2007 D1 Grand Prix series

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The 2007 Autobacs D1 Grand Prix series was the seventh season for the D1 Grand Prix series and was the second season for its spinoff D1 Street Legal.

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It was the first time since 2003 that the entire series took place entirely in Japan.

It began on 4 February 2007, as a D1SL exclusive event at Sekia Hills, the mainstay D1GP event opened on 25 March at Ebisu Circuit. At the same year, due to its popularity of its US point scoring round that was held over three seasons, it saw an introduction of its own domestic series, but the series would suffer two setbacks as it suffered from two cancellations, one at Irwindale Speedway on 11 March, due to its Japanese competitors who were to compete, had been building cars specially to compete in the series and could not get the cars ready in time for the event [1]

The D1 US organisation suffered a further blow when due to unresolved issues, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors refused license to the D1 event to take place at Altamont Motorsports Park on 24 June, forcing it to be cancelled. [2]

It was to be the second season for the Malaysian franchise, D1MY; but due to unforeseen circumstances, round 1, which was to take place on March, was cancelled. Nothing has been heard about the organisation since. [3]

The season will be best remembered for the two-car accident between Masato Kawabata and Daigo Saito in Fuji Speedway, when during the sudden death second round, Saito dipped into the inner apex of the 300R corner, causing his car to understeer and collecting Kawabata's Silvia onto the tyre barrier in the process, severely destroyed both cars. Kawabata had a second luck escape as when he collided with the barrier, a nitrous tank housed on the passenger side of his vehicle exploded from the impact, but played no part in Kawabata's injury. Among those narrowly escaping death was Video Option cameraman, Zaku, had to duck to avoid debris from the crash. Both drivers survived without serious injuries, but however Kawabata had to be taken to hospital for treatment for whiplash injuries. [4] [5]

The season will end on 25 November with an end of season All-Star event. The last D1GP event held will be on 21 October at Fuji Speedway and 11 November for D1SL at Sekia Hills.

Changes for the 2007 Season

2007 Schedules

2007 D1 Grand Prix Point Series

Round 1 - March 24/25 - Ebisu South Course, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan - Nobushige Kumakubo (GDB)
Round 2 - April 28/29 - Fuji Speedway, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan - Atsushi Kuroi (PS13)
Round 3 - May 26/27- Suzuka Circuit, Mie Prefecture, Japan - Masao Suenaga (FD3S)
Round 4 - June 9/10 - Sports Land SUGO, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan - Masato Kawabata (S15)
Round 5 - August 25/26 - Ebisu South Course, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan - Ken Nomura (ER34)
Round 6 - September 22/23- Autopolis, Ōita Prefecture, Japan - Masato Kawabata (S15)
Round 7 - October 20/21 - Fuji Speedway, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan - Masao Suenaga (FD3S)

Round 1 - February 3/4 - Sekia Hills, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan - Kazuya Matsukawa (RPS13)
Round 2 - May 26/27 - Suzuka Circuit, Mie Prefecture, Japan (D1GP Week) - Yukiharu Komagata (GDB)
Round 3 - June 9/10- Sports Land SUGO, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan (D1GP Week) - Jin Horino (S14)
Round 4 - August 25/26 - Ebisu South Course, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan (D1GP Week) - Yukio Matsui (RPS13)
Round 5 - November 10/11- Sekia Hills, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan - Takashi Hagisako (RPS13)

Exhibition Rounds

D1GP Exhibition

Exhibition 1 - May 4/5 - Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey - Nobushige Kumakubo (GDB)
Exhibition 2 - July 13/14 - Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada - Youichi Imamura (Z33)
Exhibition 3 - November 24 - Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, California - Nobushige Kumakubo (CT9A)
All Star Duel - November 25 - Irwindale Speedway, Irwindale, California - Vaughn Gittin Jr. (S197)

Championship Results

Round 1

PositionDriverCarPoints
1st Nobushige Kumakubo Subaru Impreza GDB 20
2nd Masato Kawabata Nissan Silvia S15 18
3rd Masao Suenaga Mazda RX-7 FD3S 16
4th Tsuyoshi Tezuka Nissan Skyline BNR32 14
5th Tetsuya Hibino Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 13
6th Ken Nomura Nissan Skyline ER34 11
7th Katsuhiro Ueo Nissan Silvia S15 8
8th Takashi Haruyama Nissan Laurel C35 6
9th Tatsuya Sakuma Nissan Silvia S15 5
10th Takahiro Ueno Toyota Soarer JZZ30 3
11th Toshiki Yoshioka Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 1
12th Kazuhiro Tanaka Subaru Impreza GDB 1
13th Toru Inose Nissan Silvia S15 1
14th Yukio Matsui BMW M3 E36 1
15th Daigo Saito Toyota Mark II JZX90 1
16th Naoto Suenaga Subaru Impreza GC8 1

