On Sunday Roland and I hopped on to the DSPORT tour bus again to go check out the Carmate and Nitto Tire drift ride along. More on the drift day later (probs with sd card). The DSPORT Tokyo Auto Salon tour is actually pretty good, but my schedule did not allow me to go on the entire tour. Today they went to the Nissan R35 GT-R VR38DETT engine factory in Yokohama which was undoubtedly pretty cool too. I do recommend the DSPORT tour for next year if you are thinking about going to the Tokyo Auto Salon. I met some cool people on the tour too.
After Fuji was rebuilt a couple years ago, their new facilities included a specific drift course, go kart track, new paddocks, new grandstands, and a couple of other cool things. That day we visited the main circuit (used for F1 every other year) it was an open track day. There were some cool cars: R35s, BNR34s, BNR32s, FDs, FCs, Porsche 964/996.997s, RX-8s, STis, EVOs, Ferraris, etc. It was like an Option Magazine came alive before our very eyes.
Fuji Speedway is a damn nice circuit. You should visit if you get the chance.
A super clean old school HS30 240z.
964 turbo with super aggro rear wing. The brakes MAX out the 18″ wheels.
Orange Rauh-WELT 911 turbo, white 996 cup car, and all motor Nissan 510. Matt corrected me on the 996. I got all excited and assumed it was a turbo.
Nismo wheels on a BNR34 Skyline GT-R.
Another 996 cup car getting ready to unload. At this point I’m already thinking that I need to build a 911 for myself (after I finish my BNR32 of course). There’s something about the way the Japanese build their Porsches. While I’m sure Americans build them faster, the Japanese make them look better. Before you JDM fanatics get pissed, realize that Americans have been racing 911s for 40+ years.
Fuck I love this car. Rauh-Welt makes them look CRAZY. When I got back to the hotel I was already on Craigslist looking for 911 shells. If I buy a 911, this car will be one of the main reasons. Dig that lip on those SSRs too.
Another super clean blue BNR34 Nismo’d out. This combo is common in Japan.
Another super clean white BNR34 Nismo’d out, but with TE37s. I told you this look was common. It looks so damn good though. I dig the taller wing stays.
Here’s a black R35 with silver wheels. I guess I’m tired of looking at white and red ones that are bone stock because this black one was looking good.
Inside the lunch area was one of the Endless N1 BCNR33 GT-Rs on display. There’s Rich and Mike from DSPORT jocking an R33 that actually turns fast.
Nitto supplied NT-05s to the 9 drift cars that were giving ride alongs. Apparently the NT05 is supposed to be a consistent and long lasting street/track combo tire.
Here’s one of the S13s at the drift ride along. I can’t remember the driver’s name, but he was super cool and an ex-D1 driver (he took a year off). I still like S13s the best. I think I’m getting old…
There were more cars in the paddocks like some Ferraris, BMW 335s, BMW M3s, BNR32 GT-Rs, STIs, EVOs, etc. but we ran out of time so I couldn’t go and snap pics. What a dope open track day. Compare this day to a track day in the US…