 points behind Imamura. One to watch for 2010!
I loved covering the more grassroots level Street Legal series this year, I liked the more chilled out atmosphere and the wider selection of cars. The level of driving in SL is getting very close to GP levels!
The D1-GP 2010 schedule has recently been released and will kick off at the end of March in Ebisu. Top D1 drivers will also be performing at the drift exhibition in a few weeks at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Can't wait for the drift season to kick off!!
2010 D1-GP Schedule:
- March 29th, Round 1 in Ebisu Circuit
- April 26th, Round 2 in Autopolis
- May 23rd/24th, Tokyo Drift in Odaiba Exhibition
- June 7th/28th, Round 3/4 in Okayama Circuit
- August 29th/30th, Round 5/6 in Ebisu Circuit
- October 10th/11th, Round 7/8 in Fuji Speedway
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
1st and great shots of D1
1st? who cares man
Probably 3rd and STFU. I hope RX7s don't die out soon. Awesome shots as always Dino!
IMG_0058 - PLEASE MAKE THAT A WALLPAPER. Infact they all wallpaper quality
Thanks for the beautiful shots baby & still looking for moor
Oridos?
sure it wasnt taniguchi?
Great shots and good review, Dino! Thank you.
These shots make me want to follow D1 again. Thanks, Dino!
How come D1 is held at so little places nowdays? Half of the rounds are held at the same place, three rounds at ebisu :/
What date is the Odaiba exhibition?
I'm pretty sure that's a jzx100, not a jzx110!
I want to ask when they are drift in Odaiba
I try to know the date but,,,,
Don't know why the jzx100 Chaser has on the 110 plates but it's a 100 chaser and not the 110 mark II u usually see from Kazama Auto
Quote: "One car I always love seeing in action, the Kazama Auto JZX110."
As Dan said ^ ^ "I'm pretty sure that's a jzx100, not a jzx110!"
Dont be fooled by the number on the plate guys. C'mon you should know better than that.
I miss the Apexi FD3S. That would be so epic to see Imamura drfit in it again. And i hope Drift Samurai sticks with a rotary for the next ride. Also R-Magic must change their paint job, lol.
Those backwards entries blew my mind- can't wait to see someone pull that in FD...! Who will do it first? It's only a matter of time now...
Would'nt it be cool to have the 16 best D1 (Japan) drivers go up against the 16 best FD drivers in an all out battle! You could meet in say Hawaii in between the US and Japan. Have say, two FD judges, two D1 Judges and one outside judge (Non D1 non FD, maybe someone from the European series.) do the event. In fact, put an English speaking judge next to a Japanese speaking judge and so on and so forth so there would be no communication. I think that would be one helluva event. There's nothing to do in Hawaii so the place would be packed. Maybe the stadium or the streets of Oahu or maybe the ports of Oahu. Be a good excuse to go on vacation!
D1 would beat all the FD guys. Except for JR of course.
That was Oridos Lexus but he only drove it for a couple of events. I like the Aristo a lot better, Hope to see him continue competing in 2010.
i wouldn't be so sure about that section.
there are a lot of FD guys that would definitely do some damage on the D1 guys
why does d1 have two rounds at the same track?? lame.
RX7 next year will be rare.
D1 RX8 4 rotor from R-Magic.
D1 RX8 13bT from RE-Amemiya
@Ron: They did something similar, it was the D1 World Series at Irwindale. Two of my mates drove in it, one of em went against Nomuken, but lost.
Sorry still cant agree. I believe some of you have yet to see a real D1 event in person. The skills you witness there are above and beyond anything you see in Formula D, even today. I'm no D1 fanboy, I'll actually root for America if that event were to happen. D1 is still on a another level.