Round 2

PositionDriverCarPoints
1st Atsushi Kuroi Nissan Silvia PS13 21
2nd Masao Suenaga Mazda RX-7 FD3S 19
3rd Nobushige Kumakubo Subaru Impreza GDB 17
4th Masato Kawabata Nissan Silvia S15 15
5th Yoshinori Koguchi Nissan 180SX RPS13 12
6th Michihiro Takatori Nissan Skyline ER34 10
7th Daigo Saito Toyota Mark II JZX90 9
8th Tetsuya Hibino Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 6
9th Tsuyoshi Tezuka Nissan Skyline BNR32 5
10th Hideo Hiraoka Nissan Silvia S15 2
11th Naoto Suenaga Subaru Impreza GC8 2
12th Youichi Imamura Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 2
13th Ryoji Jinushi Toyota Soarer JZZ30 1
14th Toshiki Yoshioka Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 1
15th Takahiro Ueno Toyota Soarer JZZ30 1
16th Ken Nomura Nissan Skyline ER34 2

Round 3

PositionDriverCarPoints
1st Masao Suenaga Mazda RX-7 FD3S 21
2ndsee note-
3rd Youichi Imamura Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 16
4th Nobushige Kumakubo Subaru Impreza GDB 14
5th Kazuyoshi Okamura Nissan Silvia S15 12
6th Masato Kawabata Nissan Silvia S15 11
7th Ken Nomura Nissan Skyline ER34 8
8th Tsuyoshi Tezuka Nissan Skyline BNR32 7
9th Tsutomu Fujio Mazda RX-7 FD3S 4
10th Kazuhiro Tanaka Subaru Impreza GDB 2
11th Tomokazu Hirota Toyota Verossa JZX110 1
12th Toshiki Yoshioka Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 2
13th Kensaku Komoro Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 1
14th Atsushi Kuroi Nissan Silvia PS13 1
15th Toyohisa Matsuda Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 1
16th Tatsuya Sakuma Nissan Silvia S15 1

note. Tetsuya Hibino was originally awarded second place but was later disqualified after it was revealed that he had deliberately swerved into the path of Suenaga's car before the first corner during a Sudden Death match, causing a collision. Therefore, Hibino was stripped of his position and no second place was awarded. [8] [9]

Round 4

PositionDriverCarPoints
1st Masato Kawabata Nissan Silvia S15 20
2nd Nobushige Kumakubo Subaru Impreza GDB 18
3rd Hideo Hiraoka Nissan Silvia S15 16
4th Masao Suenaga Mazda RX-7 FD3S 14
5th Toru Inose Nissan Silvia S15 13
6th Ken Nomura Nissan Skyline ER34 11
7th Akinori Utsumi Nissan Silvia PS13 8
8th Toshiki Yoshioka Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 6
9th Kuniaki Takahashi Toyota Chaser JZX100 5
10th Youichi Imamura Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 3
11th Takahiro Ueno Toyota Soarer JZZ30 1
12th Tsuyoshi Tezuka Nissan Skyline BNR32 1
13th Masayoshi Tokita Toyota Soarer MZ12 1
14th Kazuhiro Tanaka Subaru Impreza GDB 2
15th Tomokazu Hirota Toyota Verossa JZX110 2
16th Michihiro Takatori Nissan Skyline ER34 2

Round 5

PositionDriverCarPoints
1st Ken Nomura Nissan Skyline ER34 20
2nd Akinori Utsumi Nissan Silvia PS13 18
3rd Tsuyoshi Tezuka Nissan Skyline BNR32 16
4th Kensaku Komoro Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 14
5th Masato Kawabata Nissan Silvia S15 13
6th Daigo Saito Toyota Mark II JZX100 10
7th Tetsuya Hibino Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 8
8th Nobushige Kumakubo Mitsubishi Evolution IX CT9A 6
9th Toshiki Yoshioka Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 4
10th Toru Inose Nissan Silvia S15 2
11th Masao Suenaga Mazda RX-7 FD3S 1
12th Atsushi Kuroi Nissan Silvia PS13 1
13th Tomokazu Hirota Toyota Verossa JZX110 1
14thHiroshi Fukuda Nissan 180SX RPS13 1
15th Ken Maeda Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 1
16th Hideo Hiraoka Nissan Silvia S15 2

