Click on the above image to download a high resolution(2464x1648 jpg 2.25MB) version.
The final event of the year drew 158 entries.
The three ORC Racing Ladies also participated. They were a highlight!
From left, Ms. Satoko Otani, Ms. Manami Sumiya, Ms. Mika Yokobe. Their custom bodies were a hit.
From left, 2003 D1 Grand Prix Champion Youichi Imamura, 2004 Champion Ryuji Miki, and 2005 Champion Yasuyuki Kazama!
Reporters and spectators gathered around to take commemorative photos of the champions.
Kazama's Kei Office S15 Silvia(far right) and Imamura's APEX FD3S(second from right) were both used at the final D1 event held at Tsukuba Circuit a week prior.
The body damage on the cars was telling of the intense on-track battles they had been through. Weld(a tuning shop) displayed their D1-spec Mark II(center) and Street Legal-spec Cresta(second from left). Blitz was also on hand to display their Skyline fitted with their latest aero kit. Large crowds gathered to get a close look at the awe-inspiring cars.
Special thanks to these companies for bringing out their cars.
Concours d'Elegance Awards (6 winners)
Entry No.31 Expert Class - Tadao Nakazawa (Chiba) Judge:Yasuyuki Kazama (D1 Driver)
Entry No.113 D1 Class - Hidetaka Fujita (Saitama) Judge:Ryuji Miki (D1 Driver)
Entry No.107 D1 Class - Tsuneo Irie (Chiba) Judge:Youichi Imamura (D1 Driver)
Entry No.55 Expert Class - Tsuyoshi Funo (Nagano) Judge:Ryusuke Kawasaki (Drift Tengoku)
Entry No.59 Beginner Class - Eino Shiina (Chiba) Judge:Noboru Miyata (JDM Option)
Entry No.81 Welc Class - Tomohiro Aki (Chiba) Judge:Bomber Yamamoto (JDM Option)
Team Yokomo's Yukio Wakasugi using the HKS HIPER SILVIA to demonstrate during the competitor's briefing.
Youichi Imamura drifting his Yokomo Drift Package APEX FD3S, with a Stage-3 Upgrade kit installed for this event.
A shot from the finals of the Welc class. Takahashi's car shown in front, followed by Itoh's car.
Stylish 7-year old Seiya Sakai draws the attention of the judges with his Blitz lucky charm adorned transmitter and '001' numbered car. He and his family came all the way from Fukuoka to participate.
The tsuiso between Togari and Nishino in the D1 class final. Togari of Team RC Drift Tengoku won by the narrowest of margins.
The duel between Kondo and Irie in the D1 class final was so close that it almost came to a sudden death shootout.
The indoor offroad track was flattened to allow for indoor pitting.
We sincerely thank all of the sponsors for their generous support.
Welc Class Winner - Yuichiro Takahashi(center), Runner-Up - Atsushi Itoh(left), 3rd Place - Mika Yokobe(right)
Beginner Class Winner - Noboru Miyata(center), Runner-Up - Kyosuke Shigetomi(left), 3rd Place - Eino Shiina(right)
Expert Classs Winner - Youichi Imamura(center), Runner-Up - Tomokazu Iitake(left), 3rd Place - Katsuhiko Mitsuishi(right)
D1 Class Winner - Tadayoshi Kondo(center), Runner-Up - Tsuneo Irie(left), 3rd Place - Shigenobu Togari(right)
Yokomo Drift Meeting Round-5
The last major drift event of the year, Round 5 of the DRIFT MEETING series was held on 11/27. The event was held at the usual Yatabe Arena, but rather than using the outdoor drift track, it was decided that the indoor layout used during the finals of Round 4 would be better suited. The recent mild weather would have permitted us to run the event outdoors, but with the expected large crowd size (largest to date) and extended time schedule, it was decided to run indoors, since it would allow everyone to have equal running conditions, as well as protection from the outside cold. This also allowed for a better pit arrangement, as guests and members of the press were pitted on the flattened offroad track, much closer to the participants.
An overwhelming number of entries was received for this event, and unfortunately many had to be turned away. Among the 158 entries was an increased number of the Welc and Beginner class entries from the full-size automotive industry, and most notably an increase in female participants. Like the ORC Racing Ladies, who usually add glamour to the event with just their presence, also participated this time, and really seemed to have enjoyed r/c drifting. And of course, D1 drivers such as Youichi Imamura, Ryuji Miki, Yuichiro Takahashi, and this year's D1 Series Champion Yasuyuki Kazama also participated.
The contest is basically divided into 4 classes, the entry-level Welc class, Beginner, Expert, and D1(where the top Yokomo approved drivers go head-to-head). There are 2 rounds of roulette-type qualifying were each heat runs for 3 minutes, with 6 drivers advancing to the final. 2 more drivers are selected from a 2 minute last chance qualifier, for a 8 driver final. A tsuiso format is used for the D1 class, with a 3 minute roulette-type format used for all other classes.
Judging of the nineteen Welc class participants was based only on one clipping point located in front of the drivers stand, so only the right-hand side of the layout was used for this class. Since this event was likely the first for many of these participants, nervousness and crashes were the norm. But despite all this, the participants laughed the entire time, and really seemed to have had fun doing it. Three female drivers, Ms.Yokobe, Ms.Sakikawa and Ms.Asano, advanced to the finals. Practice paid off for Ms.Yokobe, as she took 3rd place honors, and helped light up the podium. The battle for first came down to Takahashi of JDM Option, and Itoh of Tuning Shop Weld. Both showed great skill with their twin drifts, but Takahashi ended up the victor by a narrow margin.
The Beginner class featured the most participants, and was very highly contested. Judging was based on two clipping points, one in front of the driver's stand, and the other on the following left hand corner. Those who were able to put in expert-level runs were more likely to be scored highly. Drivers such as Shiina of Chiba with his GT Prototype body, and Shigetomi (all the way from Fukuoka) put in excellent runs, but none could match Miyata of JDM Option, who distanced himself away from his competition to take the win.
The standout performer in Expert class qualifying was Mitsuishi, who put it fantastic runs using the Yokomo BLITZ Skyline body, which is said to be especially good on loose, indoor surfaces. Many thought he would blitz through to the finals and take the win, but due to a case of the nerves, he seemed to have lost a bit of consistency and ended 3rd. The battle for the win came down to the S15 Silvia of Iitake, and D1 driver Imamura. The highly skillful driving from both drivers stumped the judges, but Imamura's fast driving style prevailed as the judges awarded him the win. With this win, Imamura now moves up to the D1 class, where the match-up with fellow D1 driver Ryuji Miki is already highly anticipated.
The crowd was treated to intense tsuiso battles in the D1 class, with none other than Ryuji Miki advancing to the finals. Miki seemed to be in great form, with some even predicting him to win. But unable to get past Irie in his first battle, Miki was out of the running. Despite being Irie's first time in the finals, he continued on to win, earning his spot in the final, and a match-up with Round-4 champion Kondo. The crowd was on their feet as both swapped equally awesome tsuiso runs. The battle between the two was so close that a sudden death shootout was almost called for. In the end, Kondo's experience prevailed, as all his runs were perfect, earning him the title as the only person to ever win two consecutive Drift Meeting events.
At the end of the event, prizes from Yokomo and all the supporting companies were raffled off, wrapping up the season. Although dates and details have not been decided, look forward to a Drift Meeting to be held sometime in February next year.
We look forward seeing you next year, as we hope to make the events even better.
The Yokomo Staff
| 
