Check out famed professional D1GP driver Yoichi Imamura power-sliding his 690 horsepower 5.8-liter NASAR V8-powered Lexus LFA drifting in tandem with Tokita Masayoshi in a wicked Toyota Crown. This dynamic duo burn rubber up a mountain road in this slice of Option video, that’s also a slice of JDM heaven.
We must give Imamura props for having the fortitude to ditch the Lexus’ seductive V10 in favor of a NASCAR V8 that lacks the elegance of the Japanese powerplant. Imamura has been a mainstay in Japan’s D1 Grand Prix having competed in the series since 2001. He campaigns the LFA with the Auto Produce Boss team with tire support from Potenza. He previously served as hot-shoe for the A’PEXi team where he won the D1 championship in 2003 behind the wheel of the APEXi Mazda RX-7 FD3S. He won the D1 title three times in a row in the 2009 season with Team Boss with Potenza and the 2010, and 2011 seasons driving a Silvia S15 with the M7 Boss SGC with Dunlop team.
The 2015 campaign is certainly shaping up to be wild … imagine the cringes the first time Imamura slaps the wall with that pristine, angular LFA body work.