A professional driver takes a member of the press on a demonstration ride during the events of the Hall of Fame’s induction day.
Formula Drift racing series kicked off its 2026 season by inducting this year’s Hall of Fame Awardee, Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara, at its first-ever Hall of Fame monument dedication ceremony on April 7 outside of the Long Beach Arena, celebrating the sport’s history in its 20th year.
The dedication honored the inaugural 2023 inductees, including drivers Yoshihara and Samuel Hubinette, with their names etched into the permanent structure created by artist Kevin Wells.
After Formula Drift President Ryan Sage announced him as the 2026 Hall of Fame recipient, Yoshihara spoke briefly. “I want to thank the drivers and the team and also, I want to thank the City of Long Beach. I still remember the first event, I think it was 2006. Since then Long Beach has been the great supporter of Formula Drift, and having this here, which is crazy, and having my name here, which is amazing, so thank you so much everybody.”
Yoshihara is a professional driver from Hachioji, Tokyo with an impressive and diverse career across various motorsport disciplines, including drifting, road racing, time attack, hill climb, stunt driving and instructing, with multiple championships and records.
In a dominant 2011 season, he won both the Formula Drift Championship and the coveted Triple Crown award. The Triple Crown is a special “championship within the championship” featuring three high-stakes, selected rounds during the season. The driver who accumulates the highest total points at these three events wins a cash bonus (historically $10,000 to $100,000). It is distinct from the overall annual Formula Drift championship and is designed to highlight elite performance at key, high-pressure events.
He conquered the prestigious Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2020, securing first place in the Unlimited Class. Yoshihara remains active, competing in various series.
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach hosts an annual fan favorite. The Super Drift Challenge features the finest drivers from the Formula Drift series. Drivers qualify and compete on April 17 and 18.
Formula Drift is part of the 51st Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach racing weekend, which includes IMSA WeatherTech Series, Porsche Carrera Cup, Robbie Gordon’s Stadium Super Truck, and Historic Sports Car racing. The highlight on Sunday is Round 5 of the IndyCar series.
For schedules and tickets, go to: www.formulad.com/schedule/2026/long-beach
— Tim Yuji Yamamoto