The 2010 Gran Turismo D1 Grand Prix Series
The D1 Grand Prix is a manufacture vehicle drifting series which started in Japan. After a number of years of hosting recreational drifting events, founder of Tokyo Auto Salon, Daijiro Inada and Option Magazine, along with drifting legend Keiichi Tsuchiya
hosted a professional level drifting contest in 2000 to fuel the ever growing skills of drifters who were stars in drifting competitions in Japan.
The 2010 Gran Turismo D1 Grand Prix (D1GP) season started on March 27, 2010, and is well underway. The 2010 season is a milestone for the D1GP, being its tenth anniversary and D1 Street Legal’s (D1SL) fifth spinoff series, which began 20 days after the D1GP
on April 17. So far, there is no news of the 2010 D1GP USA series, but enthusiasts are still hopeful. The series will conclude as a D1GP Exhibition match on October 17 at Fuji Speedway in Oyama, Japan.
Round one of the D1GP, situated at Odaiba, Tokyo was held on March 27 with the 1st place going to Youichi Imamura in his Nissan Silvia S15, winning 25 points. Following Imamura with 21 points in 2nd place was Tetsuya Hibino in a Toyota
Sprinter Trueno AE86. Driver Masato Kawabata won the 3rd place after winning 18 points in his Nissan 180SX RPS13. Finishing dead last in 16th place was Kazuya Matsukawa in a Lexus SC430 UZZ40 with only one point.
Following Round one, Imamura again had the skill and luck to win the D1GP All-Star Show in his Silvia. The All-Star show was held at the same venue as the first round on March 28.
Round Two of the D1GP was held at Autopolis, located in Oita on April 24 and 25. The Mazda RX-7 FD3S was declared victorious with driver Masao Suenaga winning 25 points. The 2nd place went to Daigo Saito in a Toyota Mark II JZX100, giving him
21 points, followed by Yoshinori Koguchi in 3rd place, driving a Nissan 180SX RPS13, with 18 points.
The winner in Round Three was, once again, Imamura in his Silvia S15, winning another 1st place, and 25 points. The event was held at Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka on June 5 and 6. The 2nd place was taken by fan favourite, Ken Nomura in
a Nissan Skyline ER34 with 21 points. Kawabata finished at 3rd place in his 180SX after receiving 18 points.
Round Four went to Masayoshi Tokita in his Toyota Crown GRS180, followed by Manabu Orido in a Toyota Supra JZA80 for the 2nd spot. Imamura ended the race at 3rd place in his Silvia. The event was held on Okayama International Circuit
in Okayama on June 26 and 27.
Held at Ebisu Circuit in Fukushima, Round Five was won by Hibino in his Trueno on August 7, followed closely by Nomura in his Skyline and Masao Suenaga in 3rd place in his RX-7.
Round Six went again to Imamura in his Silvia, with Hibino in 2nd place in his Trueno, and Naoto Suenaga in 3rd place in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX CT9A. The round took place on August 8 at the Ebisu Circuit.
Round Seven of the D1GP will take place on October 16 on Fuji Speedway, followed by a D1GP Exhibition on October 17 on the same track.
The favourite to win the D1GP is Imamura, with four 1st place finishes, one 3rd
place, one 5th place, and one 6th place wins, totalling 143 points. Since 2008, Imamura has been drifting for the Auto Produce Boss and Potenza D-1 Project racing team in a Nissan Silvia S15. He has the most D1 wins for any racer,
with 10, and is the only two time D1 champion, who may add another win to his collection.
Tags: