Flashback to December 2004 when motorsports enthusiasts attended the only JGTC event ever in the US showcasing the skill of Japan’s Super GT “All Star” drivers on American soil. Some of our readers were still driving a big wheel at this time but for many of us lucky enough to attend, it was our first introduction into drifting with an “East vs West” D1GP drifting exhibition with the top 8 drivers from Japan’s D1GP circuit going head to head against 8 American drivers including Sam Hubinette, Tanner Foust, and Rhys Millen, the only American to make it to the top 4. Back then drifting strategy was to yank the e-brake and steering wheel in order to maximize slip angle, a balance of aggression and finesse with style and flair.
All Team Sorensen hands on deck during a qualifying pit stop.rifting has undoubtedly come a long way the past two decades. I’ve witnessed (mostly through my camera lens) the evolution of the sport often crossings paths with Mike Kojima at various tracks as he supported Dai Yoshihara under Team Falken. In the 2022 season, Mike became the Team Engineer for Sorensen Motorsports working with talented drivers like Branden Sorensen in the FD Pro Series and his sister Amanda in Pro Spec. What’s remarkable is the amount of data crunching and technical analytics these teams leverage to fine-tune their cars and strategies and gain a competitive edge. I caught up with the Suspension Sensei to see how the season is progressing and if he’ll divulge any of his team’s closely guarded secrets.
Mike, you and Data Chris collect so many data points during competition that your laptops are cluttered with dashboards and histograms. What are the most critical metrics you’re logging, and how can they inform your on-the-fly adjustments during the event?
