- 2017/06/28
Matsui’s RE Amemiya RX-7 Takes 10th Place at D1 Tsukuba
Round 3 of the D1GP was held over June 24th to 25th at Tsukuba Circuit, Ibaraki Prefecture where amongst the four Mazda cars that took part, the #7 GruppeM RX-7 (Yukio Matsui) advanced into the tuiso (chase) tournament but unfortunately was eliminated in the best 16. He ultimately finished in 10th place. With the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) announcing that it will be holding an international drift competition, the “FIA International drifting Cup 2017” in Tokyo’s Odaiba over September 30th to October 1st, this Japanese born drift competition has been garnering a lot of attention from around the world.
The #88 TCP MAGIC FC RX-7 of Manabu Fujinaka finished 33rd and the #21 SAMURAI KANTO TOYO TIRES RX-7 (FD) of Takashiro Imamura 35th to be eliminated in qualifying. Fujinaka went on to relate, “My gear ratio wasn’t suited to the conditions so I couldn’t get the car up to speed. As for Imamura, he felt some problems with his engine firing and stated, “I was only able to drift in the main event. Until then I wasn’t able to do any real prep so I couldn’t really hope for a good result. I didn’t have my settings dialed in enough before I came.”
The RE turbo engine mounted #77 EXEDY R Magic D1 Racing Roadster of Teruyoshi Iwai passed through qualifying in 6th place but in the tanso (single run) finals he was not able to score enough points to avoid elimination. “I’m still not completely sure myself why I wasn’t able to grab enough points in my first run. In my second run I easing off the accelerator to turn back but that wasn’t getting me any points so I pushed the load into the car’s ass and tried a bunch of things to get the car to turn and maybe over did it. It wasn’t my best run I have to say. The team did a really good job getting the car’s settings locked in and if I had driven better we could have made it to the final… To be in such a good position and then to ruin it with a poor drive, I’m really sorry to everyone.”
Driving in the #7 Team RE Amemiya GruppeM RX – 7, Matsuya passed through the tanso in 4th place and advanced to the tsuiso tournament. However, going up against Akira Hirajima (S15 Silvia) in the Best 16, he wasn’t able to match the pace and was eliminated. His final placing was 10th. He later commented, “My drifting style was different to Hirajima and I wasn’t able to match him. I really need to work on my ability to predict a variety of different patterns.”
Text by S. Saito, Photos by N. Kaneko
Archive
2023
- 07/10
OHLINS Roadster NATS Lights-to-Flag in Round 3 SUGO Round - 04/21
JGC Rd.2 Yu Wins in a Daring Comeback in the 2nd Heat! 
04/21
JRC Rd.3 Karatsu Takuya Kawamoto/Naohiro Nagabuchi (MAZDA2) Finish 6th in JN-5 Class- 03/22
Newly-formed Car #88 Roadster Grabs Pole-to-Win in Opening Round of S-Tai Series! - 03/21
MAZDA SPIRIT RACING Finishes S-Tai Race at Suzuka! - 02/26
Super Taikyu First Official Test of 2023 Held at Fuji Speedway
2022
03/21
#72 takes its long-awaited first win with a lights-to-flag in S-Tai opening round- 02/19
Mazda Announces 2022 Super Taikyu Series Entry
2021
- 12/06
JEGT Rd.3 “EVANGELION e-RACING with Hiroshima Mazda” takes victory - 11/16
#456 Roadster Wins ST-5 Class in Final Round of S-Tai. #66 Takes Series Championship - 09/22
#66 Roadster Moves One Step Closer to ST5 Title With Victory at Suzuka 5-Hour - 08/13
Sakata takes 2nd consecutive All Japan Dirt Trial Championship win with Mazdaspeed Axela - 08/03
LOVE DRIVE Roadster takes its first victory at S-Tai Autopolis 5 Hours - 07/28
Mazda Jinba Ittai Academy’s Terakawa wins his first overall IPS race - 06/08
IPS win slips out of Terakawa’s grasp due to overzealousness - 05/25
OVER DRIVE finishes 1-2 in Fuji 24 Hour Race - 03/24
Mazda cars dominate podium in rainy opening round of S-Tai
2020
- 11/04
Lights-to-Flag for #456 odula Roadster at S-Tai Rd 3 at Okayama - 10/13
Murakami Roadster Finishes 2nd in Class at S-Tai Sugo Round 2 - 10/02
Matsukura / Iwabuchi Demio Takes Class 3rd in All Japan Rally Rd 3 - 09/08
Team NOPRO Demio SKY-D Grabs First Fuji 24 Hour Win - 07/31
Super Taikyu Heads Towards 24 Hours of Fuji - 07/27
Terakawa makes a comeback at rainy IPS Suzuka to finish 2nd - 07/07
Terakawa achieves amazing opening win streak in Interproto debut.
