LAS VEGAS HEATS UP WITH THE RETURN OF D1 GRAND PRIX PROFESSIONAL DRIFTING
TORRANCE, CA (June 26, 2007) - In a repeat of last years successful collaboration between D1 Grand Prix, NHRA Sport Compact and Extreme Autofest, the Summer show that brought over 12,000 fans to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for two days and nights of slideways drift action, quarter-mile drag racing drama, and multiple flavors of import lifestyle entertainment returns to the speedway on Friday July 13th and Saturday July 14th 2007.
MORE JDM!
About half the D1 field this year will be teams imported from Japan, including fan favorites Kumakubo and Tanaka in their Team Orange Subaru Imprezas, Ken Nomura in the Blitz Skyline, Toshiki Yoshioka in his crazy NOS charged AE86, 2003 D1GP USA winner Katsuhiro Ueo in the Team M.O.V.E Nissan Silvia and many others.
US DRIVERS REPRESENT
Battling it out with the boys from Japan will be some of America's favorite drifters including Ernie Fixmer, Brian Wilkerson, Hubert Young, Quoc Ly and Ryan Hampton. The locals will undoubtedly bring their best game to Sin City for the ultimate high-speed showdown.
DRIFTING UNDER THE STARS
Who wants to stand around in the Vegas heat all weekend? Not us. We've scheduled the Friday Ikaten Driver Search and the Saturday main D1 Grand Prix exhibition match to start at 9PM on Saturday, after the sun has set and the night air starts to cool the place down a bit. Sure, you can come early and watch D1 practice, see some NHRA qualifying, check out the car show and stage acts. But at sunset, the lights will come on so you can watch your favorite drivers tear up the high-speed Vegas course at night!
THE D1 GRAND PRIX IKATEN, presented by FEDERAL TIRE
Starting in 2007, and continuing into 2008, all D1GP USA events include a driver search, or Ikaten, to evaluate and license new, top level drivers. The word "Ikaten" is steeped in tradition but is loosely translated to mean "Heaven for the sickest drivers". Because of the close association in the drifting world with the original Ikaten as the feeder series for the emerging D1 Grand Prix series at the time, the term is used today to describe the modern driver search, an event (or portion of a larger event) in which the skill of top amateur drifters is evaluated and a rite-of-passage is granted to the very the best by advancing them to the pro ranks of drifting. The Ikaten tradition is much the same in today's contemporary version in which D1GP judges evaluate amateur, up-and-coming drivers to give them a chance to qualify for a D1 license and compete in D1 competitions. The driving skills at the competition level in D1 are quite high and only the drivers exhibiting the highest skills, safety and showmanship are permitted to possess a coveted D1GP competitor license. The Las Vegas D1 Grand Prix Ikaten presented by Federal Tire will take place Friday, July 13th starting at 9PM.
DAI INADA TO MAKE U.S. IKATEN DEBUT AT THE D1 GRAND PRIX IKATEN, presented by FEDERAL TIRE
Not only are a number of new and veteran drivers coming to Vegas to take a shot at a license, but Daijiro Inada himself, the founder of the D1 Grand Prix series, Option Magazine, Option Video and the Tokyo Auto Salon will make his U.S. Ikaten debut in the Stream Z GT Jr., a vehicle designed and developed by legendary Japan based Nissan tuner, Yashio Factory. The unique Stream Z GT Jr. is based on a Nissan 180SX chassis and modified with a 350Z front end and a Skyline rear end. It is powered by the legendary Nissan SR20DET engine and tuned for serious performance. Watch as "Iron Man Racer" Dai tosses a brand new Stream Z GT Jr. into a high speed initiation at the concrete lined Las Vegas drift course! Should prove to be suspenseful and entertaining as Dai shoots for his D1 license.
JUDGES
No D1 Grand Prix would be complete without the famous D1GP judging panel. Representing decades of drifting experience, this year's Las Vegas event will be judged by the "Drift King" himself, Keiichi Tsuchiya. Joining "D.K." will be the voice of Option video, "Mana-P" Manabu Suzuki, and D1 Street Legal Series driver Hisashi Kamimoto. Joining them on the Las Vegas judging stand will be the ever-popular voice of D1 Grand Prix USA, commentator Toshi Hayama.
PURSE
Courtesy of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, up for grabs is $7000.00 to be divided between the top two finishers in the exhibition match, $5K to first place and $2K to second place.
Don't miss out on the non-stop action in Las Vegas this July. Drifting, drag racing, car shows, umbrella girls, music, bikini contest and more...July 13-14, 2007 - Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Additional D1 Grand Prix information and Las Vegas event details are available at http://www.d1gp.com
Provisional event schedule and driver roster is available at the bottom of this page: