Norireal Gymkhana

AARON HITS TSUKUBA TO HANG WITH SOME LOCALS AND KILL SOME TYRES FOR THE FUN OF IT

n the last decade, the sport of drifting has exploded in popularity — it’s been forever changed, and now, through the glitzy ticker tape and flashing lights, it can seem highly strung and stressful. Sometimes, it is nice to just relax and partake in the sport when time is of no importance, schedules don’t exist, and smiles and laughter are a chain reaction in the paddock.

The true spirit of drifting isn’t specific to one place, series, or country, and you can certainly find it in abundance at any grass-roots drift day, no matter where you are.

Yusuke Nojima is well known for his paintwork, which adorns the RAUH-Welt Begriff (RWB) Porsches, yet many don’t realize that he is a profound advocate for grass-roots soukoukai (track days). You don’t need the ticker tape and big fancy lights to find fun, because, when you strip drifting back to its core, fun is exactly what you should find.

Grass-roots events are surging in popularity, as drivers can share their passion with friends, while challenging themselves to perfect the art of drifting each and every session they go out on track. The only pressure is that which you put on yourself to run higher entry speeds or more angle, to create more smoke, which gives you more of a smile when you come out the other end.

This is the exact scene we found at Tsukuba Circuit for an afternoon of ‘fun’ at the Gymkhana course. Nojima-san