Round 6

PositionDriverCarPoints
1st Masato Kawabata Nissan Silvia S15 21
2nd Takahiro Ueno Toyota Soarer JZZ30 19
3rd Youichi Imamura Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 16
4th Tatsuya Sakuma Nissan Silvia S15 15
5th Toshiki Yoshioka Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 13
6th Daigo Saito Toyota Mark II JZX100 10
7th Tsuyoshi Tezuka Nissan Skyline BNR32 9
8th Nobushige Kumakubo Mitsubishi Evolution IX CT9A 7
9th Masayoshi Tokita Toyota Soarer MZ12 4
10th Ken Nomura Nissan Skyline ER34 3
11th Hisashi Oginome Nissan Silvia S15 1
12th Atsushi Kuroi Nissan Silvia PS13 1
13th Masao Suenaga Mazda RX-7 FD3S 1
14th Toru Inose Nissan Silvia S14 1
15th Michihiro Takatori Nissan Skyline ER34 1
16th Kazuyoshi Okamura Nissan Silvia S15 1

Round 7

PositionDriverCarPoints
1st Masao Suenaga Mazda RX-7 FD3S 20
2nd Yoshinori Koguchi Nissan 180SX RPS13 19
3rd Nobushige Kumakubo Mitsubishi Evolution IX CT9A 17
4th Youichi Imamura Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 14
5th Toshiki Yoshioka Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 12
6th Daigo Saito Toyota Mark II JZX100 11
7th Tsuyoshi Tezuka Nissan Skyline BNR32 9
8th Toru Inose Nissan Silvia S15 6
9th Takahiro Ueno Toyota Soarer JZZ30 5
10th Tatsuya Sakuma Nissan Silvia S15 2
11th Ken Nomura Nissan Skyline ER34 2
12th Masato Kawabata Nissan Silvia S15 2
13th Akinori Utsumi Nissan Silvia PS13 1
14th Hisashi Oginome Nissan Silvia S15 1
15th Atsushi Kuroi Nissan Silvia PS13 1
16th Tetsuya Hibino Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 2

Final Championship Results

D1GP

PositionDriverCarrd.1rd.2rd.3rd.4rd.5rd.6rd.7Total
1st Masato Kawabata Nissan Silvia S15 1815112013212100
2nd Nobushige Kumakubo Subaru Impreza GDB / Mitsubishi Evolution IX CT9A 20171418671799
3rd Masao Suenaga Mazda RX-7 FD3S 16192114112092
4th Tsuyoshi Tezuka Nissan Skyline BNR32 14571169961
5th Ken Nomura Nissan Skyline ER34 112811203257
6th Youichi Imamura Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 -2163-161451
7th Daigo Saito Toyota Mark II JZX90 / Toyota Mark II JZX100 19--10101141
8th Toshiki Yoshioka Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 11264131239
9th Yoshinori Koguchi Nissan 180SX RPS13 -12----1931
10th Takahiro Ueno Toyota Soarer JZZ30 31-1-19529
10th Tetsuya Hibino Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 136--8-229
12th Akinori Utsumi Nissan Silvia PS13 ---818-127
13th Atsushi Kuroi Nissan Silvia PS13 -211-21126
14th Tatsuya Sakuma Nissan Silvia S15 5-1--15223
14th Toru Inose Nissan Silvia S15 / Nissan Silvia S14 1--1321623
16th Hideo Hiraoka Nissan Silvia S15 -2-162--20
17th Kensaku Komoro Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 --1-14--15
18th Kazuyoshi Okamura Nissan Silvia S15 --12--1-13
18th Michihiro Takatori Nissan Skyline ER34 -10-2-1-13
20th Katsuhiro Ueo Nissan Silvia S15 8------8
21st Takashi Haruyama Nissan Laurel C35 6------6
22nd Masayoshi Tokita Toyota Soarer MZ12 ---1-4-5
22nd Kuniaki Takahashi Toyota Chaser JZX100 ---5---5
22nd Kazuhiro Tanaka Subaru Impreza GDB 1-22---5
25th Tsutomu Fujio Mazda RX-7 FD3S --4----4
25th Tomokazu Hirota Toyota Verossa JZX110 --121--4
27th Naoto Suenaga Subaru Impreza GC8 12-----3
28th Hisashi Oginome Nissan Silvia S15 -----112
29th Ryoji Jinushi Toyota Soarer JZZ30 -1-----1
29th Yukio Matsui BMW M3 E36 1------1
29thHiroshi Fukuda Nissan 180SX RPS13 ----1--1
29th Toyohisa Matsuda Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 --1----1
29th Ken Maeda Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 ----1--1

