Keiichi Tsuchiya was born in 1956 and grew up fascinated by street racing. With a Toyota AE86 as his constant companion, he began perfecting his technique of drifting on mountain roads ( touge ) at night. In the 80s and 90s, Tsuchiya took that technique to the professional track, breaking the unwritten rules of motorsport: turning drifting into a tool of spectacle and control , not just an emergency. His mastery was so absolute that he earned the nickname “Drift King” .
Beyond competitions, Tsuchiya popularized drifting worldwide through videos, exhibitions, and his participation in the anime Initial D , which turned the AE86 into a global icon. Thanks to him, drifting ceased to be a street trick and became a respected discipline .