Drift Masters skirmish on rain slicked public road.
The event - Motorhead Hakone Hill Climb II.
The second consecutive coming, the Hill Climb summons a collection of vintage icons and current race cars paired with legendary drivers.
Battling for time and style up the hallowed mountain pass, Hakone Turnpike (once known as Toyo Tires Turnpike) is etched deep into Japan’s motorsport history.
On a grim Odawara winters day, the race attracted two of the most recognizable characters in competitive drift, among a field of antique Formula One cars, endurance racers, grip monsters and hypercars.
2015 D1GP Champion Masato Kawabata and Scion factory backed Formula-D expat Ken Gushi.
Kawabata piloting the now well known 35RX, and Gushi at the wheel of the Toyo Tires demonstration Toyota 86.
Kawabata’s previous uphill attack in 2014 was dry, clear and he did it solo.
In this attempt, Gushi and Kawabata slide inches from each other on a rain greased road. Vision obscured by fog the pair slide in tandem past 100 metre cliff drops and through precarious bridge crossings.
The pair committed with confidence to a run that will go down in drifting history. Both fitted with Toyo Proxes R1R, wet grip and total control gave these doyens of drift the confidence they needed to tackle the conditions, to push as hard as possible.
Want to drive as hard as Kawabata and Gushi? Check out the Proxes R1R, available in fitments for your vehicle, here.
