The D1 Grand Prix series is up to it’s typical “screw you Drifting world, we are better” attitude and has told all of their drivers that they are not allowed to participate at the Redbull World Challenge. In a matter that seemed to be going on behind private doors until today when Formula D posted a full card of people who were offered spots for this event and D1 had a big DECLINED on the list.

D1GP D1GP Japan 1 of 6 invitations D1 requested DECLINED
D1GP D1GP Japan 2 of 6 invitations D1 requested DECLINED
D1GP D1GP Japan 3 of 6 invitations D1 requested DECLINED
D1GP D1GP Japan 4 of 6 invitations D1 requested DECLINED
D1GP D1GP Japan 5 of 6 invitations D1 requested DECLINED
D1GP D1GP Japan 6 of 6 invitations D1 requested DECLINED
Nob Taniguchi D1GP Japan 2001 Champ DECLINED - Prior engagement, race
Youichi Imamura D1GP Japan 2003 Champ DECLINED - D1 Not allow
Yasuyaki Kazama D1GP/MSC Japan 2005 Champ DECLINED - Scheduling Conflict
Nobushige Kumakubo D1GP Japan 2006 Champ DECLINED - Dubai Demo
Manabu Max Orido D1GP/MSC Japan D1 Judge, MSC Judge, Super GT driver DECLINED - Hired by Chevy for WTCC race in Macau

So it looks like our World Drift Championship will be short of Japanese talent but not short of talent from anywhere else in the world? It is funny how every organization in the world can come together and be excited about an event with the exception of D1. We really just wish D1 would get off it’s high horse and let their talent participate. Formula D and fellow organizations gladly attended their All Star and Vs. the World events in the past. As it appears D1 is just having it’s typical attitude we still keep hearing rumors about this “2009 D1 season” here in America. With the track record of D1 in the United States I think we are going to refrain on booking flights until the week of the event assuming it’s not on a Formula D weekend again.

The last round of the 2008 D1 Grand Prix season took place at Fuji Speedway and it was an intense round of Drifting. Many drivers did battle for a championship run and only one man wound up taking the crown in his JZX100. Daigo Satiro secured the championship over the weekend and Dino locked us in with the best D1 coverage  in North America.  Don’t miss Team Orange and all the other Drifting crews on this high speed  entry drifting course.  Be sure to check out all of our 300+ photos from the weekend.

Wrecked Magazine Fuji Speedway Gallery:

http://www.wreckedmagazine.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=71

After a crazy weekend at Fuji Speedway, this is how the podium stacked up for the final event of the 2008 D1 Grand Prix series.

1st- Masao Suenaga
2nd- Nobushige Kumakubo
3rd- Masato Kawabata

Mike Garrett is working some overtime down at Speedhunters and providing daily updates from Gotemba City (right outside Fuji Speedway) for the weekend. Below we have listed the seeded rank and the guys who qualified into main event qualifying.

Seeded

1. Daigo Saito JZX100 Mark II

2. Youichi Imamura S15

3. Ken Nomura ER34 Skyline

4. Tsuyoshi Tezuku R32 Skyline

5. Masao Suenaga FD3S

6. Takahiro Ueno JZZ30 Soarer

7. Misato Kawabata RPS13

8. Nobushige Kumakubo CT9A Evo

9. Toshiki Yoshioka Lexus SC430

10. Kazuhiro Tanaka GDB Impreza

Qualified

11. Atsushi Kuroi S13

12. Yoshinori Koguchi RPS13

13. Tatsuya Sakuma S15

14. Kazuya Matsukawa S15

15. Kazuyoshi Okamura S15

16. Tsutomu Fujio FD3S

17. Toru Inose S15

18. Hideo Hiraoka GDB Impreza

19. Takumi Nozawa S14

20. Junkichi Nagasawa S15

21. Masayoshi Tokita GRS180 Crown

22. Masashi Yokoi S14

23. Chikara Mizuhata S15

24. Akinori Utsumi S13

25. Hiroshi Fukuda RPS13

26. Tetsuya Hibino AE86

27. Hisashi Oginome S15

28. Toyohisa Matsuda AE86

29. Kuniaki Takahashi JZX100 Chaser

30. Manabu Fujinaka FD3S

Thanks for update: http://speedhunters.com/archive/2008/10/25/gallery-gt-gt-a-quick-update-from-d1gp-fuji.aspx

This video is another Triple tandem feature of Team Orange produced by Clash Productions from a demo in Europe. The video has a mount placed on the roof of the back car and follows the famous Team Orange as they going flying around the track.

Watch the video: http://www.wreckedmagazine.com/watchvideo/-on-car-with-team-orange-at-poznan!-

The guys at Speedhunters produced another great piece! Team Orange is easily the most recognizable name in Japanese Drifting to date and they just put on a great show for the guys over at Speedhunters.com! The video shows these guys running at their home track in a triple tandem fashion and we are just blown away. The Ebisu Circuit is just an amazing course and we wish every Drifting event in the world could take place here. Good job Speedhunters for this amazing coverage!

Watch the video: Team Orange Triple Tandem

Naoto Suenaga is a member of Team Orange and he took home a victory at D1 Street Legal’s Round 4 event at Ebisu recently. He has a blog on Speedhunters where he talked about his sick 240sx and what parts it is setup with along with his huge victory at Ebisu.

Read the whole story: www.speedhunters.com/

The 2008 D1GP series Round 6 event at Ebisu Circuit is now complete and Dino fought the rain and baby ninjas to get us some awesome coverage from the event. As we reported before Kumakubo took home the victory at his home track. Check out the gallery by clicking here

Don’t miss the D1GP Ebisu Coverage from the weekend.

After a hard fought weekend at his hometown racetrack of Ebisu Kumakubo took home a victory in his Mitsubishi Evo over the weekend. Our photographer Dino was out shooting up pictures for us all weekend so we will have coverage coming in soon. Another great event at the legendary Ebisu circuit wrapped up from Japan over our Labor Day weekend.