Youichi Imamura Explained

Youichi Imamura
今村陽一
Birth Date:11 May 1976
Birth Place:Kai, Yamanashi Prefecture
Current Series:D1 Grand Prix
Former Teams:MMM Racing, OTG Motorsport, Nichiei Racing, Auto Produce BOSS, Top Secret with ORC, A'PEXi, I.C.B.M.
Wins:16
Titles:4
Title Years: 2011
Years Active: - 2019

is a Japanese professional drifting driver, currently serving as a judge in Formula Drift Japan after he stopped competing in 2019.

He has always enjoyed driving, so drifting was a natural thing for him. His other passion is flowers as his parents ran a florist business and he has always helped them out. So he has always known that he would be a florist, when he is not drifting he is working in a florists in Yamanashi called Silky House. His favourite time of the week is when he and his wife drive out to collect stock, Sometimes he cannot make it as he is at a photo shoot or a D1 event, so he uses the internet to check up.

He has been competing in the D1 Grand Prix series since it began in October 2000. His first successful year was the season where he won the series title in his A'PEXi Mazda RX-7 (FD3S). After A'PEXi left the series he switched to ORC and has been working with the team to improve the performance of the Nissan Fairlady Z coming in sixth in the series. In 2008, he switched to the newly formed team Auto Produce Boss with Potenza D-1 Project, driving their Nissan Silvia S15 which was actually Yasuyuki Kazama's 2005 Championship car. He went on to win the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Series Championship in this car, making him the only driver with the most championship titles at four, the first driver to win titles in consecutive years, the second driver with the most wins at 16 after Daigo Saito. He remained compete in D1 driving for Nichiei Racing, OTG Motorsports and MMM Racing, he stopped competing after 2019 season and now became one of the judge for Formula Drift Japan

Like rival drifter who he was team mate to, Ryuji Miki, he also competed in the Net'z Cup, a one make series for the Toyota Altezza between 2005 and its final season in 2006,[1] his racing antics were documented twice on Video Option.

Complete drifting results

D1 Grand Prix

YearEntrantCar12345678PositionPoints
I.C.B.M.Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86EBS
1
NIK
6
BHH
8
EBS
5
NIK
2
2nd66
A'PEXiToyota Altezza SXE10BHH
TAN
EBS
TAN
SGO
TAN
5th54
Mazda RX-7 FD3STKB
1
EBS
7
SEK
8
NIK
1
A'PEXiMazda RX-7 FD3STKB
4
BHH
3
SGO
2
FUJ
1
EBS
1
SEK
16
TKB
2
1st106
A'PEXiMazda RX-7 FD3SIRW
16
SGO
6
EBS
6
APS
ODB
2
EBS
1
TKB
1
3rd78
A'PEXiMazda RX-7 FD3SIRW
2
ODB
9
SGO
5
APS
16
EBS
5
FUJ
16
TKB
1
3rd68
ORC with Top SecretNissan Fairlady Z Z33IRW
16
SGO
9
FUJ
8
APS
TAN
EBS
SUZ
FUJ
16
IRW
8
15th19
ORC with Top SecretNissan Fairlady Z Z33EBS
DNQ
FUJ
12
SUZ
3
SGO
10
EBS
TAN
APS
3
FUJ
4
6th51
Auto Produce Boss with Potenza D-1 ProjectNissan Silvia S15EBS
7
FUJ
14
SUZ
5
OKY
1
APS
4
EBS
FUJ
3rd70
2009Auto Produce Boss with Potenza D-1 ProjectNissan Silvia S15EBS
2
APS
1
OKY
6
OKY
8
EBS
4
EBS
6
FUJ
3
FUJ
4
1st130
2010M7 Boss SGC with DunlopNissan Silvia S15ODB
1
APS
5
FUJ
1
OKY
3
EBS
6
EBS
1
FUJ
13
1st122

Sources

References

  1. BATTLEGEAR.NET レース&イベントレポート