Shortly after Round 6 of Formula DRIFT – Las Vegas, Daijiro Yoshihara travelled to Europe to compete in two professional drift series, Prodrift Series and Drift Allstars European Series. With over a 1-month break before the final round of Formula DRIFT, Yoshihara accepted the chance to compete in Europe to help keep his focus on drifting for the final championship round.
Yoshihara’s first stop and his debut in European drifting was in Ireland. During his stay in Ireland, Yoshihara drove MG Crash Repair’s SR20 powered Altezza. Held at Mondello International Racing Circuit, over 5,000 spectators were in attendance to take part in the series finale. Yoshihara was definitely in his element as he qualified 5th overall for the Top 16 qualifier round. With the help of Falken Tire U.K. and their tire support, Yoshihara easily moved to the Top 8 round where he faced Formula DRIFT competitor and teammate, Darren “D-Mac” McNamara. Both drivers drove hard with minor mistakes in chase runs; however, with two wheels going off course by Yoshihara, D-Mac eventually advanced to the Top 4 retiring Yoshihara’s weekend prematurely.
Following the event in Ireland, Yoshihara travelled east to U.K.’s premier professional drifting series, Drift Allstars European Series where Wembley Stadium in London played host to the final round of competition for the year. Yoshihara teamed up with Driftworks, European’s largest website dedicated to the sport of drifting. Piloting a Nissan Silvia S15, a familiar chassis Yoshihara had competed in before, it didn’t take too long before he felt comfortable behind the 720hp 2JZGTE power plant. Yoshihara qualified overall in a respectable 6th place and eventually moved into the Top 8. During his Top 8 battle, Yoshihara’s car straighten slightly but was enough to be eliminated ending his competition in the U.K.
“I was very impressed with the drifting in Europe,” explains Yoshihara. “The cars, driving styles, and the level of interest for drifting was phenomenal. Seeing how much interest there is for drifting in Europe really proves that the sport of Drifting has literally gone worldwide. Thanks to everyone who gave me the chance to experience drifting in Europe!”
During his travels in Europe, Yoshihara was able to collect donations for his charity Relief For Japan. Fans from Ireland and the U.K. showed their support for his efforts and he was able to raise over $500.
Please visit the following sites for more event information and of Yoshihara’s experience:
For more information on Dai, please visit www.daiyoshihara.com.