The flip side of all this is, naturally, what’s going on now. The grassroots drift scene in Japan is as alive as it ever was and events like BariDoriTen do a great job of catering to both generations. It’s true that nowadays many of the younger people jump straight into car ownership, they still have a working knowledge of their predecessors. There’s no discrimination between age here, which makes for an event where some can relive their youth while others are experiencing it in the present.
There’s a tremendous amount of history that kind of flies under the radar when it comes to the roots of the concept of ‘hashiriya’ in Japan. As is the case in most of life, a lot of what we see today is derived from a heavy influence on trends from the past. When the current generation of tuners in Japan were growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, before they were old enough to drive cars, they were introduced into the world of motor sports through motorcycles. To celebrate this derivation of history, Yuji, owner of Pro Shop Wave, assists in putting together the Bari Dori Ten event at Mobara. This year was the 3rd annual event, and the turnout was as good as ever. Sekinei was on hand to handle media for the event, as per Yuji’s request!
When I left off the first post, I had just got done making my rounds in the pit, getting acquainted with a few people, and generally just getting a lay of the land. It was my first time at US Air and really wasn’t familiar with any of the track layout. After Mico introduced me to Nick from Touge Factory, I was able to get a media pass and head out to the infield to start getting some shots of the open practice session that was going on.
Being on an airplane nearly every week for the last year has somewhat numbed me to the miracle of flight. Commercial airlines have figuratively made the world a much smaller, and more obtainable place. The opportunity of creating new relationships and experiences are increased exponentially because of our ability to understand flight. As I travel for work quite frequently, I often have to step back and view the act existentially as to remind myself of what I’ve been able to accomplish with the help of those winged metal tubes. Arriving home Thursday after a 4 day stint in Tucson, Arizona, I had one day to catch up on work, and gather my camera gear, as I had made the decision to make my way Northeast on Friday night.
The 2JZ powered Z32 built by C&Y Sports has adapted a much more aggressive looks since last we saw it. While it does look more the part, the cosmetics of this car aren’t the only thing that’s come a long way. The car, since 2013, has consistently improved it’s lap times around the famous Fuji Circuit.
59.051 seconds is what it took Iida-san to pilot his Elite Racing Company built FD around the 14 turns of Tsukuba’s TC2000. It’s no surprise though, knowing ERC’s knowledge of rotary tuning, that Iida had the capability of achieving such a time. The Saitama based shop, run by Ohya Masaatsu is not only one of the leading shops in rotary tuning, but they can also boast for having literally the most amount of random links on their website that I have ever seen. Click past the break for more shots.
The Landmark Tower in Sakuragicho, since it’s completion in July of 1993, has always been a favorite building of mine. The area around the tower has since developed immensely, and it’s turned into quite […]
Fujimura Auto R34 pitting in at Fuji Speedway. The Kyoto based company, famous for it’s Nissan directed Rocket Dancer product lines, participates in the R’s Meeting. See more of this car at […]
N2 spec AE86 built by Car Factory prepping for the Hot Version race – Tsukuba Circuit, Japan.
A couple shots of the Techno Pro Spirit Corolla that were taken at Tsukuba during the Hot Version N2 Race last year. By no means the craziest build at the race, but definitely one of […]
Under Suzuki doing his thing at Tsukuba. Great shot from JDM Clips ~ visit to see this in action.
I took some time out last night from weeding dog stickers to take a stroll down memory lane. I came across this time attack RX-7 from last year’s Hot Version N2 race that JDM […]
A few weeks ago Super GT held the final official test day for the 2012 season. The venue; Twin Ring Motegi. While the majority of the teams set out to gather data for the upcoming […]
On September 17th, Super GT held it’s final Official Test Day of the season at Twin Ring Motegi. Our friends at JDM Clips were there to catch all the action as both the GT300 and […]
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A few weeks ago my friend over at JDM Clips made a visit to the Honda Headquarters where they had on display the new Mugen designed GT300 CR-Z that is currently competing in the Super GT series. If the Toyota Prius GT300 car wasn’t ironic enough for you, Honda is here to fulfill your hybrid race car cliches with the new CR-Z contender. It’s difficult to think that any hybrid car you see on the street would be holding it’s own against the likes of the BRZ, BMW Z4’s, Nismo GTR GT3’s, Porsches, Aston Martin’s, Lambos and Corvettes, but make no mistake; this is one fast hybrid. In fact, in only it’s second outing it managed to capture pole position and continues to impress on the grid. Granted it’s 300hp 2.8 liter twin-turbo V6, with electric motor, isn’t offered as an option from Honda to you and I (unfortunately), but it’s still a CR-Z chassis; a capable one at that. Click past the break to see the CR-Z up close, compliments of JDM Clips.