2019
- 12/05
RE Amemiya RX-7 Matsui Grabs 4th at FIA Drift Tsukuba - 11/26
Jinba Ittai Academy Ends Season at 2nd place in IPS rankings - 11/14
Odula Roadster Grabs First S-Tai Win - 10/04
Masato Nakanishi’s RX-8 takes JN6 class 2nd at Rally Hokkaido - 09/12
Mazda “Jinba Ittai” Team Takes 4th Place in Tsukuba - 09/02
IPS “Jinba Ittai Driving Academy” grabs double podium - 07/23
Hiromatsu Demio Takes ST-5 Class Victory in Debut at S-Tai Rd 4 - 06/15
Koichi Okada’s Demio 15MB Takes First Season JN5 Victory at All Japan Rally Rd 5 - 06/06
Murakami Motors Roadster achieves successive victories at Fuji 24 hours - 05/24
Okada Demio 15MB wins 2nd place in JRC Round 4 - 05/02
Hiromatsu Demio, NOPRO Axela take class 2nd place in S-Tai SUGO - 03/29
Team NOPRO takes ST-5 class victory and ST-2 3rd place podium
2018
- 11/07
Mazda Cars Dominate ST-5 class Podium at S-Tai Final Round at Okayama - 10/23
Okada Demio 15MB Grabs Class 3rd at JRC Takayama - 10/23
Mad Mike Grabs Formula Drift Japan Title - 09/13
Okada Demio 15MB Makes Return to JRC and Takes Class 2nd - 07/31
Mad Mike Ends in Retirement at Formula Drift Japan Rd. 3 Fuji - 07/28
Team RE Amemiya K & N’s Matsui Grabs D1 Tsukuba Victory - 07/24
Team 221 Roadster Takes Second Season Victory at S-Tai 5-Hours of Autopolis - 07/24
Unstoppable! Mad Mike Grabs Second Consecutive Victory! - 06/11
Mad Mike Dominates FDJ Suzuka with Phenomenal Performance - 06/05
Murakami Motors Roadster takes ST-5 class victory in S-Tai 24-Hours of Fuji - 05/25
Okada Demio Misses 3rd Place Podium by milliseconds - 05/01
NOPRO Axela SKY-D Grabs ST-2 Class 2nd at S-Tai SUGO - 04/10
Okada Demio 15MB Grabs JN3 Class 3rd in Debut Rally - 04/03
Three Roadsters Reach the Podium at S-Tai Opening Round at Suzuka
2017
- 10/31
Team Jinba Ittai’s Masahiro Sato Takes 2nd Place - 10/20
#37 NOPRO Demio SKY-D Rounds off Season with Consecutive ST-5 Class Victories - 10/02
Mad Mike Overwhelms the Competition to Take Victory at FD Okuibuki - 09/21
Team “Jinba Ittai’s” Kenta Yamashita Takes Dramatic Victory in IPS Pro Class - 09/08
NOPRO Demio Grabs Season First Victory - 08/24
Matsui’s RE Amemiya RX-7 Takes D1 Rd. 6 Tanso Victory - 07/27
Matsui’s RE Amemiya RX-7 Grabs 2nd Place at D1 Maishima - 07/18
Mazda Teams Dominate ST-5 Podium (S-Tai Autopolis) - 06/29
Sayaka Kato Takes Overall Victory in Fiercely Fought All-Female Fuji L1 - 06/28
Matsui’s RE Amemiya RX-7 Takes 10th Place at D1 Tsukuba - 06/13
Second Consecutive Lights-to-Flag Victory for Murakami Roadster - 05/02
Murakami Motors Roadster Grabs Season First Win at S-Tai SUGO - 04/04
Murakami Roadster Takes ST-5 class 3rd in S-Tai Opening Round - 03/09
NOPRO To Take On Super Taikyu with Axela SKY-D - 02/07
Karakama Demio Takes JN-3 Class 2nd at JRC Tsumagoi Opening Round
2016
11/25
