Sometimes the crazy racing Japan comes up with surprises even me, and I would definitely consider myself surprised (and yet delighted) to discover that a group of motorcycle racers came up with the idea of racing modified Dodge vans on the Ebisu Circuit. Yeah. You read that right. Dodge vans.
The “D-Van Grand Prix” was organised by Abe Takuro, and originally came from completely disregarding the rules. During normal runs, the track wasn’t supposed to host tall vehicles. Abe decided over lunch that wouldn’t it be hilarious and crazy to race the vans they usually used to transport other vehicles on the track? Very much so, yes.
Now quite some time later, the vans which race aren’t anything like the boring workhorses Abe and his pals originally used. Now they are as heavily modified as any other vehicles you might find on the track. They’ve got milled engines, they’ve got cross-drilled rotors, they’ve got Brembo brakes, racing transmissions, and some of the nicest looking JDM wheels I wish I could steal for my GA3.
Pretty crazy... well, okay, pretty crazy for anywhere else. In Japan, I guess I should be used to this stuff by now. After all, this is the land of mini truck drifting.
Video via Daytona Mag.
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