Masato Kawabata

Masato Kawabata (川畑真人, Kawabata Masato, 15 October 1977, in Osaka) is a Japanese professional drifting driver, currently competing in the D1 Grand Prix series for TOYO TIRES GLION TRUST RACING.

Masato Kawabata
Nationality Japan
Born (1977-10-15) October 15, 1977
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
D1 Grand Prix career
Debut season2002
Current teamTOYO TIRES GLION TRUST RACING
Former teamsSilk Road
Wins4
Championship titles
2007 2013 2015
2017		D1GP Series Champion

FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup
Kawabata's S15 Silvia with 2005 livery

Biography

Kawabata first received his license at 18 and at that point he bought the Nissan 180SX. He practiced alone until he met late D1 driver Atsushi Kuroi who started to teach and advise Kawabata. At age 19, Kawabata entered a drift magazine sponsored contest and took first place. At 21, GP Sports started to sponsor Kawabata with a full line of aero parts. Kawabata and first appeared in the D1 Grand Prix in round 4 of 2002.[1]

Kawabata took his first win at Fuji Speedway in 2006[2] and went on to finish 4th in the overall points. In 2007 he did even better however winning two rounds and the overall title by one point over Nobushige Kumakubo.

2007 Fuji Speedway accident

In 2007, at round 2, held in Fuji Speedway, during a sudden death round against Daigo Saito, Saito dipped into the inner apex of the 300R corner and jumped the curb of the track. His car's front wheels lost traction, which resulted in the car to understeer and collect Kawabata's Silvia into the tyre barrier in the process, effectively destroying both cars.

The impact between the cars and when they were hurled into the track protection barrier happened at speeds of over 150 km/h. Kawabata had to be taken to hospital for treatment for whiplash injuries, Saito miraculously evaded any physical damages.

Kawabata won the round which he was unable to continue, leaving Atsushi Kuroi without an opponent. For the following round, he returned with a new car and took the win at the next round at Sportsland SUGO.[3][4]

Complete Drifting Results

(key)

D1 Grand Prix
Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Position Points
2002 Nissan 180SX BHH
 EBS
 EBS
 SGO
DNQ		 TKB
DNQ		 SEK
 NIK
 0
2003 Silk Road Nissan 180SX TKB
DNQ		 BHH
DNQ		 SGO
DNQ		 FUJ
TAN		 EBS
TAN		 SEK
 TKB
DNQ		 0
2004 Silk Road Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 IRW
TAN		 23 4
GReddy/GP Sports/Toyo Tires Nissan Silvia S15 SGO
TAN		 EBS
DNQ		 APS
9		 ODB
DNQ		 EBS
16		 TKB
DNQ
2005 GReddy/GP Sports/Toyo Tires Nissan Silvia S15 IRW
16		 ODB
4		 SGO
9		 APS
7		 EBS
TAN		 FUJ
3		 TKB
5		 4 55
2006 GReddy/GP Sports/Toyo Tires Nissan Silvia S15 IRW
5		 SGO
16		 FUJ
6		 APS
TAN		 EBS
4		 SUZ
8		 FUJ
1		 IRW
16		 4 69
2007 GReddy/GP Sports/Toyo Tires Nissan Silvia S15 EBS
2		 FUJ
4		 SUZ
6		 SGO
1		 EBS
5		 APS
1		 FUJ
16		 1 100
2008 GP Sports/Toyo Tires Nissan 180SX RPS13 EBS
1		 FUJ
TAN		 SUZ
15		 OKY
11		 APS
3		 EBS
 FUJ
 6 54
2009 Team TOYO TIRES DRIFT Nissan 180SX RPS13 EBS
 APS
 OKY
 OKY
 EBS
 EBS
 FUJ
1		 FUJ
1		 6 93
2016 TOYO TIRES DRIFT TRUST RACING Nissan R35 ODB
2		 FUJ
2		 TKB
3		 TKB
8		 EBS
9		 EBS
3		 ODB
2		 2 133
2017 TOYO TIRES GLION TRUST RACING Nissan R35 ODB
5		 ODB
4		 TKB
1		 MSI
13		 EBS
14		 EBS
7		 ODB
6		 5 106

References
  1. J.D.M. OPTION INTERNATIONAL (2006)
  2. [ D1GP/D1SL NEWS REPORT ] J.D.M. OPTION INTERNATIONAL (2006)
  3. [ D1GP/D1SL NEWS REPORT ] J.D.M. OPTION INTERNATIONAL (2007)
  4. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself
Preceded by
Nobushige Kumakubo		 D1 Grand Prix Champion
2007		 Succeeded by
Daigo Saito
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