Formula Drift Japan's fifth round at Grand Snow Okuibuki on September 6 came down to a generational final. Defending champion Kazumi Takahashi, 35, beat 15-year-old Soshiro Nakamura; according to Nikkan Sports, the two cars made contact in the third corner zone on RUN2, after which Nakamura's Toyota GR86 spun.
It is Takahashi's second consecutive win, following Round 4 at Sportsland SUGO. His car, for the record, is a BMW E92 — pro drifting in Japan stopped being a JDM-only affair years ago — while the story on the other side of the bracket is as JDM as it gets: Nakamura, the reigning FDJ2 champion, reached the final against the defending champion at fifteen, in a Toyota GR86.
Takahashi was candid afterward, telling Nikkan Sports that his car was at its limit and that luck had played a part in the win.
Okayama hosts the season finale
The final round runs October 3–4 at Okayama International Circuit, where Takahashi — last year's champion — has committed to chasing the win. A fifteen-year-old reaching a pro final against the defending champion is a remarkable line on its own, and Japanese drift has always exported its storylines along with its cars.
Drift remains one of Japan's most successful cultural exports on four wheels, from Formula Drift Japan's own exhibition runs at Toyota events to the global aftermarket it feeds. Watch the Okayama finale for how this one resolves.