Fuji Speedway: 1JZ Day Sept 19, 2010 — Part 1–

Hello my name is William Stall and this is my first blog post on Driftworks. I’m currently living in Japan and attend a bunch of drift events. I recently got in touch with Al and explained to him I would like to try a blog post on the Driftworks site. With an upcoming event, he invited me to go for it… so here it is. I am more of a visual person and like to express things visually. I am doing something a little different than your average blogger. I hope you enjoy it and please leave a comment on how you liked/disliked the article or things I could change in future articles.Also please visit my new blog site https://www.jdm-translate.blogspot.com for japanese car magazines articles translated into english. Become my friend on Facebook (jdm translate) to get up to minute news and more pictures and videos of the events I cover.

Now onto our story

Waking up at 6:00am, getting ready and leaving my house at 6:50am to pick up a friend that lives nearby.

I go outside and it’s about 85 degrees and it’s only 7:00am, I decide to steal the wife’s car instead of taking my car, the AE86 without air-conditioning.

I pulled up to my friend’s apartment to see him waiting outside eager to get going.

My friend (Joe) didn’t realize he was going to be doing the videotaping as I would be too busy with the picture taking, he wasn’t too happy about that idea but gave in once I said I’ll mention his name in my article.(done!! oh how so easily persuaded)

We pull on the Tomei Expressway headed toward Fuji, cruising along at 90kmh and about 10 Skyline GTR’s speed past us with the first two being R35 GTR’s. I tell my friend Joe to get the camera and start taping.

Now for my friend to get some good footage he says “I need to speed up to catch them”. I don’t think he realized I was driving my wife’s Nissan Cube. I stomp on the gas pedal as requested… and nothing. It slowly… slowly starts to pick up speed, but by this time the GTR’s aren’t even in visual sight anymore. I start cursing this car, but still thankful for the air-conditioning.

After a few minutes we see traffic ahead and now the GTR’s are back in sight in a perfect formation. I move to the outer lane for my friend to start taping.

Gotemba Off-ramp ahead!!   We veer off the exit to halted traffic. Hmm I say what’s up with all the Nissan GTR Skylines today. Paying no mind we head in to the hills to get to the speedway, our normal route to the entrance is blocked by construction so we are forced to go to the other entrance, make a left… make a right…boom we are in traffic again with a R35 GTR in front and back of us. My friend says must be track day for skylines today.

Ok, recap…it took us about a 1hr to go 50-60km, now that we are in traffic and about only 1km from the entrance to Fuji speedway…that also takes 1hr. Traffic in Japan is no joke I tell you.

First thing first…I have to use the bathroom real bad. I park at the Fuji speedway entrance, and my friend starts to video tape the incoming cars to the entrance.

We hop back in the car and get in the line to pay the entrance fee and we receive this flyer from the gate lady.

Nice !! They are having a R’s Meeting day, held by GT-R Magazine also at Fuji Speedway today that explains all the Skyline GTR’s. Funny thing is no mention of 1JZ Day.

We head up to the Driftpark where the 1JZ day is being held and look what we see.

No parking, but the Cube is small and can fit anywhere I say. I squeeze into a slot with no problems.

These are some of the cars we saw walking from my car to the event.

I didn’t realize the 1JZ Day was such a huge event as this is my first time attending. Standing in the middle of the event i snapped these 2 shots… One left and one right.

Next up in part 2 is the booths, cars and most importantly  the drifters of 1JZ day!