With a costly 9th place finish during round 6 at New Jersey's Air Force Wall Speedway, Millen, who trailed in the championship points by a mere 33 points, could only look on in disappointment and admiration as Hubinette climbed aboard the roof of his Dodge. True to his sportsmanlike attitude, Millen quickly congratulated Hubinette shortly before they both strapped in again - this battle had yet to be decided.
Daijiro Yoshihara was looking particularly strong all night long as he quickly burrowed though the long line of competitors. One unlucky soul was Ken Gushi in his Ford Mustang. Some nervous moments took place during the tsuiso (twin) drift battles between these two warriors as Gushi smacked the wall in the first round while Yoshihara experienced some shifting problems with his ride. The judges awarded Yoshihara the victor during the second run and the battle for 3rd place in the semi finals was a classic dual of import vs. domestic - Nissan versus Dodge. As both cars lunged forward with a drop of the flag, it was Yoshihara with a clear round one advantage, displaying some amazing vehicle angle and speed. Round two was a closer battle between the two, but it wasn't enough for Hubinette to advance to the next round and he was locked in for a 3rd place finish.
In an all too familiar scenario, Millen and Yoshihara came face to face once again. Both men split wins between the previous meetings and there seemed to be no clear advantage towards either driver. Both were on top of their game and neither seemed to be willing to back down for any reason. With Millen taking the lead in round one, both drift machines smoked the tires and exhibited a near flawless run with Yoshihara gaining a slight points advantage. The second round was the defining moment as Millen couldn't keep up with the Rockstar Energy Drink/ Nitto Tire/ Pacific Rim Racing S13, giving the win to Yoshihara. This was Daijiro's first, and surely not last, first place podium finish of this career.
While the crowd continually cheered for the winners and all other the competitors in this year's Formula D series, it was truly a defining moment for drifting as a sport and its competitive nature. People say drifting is a fad, some even says it's a dying sport. Well, go tell that to the thousands who were in attendance or, better yet, go ask the hundreds of would-be fans who were turned away at the gates. For next year's schedule of events, be sure to check out Formula D's website at www.FormulaD.com for more information.