SAMMIT Has ‘Scary’ Head-On Crash At Formula Drift Japan’s ‘Most Dangerous Track’
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Sam Lucas, better known as YouTuber ‘SAMMIT’, suffered a head-on crash at Formula Drift Japan’s “most dangerous track”, Okuibuki Motor Park, at the last round.
Image credit: Crashing My Car at Formula Drift Japan’s Most Dangerous Track
The popular Australian drifting YouTuber, based in Japan, was having a solid practice session following numerous setup changes to his Nissan Silvia S15.
Heading into qualifying
Going into qualifying, he aimed to lay down a solid first lap and then attempt a “spicier” second run.
Image credit: Crashing My Car at Formula Drift Japan’s Most Dangerous Track
His first qualifying run was “just a little too deep” on the first zone, getting concerningly close to the wall before landing just 68 points.
Knowing he needed to push harder in the second run, he threw the S15 down into the already-risky high-speed, big-angle first corner.
Image credit: Crashing My Car at Formula Drift Japan’s Most Dangerous Track
Going all-in for the second qualifying run
Then, disaster struck as the right front lower control arm snapped at the caster bracket on entry, causing him to crash head-first into the wall.
Image credit: Crashing My Car at Formula Drift Japan’s Most Dangerous Track
After initially suspecting a front brake lock, an inspection revealed that a lower arm had broken. As explained in the clip, when the S15 went over a bump, it jammed the wheel into the firewall/fender, leaving SAMMIT slamming into the wall.
A reminder of how quickly things can go wrong
The failed component was part of an old kit that had been used for three years without issues since he first started competing in Formula Drift Japan.
Image credit: Crashing My Car at Formula Drift Japan’s Most Dangerous Track
Following the incident, Lucas described it as a “scary failure” on his Instagram account, but he was “lucky to be able to slow the car enough to prevent major damage.”
Image credit: Crashing My Car at Formula Drift Japan’s Most Dangerous Track
His kid didn’t see the incident as being quite so serious. Savage.
It could’ve been a far worse outcome
The typical foam we often see at Japanese tracks undoubtedly helped prevent more severe damage, making them much more suitable than the concrete we’re used to here!
And crucially, it happened in qualifying rather than during battles, where the scenario could have resulted in a much worse outcome.
Watch the footage of SAMMIT’s crash below. The incident takes place at 13:57.
Once back in the pits, other Japanese teams mentioned that they switch angle kits annually due to similar failures being common in drifting, with the cars pushed to their limits.
The crash meant SAMMIT missed out on qualifying, finishing 33rd after another driver scored higher than his 68 points. Both lower arms now need replacing, and he states he’s “fine” after the crash, and “looking forward to the final round at Okayama.”
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Bill is a writer and photographer who has been part of the Drifted team since 2015. His work extends to various print and online publications, including Wangan Warriors.
As part of the King of Nations team, he traveled extensively for several years, capturing top-tier international drift events worldwide. His hands-on experience, including rebuilding his own Nissan Silvia S15 drift car, gives him unique insights into drift car building and global drift culture.
When not behind the lens or keyboard, Bill can be found browsing classifieds for his next JDM project or shredding virtual tires on popular simulators like Assetto Corsa, CarX, and Forza.
You can learn more about Bill’s story here or follow his socials on X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.
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