Ryota ‘‘crashking’’ yuasa.

Imagine selling your beloved drift car, exporting it out of the country, and never expecting to see it again. Then, two decades later, discovering it has been resurrected on the other side of the world. Not in the U.S., but on the small island of Ireland..

This is exactly what happened to Yuasa-san and his iconic Toyota AE86 sedan. The car made its debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon, in collaboration with Bride and BN Sports.

Yuasa-san showcased drifting skills in the D1GP series. His hard-charging style earned him the nickname "Crash King" because of how often he tore apart his BN Sports body kit during competitions.

After Yuasa-san sold the car, it ended up in Ireland, where it continued its life as a drift car for a few years before being totaled in a crash. The once-legendary AE86 was left abandoned in a backyard, seemingly forgotten.

That is, until Paddy stumbled upon the remains of this iconic drift car and decided to bring it back to life. While the car's shell was too damaged to ever see the road again, many of the original parts were salvaged. By 2021, the car was "finished" and restored to its former glory days.

Thanks to the internet and the help of Neil Sheehan, also known as Juiceboxforyou, a well-known AE86 enthusiast and YouTuber, Mr. Yuasa found out that his car had been revived. The two planned a reunion for this year's edition of the event.

And what a reunion it was! Yuasa-san was welcomed like an absolute hero, spending the day signing autographs and posing for photos with fellow car enthusiasts and fans.

The most emotional moment came when Yuasa-san signed the inside of the trunk lid of his old car just as he had done before selling it all those years ago.

Though Yuasa-san has since traded drifting for sailing, his passion for cars remains strong. It was a special moment to see him reunited with his old drift car, reminding everyone at the event of the legacy of the AE86 and its lasting impact on the global car culture.

86Fest Ireland.

Neil Sheehan aka Juiceboxforyou his stunning Trueno leading the pack

As some people might know, I’ve owned quite an extensive list of cars, but the absolute favorite was my Toyota AE86. My passion for this iconic car first brought me to 86Fest in Ireland back in 2021, and I've been hooked ever since.

Just a week before this year’s edition of 86Fest, I found out that none of my fellow "Speedhunters" could make it. Determined to attend, I started searching for cheap flights while at my girlfriend’s birthday party.

parade lap lineup 

After sharing my last-minute plans with my friend Michael, he decided to join me, and 6 days later, we were off! We left Amsterdam Airport at 10 AM and arrived at Mondello Park just in time to do a quick walkaround before the 86Fest parade lap began.

The parade lap, featuring all the AE86s (and others) in attendance, was just the start. Throughout the day, there were constant grip and drift sessions, which gave the event a strong early 2000s Japan vibe, something any JDM fan would appreciate.

With the prices of AE86s and other rwd Toyota models continuing to rise, it’s a rare treat to see so many of them out on track, especially being driven as hard as they were. The event truly captures the spirit of old-school drifting and grassroots motorsport.

If you are into old Toyota’s or just old school grassroots drifting this event is an absolute must visit so be sure to write it down in your agendas.

pics won’t do it justice but I did give it a try.