Drift Meeting Round-79 was held at Yatabe Arena on March 12th and 13th, 2016. In addition to the popular regular classes, the event saw the introduction of the RWD Drift class. Because participation was expected to exceed capacity, the event was once again held over two days starting this time.
For the first-ever RWD class held on Day 1, a diverse range of machines lined up, thanks in part to the relaxed chassis regulations. Even with gyro systems equipped, significant differences in machine setup and control can emerge, making this a category that truly tests a driver's skills. The final round was conducted as a tandem tournament. Hayato and Mitsuki advanced to the finals. In the first run, the lead driver, Hayato, successfully built up speed before initiating the drift, pulling away from Mitsuki behind him to secure an advantage. In the second run, with positions swapped, Hayato once again utilized his speed, sticking closely to Mitsuki’s rear to take the victory.
The regular categories were held on Day 2. The pits were filled to capacity with drivers competing primarily in the high-stakes Expert and D1 classes.
Naturally, all eyes were on the top-tier World Class. Many drivers have started using the newly released YD-4 competitive drift car, and it was a spectacular run as drivers using the YD-4 secured all top four positions. In addition to Team Yokomo’s Hayato, Takahiro, and Gachapin, Mitsuki also mastered the YD-4—proving the high performance of the base platform even with very little time for development. The final tournament match was between Takahiro and Gachapin. In the first run, the chaser, Gachapin, made contact, but the judges ruled that it was caused by Takahiro losing speed, giving Gachapin the lead. In the second run, Gachapin drove a perfect line, winning the battle and the championship.
The next event, Round-80, will be held over two days on Saturday, June 11th and Sunday, June 12th. We are planning to have Manabu Suzuki in attendance, so it is sure to be an exciting event! As with this time, Day 1 (Saturday) will feature the RWD class (2WD) and the Twin Drift class (4WD). Regulations for the RWD class are open regarding vehicle models, bodies, motors, and more, so even those who do not own a Yokomo car are welcome to participate!
We also plan to hold trial runs on the 2nd-floor Drift Entry Course for those who have never experienced RC drifting before (Day 1, Saturday only). We look forward to seeing many of you there.
Sponsors
Concours d'Elegance
Day 1 Yokomo Ladies were Maasa Tsukino (left) and Yumi Ohiata (right)
And for Day 2, Miyu Shiraishi (left) and Erika Chiba (right)
We asked KIN, who won the World Class at the special round held at the end of last year, to perform the demo run for the judging criteria explanation.
On the 2nd floor Drift Sports Course of the Center Building, test drives of the Drift Package and trial sessions for the newly released Drift Package NANO from Takara Tomy were held.
The inaugural RWD class. The final tournament was a matchup between Hayato and Mitsuki. Hayato, who displayed a high-speed driving style despite the 2WD configuration, was crowned the first champion.
Hayato's machine is based on a DPR with a 2WD conversion kit installed. The rear suspension uses an A-arm setup modified into a multi-link system that increases toe-in as the suspension compresses, a setting designed to increase traction during acceleration.
| Overall Results |
