Yokomo Drift Meeting Round-11 was held at the Autopolis full-size race circuit located in the Oita prefecture.

Surrounded by beautiful scenery, the Autopolis is a world class racing facility. The special r/c circuit was constructed in the events area located behind the grandstands.

Open practice commenced as the gates opened at 6:30 in the morning. Here is the track, located 2 minutes from the gates.

Colorful commentary was provided by Mr.Iizuka(right) of TN Racing and Team Yokomo's Serizawa(left).

A truck bed was used as the driver's stand.

Locally available materials were used to construct the track inside the huge events area. The layout is the same as the one used at Yatabe Arena.

A mobile cafe provided on-site refreshments.

A great turnout of 85 participants for the first-ever Yokomo Drift Meeting to be held in the Kyushu region.

Ken 'Nomuken' Nomura's Blitz Skyline on display.

Special guests included Ken Nomura, currently the top ranked driver in the D1 Grand Prix series.

Another special guest was Masao Suenaga, overall runner-up in last year's D1 Grand Prix series, and driver of the RE-Amemiya RX7, of which Yokomo has just released an r/c version. Check out his website at http://www.geocities.jp/gowasu86/

Official Nomuken merchandise was available for purchase during the event. Anyone interested in Nomuken merchandise should visit the URAS website at www.uras.co.jp, and to learn more about Nomuken himself, visit his website at www.nomuken.com. He is scheduled to make appearance on the TV show "Zoom-In Super" on 10/2.

A critical judging criteria in the Drift Meeting is whether or not a car makes it through the three designated clipping points. The first clipping point is located on the outer line on the sweeper.

The left corner in front marks the second clipping point, followed by the third clipping point which is located on the following right corner. Cars are not judged unless they pass through these points.

Team K-Stadium

Team STEP UP

Team Nishi Kokura Model

TEAM-48

Kumamoto Yamaga Racing

Team Kanipan

Team M's Craft

FRT Bakachin Club

RC Tomono Kai

The Concours d'Elegance award goes to the Blitz Skyline prepared by Ryuichi Uchimura of Fukuoka. Selected by Nomuken himself.

The second Concours d'Elegance winner is the AE86 prepared by Kunikazu Sakai of TEAM-48. Though it looks like a standard 86 at first glance, it is really an impressive piece of work! The person inside the car actually moves! Check out the TEAM-48 website(see below) for more on this car.

The third Concours d'Elegance winner goes to the Hi-Ace prepared by Goripon of the Miyazaki Nobeoka D-Style team. For an explanation as to why he won, see the picture below.↓

Equipped with working audio.

Kyushu is where Nomuken calls home. Constantly asked for autographs and pictures, he is very popular here. Having D1 drivers like Nomuken in person to provide commentary and tell entertaining stories is one of the appealing aspects of the Drift Meeting experience.

Radio in hand, Suenaga's eyes light up with excitement as he gets ready for some Welc class action.

Nomuken having a great time.

Before we knew it, Suenaga, Nomuken, and his mechanic Mr.Abe had taken over the commentary booth. The competitors found it hard to focus once they figured out who the three behind the mic were.

Welc class finalists

Beginner class finalists

Expert class finalists

D1 class finalists

Welc class Winner - Eiichi Hashimoto(center), Runner-up - Masao Suenaga(left), 3rd - Ren Ofuji

Beginner class Winner - Takumi Umezaki(center), Runner-up - Kazuya Sakamoto(left), 3rd - Yasuhiro Shirai(right)

Expert class Winner - Toru Eguchi(center), Runner-Up - Goripon(left), 3rd - Tomotsu Ezoe

D1 class Winner - Satoshi Hironaka(center), Runner-up - Tetsuto Ofuji(left), 3rd - Hideki Nakao(left)

Winner of the D1 class, Team Kanipan/Yamaguchi Branch Manager, Satoshi Hironaka. Showing tsuiso techniques rivalling those of Kondo Custom, the judges were impressed.

Winner Hironaka's car featuring a Silvia body and BD chassis.