Umeda in ND, Tsuji in NC Take Perfect 4 Race Victories. Okazawa Grabs V2 in NB- 11/25
NOPRO Demio SKY-D Finishes 2nd, Ends S-Tai Series at ST-5 Class 3rd - 11/11
Shimada Demio Takes JN-3 Class 2nd in JRC Shinshiro Rally - 11/10
48 Mazda Machines Converge for the “Fuji-Chan” Final Round - 10/24
TCR Roadster Achieves Hard Fought First ST4 Win - 09/07
MX-5 & Mazda 2 Fight Hard in S-Tai Longest Round, 9 Hours of Fuji - 08/11
RE Amemiya’s Matsui Battles it Out in Tsuiso & Tanso in D1GP Ebisu Round - 08/10
ND Roadster Takes Second All Japan Gymkhana Championship Victory! - 07/12
Terakawa Demio Grabs JN3 Class 2nd at JRC Rally Toya - 06/28
Iwai Takes First Tanso Victory in RE Roadster - 06/18
Karakama and Okada Demios Take 2nd and 3rd at All Japan JRC Fukushima Rally - 06/16
NOPRO Demio SKY-D Grabs First Victory at S-Tai Suzuka - 06/14
Okada Demio Takes JN3 Class 2nd in All Japan Wakasa Rally - 05/19
Murakami Motors ND Roadster Achieves Superb Lights-to-Flag Victory - 05/10
Nakanishi RX-8 Takes 2nd in JRC Rd. 2 Kumakogen Rally, Okada Demio Retires - 04/26
RE Amemiya’s Matsui Advances to First D1 Tsuiso Since Move - 04/14
Champion Okada Demio Finishes 2nd at JRC Karatsu Rally - 04/12
RD Roadster Makes Fuji Champion Race Debut! - 04/05
NOPRO Demio SKY-D Takes Class 2nd in S-Tai Opener - 03/28
RE Roadster Tears Through First Qualification
2015
- 11/28
20-year old Tsutsumi Becomes Party Race II’s Last Champion - 11/25
Tadashi Kawakita Grabs Class Championship in RX-7 – 2015 All Japan Gymkhana Review - 11/10
Joining the Okada Demio, the Mazda RX-8 also Grabs JRC Class Championship - 11/06
Champion Demio SKY-D Driver, Aya Machida, Tells Us About “Fuji-Chan” - 11/05
Aya Machida Comes Out on Top of Decisive Three Way Fuji Demio Battle - 10/31
NOPRO Demio SKY-D Takes 3rd Step on Podium at S-Tai Suzuka - 10/27
RE Amemiya GruppeM-RX7 Enthralls Crowd in Tsuiso - 10/22
Demio Monopolizes Podium at JRC Round 8 Highland Masters! - 09/25
Okada Demio Takes JN3 Class Victory at JRC Rd. 7 to Secure the Title! - 09/09
Murakami Motors NC Roadster Grabs First S-Tai Points at Rain Soaked Okayama - 09/09
Kawashima Demio SKY-D Grabs 3rd in All Japan Dirt Trial Rd 7 - 09/08
Okada Demio Takes Third Class Victory in JRC Rd 6, “Montre in Tsumagoi” - 09/08
RE Amemiya GruppeM-RX7 is Superb in Tsuisō - 09/08
Mazda WIM Selection Team Complete Roadster 4-Hour in 14th - 09/02
Aya Machida Takes FCR Rd 4 Victory in Demio SKY-D - 08/07
NOPRO Demio SKY-D Grabs 4th and TCR Roadster Takes 5th in Scorching S-Tai Kyushu. - 08/05
R MAGIC RX-7 Takes 4th in D1 Ebisu - 07/31
Terakawa Demio Grabs Consecutive JN3 Victories in JRC Fukushima - 07/11
Terakawa Demio Takes JN3 Class Victory in All Japan Rally Toyako - 07/06
Two MWIM Drivers Successfully Complete S-Tai 8 Hours - 07/04
Suenaga’s Team RE Amemiya GruppeM RX-7 Grabs 3rd - 07/01
