(PHOTOS) D1 GRAND PRIX MIAMI 2009 Practice Day

[INFO]

http://www.subjectmediagroup.com/d1gpmiami1/

[YOitzJDM]

i spy shorts on a hot track... who needs professionalism!

[YOitzJDM]

more pics:

http://www.ourcoolphotos.com/2009d1qualifying and http://www.ourcoolphotos.com/p1027103595


looks like a super professional setup

some updates:
Forrest is the top US guy... buncha FL locals are still in it including Esteban Falero, Jason Jiovanni, Bill Sherman, and some others. Chelsea Denofa, Aaron Losey, Quoc Ly, Will Parsons, and Russell Walker also qualified, and of course the J guys are still doing good - saito, nomura, ueno, tanaka, etc...

Seems like there's been some torrential downpours all weekend, and there's a huge puddle right at the initiation point. I think this will favor the J drivers who are used to the rain, but the FL drivers might do well too.

[YOitzJDM]

there's updates at the top of the forum on sfldrifters.com


[30-05, 14:20] SFLDrifters.com Saito vs. Parsons
[30-05, 14:20] SFLDrifters.com Saito leading. Looks like saito had the advantage
[30-05, 14:22] SFLDrifters.com Parsons leading now. Saito passes Parsons. Advantage Saito. Saito advances.

[30-05, 14:23] SFLDrifters.com Losey vs. Falero. Losey leading.
[30-05, 14:25] SFLDrifters.com It was close but looked like Losey had a slight advantage
[30-05, 14:26] SFLDrifters.com Falero leading now. Losey was on Estie. Crowd is calling for a one more time.[30-05, 14:27] SFLDrifters.com Judges felt otherwise, Losey advances.

[30-05, 14:30] SFLDrifters.com Forrest Wang encountered car issues causing him to get knocked out. Ly advances - broken axle

[YOitzJDM]

[30-05, 14:34] SFLDrifters.com Tanaka vs. Lenionen. Tanaka leading as Lenionen straightens out going into the first turn. Advantage Tanaka
[30-05, 14:36] SFLDrifters.com Lenonen leads but can't escape Tanaka's aggressive attack. Tanaka advances.

[30-05, 14:38] SFLDrifters.com Ueno vs. Hokkanen. Ueno leading.
[30-05, 14:40] SFLDrifters.com Ueno leads but Hokkanen follows closely behind. Tough call on who had the advantage
[30-05, 14:42] SFLDrifters.com Hokkanen leads and Ueno ends up tapping Hokkanen. Before the hit, Ueno straightened. Hokkanen advances.

[30-05, 14:43] SFLDrifters.com DeNofa vs. Sherman. DeNofa leading.
[30-05, 14:46] SFLDrifters.com DeNofa leads but Sherman follows the wrong line and ends up tapping the wall. Slight damage was made to the rear bumper and wheel.
[30-05, 14:51] SFLDrifters.com Sherman leading now. Sherman can't pull an advantage. DeNofa advances.

[30-05, 14:53] SFLDrifters.com Nomuken vs. Walker. Nomuken leading.
[30-05, 14:55] SFLDrifters.com Nomuken leading. Walker spins going into the first turn. Advantage Nomuken.
[30-05, 14:57] SFLDrifters.com drivers switch. Walker can't pull an advantage. Nomuken advances.

[30-05, 14:58] SFLDrifters.com Yoshioka vs. Jiovani. Yoshioka leading.
[30-05, 15:00] SFLDrifters.com Advantage goes to Yoshioka as Jiovani straightens out into the first turn.
[30-05, 15:02] SFLDrifters.com OMG. Jiovani goes wide and gets passed by Yoshioka. Yoshioka advances. And that concludes the Top 16 battles

top 8 SHOULD be:
Saito vs Losey
Ly vs Tanaka
Hokkanen vs Denofa
Nomuken vs Yoshioka

[OldSkool510]

Thanks for the updates....

[YOitzJDM]

top 8

[30-05, 15:40] SFLDrifters.com Saito vs. Losey. Saito leading. Advantage goes to Saito.
[30-05, 15:41] SFLDrifters.com Losey leading now. Saito closing the gap to inches. Saito advances.

[30-05, 15:42] SFLDrifters.com Tanaka vs. Ly. Tanaka leading.
[30-05, 15:45] SFLDrifters.com Tanaka leads and both drivers do well in their run. But Tanaka manages to gain the advantage.
[30-05, 15:46] SFLDrifters.com Drivers switch and Tanaka stays closely behind Ly. Advantage goes to Tanaka and he advances.

[YOitzJDM]

[30-05, 15:46] SFLDrifters.com DeNofa vs. Hokkanen. DeNofa leading.
[30-05, 15:49] SFLDrifters.com Hokkanen follows but can't manage to close the gap. Advantage DeNofa.
[30-05, 15:52] SFLDrifters.com Drivers switch positions. Hokkanen goes wide but DeNofa manages to cut the gap. Judges feel it's too close to call. They call for a "One More Time"
[30-05, 15:53] SFLDrifters.com Chelsea leads again and manages to get the advantage.
[30-05, 15:55] SFLDrifters.com Drivers switch positions and it looked like Hokkanen blew a tire. Judges felt Hokkanene did better and have him advance. The crowd aren't pleased with the decision.

