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Posted
Dec 15 2011, 05:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 39 comment(s)
Every once in a while you stumble upon a video that stands out. This is one of them. Russian drifter Felix Chitipakhovyan came over to Japan last month to take part in the final G1GP round of the year up in Ebisu Circuit, which was held the day before the Autumn Drift Matsuri. He won the event. This humorous video chronicles his trip. Hit play and enjoy!
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
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Posted
Jul 18 2011, 07:30 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 24 comment(s)
Wall scrapes anyone? Running the wall at Ebisu has become a common practice during the Drift Matsuri's and with the Summer event just around the corner (August 13th and 14th) Luke Huxham has just released this video reminding us all just what a blast the event is. So hit play and see some rear bumpers get grated with no mercy!
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
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Posted
Mar 30 2011, 09:59 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 22 comment(s)
The people of northern Japan have been on the minds of everyone around the world after the terrible earthquake struck back on the 11th of this month. Filmmaker Abbitt Wilkerson has been busy finishing up this video of his travels to Japan and in particular to Ebisu circuit. It's these kind of images that help us remember what an amazing place Japan is for any car nut and appreciate how hard everyone is working to get the country back on its feet. Abbitt has also been busy creating stickers and donating proceeds to the Red Cross Japan Relief Found. Great work Abbitt!
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
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Posted
Mar 28 2011, 10:01 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 16 comment(s)
As I sit here back in Tokyo surfing through the far reaches of the internets and trying to overcome a major dose of jet-lag, I stumbled upon a couple of new pictures that Andy from Powervehicles took of Kumakubo's new D1-GP Laurel. After what the Team Orange guys have been through over the last two weeks, fixing the various tracks up and giving shelter to victims of the earthquake it's incredible that work on the C33 has been proceeding too! The dry-sump RB26 is now finished up and sitting...
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Posted
Feb 21 2011, 08:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 24 comment(s)
It's funny how when the Nissan GT-R and Mitsubishi Evolution X were released both manufacturers claimed it would be almost impossible to tune them. The Evo in particular was quite the curious replacement. Unlike the GT-R, which has enough power out of the box to not even require tuning, the CZ4A felt like a bit of a letdown compared to the 4G63-powered previous generations. Don't get me wrong, it's a very capable car, in fact I remember when Mitsubishi flew me out to Hokkaido to sample...
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Posted
Jan 31 2011, 03:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 9 comment(s)
Looks like the Team Orange guys never really stop having fun up in Ebisu Circuit, aka Drift Heaven! Watch this short video as Kumakubo and Suenaga take their S13 beaters out on the snow-covered Touge course. Anything for a bit of practice!
Team Orange
Ebisu Circuit
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
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Posted
Nov 16 2010, 05:00 PM
by
Casey Dhnaram
with 3 comment(s)
It's hard to believe the weekend of non-stop drifting has come to an end already. Being my first visit to Japan, G1GP and Matsuri where both eye opening experiences. It was like I had gone to drifting heaven! Head on over to the desktop section to download this gorgeous glimpse of Minami Circuit, available in both standard and widescreen. - Casey Dhnaram
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Posted
Nov 11 2010, 03:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 6 comment(s)
We've all see it before. Kumakubo's nicely stanced GS450h always seems to stand out wherever the D1 driver seems to park it. Today, while at Ebisu Nishi course for the WDSC Nations Cup, I just couldn't help but snap this long shot of it while it was sitting in the pit lane. After four years of ownership and constant daily use it is looking a little scared. The simple ignis body kit, Cusco lowered suspension and 19-inch Enkei RP03s are all well chosen subtle additions. Simple, but effective...
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Posted
Aug 30 2010, 02:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 17 comment(s)
The G1 Grand Prix is one event that is bound to keep growing in the future and a great idea to hopefully inject a much-needed international component to the whole drift scene in Japan. With the top six finishers at Round 2 getting a D1 Street Legal license, it's something that will hopefully interest potential pro and amateur drivers from around the world, to come over for some fun. Let's take a look at some of the action from the day. With 30 cars entered, and a few drivers sharing one car...
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Posted
Aug 27 2010, 09:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 22 comment(s)
It was a week ago that the second Round of the G1-GP got under way at the Nishi Short course in Ebisu circuit. Tailored to the foreigners that every season flock to Fukushima-ken for the Drift Matsuri, the G1 is a competition organized by the guys at Team Orange and Powervehicles , an event that since it first started at the Autumn Matsuri last year has grown exponentially. There were a total of 30 entrants this time round, mostly drift crazy Aussies, a couple of Scotts, an Irish driver, a few Americans...