D1SL

PositionDriverCarrd.1rd.2rd.3rd.4rd.5Total
1st Kazuya Matsukawa Nissan 180SX RPS13 20210181363
2nd Yukio Matsui Nissan 180SX RPS13 10151201056
3rd Takashi Hagisako Nissan Silvia PS13 149612151
4th Yukiharu Komagata Subaru Impreza GDB -20-11839
5th Naoki Nakamura Nissan 180SX RPS13 / Nissan Silvia S15 -18--1533
6th Katsuhiro Ueo Nissan Silvia S15 210111731
7th Naoto Suenaga Nissan Silvia PS13 12--16-28
8th Tetsuya Hibino Nissan Silvia S15 --1214127
9th Shinya Kaneoka Nissan Silvia S15 / Nissan Skyline ER34 / Nissan 180SX RPS13 112--821
10th Jin Horino Nissan Silvia S14 --20--20
10th Shinichiro Yasukouchi Nissan Silvia PS13 181--120
12th Kosuke Kamiya Nissan Silvia PS13 --18--18
12th Tomohiro Murayama Nissan 180SX RPS13 --162-18
14th Kazutaka Yamashita Mazda RX-7 FD3S 16---117
14th Kazuyoshi Okamura Nissan Silvia S15 / Nissan Fairlady Z Z33 116---17
16th Naoya Yamano Nissan Silvia S15 -114--15
16th Akihiko Hirashima Nissan 180SX RPS13 / Nissan Silvia S14 1--12215
18th Masami Mikami Nissan Silvia S14 -1-10213
18th Iwajiro Honma Nissan Skyline ECR32 -1-6613
20th Seimi Tanaka Nissan Silvia S14 1611110
21stYuji Nakamura Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 8----8
21st Shinji Iida Nissan Silvia S14 --8--8
21st Kenji Kiguhi Nissan Laurel C33 ---8-8
21st Shiro Deura Nissan Silvia S14 611--8
21st Masashi Yokoi Nissan Silvia S14 / Nissan Silvia S15 4--4-8
26th Hiroyuki Fukushima Nissan Silvia PS13 -4-1-5
27th Kiyofumi Jikuyama Nissan Silvia S15 --4--4
27th Shigenobu Koga Nissan Silvia PS13 ----44
29th Tomokazu Nakao Nissan Silvia S14 2----2
29th Hidesige Izu Nissan Silvia S15 --2--2
29th Shuichi Yoshioka Toyota Chaser JZX100 --11-2
29th Osamu Yamaguchi Nissan Silvia S14 2----2
33rd Takashi Hiyane Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 -1---1
33rd Tetsuro Nakata Toyota Mark II JZX110 / Toyota Mark II JZX100 --1--1
33rd Takayuki Minami Nissan Silvia PS13 ----11

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "D1 Grand Prix USA » News » Drift Japan: 2007 D1GP USA March 10-11th Irwindale Canceled". Archived from the original on 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
  2. ↑ "D1 Grand Prix USA » News » Drift Japan: Alameda County Bans Drifting - D1 Grand Prix Canceled". Archived from the original on 2007-09-22. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
  3. ↑ Official D1 Grand Prix Malaysia Website Archived 2007-09-22 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ [ D1GP/D1SL NEWS REPORT ] J.D.M. OPTION INTERNATIONAL (2007)
  5. ↑ YouTube – Broadcast Yourself
  6. ↑ JDM OPTION / Vol.38 - Driftworks Drifting Shop Archived 2007-10-27 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Video Option Vol. 156
  8. ↑ [ D1GP/D1SL NEWS REPORT ] J.D.M. OPTION INTERNATIONAL
  9. ↑ Video Option Vol. 160

Sources

D1GP.co.jp / D1GP.com

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