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By Ng Ee Ching
Tyres squealing and smoking, the driver executed the drift with pinpoint precision, exiting the corner at a blistering pace - to the cheers and applause of the audience at Changi Exhibition Centre last Sunday.
The 50 people had come specifically to see 2011 Formula Drift USA champion Daijiro Yoshihara in action.
Mr John Low, 23, an administrator said: "I was very impressed by his drifting on television and now, to be able to see him real life is a hundred times more exciting!"
Radio deejay Hubert Tang, 47, was equally excited and impressed.
He said: "It is a treat to be able to meet him and see him in action. He is not flashy and lets his drifting techniques do the talking for him!"
Stamford Tyres had brought Yoshihara to Singapore as part of its campaign to promote the Falken range of tyres.
Mr Pat Berriman, senior vice president of Stamford Tyres, explained that the company wanted its guests to experience the power of the tyres in the most extreme driving conditions such as drifting.
Drifting is a driving technique in which the driver sends the car into a controlled slide around the corner, allowing for a fast exit.
The 34-year-old Japanese driver, dressed in a black and white jumpsuit, was constantly waving and smiling at his fans.
A few lucky ones were even allowed to take the passenger seat and get a feel of the power of the drifting car.
Mr Shairazi Suwandi, 23, a writer, said: "It was crazy! When the car drifts, you get thrown left and right in the car. But people like me who love the drifting action feel happy sitting next to a professional drift car racer."
Yoshihara told The New Paper: "The people are very nice, the architecture is cool and the food is good."
But he hasn't quite got used to the hot and humid weather - he was seen constantly fanning himself and drinking fluids.
This is the fifth time Yoshihara is visiting Singapore.
He was in town in June for the Formula Drift competition as one of the judges.
Described as a thrill seeker on his official website, Yoshihara thinks that despite Singapore's size, the drift racing scene has a lot of potential.
"There are a lot of good drivers, such as Ivan Low and Jansen Tan. Hopefully, drift racing will keep growing bigger here."
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