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8:55am and the sky
was clear in Kapolei, starting off a great day at the Drift Session!
The main gate opened promptly at 9am and drivers filed into the
track ready for another day of drifting in paradise.
Following the success
of our event format at the May 30th nighttime Drift Session, we
continued the use of the same format, allowing drivers to choose
from 3 separate courses and keeping the use of single and multiple
vehicle lines for both the Road Course and Long Course Turn 1.
Drivers quickly found that this new event format reduced wait times
and previously long lines to almost nothing. Drivers quickly
circulated around the track with the freedom to drift quickly and
easily at will.
K-Drift 103.9 FM,
Drift Session Radio was quickly set up at the Sportcraft Racing
trailer allowing the event staff to quickly communicate with drivers
and spectators around the facility without the use of earsplitting
loudspeakers.
One driver in
particular was interviewed, live on the mic today: Ross Petty
stopped by to check out the action and visit with friends. Here in
Hawaii for his last day before departing for the mainland, Ross was
without his own car for the first time in 2 years. Ross had recently
parted out his championship vehicle believing that getting rid of
that vehicle is the next step for his progress as a driver. Ross
vows to return to Hawaii with yet another bigger and more powerful
vehicle soon.
But before he can
build himself another vehicle, Ross will be leaving for Detroit
where he plans on building a vehicle for his brother. Shortly after
that project, Ross will then travel to California to compete in the
Formula D drifting series driving a FD RX7 sponsored by Rotory Power
and Grip Video. Good luck Ross!
Speaking of Formula
D, local driver Steve Oliberos wasn't at today's Drift Session
because he was busy in Texas at today's Formula D competition. An
accident in Friday's practice session sent Steve into the barrier,
smashing the front end of his vehicle and putting him out of
competition for this event. Luckily Steve is okay, but his chances
of representing Hawaii on the mainland will have to temporarily be
put on hold.
Similar luck in the
Oliberos family stuck home here in Hawaii as well. Veteran drifter
Shane Oliberos was attempting to clear the Sweeper when his car
straightened out and went careening into the outer tire barrier at
the Sweeper's exit. Shane's blue S13 climbed the tire barrier,
sending his car airborne in a corkscrew motion only to come crashing
down on his roof. Tires exploded across the roadway as a sickening
crunch was accompanied by thousands of pieces of shattered glass.
The Drift Session's
emergency team was notified, but before the staff could even get to
the site, various drivers and spectators had already gone to Shane's
aid, got him out of the vehicle and flipped his car back
right-side-up. A visitor from Japan, Mr. Ryo Nagaoka of Cross Over
Yokohama tuning shop was amazed at the Hawaii drivers level of
concern for their fellow driver. He commented that in Japan most
other drivers wouldn't care if you crashed, so he was deeply
impressed by the Hawaii drivers.
Mr. Nagaoka is yet
another visitor from the Land of the Rising Sun. He and his friends
had heard about the Drift Session and made arrangements to visit to
see the level of driving here in Hawaii. Mr. Nagaoka said that he
was impressed by all of the Hawaii drivers and is amazed that
they've gained this amount of skill after only having access to
legal drifting events for under 3 years.
As 1:30pm rolled
around, a select few drivers made their way down to the Long Course
Turn 1 for the 2004 Drift Session Championship Points Series. Only 7
drivers entered this month's competition, leaving the way open for
competitor favorites like Barry Wong and Royce Fujimoto. In the end,
season points leader Barry Wong spun out in Turn 1's exit, giving
him a no score. Royce Fujimoto executed an amazing drift, but a
mid-drift stutter caused him to lose his rhythm. Once again, Shige
Hirabayashi in his SR20 powered 240sx managed to pull out the win,
taking home the cash prize pot and 5 gallons of 103 octane race gas
provided by Sportcraft Racing.
After the competition
finished, the Road Course was buzzing with activity. The multiple
vehicle line was in constant use as veteran drivers lined up for 4 -
5 car passes. The action was intense as drivers slid though the
Off-Camber and Sweeper literally inches off each other's bumpers.
The skill levels of Hawaii's drivers are definitely increasing as
the practice gets more and more intense at each event.
Finishing out the day
at 3pm, drivers made their final runs and returned to their pit
areas to pack up. Like most post-Drift Sessions, dozens of drivers
made their way down the road to Kapolei Wendy's for a 3pm lunch of
99 cent value menu items. Shortly after eating, the video cameras
were broken out and drivers could be seen huddling around 2 inch
monitors to replay the day's action.
Once again, another
great day at the Drift Session has finished, and everyone went home
safely to await the next month's event.
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