Keeping the lights on for those who know where to look

Q: What made you want to start a team, and why the "Rev Style" name?

R: Just always getting together with friends and driving together, I guess that's how most teams form. When that was all happening I was driving a NA S15, bashing the rev limiter to keep up with all of my friends driving turbo cars, so that's where the Rev Style name was born.

Q: How many members were there at the creation?

R: At the time, it was only 5 or 6 of us who decided to start a team. At our biggest, I think we had somewhere close to 20 active members.

Q: What/who got you into drifting?

R: Probably Nakamura Naoki. When I used to go watch at Meihan, I'd see Naoki driving like he always does. I used to think I'd be able to do that too, but after getting the chance to try it myself I realized I had a long way to go. That made really respect what Naoki does.

Q: When was the first time you drove at the track, and the first competition you entered?

R: I don't quite remember when the first I drove the track was, but it was around the time we started Rev Style. Meihan Sportsland was the closest, so naturally it had to be there. C course was what the good guys drove, so I just tried C straight away [laughs]. The first competition was Kansai All-Stars in the U25's not long after.

Q: How would someone be a part of Rev-Style?

R: I'd say that our style is more on the aggressive side, so definitely someone who matches us. As long as you have that, then skill isn't a huge point as the team right now varies a lot. We have a few core members who have been a part of the team for 3-4 years and are really good, but there's also maybe 10 other newer members with a wide ranging skill level.

Q: What was your inspiration for the team colours, and how does one earn them?

R: I really wanted to win Kansai All Stars, and stand out while I was there. So I researched what colour the human eye can spot the easiest/most, and it was red. But since red is also fairly common, I chose yellow as the accent colour to be unique. I only give approval to use the team colours once you've reached a certain skill level. Some of the longer standing members run the Red flake, but so far I'm the only one running Red and Yellow.

Q: What cars do you dislike?

R: I don't really dislike anything to be honest, but if I had to have an answer it would simply be anything 4-door - only because that's against the Kansai style. Four doors are more of a Kanto thing. But we've always had an open genre when it comes to the team. At points where we had many team members, there were USDM and Euro cars too. But right now, it's all drift cars.

Q: In your lifetime, where have you driven the most? 

R: Without a doubt, street drifting. I'd say at the top of the list would be the touge spot in Osaka (which shall not be named), but I used to also go to a certain popular port spot as well.

Q: What was your sketchiest moment so far?

R: I was riding passenger with someone in the port area, and they understeered off their line in to the back of a 10T hauler [laughter]. But it wasn't a regular truck, it was one of those heavy hauler trailers with the balancing beam hanging out the back, so his car sort of dove under that into the trailer, and that beam came through the windshield and ended up about 10cm in front of my face [cracks up].

Q: Who are you looking forward to driving with at Final Bout?

R: I've always wanted to drive with Animal Style.