. Looks like Totoro and I are set to take another trip across the ocean to Japan. While, he looks packed, I’m sure as hell not. 5 hours away from my flight I had better […]
. Not much to say other than I can’t get enough of this car; and I can’t wait to see it in person next Sunday at Twin Ring. Next week is going to be crazy. […]
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Those of you who know Spoon, know that they are no strangers of the endurance. So it comes as no surprise that they compete in the Super Taikyu series in Japan. What may come as a surprise though, is that this is the last time we may ever see a Spoon car in the traditional blue and yellow livery. As of the 2012 race season, Spoon has decided to do away with the iconic paint job that has adorned their cars for 25 years. This S2000 (AP1), seen at the official test day at Fuji Speedway, is their 2012 Super Taikyu entry and will be competing in the ST-4 class. This year’s drivers include Taketoshi Matsui, Yasunori Nakajima, and Tatsuru Ichishima – Mr. Spoon himself. As of last weekend, the first round of Super Taikyu has already concluded, and unfortunately Team Spoon did not fare well. You can see the official results here. Hopefully, within the next couple days here, I can get to posting that coverage. Round 2 of Super Taikyu takes place at the end of April at Twin Ring Motegi. You can expect live coverage of that via NDF’s Facebook page, as I’ll be traveling to Japan to meet up with JDM Clips for a super terrific Japan motor sports tour. For now, click past the break for a closer look at Team Spoon’s S2000.
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At the beginning of the month, Super Autobacs Chiba held the 12th annual Rotary Meeting at their facility. JDM Clips was telling me that the Chiba store has always had strong ties with the rotary platform. So each year, it is host to a gathering of specially built rotary machines. This car in particular, is built by R-Magic for Takayama to drift in D1. Don’t confuse it with the R-Magic Super Lap machine, as they are two totally different cars! Each awesome in their own way though – I particularly like the two different colored wheels on this one. Check out more past the break!
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I drove back to my hometown this weekend to attend my friend’s wedding. I was looking forward to relaxing at home for a day or so and getting some work done on the website. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. It seems like whenever I go home, I’m pulled in 100 different directions; and there’s never enough time. Needless to say, NDF was M.I.A for the past couple days. Before I turn in for the night I thought I’d throw this post together real quick. During the Hot Version N2 Race at Tsukuba Circuit, the guys over at Drift Muscle, as well as some D1SL contenders, put together a little drifting exhibition. Check it out past the break – and catch video at JDM Clips.
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There were many RX-7’s on hand the other week at Tsukuba Circuit; all in a fierce battle to claim the quickest lap around Tsukuba’s 2 mile stretch. The battle of the tuner’s unfolded throughout the day, as various time attack builds shot their way around the 14 corners of the circuit at top speed. Among them was the Arios Okuyama Auto Sports FD3S. This purpose built machine was among those in the dogfight on track, and surprisingly enough, did quite well against the heavy hitters – managing a best time of 58.818. JDM Clips was on hand to get a closer look at this build. Click past the break to see more.
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Continuing on with the coverage of Hot Version’s filming at Tsukuba Circuit, we’ll take a look at more of what the garages held, and also get a preview of some of the on-track action. For video of the event, be sure to check out the JDM Clips channel. So far we’ve seen a ton of RX-7’s, the majority of which were competing in Advan’s Amateur Tournament. However, the main attraction over the weekend was without a doubt Hot Version’s N2 Race. AE86 tuners from all over the country travel to compete in this annual event. Check this one out getting a little sideways on track. Click past the break to see more!
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JDM Clips recently shot these last weekend during the live filming of Hot Version’s N2 and Advan Amateur Race at Tsukuba Circuit. The Hot Version N2 AE86 event takes place every year, and has been going on for quite some time now. This year, the Advan sponsored Fastest Amateur Tournament was combined on the same date and made for one hell of an event. Many of the cars here are the same popular builds we see plastered on the pages of Option and Option2, as well as blogs around the globe. The most popular tuners attend these ‘grassroots’ events to show off what they can do on the track. Check out what Tsukuba has to offer past the break – like more of this RE built ドラえもん FD.
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Craft Company is, among other things, just plain awesome. Based out of Amagasaki, a city in an industrial area in the Hyogo prefecture, Craft Company toils away under the hoods of many cars. Included in that lineup is their CCFD35 seen here – a car heavily partnered with FEED. CC is a regular at these events, but came to Tsukuba last weekend specifically to take part in the ‘Advan Fastest Amateur Tournament’. There were a ton of impressive cars at this event, most of them are regular time attackers we all know and love. Despite the stiff competition though, the CCFD35 managed a 6th place time of 57.658 around the circuit. To give you something to compare it to, Suzuki-san’s Scorch S15 posted a blistering 54.162 second lap time. Click past the break to check out more pics of the CC built RX7.
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If you’re a fan of the Toyota AE86, then I’m sure that you will be extremely familiar with Tec-Art’s and what they do. The fairly small, family run operation out of Yashio City, has grown into one of the more famous 86 tuners in Japan. By far their most famous build is their AE86 N2 Project; seen here in it’s 2012 configuration. The project, now over a decade in it’s life, has evolved greatly, I think even greater than Yoshinori Kamata had intended. It’s no stranger to the track, and it definitely made it’s mark at Tsukuba Circuit last weekend during the live Hot Version shoot. Click past the break to see this machine in detail.
