On September 24th, we held the Yokomo Drift Meeting in Shiga at RC SHOP MECCA in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture. Despite this being a regional round, we had nearly 60 entries, and the event was bustling with excitement from the qualifiers through to the finals. We were also joined by RC-ART and ADDICTION, who helped make the event even more lively.
As has become a tradition, we held our all-night opening the day before the event. By the time the staff arrived in the morning, the pits and driver's stand were already full, and you could really feel the enthusiasm of the participating drivers. The humidity was low on the day of the event, making for a very comfortable climate throughout the day.
The course layout was an orthodox one, starting with a shallow exit from the straight, followed by a feint before drifting into the judging area. The key to the judging was the ability to control the car without letting it wash out in front of the judges after initiating a drift with a sharp angle.
During the judging explanation held after the opening ceremony, participating machines were placed on the course, and the judges provided detailed explanations for each class and clipping point. After the explanation, AWD and RWD demo runs were held, featuring two drivers who were in top form during practice: Yamato-senshu from the D1 class and ADDICTION representative Kakechan-senshu from the RWD class.
Concours d'Elegance
Expert Class
1st Place: Tommy-senshu
2nd Place: Daisuke-senshu
3rd Place: Kengo-senshu
The Expert Class was a fierce battle. The eight drivers who made it through the narrow gate—where you couldn't pass the qualifying round without scoring in the mid-90s—were all undoubtedly talented enough to compete at the top of the D1 class. Among them, Hickey-senshu qualified in first place with 97.5 points, delivering a wonderful run with precise angle, speed, and line. However, he couldn't perform to his full potential in the actual final and failed to reach the podium. Under such pressure, Tommy-senshu, an early runner, immediately posted a high score with an impressive run on his first attempt. Other drivers also scored in the high 90s, but none could surpass Tommy-senshu's score, leading to his long-awaited victory in the Expert Class.
D1 Class
1st Place: Gorugo-senshu
2nd Place: Maruso-senshu
3rd Place: Yusuke-senshu
The D1 Class final tournament took place immediately after the Expert Class final. A fierce battle unfolded from the qualifying round, with an incredible six drivers scoring in the high 90s. The qualifying was high-level, with two young drivers making waves: Yusuke-senshu, who topped the qualifiers, and the 2nd-place runner Yamato-senshu, both marking 99 points. As the tandem tournament began, many expected the two young stars to reach the final, but that momentum was halted by the veteran duo of Maruso-senshu and Gorugo-senshu, who advanced to the final with runs that overturned the qualifying results. In the end, Gorugo-senshu, who had been in great form all day, perfectly synced his driving with Maruso-senshu’s to win the D1 Class.
RWD Class
1st Place: Yusuke-senshu
2nd Place: Kirin-senshu
3rd Place: Shunsuke-senshu
The RWD class saw several sudden-death rounds, as the skill level of the participants was so evenly matched that the judges were often left scratching their heads. In the qualifiers, top Kansai-area driver Kirin-senshu took the lead with a high score in his first run. As the qualifiers were drawing to a close, Yusuke-senshu—the D1 class top qualifier—marked a score near 100 with an entry right on the wall and an angle on the verge of a spin, taking the top spot. The tournament proceeded as expected, and the final became a battle between Kirin-senshu and Yusuke-senshu. Naturally, it wasn't decided immediately and went to sudden death. However, Kirin-senshu, who had advanced through the tournament with overwhelming force, made an unexpected mistake at this critical moment, and Yusuke-senshu, who held onto his advantage after the switch, secured the RWD Class victory.
Venue: RC SHOP MECCA http://mecca5050.com/