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Dai Yoshihara Mike Kojima

Keep Testing Fun: Mike's Day Off!

By Mike Kojima

Bringing you MotoIQ is a pretty tough job, we generally work over 80 hours per week which involves writing, layout, photography and wrenching.  On top of that, I am a suspension consultant which keeps me busy traveling and working when I am not here.  We don't get much time off but we love our job and that helps.  We really like driving but we hardly every get a chance to actually drive!

Other stuff we do for fun!

Dai Yoshihara, Costa Gilamas, Christa Kojima, TJ Hannihra, Chris Marion
Our crew at Willow Springs from left, Christa Kojima, Costa Gilamas (normally Stephan Verdier's chief), TJ Hannrihra (Rhys Millen's crew chief), Chris Marion (Engineer from KW Suspension), Dai Yoshihara.  Chris Marion and Christa took most of these pictures so if the quality isn't as good as usual oh well....

I was hard at work at the Palatial MotoIQ headquarters when I get a call from Team Falken Formula Drift Ace Dai Yoshihara.  The call went something like this:

Dai- Hi Mike what are you busy Friday?

Me- Always...

Dai- Uh you want to go with me to Willow?

Me- What do we gotta test?

Dai- Bring your car, I thought we could just go for fun.  I want you and Costa to drive the 350Z.

Me- I'm there!

Dai's weapon of choice was his GT Chanel 350Z time attack car and I broke out with the Dog Car II.  I called up my buddy Harry Kong at Nitto to get a set of fresh NT01's to evaluate on the Dog II and away we went.

Costa Gilamas, Dai Yoshihara, Mike Kojima
Dai's 350Z was built for Time Attack's Street Class, since his main sponsor, Falken currently doesn't make a race tire.  This car is street legal although it isn't driven on the street.

It's pretty weird to be at the track with no objective, we are always driving to win or test. To just drive for fun at speed with no pressure is pure joy and such a rare treat.

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Comments

bigdave
# bigdave
Monday, July 26, 2010 11:50 PM
Nice day at the track.
dilop
# dilop
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 12:02 PM
Friends+ Cars+ relax time= great day! Thanks for sharing!
Annie Sam
# Annie Sam
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 6:10 PM
hey do those 80 hr work weeks happen to include COD: Modern Warfare time??? ;) this makes me miss the track. maybe its time to dust off the NX again...
Mike Kojima
# Mike Kojima
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 6:41 PM
We don't have the time to play anymore. I think we played once in maybe the last 4 months and thats only because Christa was here. The Dog car turned 1:35 in the heat with wind. New tires helped, I think it has an easy second or two left.
narcotix
# narcotix
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 9:07 PM
I think that's Ol Yeller owned by Ernie Nagamatsu. He drives that thing all the time at Monterey and Kono used to wrench on it every once in a while.
speedball3
# speedball3
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 3:50 PM
Definitely sounds like fun! For the 350z's aero mods, I'm guessing first on the list is a hard top? =) But then, that wouldn't allow them to do the roll cage dance, as gracefully demonstrated by Mike. . . . Looking forward to the next installments on the 350z!
mikemiessler
# mikemiessler
Friday, July 30, 2010 6:28 AM
looks like tons of fun Mike! cant wait til we break out our LeMons car for testing that should be.......interesting.
Randy G
# Randy G
Friday, September 10, 2010 5:54 PM
What fun! Sorry Mike, but I did laugh a bit at the pictures of you trying to squeeze past the cage. woop!

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