Drift Kyoeikai @ Minami Chiba Circuit

Yesterday still doesn’t quite feel real. After months of messages, planning and late-night ideas shared over the internet, Drift Kyoeikai finally happened at Minami Chiba Circuit in Japan.

We spent the night before the event in Chiba hanging out with the crew, eating pizza and staying at an old izakaya turned homestay we somehow managed to find. Talking, eating and getting excited for what was to come.

Up early the next morning, we headed to the circuit where Mikami-san was already there with the SK14SPL loaded on the truck. I managed to make a few changes to the car beforehand, but I’ll do a separate post on that.

As the gates opened, so did the cars. Silvias, 180SXs, JZXs, Laurels and so much more rolled in. Event merch was handed out and all of a sudden, nearly everyone was wearing Drift Kyoeikai T-shirts. Pretty surreal considering it was something I designed together with the team over the internet.

I jumped into the SK14SPL and the curiosity of whether sim practice actually works was about to be answered. To be honest, it really does. On my previous trip I could link a few corners before spinning, but this time it was lap after lap, no spins, just slowly trying to push a little more each run. I even did my first tandem in forever with Team Poison leader, Tsuba-san.

Everyone drove great all day with barely any carnage. To finish things off, the day ended with janken and prizes from Silk Road, as well as some Tokyo Disneyland tickets which no one expected.

Ending a boiling hot day at the local konbini with a bunch of cool cars and ice cream as the sun set felt like the perfect finish to the day.

I’m truly humbled and incredibly happy. I know not everyone gets the opportunity to experience things like this, and it makes me appreciate it all that much more.

A special thank you to Daikichi, Mikami-san, Ogawa-san, Sotobo-san and the whole Team Poison crew. 皆さんお疲れ様でした！