[30-05, 15:57] SFLDrifters.com Yoshioka vs. Nomuken. Yoshioka leading.
[30-05, 16:00] SFLDrifters.com Both drivers driving their best. Neither gets an advantage over the other. Same thing happens again as the switch. One more time!
[30-05, 16:01] SFLDrifters.com Wow. Yoshioka goes way too wide causing him to get passed by Nomuken.
[30-05, 16:03] SFLDrifters.com Nomuken leading now. Yoshioka can't get an advantage. Nomuken advances.


Top 4
[30-05, 16:06] SFLDrifters.com Saito vs. Tanaka. Saito leading.
[30-05, 16:08] SFLDrifters.com Both drivers looking flawless out there. I can't see either having an advantage.
[30-05, 16:10] SFLDrifters.com Drivers switch and Saito inches from Tanaka. Judges advance Saito.
[30-05, 16:13] SFLDrifters.com Nomuken vs. Hokkanen. Nomuken leads as Hokkanen straightens out going into the first turn. Advantage Nomuken.
[30-05, 16:15] SFLDrifters.com Nomuken follows and manages not to slip up as he gains the advantage to advance.

Final Round:
[30-05, 16:27] SFLDrifters.com Saito vs. Nomuken. Saito leading. Both drivers driving flawless side-by-side
[30-05, 16:29] SFLDrifters.com Drivers switch. It's crazy how both drivers are doing so well. Crowd wants one more time!
[30-05, 16:30] SFLDrifters.com Here we go again. No wait. Nomuken needs a tire changed.
[30-05, 16:32] SFLDrifters.com Ok, here we go. Saito leads and again too close to call.
[30-05, 16:34] SFLDrifters.com But the judges have come to a decision.

[YOitzJDM]

[30-05, 17:04] SFLDrifters.com 1. Saito 2. Nomuken 3. Hokkanen

all 3 are drivers that were flown in by D1GP... anyone else feel that this isn't really fair?

it's kinda like the circus... it travels around to different towns, but it's always the same act of characters.

[OldSkool510]

Heard of the Harlem Globetrotters? They should just change the name of D1 to the "Japanese Globetrotters, The Traveling Drift Show." lol

Did Nomuken throw a bucket of confetti at Saito?

[Vastaheitto.com]

[30-05, 17:04] SFLDrifters.com 1. Saito 2. Nomuken 3. Hokkanen

all 3 are drivers that were flown in by D1GP... anyone else feel that this isn't really fair?

You don't know what you're talking about. Hokkanen, like the other two Finns Leinonen and Rintanen too, pays all the flights, hotels, entry fees and other expenses from his own pocket. These guys have made huge personal sacrifices to be able to make the trips to the other side of the world to compete against the Japanese and American drivers. What isn't fair is you trying to lessen their accomplishments.

On behalf of the whole Finnish drifting community I'd like to pass my congratulations to Harri Hokkanen for his unbelievable 3rd place finish and Janne Leinonen for an awesome top 16 result.

[fast-finn]

[30-05, 17:04] SFLDrifters.com 1. Saito 2. Nomuken 3. Hokkanen

all 3 are drivers that were flown in by D1GP... anyone else feel that this isn't really fair?

it's kinda like the circus... it travels around to different towns, but it's always the same act of characters.

WOW intresting to see statements made by a person who has no IDEA what the truth is! Check your facts from somewhere else than this forum before you make statements like that.

[Bebop]

Fast Finn

So what are the facts

even D1 said on this forum that the Finnish drivers are transported by D1GP

who's paying for they're trackside support?

[fast-finn]

Fast Finn

So what are the facts

even D1 said on this forum that the Finnish drivers are transported by D1GP

who's paying for they're trackside support?

Yes D1 is paying for their car transportation inside USA after they (meaning the drivers not D1) paid close to $10 000 just to get their cars in to the first event, but they are also doing the same to several US drivers. Their plain tickets, hotels, fuel, tires, parts, etc... is all paid by the drivers or their sponsors. Seems like someone is spreading rumors that they are getting paid to drive here and all their costs are covered, which is not true. So their trackside support is paid by themself and their sponsors, only thing covered is car transportation which is a huge help and an awesome move from D1 to help some of the drivers that are dedicated to the whole season to get to all the events. Hopefully in the future they can do that to all the top 16 drivers.

[aaronlosey]

people need to relax, the miami event was a lot of fun, and the best driver there won, period. thanks to d1gp for bringing over the j-drivers and letting us have a go at them, that is amazing, and i had a blast driving with siato!!! d1 is paying for all of the japanese guys, does that make them biased? no, it makes them awesome for bringing them over for us.