The layout for this event was inspired by the local "Suzuka Twin" real-car circuit, making it easy for participating drivers to visualize their racing lines.
To ensure participants could practice after understanding the lines the judges were looking for, a drivers' meeting was held immediately after registration opened.
The standout performance on this layout came from Shiroi-senshu in the RWD Expert Class. His high-angle entries and cornering speed were second to none, leading him to victory in both the solo and tandem runs. He drove a YD-2S, featuring meticulous custom work such as a newly installed diffuser and a custom-made longitudinal upper deck crafted from reinforced side plates. He is a driver to watch in the future.
Race Results
■ Sports Class
1st Place: Riipon / 2nd Place: Satake / 3rd Place: Tomoki
It is no exaggeration to say the Sports Class was the most fiercely contested of Round-102 in Shiga. Every driver in this class showed dramatic improvement from their morning practice runs through the qualifying and final rounds, resulting in a very close race. Riipon, the only female driver in the tournament, delivered stable runs from the qualifying round onward and took a brilliant victory. Satake and Tomoki had been chasing her since the qualifiers, but perhaps due to nerves in the final, their angles became shallower, and they were unable to reach the top spot. We look forward to seeing them step up to the Expert class next time.
■ AWD Expert Class
1st Place: Kacchan / 2nd Place: Nakamura / 3rd Place: Kawahara
While RWD entries have outnumbered AWD in recent years, this event saw a large turnout for the AWD Expert class, making for a very exciting competition. The driving style has also shifted from the shallow-angle drifting of the past to deep-angle cornering for AWD as well, and the three drivers on the podium displayed a very high level of ideal driving. Among them, the winner, Kacchan, showed superb control, perfectly managing even the difficult exit postures typical of AWD. It was impressive to see many drivers who missed the podium still scoring in the 90s, making for a high-level final.
■ AWD D1 Class
1st Place: Shunsuke / 2nd Place: Monmo / 3rd Place: KANDA
The "D1 Class," the pinnacle of AWD competition, featured tandem runs, filling the venue with a different tension than the solo finals. The final was a battle between the perennial winner Shunsuke and Monmo, who was in peak form that day. While Shunsuke was able to match the lead car with exquisite spacing despite some slight instability, Monmo maintained exceptional stability while in the lead. The first round ended in a draw, leading to sudden death. However, Monmo, who had been stable until the final, lost his composure and made a critical mistake. Shunsuke was crowned the D1 Class champion.
■ RWD Expert Class
1st Place: Shiroi / 2nd Place: Shunsuke / 3rd Place: Kirin
The RWD Expert Class had the highest number of entries this time. Given that the field consisted of top-tier drivers from across the country, the level of competition was extremely high, resulting in an unprecedented three drivers scoring 100 points in the solo qualifiers. Once the final tournament began, it favored drivers who could enter with steep angles while in the lead. The three drivers on the podium were the ones who could perfectly adapt to those lead lines. In particular, the final battle between Shunsuke and Shiroi became one of the greatest matches in the history of Yokodori. Shiroi, who topped the solo qualifiers, emerged victorious from this fierce battle. It was a well-deserved first victory for him, avenging his performance in the previous Round-101.
■ Concours d'Elegance
Nakamura