Masashi Yokoi
Masashi Yokoi is a Japanese professional drifter, he currently competing in D1 Grand Prix and win the championship in 2018, 2019 and 2022 making him the second driver to win back-to-back championship. he is nicknamed as Zombie Yokoi or Galaxy Yokoi
Career
Yokoi gained D1 license after competing and winning in Ikaten event and started to competing in D1 Street Legal in 2007 with Nissan Silvia S15 he was nicknamed Zombie after he still able to run his car despite crashing in to the wall during practice and solo run. he also debuted in D1 Grand Prix and advanced to the Top 16 for the first time in round 6 the following year. in 2009 he won his first D1 Street Legal win in final round, 3 years later still competing in D1SL he won three times during the season and winning the championship while racing for D-MAX in D1GP.From 2013 he began to compete full time in D1GP and won his first round the following year in round 5 at Ebisu Circuit defeating the seasons eventual champion Kuniaki Takahashi and finished 3rd in final standings of 2014 season.
In 2015 he competed in Formula Drift USA with support from Yokohama tires and get one win on his only season in the competition and nicknamed Galaxy Yokoi. while silmutaneusly compete in D1GP.
In 2016 he switched to a 2JZ powered S15 built by his shop and following year in 2017 he and his team switch tire from Yokohama to Nankang after Yokohama pulled out from D1GP, he finished second in D1GP with 2 wins missing out on title in the final round of the season. along with D1GP he also compete in Formula Drift Japan with the same car he drive in USA for 2016 and his D1 car in 2017. In the end of the season he competes in first ever FIA Intercontinental Drift CuP.
In 2018 he build a new S15 Silvia while his previous car was driven by his teammate Akira Hirajima. despite Masato Kawabata domination in Solo Run Yokoi managed to get 3 wins and perform consistently scoring no less than 20 points throughout the season with exceptions in round 2 and 5 which allow him to win his first championship in final round after Kawabata defeated in Top 16.
In 2019 He win the first two-round followed by 2 more podium in the series, despite not scoring any points in the remaining round he hanging on to the championship lead and claimed his second title making him the second driver after Youichi Imamura to win back-to-back title in D1GP and winning it in same car he previously win the championship in.
In 2020 season he debuted his and D-Max's fourth S15 Silvia which is an upgrade from his previous car which going to be driven by Masao Suenaga who returmed after competing as privateer in 2019, finished second in the standings but managed to be Solo Run Champion.
2021 he win at round 2 and finished second again in the championship. he is also doing stunt drive for movie Alivehoon alongside other D1 driver such as Naoki Nakamura and Yusuke Kitaoka
After two years finishing as runner-up, he won his third D1GP title in the final round of the 2022 season equaling Masato Kawabata's tally and became the third person to win three or more titles.
In 2023 D-Max switch tire supplier to Goodride. He won the opening two rounds and more high points scoring in round 3 and 4, he created a big lead in the championship standings. However due to tire regulation violation he was disqualified from round 3 and 4 and stripped of the point he gain there. Yokoi unable to regain his form from the opening rounds as he failed to qualify twice and even crashed before his qualifying run at Autopolis. He ended the season eight in standings finishing behind his teammate for the first time ever.
For 2024 Yokoi partnered with 2022 D1 Lights champion Yuki Tano and switch tire supplier to Toyo Tires due to Tano's contract with them. Yokoi unable to reach final once this season but consistently scoring points as he ended up fifth in standings making him the highest ranked Toyo Tires equipped driver.
At 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon, he announced he is leaving the D-max team at the end of the season, ending a 13 years stint with the team but still have ties with them as sponsor. Yokoi once again partnered with rookie and reigning D1 Lights champion Kenshiro Wada. Despite scoring well in first four round of the season including a second place in round 2 which put him second in standings behind Kojiro Mekuwa, he unable to perform consistently and finished the season fifth in standings.
For 2026, he announced he will compete with his own team and returning to S14 Silvia platform for the first time since his debut season in 2008. His S14 is a 2JZ powered car producing 1000bhp he initially build as a side project and uses it in World Time Attack Challenge at Sydney, Australia in 2024 and 2025.