Rina Ito Grabs First Podium at JRC Wakasa Rally - 06/25
Rain Causes High Drama in Fuji Championship Race Round 3 - 05/26
NOPRO Demio SKY-D Grabs 4th in Chaotic S-Tai Round 2 - 05/21
Matsui Advances to D1 “tsuiso” Tournament But Retires With Machine Trouble - 05/17
Two New Stars Again Dominate Roadster Party Race Ⅱ Round 2 at Tsukuba - 05/12
Okada Demio Grabs JN3 Class Winning Streak at All Japan Rally Kumakogen - 04/25
Demio SKYACTIV-D makes its Fuji Champion Race Debut. - 04/25
RX-7s Eliminated Early Despite Strong Performance - 04/19
After Fierce Battle Between 2 New Stars Tsutsumi Comes Out on Top - 04/14
Mazda Demio Takes JN3 Class Victory in All Japan Rally Karatsu - 03/30
DJ Demio SKYACTIV-D Completes S-Tai Opening Round - 03/26
SKYACTIV-D Demio’s Potential on Display at Dirt Trial - 03/18
Team TERRAMOS’s Umeda Takes A Lights-to-Flag Victory in Race Debut - 01/17
Huge crowd intoxicated by double performance of RX-8 and RX-7 D1GP Kickoff Drift
2014
- 12/02
Kawakita RX-7 Places 2nd In All Japan Gymkhana SA2 Class With 2 Season Wins. 2014 All Japan Gymkhana Review - 11/17
NOPRO Demio finishes 4th in close battle to take series 3rd - 11/08
Demio and RX-8 take double win at final round of All Japan Rally, Shinshiro Rally 2014 (Aichi Prefecture) - 10/30
Resurrected NOPRO Demio grabs 4th in ST-5 class, Super Taikyu Round 5 Suzuka - 10/23
Suenaga’s RE Amemiya RX-7 wins to become “tanso” champion D1 GP Round 7 Odaiba - 10/21
Mazda machines take 2 class victories at All Japan Rally’s MCSC Highland Masters - 09/11
NC Roadsters have solid finish. Misfortune causes NOPRO Demio to miss 3rd. Super Taikyu Series Round 4 - 09/10
A grandiose commemorative 25th Media Four Hours Endurance Race - 09/03
Nakamura RX-8 takes 3rd JN1 win at All Japan “Tango Hanto Rally” - 08/30
Matsui grabs first win in R Magic RX-7, Matsunaga rises to series 2nd D1GP Ebisu Round - 07/31
S-Tai series highlights, NOPRO Demio grabs 2nd at 7 Hours of Fuji - 07/30
Nakamura RX-8 takes 2nd JN1 win in All Japan Rally 
07/29
Matsui grabs P3 in D1GP in 2nd year as R Magic RX-7 driver- 07/10
Uda’s JN1 Demio takes second win of the season. Okada’s JN3 Demio grabs 3rd. - 06/13
Karakama Demio just misses 2nd place at the All Japan Rally, Fukushima - 05/30
NOPRO Demio takes 2nd step on the podium in the ST5 Class of the Super Taikyu Series Round 2 at SUGO - 05/27
RE Amemiya 3 Rotor RX-7 shows phenomenal competitiveness at D1GP Round 2 - 05/11
Consecutive wins for the Uda Demio at Round 2 of the All Japan Rally, the Kumakogen Rally - 04/17
Signs point at success for Mazda this season in the All Japan Rally Championship - 03/30
RX-8, advance into the D1 Best 16 thwarted by bad weather - 03/30
NOPRO DEMIO finishes 4th in ST5 class, TCR Roadster takes class 6th in it’s debut race at the S-Tai opening round (Twin Ring Motegi)