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Posted
Aug 26 2010, 06:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 22 comment(s)
It's now time to wrap up the coverage of yet another, even if admittedly quiet, Drift Matsuri. I've put together a small collection of shots from Nishi course, the place that everyone likes to flock to on Sunday afternoon. Around 3 pm the regular course outline is closed and the Short Course opened up... ....blocking the access to the rest of the circuit and in place diverting cars up the little hill you see in the background on the above picture. While waiting for this to happen Suenaga...
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Posted
Aug 25 2010, 05:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 21 comment(s)
There is something so right about seeing cars drift at night. When drifting was still in its infancy, an underground and illegal activity, it was in the dark mountain passes of Japan that it flourished. Minami and Kita are always the places to check out when darkness falls over Ebisu. Take a look at the above picture of Chris DeJager lightly brushing the wall on the D1 course, creating a very dramatic trail of sparks. This image only begins to summarize the stuff that goes on during these Matsuri...
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Posted
Aug 24 2010, 02:30 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 27 comment(s)
The Drift Matsuri is grassroots drifting at its purest. It doesn't even compare to regular drift track days, because once you have paid up at the gate you are free to drift any time, push your limits and those of your car and wonder freely from track to track. Except for common sense and respect for others out on track, there are no rules, anything goes, giving participants a refreshing feel of freedom and relief that puts them in the right state of mind to not only enjoy themselves, but progress...
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Posted
Aug 23 2010, 07:20 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 24 comment(s)
A Dutch friend of mine, Remi Schouten, came up to Ebisu circuit this past weekend to witness his first Drift Matsuri. He put this cool video together which I thought was a very fresh look at this great event. Turn up the volume and enjoy.
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
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Posted
Aug 22 2010, 11:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 45 comment(s)
The Drift Matsuri is as much about atmosphere as it is about actual drifting, which is probably what makes it such a unique event. Compared to previous ones I have visited and covered this past 2010 Summer edition was definitely quieter, with far less drifters making the long journey to Fukushima-ken. Blame it on timing, a week after the Japanese Obon holidays most people take time off for, or the scorching hot weather, which just makes it hard on drivers as well as the cars. But the lack of locals...
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Posted
Aug 17 2010, 07:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 9 comment(s)
I've just posted up this shot of Robbie Nishida's Soarer under full compression in Ebisu on the desktops section . Download the standard and widescreen version of the shot to get a better view at that puff of smoke coming from the front tire! -Dino Dalle Carbonare
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Posted
Aug 16 2010, 09:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 29 comment(s)
I really love seeing all these cool unique rides participating in D1 this year and the one I had my eyes on at Ebisu at Round 5 and 6 was this 1984 KP61 Starlet driven by Teruyoshi Iwai. Built in collaboration with the guys at R.Y.O. in Hiroshima it's a car that fits our current Old School theme rather well. It has been a while since I've seen Iwai take his Starlet out at D1, I think the last time was at Odaiba back in 2005 or something. Back then the car was powered by a 20 valve 4AG developing...
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Posted
Aug 14 2010, 10:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 37 comment(s)
It's been almost a week since I was up in Ebisu for Round 5 and 6 of the D1 Grand Prix, and I'm already getting ready to go up there again in a few days for what has to be one of the most enjoyable events of there year, the Drift Matsuri. But before all hell brakes loose with crazy missiles aiming for pit walls and a new wave of gaijins from across the globe coming over for the G1GP, let's finish up looking at the epic battles and atmosphere from last Sunday's Round 6. How about this...
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Posted
Aug 13 2010, 01:00 AM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 31 comment(s)
This opening picture of Tokita on two wheels is an indication of just how hard everyone was driving this past weekend at the D1 Grand Prix double round in Ebisu Circuit. Following a couple of crashes on Saturday due to the faster line that was introduced for the day, it was decided to revert back to the regular kink for Sunday's Round 6. This however, didn't really seem to slow many drivers down, as everyone was out to impress the crowds with some on-the-limit drifting. After taking the win...
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Posted
Aug 09 2010, 11:00 PM
by
Dino Dalle Carbonare
with 24 comment(s)
Back on the scorching hot paddock at Ebisu on Saturday I was stopped in my tracks by Takanori Yoshida's Onevia, sitting so aggressively on its Work Equips. It's a stunning car and I finally had a chance to see it parked out in the open, not tucked inside a dark pit. The candy red paint job really pops under the sun's rays. Robbie Nishida was over in Japan, at the wheel of this mean JZZ30 Fnatz Soarer. He looked right at home in the seat of the big Toyota, despite being quite a different...
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