Wrecked Magazine
Well-Known Member
Well it looks like after this 2010 season the guys over here at D1GP USA weren’t the only ones having issues. My buddy Adam over at 7Tune broke this story this morning which I have been working on at the Wrecked Magazine office all weekend. Keiichi Tsuchiya confirmed on his blog he is pulling out of the D1GP series due to “disagreements with other members.” He has also vowed to start a new series from scratch. Keiichi Tsuchiya went as far to say this, “I am sorry to the fans and sponsors. We are going to start from zero and create a new future for drift in Japan.”
On top of all these issues Kazuyoshi Okamura (president of Yashio Factory) came out and said “Daijiro started talking earlier this year about D1 being finished if it stays like this…”, while going to say that, “…the distortion of the principles behind the D1 series has been growing for some time now and continues to grow.”
This comes as huge news and a large shock wave for the Japanese series. Politics and a superiority complex have seem to dominate the series decisions globally and internally for the last few years. On top of everything that 7Tune is reporting we have been told by more than one D1GP team now that Yokohama Tires won’t be returning to D1GP in 2011. This is a huge hit to the series on top of Inada and Tsuchiya leaving I don’t have much hope for D1GP in 2011. So make sure you enjoy the end of this year on Speed Channel because it might be the last of D1GP in history. After you look over this timeline it might not come as a shocker to hear what is happening over in Japan right now. Hopefully these two masterminds of the culture and sport can put together a much better series in the near future and we can leave D1GP and all it’s antics in the past.
Wrecked Magazine Timeline of D1GP Events:
November 2007: D1GP Employees Walk Out Days Before Thanksgiving Event
D1GP: Media Director and Moto quit days before Thanksgiving Event
January 2008: Nomuken Unveils Nissan GT-R (Never Drifted in D1GP to Date)
Tokyo Auto Salon Day 1
March 2008: D1GP Announces All-Star Event at Irwindale (Never Happens)
D1GP: All Star Event at Irwindale?!
July 2008: Yoshioka, Miki and Orido Are at Formula Drift Las Vegas
The rumors have come true: Orido is here!
August 2008: The buzz about a D1GP USA Return Hits Wrecked Magazine
Rumors flair about D1GP’s “2009 Season”
October 2008: D1GP Declines Redbull World Championship Invites
D1 Grand Prix up to typical crybaby antics
October 2008: D1GP Forces Daigo Saito to Not Drive at Redbull World Championship
More Redbull Drift Drama: Daigo Saito Not Coming Anymore
October 2008: 2009 D1GP USA Series is Announced
Have no Fear, 2009 D1 series is here!
November 2008: Formula Drift Breaks Silence and Explains Why No D1GP at RBWC
Formula D speaks out about D1/Redbull Drama on Drifting.com
January 2009: Daigo Saito Unveils Ford Mustang (Never Drifted in D1GP to Date)
Daigo Saito’s Drifting Ford Mustang Overload
March 2009: Team Writes “The Rise and Fall of D1″ Talking About Favoritism by Judges
Hashiriya Exports speaks out against D1GP Japan
March 2009: D1GP Announces FOX TV Deal That Never Happens
D1GP set to announce FOX Affiliate Deal this week
July 2009: James Bondurant Fined $10k and Kicked From D1GP
D1GP USA Bans James Bondurant and Issues $10,000 Fine
August 2009: Quoc Ly Flips and People From Stands Walk on Track to Help
Quoc Ly Flips at D1GP USA Chicago [VIDEO]
August 2009: Team Orange Refuses to Compete and Throws Trophy in Trash
Team Orange Refuse to Tandem at D1GP Chicago and More!?
August 2009: Team Orange Fined $17,500 by D1GP and Leaves USA
D1GP USA Lays Down the Law – Team Orange Fined $17,500
March 2010: They Announce Some Secret World Drifting Forum That Nobody Cares About
Confidential D1GP Documents Leaked to Wrecked Magazine
June 2010: D1GP Finally Announces 2010 Schedule (Never Happens)
D1 Grand Prix Announces 2010 USA Schedule – In June?
June 2010: We Point Out the D1GP USA Marketing Deck is Full of Shit
D1 Grand Prix USA Marketing Deck – Full of Lies and Misinformation
July 2010: D1GP USA Pushes Back First Round of 2010 in Texas to Later Date
D1GP to Push Back Round 1/2 Texas Dates to September or Later [RUMORMILL]
August 2010: D1GP USA Finally Admits No 2010 Series is Happening
D1GP Not Coming to the United States in 2010 – We are Not Shocked
More...
