Kazama kickin Taniguchi's ass

Kazama has been totally awesome this year from what I have been able to see.

 

In windows media player if you goto File -> save as it saves it as a wmv

 

cool graphic.

 

I think I have the Option video with this race. Taniguchi is not to happy about the result if I remember correctly, and to be honest, I sort of understand him.

The thing with Kazama, and D1 in general really, is that extreme angles and smoke gives a better score than good line and speed. Kazama is great to watch, and he's no doubt spectacular, however, I still think Taniguchi is the better driver. Just take a look at the final round from Tsukuba last year. Taniguchi was fantastic there, and I still haven't really seen Kazama that good.

He has definately been good this year, but it just doesn't look like he is in 100% control all the time. And he probably isn't either. Still he manages to keep the car on the track by making a lot of corrections, but that's not really what makes a good driver. Taniguchi will probably never be able to let go as much as Kazama, due to his racing background. By instinct he will always balance the car on the edge, but never let it go completely.

I guess my racing background is what makes me feel this way. Kazama is just too much show and not enough finesse...

 

I actually agree FSR, it takes real skill to have precision and finesse, big smokey angles with lots of corrections are quite easy compared to holding it at a small angle but constantly around a few corners as Taniguchi does. But in the twin drift in that video I think Kazama is showing a lot of skill because he's basically screwing Taniguchi over on a few corners, practically stopping and messing him up, pushing right up behind him, etc. If you just had two single drifts then it would be different, but with the twin drift I think Kazama was pushing the boat out further.

It depends on how you look at it really, twin drifting is a bit of a battle, who can outrun/outdrift/outsmart the 'opponent'. Looking at it from that perspective Kazama is being a lot more sneaky and clever than Taniguchi in that video.

 

Sweet video. How much do you lot reckon these guys spend on repairs each season. They are always losing/breaking body parts and stuff.

 

Nothing at that level because they are all sponsored.

If you watch some of the amature stuff the cars normally look like patchwork quilts

 

That vid is Class

 

I haven't seen very much of this season's stuff, but, yes, Kazama seems to be on fire, compared to where he's been in previous years. He's definitely a more spectacular driver than Taniguchi, but then Taniguchi is one of the smoothest and most controlled. Taniguchi reminds me a bit of Colin McRae (bear with me ) when you watch the in car stuff. Everyone else'll be sawing at the wheel, making corrections here there and everywhere, whereas he'll simply do as much as is needed, and his style is more to my taste than a lot of the others, so smooth and neat and almost relaxing Kazama's more ragged, I think his car's hideous, but he has a much stronger personality, both in and out of the car, than Taniguchi, and that's what D1 seems to be about at the mo'.

Regarding the twin drift thing, some drivers seem to come alive when it's one-on-one. Take Asamoto for example. That guy's like a force of nature when he's behind someone else, basically bullying his opponent into submission. A bit of psychology is definitely involved at that level.

You could say that about D1 in general. I personally fidn watching the amateur stuff or the regional competiton stuff much more interesting than D1 now. D1's a bit like the drifting equivalent of WWF wrestling. Or am I being a bit too harsh?

 

A bit, perhaps

Still, this is just what happens when it becomes mainstream. Remember, the video of a thin and young Ueo drifting his rather rough looking AE86 is only four years old. A lot has happened since then, and I guess it could have been a lot worse. Drifting is supposed to be a show, and in that department Kazama is outstanding, allthough a bit to much for us here in Europe.

I'm still an Ueo fan though. He still makes my jaw drop from time to time. He's win at Sekia Hills last year was amazing...

 

These are worth a watch too, for those that haven't seen them - http://www.yokohamatire.jp/yrc/japan/tire/brand/streaming/video-02ad07.html



........and here's a link to a handy bit of software for downloading streaming vids, it's not the easiest software to use tho!

http://lycos26486.l97.lycos.com.cn/default.htm

 

what a cool vid , where did ya get the vid from ?

 

Nice. Gotta love that 996 at the start

 

On that Advan drift vid, did anyone else notice that Tanaka's 180sx has S14 rear lights

 

Nah i dont think it does. Its a K-Style car and they just remove the lower "indicator" part of the 180/200SX rear cluster give that one "line" of lights. I havent watched that video for a long time but i remember the car, and indeed the old Blue 180SX and Blue Sil80 Truck also had the same thing done...

S14 lights wrap around the body at the corners remember.