LET’S GO DRIFTING IN THE MOUNTAINS: A lap of Sports Land Yamanashi

November 23, 2011 5:09 am Published by

スポーツランド山梨で走りましたよ!ありがとうございました396MOTORING石合さん!

Last Sunday, I attended a drift day at Sports Land Yamanashi. You can occasionally see it in really old drifting videos, but the owner isn’t really a fan of how drifting tends to tear up the sides of the track, and rarely runs drift days there. Since local drivers quite easily fill up the numbers, events aren’t announced through the usual magazine and website channels, so after seeing 396 Motoring Ishiai, who lives about ten minutes from the track, in a video from a day there earlier last year, I asked if he’d kindly inform me the next time one was on.

Even though it was only a little day, D1 drivers Koguchi, Orido, Tokita and Imamura were there drifting as well, which added to the fun. It’s Imamura’s home course too, so I was able to get a bit of good advice on how to properly tackle the corners.

The circuit owner’s briefing was quite harsh compared to those at other tracks. Purposely doing a dirt-drop was about a $150 fine, damaging a tyre barrier was a $30 fine and doing a burnout u-turn was also a fine. Even though he was quite strict at the briefing, he was actually very nice when I saw him in the office and asked for a photographer’s vest so I could take some photos. I think all the warnings were just to keep people on their toes.

Towards the end of the day, I dodgeyed-up my little Bloggie video camera to my helmet with gaffer tape. Check out 396 Motoring Ishiai’s awesome entry and spin at the end of the video. It’s a bit hard to see, but the rear of his car jumped about a foot up into in the air!

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This post was written by Alexi

13 Comments

  • Warren says:

    lol, and he did a dirt drop!
    Too bad the owner don’t fancy drift anymore (I can understand it), that track is kinda legendary and the layout is really good for drifting.

  • Mike says:

    Love the steering wheel.

  • michael says:

    396 X100 cresta is a great car, does he ever drift with the soft canvas sunroof open?

  • Andrew Hake says:

    This is absolutely the best way to watch someone drifting!!!!! So nice to see how your body is shifting around in relationship to the car. Please make more videos like this!

  • BlueSlug says:

    Nice sliding, man!

    and that course looks pretty tight! I’d love to drive it, drift or grip, either way. Also, the warnings from the owner are probably a good incentive to hone your drifting, to make things more precise, right?

    Also, I’m not sure why, but I always thought your car was auto? I hate slushboxen, and I hear they make drifting very difficult (especially with a turbo car), so I was very impressed lol… But I’m still impressed! I can’t drift worth shit lol

  • Donnie says:

    good shit bro I wants to try!!!

    • Rohmat says:

      Not when you’re trying to ctluch kick. When i first started drifting in Forza 2. I did automatic. It worked for awhile, but as soon as i switched to Manual/ Manual w/clutch, I did x10 better.

  • Dousan says:

    Your steering control is awesome
    Thumbs up
    Too many people “rock” the wheel and it’s Made annoying and looks slopp
    Very nice, alexi!

  • Nick Gilmore says:

    Always loved this track, ever since seeing This video http://youtu.be/6oEZUffVaY4 i was hooked on youtubing anything i could find about it. the back section where there’s a big haripin then rised up and over the hill, then down to the s bends arrrrrrrr would lovvveee to drift here.

  • LozZz says:

    Ah I’m a local here in Kofu and you’re right, they rarely advertise drift events (and when they do they’re usually the same day as FSW events!) I would have popped by if I knew it was on.

  • r.rasmine says:

    Alexi,i have an 31 cefiro , saw a photo of your cefiro and would like to know where you got the front bumper and spoiler from it looks sweet thanks.

    R.Rasmine
    Trinadad W.I.

  • j says:

    sick! what sort of steering wheel is that?