After the awards ceremony, Masao Suenaga held a rock-paper-scissors contest to give away a Drift Package RE-Amemiya kit.

Nomuken leading the rock-paper-scissors contest to give away a Blitz Skyline kit.

The next Drift Meeting will be held 12/3(Sun) at Yatabe Arena.

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Drift Meeting Round-11 (Autopolis) Information

◎The Autopolis main gate opens at AM 6:30.
◎A special drift track will be prepared in the event area (2min by car from the gate).
◎Parking is available within the event area.
◎Entrance fee for intermediate school students and under is free, and is ¥300 for high school students. Participants in the drift event will be refunded the ¥300 during registration.
◎Tents, tables, chairs and power outlets available in the pit area.

【Time Schedule(subject to change)】
6:30～8:00 Gates Open, Registration(Practice for Beginner,Expert,D1 classes only)
8:00～8:20 Welc class practice
8:30～ Drivers Meeting
9:00～ Commemorative Photograph Session & Concours d'Elegance
9:50～ Qualifying Round 1 & Round 2
12:00～ 13:00 Break(Practice not allowed)
13:00～ Repechage
14:20～ Welc class Finals
14:35～ Beginner class Finals
14:50～ Expert class Finals
15:10～ D1 class Finals
16:00～ Awards Ceremony
16:30 End

☆☆☆Top ranked D1 Grand Prix drivers Ken 'Nomuken' Nomura and Masao Suenaga are expected to make an appreance!☆☆☆

Yokomo Drift Meeting Round 10 was a great success with over 200 cars entered. Roughly 60 participated for the first time.

ORC Racing Ladies Manami Sumiya(left) and Chiori Uehara(right) help lighten up the event.

The commemorative photo session is the perfect time to see all the cars gathered together. This is when the Concours d'Elegance judging is held.

Yubo Takahashi's 'Weld Cresta' on display.

Although first practice was held on the main track, it was soon moved to the indoor track due to heavy rain.

Demonstration run by Team Yokomo's Yukio Wakasugi.

The Yuke's Impreza demonstrating how to get close to the outer wall, as often seen in the D1 class.

The Yokomo Drift Packages is available in both Street and D1 versions, a total of 15 cars.

Drift related articles featured in both specialty and industry magazines were posted on the wall.

Introduction of the 8 drivers advancing to the Welc Class Final.

A pre-finals practice run by the 8 drivers in the D1 Class Final.

The third group in the Welc Class was an all-female heat.

The D1 Class Tsuiso Final featured PAL-Gundan's Custom Kondo(left) and SLIDE MASTER's Fujita Boss(right).

Many spectators.

The Rodex Style cheering squad is a group of r/c fans that provide fan support for D1 driver Yasuyuki Kazama.

Team・WILD KING

Team・VIP Rengo & Custom Kondo

Team・TecArt・RC Section

Team・Bakusho Ohashi Brothers

Team・Goo-net

Team・Y.J

Team・SLIDE MASTER

Team・Fine Racing with K.SPEED.WIN & TAKA MORIX

Team・SLIDERS & PAL2-Gun

Team・Unagi No Shippo (Eel's Tail)

Team7

Team・Welc

Team・Dorijima Style

Fujita Boss' Chaser

Tadayoshi Kondo's Chaser

Welc Class top 3. Winner Yu Ono(center), 2nd Yasunobu Akiya (left), 3rd Minoru Akiba (right)

Beginner Class top 3. Winner Makoto Sugayauchi(center), 2nd Masaki Ito(left), 3rd Welc Store Manager(right)

Expert Class top 3. Winner Rihito Tajima(center), 2nd Yuta Koike(left), 3rd Works Tamagawa(right)


D1 Class top 3. Winner Tadayoshi Kondo(center), 2nd Fujita Boss(left), 3rd Haruo Takahashi(right)

Ruji Miki's pick for his Concours d'Elegance award was Kazutaka Sugo and Ami Ito of Team Kiwame Racing.

Futaba Mokei's Mr.Oyama's pick for the Concours d'Elegance award, Sadahiro Aoyama.