. ‘Under’ Suzuki-san’s Scorch Racing S15 staged up and ready to take on the trial of Tsukuba. As our coverage of Wekfest SF 2012 dies down, I wanted to give you a preview of what […]
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I’d have to say, I feel Honda cheated us a little bit with the HSV; but it looks like they’re looking to make up for it in the coming years. Honda has been lacking a flagship sports car in it’s lineup for some time now. Sure, they had the S2000, but that wasn’t really super car status – plus they don’t even make it anymore. So what we’ve been left with for the past few years has been…well…the CR-Z. A mildly sporty, hybrid hatchback. Not quite what you’d consider ‘flagship’. All that is set to change, however, we probably will not see production until 2015. I have a feeling the new NSX will be a game changer in terms of technology. While they are staying true to the NSX’s mid-engine roots, they’ve added a bit of a twist. Click past the break for more shots of the 2012 NSX Concept at the Honda Welcome Plaza, Japan.
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A couple more shots of some random 7’s built by RE Amemiya – this one for Super Autobacs. From TAS 2012, courtesy of our friends at JDM Clips. Click past the break for more.
. It’s like a family reunion. Maybe it’s my love of pastel colors, but I think this shot is pretty cool. Thanks JDM Clips. .
. . Tommy Kaira succeeds in the building of an elegant NSX. They also succeed in having the coolest ‘wolf’ logo for a tuning company. TAS 2012 – JDM Clips – Tommy Kaira Factory Blog […]
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One for the Honda fans; HKS, among many other vehicles this year, brought out the same S2000 they had at SEMA 2011 here in the states. Dubbed the AP350SC-II Concept, (derived from the chassis code, the amount of power it produces, and the main power adder) this S2000 is host to a whole lineup of newly developed HKS parts. Namely, the GTS7040 supercharger that’s attached to the F22. Click past the break for a close-up of this beast.
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D2 Japan, all knowing brake and suspension producers, brought out their joint built R34 rocking their massive 8-pot caliper kit up front, and 6-pot rears. The front calipers barely clear the 19″ TE-37 SL’s! With engine works handled by Pro Shop SCREEN, this R34GTR is one serious car. With the R35’s new dominance in the Skyline tuning market, it’s awesome to see tuners still concentrating on older models. Let’s click the break and check out more of this 34, compliments of the magic from JDM Clips.
. D1 Street Legal showing @ Tokyo Auto Salon 2012; Taka built, D1SL champion Silvia. Help me out here – was it Tanaka that drove this last year? I love D-Max kits; especially on coupes. […]
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Bear with me on this post; there’s a possibility that I could still be a little intoxicated. I’ll keep the grammar in check as best as I can. It seems like Nissan has lost the battle in trying to keep the R35 GTR a machine that needs no modification. In the hands of the Japanese elite tuners, nothing is sacred. Take, for example, the GReddy 35RX; a machine so deconstructed, that it retains little to no trace of the original form. I want to show you something pretty amazing – so click past the break.
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You didn’t think HKS would touch a van would you? Well, they did, and this is the outcome. Not too sure about specs on this thing, but it is the newer ‘Veilfire’ model of the Toyota Alphard – marketed towards a younger generation. Of course, it’s natural to develop for the latter. HKS’ awesome-van is lowered on their signature HiperMax coilovers, as seen through the hole in the fender. Click past the break for another pic.
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Want to see something crazy? Here you go. Something crazy. Car Sense brought it out like K-Break did in 2011 with this nuts Toyota Crown Police Interceptor Camber Mega Demon. If you’re not familiar with some iconic Car Sense builds, click this link to check out their famous Aristo build; or better yet, enter the NDF Option contest to win a magazine that could possibly have pictures of it. If you’re in a lazy mood though, I suppose you could just click past the break for more pics. Be sure to check out JDM Clips for video footage of Tokyo Auto Salon 2012. Enjoy!
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OK, everyone close your eyes. On the count of three, open them and bestow upon yourself one of the most intense RX-7 builds to date. Ready? OK, 1…2…3…open! You peaked didn’t you? Anyway, pick your jaws up from the floor so I can continue this post. Every time I think this guy has outdone himself, he comes through with yet another build for the books. The RE Amemiya built NA Super-7 is hands down one of the greatest FD builds I’ve seen to date. The beauty, of course, lies in the extensive body work that Isami Amemiya is known for. Click past the break to get up close and personal with the curves – courtesy of JDM Clips.
. So, as you may know, I couldn’t attend TAS this year because of my work schedule; but that doesn’t mean you won’t get an awesome view of the event on NDF. I’ve traveled […]
. . Check out the ASM Yokohama S2000 tear through this hot lap at Tsukuba Circuit during last years Super Lap Battle. This car sounds unbelievable. They managed a best lap of 1’01’711 – quite […]
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Every once in awhile a tuner company will come out with a build that just blows me away. Well, Mugen is more than just a tuning company, and this is more than just a build; but whatever it is, definitely blows me away. The Mugen RR Advanced Concept is an almost 100% carbon bodied Civic RR with an extensive modification list that makes it a formidable track opponent going up against just about anything. Check out more of what makes this beast tick past the break.
