Masashi Yokoi

Masashi Yokoi (横井 昌志, Yokoi Masashi, 29 October 1982, Gifu) is a Japanese professional drifter, he currently competing in D1 Grand Prix and win the championship in 2018, 2019 and 2022 making him the second driver to win back-to-back championship. he is nicknamed as Zombie Yokoi or Galaxy Yokoi[1]

Masashi Yokoi
横井 昌志
NationalityJapanese
Born (1982-10-29) 29 October 1982
Gifu
D1 Grand Prix career
Current teamD-Max Racing Team
Car number70
Former teamsMCR Factory
Wins10
Best finish1st in 2018, 2019, 2022
Championship titles
2012
2018, 2019, 2022
D1 Street Legal
D1 Grand Prix

Career

Yokoi gained D1 license after competing and winning in Ikaten event[2] and started to competing in D1 Street Legal in 2007 with Nissan Silvia S15 he was nicknamed Zombie after he still able to run his car despite crashing in to the wall during practice and solo run. he also debuted in D1 Grand Prix and advanced to the Top 16 for the first time in round 6 the following year. in 2009 he won his first D1 Street Legal win in final round, 3 years later still competing in D1SL he won three times during the season and winning the championship while racing for D-MAX in D1GP.

From 2013 he began to compete full time in D1GP and won his first round the following year in round 5 at Ebisu Circuit defeating the seasons eventual champion Kuniaki Takahashi and finished 3rd in final standings of 2014 season.

In 2015 he competed in Formula Drift USA with support from Yokohama tires and get one win on his only season in the competition and nicknamed Galaxy Yokoi.[3] while silmutaneusly compete in D1GP.

In 2016 he switched to a 2JZ powered S15 built by his shop and following year in 2017 he and his team switch tire from Yokohama to Nankang after Yokohama pulled out from D1GP, he finished second in D1GP with 2 wins missing out on title in the final round of the season. along with D1GP he also compete in Formula Drift Japan with the same car he drive in USA for 2016 and his D1 car in 2017. In the end pf the season he competes in first ever FIA Intercontinental Drift CuP.

In 2018 he turn his Formula Drift S15 into his new D1 car now equipped with 2JZ engine while his previous car was driven by his teammate Akira Hirajima. despite Masato Kawabata domination in Solo Run Yokoi managed to get 3 wins throughout the season and grabbed his first championship in final round after Kawabata defeated in Top 16.[4]

Yokoi's S15 he use in both Formula Drift and D1GP

In 2019 He win the first two-round followed by 2 more podium in the series, despite not scoring any points in the remaining round he hanging on to the championship lead and claimed his second title making him the second driver after Youichi Imamura to win back-to-back title in D1GP and winning it in same car he previously win the championship in.[5]

In 2020 season he debuted his fourth S15 Silvia[6] which is an upgrade from his previous car which going to be driven by Masao Suenaga who returmed after competing as privateer in 2019, finished second in the standings but managed to be Solo Run Champion.

2021 he win at round 2 and finished second again in the championship. he is also doing stunt drive for movie Alivehoon alongside other D1 driver such as Naoki Nakamura and Yusuke Kitaoka[7]

After two years finishing as runner-up, he won his third D1GP title in the final round of the 2022 season[8] equaling Masato Kawabata's tally and became the third person to win three or more titles.

Personal life

Yokoi currently lives in Ichinomiya, Aichi while running his own shop MCR Factory (MCR stands for Mind Control Racing)[9] where he built and maintained his D1GP cars and also fielded a team in D1 Lights. he has hobby of Jet Ski which he often do in his free time, he has two children.

Complete drifting results

Source[1]

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final standings Points
2007 MCR Factory Nissan Silvia (S14) EBI

DNQ
FSW

DNQ
SUZ

DNQ
SUG

R
EBI

DNQ
AUT

DNQ
FSW

DNQ
NC 0
2008 EBI

21
FSW

DNQ
SUZ

24
OKA

DNQ
AUT

DNQ
EBI

14
FSW

14
26th 7
2012 D-MAX Racing Team Nissan Silvia (S15) DAI SUZ AUT

18
EBI

8
EBI

18
CEN

DNQ
DAI

DNQ
27th 13
2013 MAI

4
SUZ

14
EBI

4
EBI

10
HUS

12
DAI

11
8th 59
2014 FSW

7
SUZ

12
AUT

2
EBI

22
EBI

1
DAI

11
3rd 107
2015 DAI

12
SUZ

5
TSU EBI

9
MAI

6
DAI

18
11th 70
2016 DAI

14
FSW

6
TSU

2
TSU

24
EBI

3
EBI

5
DAI

9
4th 99
2017 DAI

3
DAI

1
TSU

19
MAI

8
EBI

9
EBI

4
DAI

1
2nd 128
2018 MAI

4
MAI

12
AUT

1
TOK

1
TSU

24
EBI

2
EBI

1
DAI

3
1st 166
2019 TSU

1
TSU

1
TOK

2
TOK

3
EBI

24
EBI

R
AUT

19
1st 97
2020年 OKU

5
EBI

3
EBI

6
AUT

5
AUT

15
EBI

2
TSU

2
TSU

4
2nd 129
2021年 OKU

12
OKU

1
TSU

3
TSU

2
EBI

5
EBI

3
OKU

5
OKU

3
AUT

5
AUT

10
2nd 169

References

  1. "横井 昌志" (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  2. ドリ天 Vol 37 ⑥ 第105回 いか天 中部大会, retrieved 18 October 2022
  3. "Formula Drift Round 6: Rookie Masashi Yokoi is victorious". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  4. "D1 OFFICIAL WEBSITE - 2018 TOKYO DRIFT - 2018 GRAN TURISMO D1 GRAND PRIX SERIES Rd.8 Report". www.d1gp.co.jp. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  5. "D1 OFFICIAL WEBSITE - 2019 AUTOPOLIS DRIFT - Rd.7 Report". www.d1gp.co.jp. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  6. "前年度王者・横井の新車は絶好調!" (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  7. Alivehoon (2022) - IMDb, retrieved 29 November 2022
  8. "2022年シリーズチャンピオンは横井昌志選手、単走シリーズチャンピオンは川畑真人選手に確定!". モータースポーツトップ (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  9. "MCR Factory". MCR Factory (in Japanese). Retrieved 14 August 2022.
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