Racing Dodge Vans is Huge in Japan
Japan’s obsession with Dodge’s B-series full-sized vans all started with motorcycle circuit races, strangely enough.
In this video from NoriYaro‘s YouTube channel, they investigate a little more of the Dajiban mystique, taking a few rides around the Ebisu circuit in some of the fastest Dodge vans out there. It’s an interesting fusion of American V8 hot-rodding culture and Japanese racing culture.
I’ve been following the explosion of Dajiban-culture in Japan for a few years now, and it’s absolutely fascinating. Dodge’s B-series full-sized van has a cult following among Japanese circuit racers, and it is possibly the coolest thing ever. And it all started with motorcycle racers.
Motorcycle guys wanted B-series vans for their utility, particularly their ability to roll a bike inside and lock them up. Once the bike racers got to the track, perhaps after the moto races were done for the day, the braggadocio moved over to who had the fastest support vehicle. Instead of just bench racing, they actually started racing them around those very same circuits. When you have the racing bug, you’ll race anything, including your van.
Oh, and in case you were wondering where the name “Dajiban” comes from, just imagine native Japanese non-English speakers trying to say “Dodge Van”.
Via [Jalopnik]