D1 driver Yubo Takahashi's choice for the Concours d'Elegance award was non other than concours regular Kenji Imazeki, who once again submitted a stand-out entry.

Goo-net's Ayako-Tencho selected Fancy Maruyama's entry for her Concours d'Elegancepick.

D1 driver Kazuhiro Tanaka's choice for the Concours d'Elegance Award went to the Impreza of Seiya Sakai of Team Y.J.

Mr.Watanabe of Super Rajikon Akihabara chose the car belonging to Norishige Yoshikawa of PAL2-Gun.


Welc's store manager picks up his first Beginner class podium finish.

Hiromasa Nemura(right), a former All-Japan Karting Champion, drifted his Estima. On his left is his mechanic.

The Uetake's of WILD KING participated with Hi-Aces!?

Yujiro Mishima of RC Magazine.

Winner of the Welc Class, Team Takara's Yu Ono and (left)his father.

Koji Iizuka of TN Racing was in charge of commentary.

Yuta Koike handles the 'Become a Drift King' section of RC Magazine. Check out the DVD to find out why he's having such a good laugh.

The winner of the D1 class, Tadayoshi Kondo! His car featured a special carpet setup.

Masaki Kogawa(left) with the support of his family.

Makoto Ohashi of the Futaba Mokei store located in Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture.

Junichi Watanabe of Super Rajikon located in Akihabara, Tokyo.

Round 9 D1 class winner, Masaki Koshi advanced to the finals. Here he is with his father.

Hideaki Okuzu of RC World holding a body with a design by Manabu 'Mana-P' Suzuki, reknown for his commentary in the D1 Grand Prix series.

Yudai Ozaki(9 yrs) is from Adachi-Ku in Tokyo, the same area where Yokomo's head office is located. Here shown with his dad.

Sadahiro Aoyama of CAR PRODUCE ZERO used a bus body to advanced to the Expert Class final, and is now qualified to compete in the D1 class.

D1 driver Kazuhiro Tanaka did backstage work in the american movie 'Wild Speed 3'.

D1 driver Ryuji Miki was on also on hand. Ryuji Miki also contributed in the filming of 'Wild Speed 3'.

Meri Sakikawa of Drift Tengoku has worked her way up to the Expert class.

Goo-net Store Manager Ayako's Blog
http://blog.goopassport.com/shopping/category_8/

SLIDEIMPACT's Report
http://slideimpact.web.fc2.com/yoko_r10.html

D1 Driver Takahashi Yubo's Blog
http://blog.livedoor.jp/jdm_takahashi/

ORC Racing Lady Manami Sumiya's HP(→Diary)
http://manamin.cutegirl.jp/

ORC Racing Lady Chiori Uehara's Blog
http://blog.livedoor.jp/chiori_akt/archives/50699371.html

SLIDEMASTER Satomaru's Report
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/satomaru491229/20083765.html

Specialty store Futaba Mokei's Report
http://www.pro-s-futaba.co.jp/columns/column06-0918.htm

Drift Meeting Round-11 (Autopolis) Information

◎The Autopolis main gate opens at AM 6:30.
◎A special drift track will be prepared in the event area (2min by car from the gate).
◎Parking is available within the event area.
◎Entrance fee for intermediate school students and under is free, and is ¥300 for high school students. Participants in the drift event will be refunded the ¥300 during registration.
◎Tents, tables, chairs and power outlets available in the pit area.

【Time Schedule(subject to change)】
6:30～8:00 Gates Open, Registration(Practice for Beginner,Expert,D1 classes only)
8:00～8:20 Welc class practice
8:30～ Drivers Meeting
9:00～ Commemorative Photograph Session & Concours d'Elegance
9:50～ Qualifying Round 1 & Round 2
12:00～ 13:00 Break(Practice not allowed)
13:00～ Repechage
14:20～ Welc class Finals
14:35～ Beginner class Finals
14:50～ Expert class Finals
15:10～ D1 class Finals
16:00～ Awards Ceremony
16:30 End

☆☆☆Top ranked D1 Grand Prix drivers Ken 'Nomuken' Nomura and Masao Suenaga are expected to make an appreance!☆☆☆