Mid Night Club
Encyclopedia
The was a Japan
ese street racing
gang that hosted illegal top speed themed races on the Bayshore Route
(known natively as the Wangan
) of the Shuto Expressway
between Tokyo
to Yokohama
. The gang became one of the most notorious and highly respected clubs of its type, which led to it being featured in over 200 editorial features in most of the leading Japanese auto magazines and even in foreign magazines such as the Danish
Autoviz, the British
Max Power
and the American
Turbo magazine. One of the earliest non-Japanese media referrals was in the first episode of Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld
in January 1995, when the presenter Jeremy Clarkson
, driving his Skyline GT-R around Japan, stated that his car "is more likely to be seen in the Mid Night Club". The show then featured roughly 30 seconds of amateur footage revealing the typical nature of the club. The combination of its dangerously high racing speed, and aggressive racing style gave street racing in Japan a worldwide notoriety. The club was regarded as one of the longest running street racing gangs.
To join the club, which was formed in 1985, was not as easy as the other clubs as it was governed by a series of rules and was far better organised. Additionally, unlike in other groups, the hashiriya (street racer
) car was to be capable of going over 250 km/h (155.3 mph), as a racing speed of over 300 km/h (186.4 mph) was common. As new members are regarded as apprentices for one year, they were required to attend all the meetings. Only 10% of these drivers would qualify for full membership and they would have to leave if they posed a danger to other motorists and to other members. Members would bear the trademark small rectangle Mid Night Car Speciall sticker on their bumpers, a larger sticker on the sun visor area, and sometimes a Mid Night Racing Team sticker on the side skirt. The high standard of the drivers made it difficult for the police to catch them, as most police cars of the era were limited to 180KM/H, a legal requirement set forth by the 1977 Japanese Automotive Gentlemans Agreement.
On average, there were 30 members in the club, and they met in a designated meeting spot at "midnight
", as the name implied; races would take place on the Bayshore
Wangan route sometimes leading itself to extended portions of the "Shuto Expressway
" for more complicated and intricate top speed runs. The standing/winner of the race would be one of many factors, such as "the ability to no longer see the driver in front" or "To pass a certain Highway Stop first". Although very secretive in fashion, a member was once heard saying " "Drifting
" and "Autocross
" is for the weak. We only do Maximum Velocity. "
Customary among most racers was to watch out for members of other teams displaying Mid Night Club parophinalia. If a member of another team, or an independent racer was spotted owning a car displaying "Mid Night" stickers/logos that were not part of the actual teams roster, they could face harassment, and in some cases, vandalism inflicted onto their cars. There were many reports of non-member cars wearing the logos being defaced/damaged to a state of disrepair.
In order to organize a meet up, a Mid Night Team "Leader
" would place an ad in a "Tokyo
" local newspaper, under the "Classifieds" section. Usually it would read of something entirely different then any sort of racing meeting, in order to not draw attention from any unwanted law enforcement. The subject of the ad would have been discussed at the previous meet up, so that the team members could look up the ad and specifically meet up at the exact location in order to begin racing, at the exact time. An example of the Ad would read something like this.
For Sale: Small handbags at discount prices. For more information, I am available for meetup at "Daikoku Parking Area" on Thursday, between 11PM and 2AM. Thank you.
The members would then meet up at the preconceived meeting spot, and begin racing.
As full-fledged members' cars were capable of performing over 320 km/h (198.8 mph), the cars were usually boasting over 400–600 bhp and one member was rumored to be spending over $2 million on rebuilding and modifications of his Porsche 911
. The drivers' professions were never revealed, as by club policy members were not allowed to ask how other members got the money for modifications. Only Max Power
, in 1995, revealed the professions of two drivers: one, a RX-7 FD3S owner, was a property developer; the other, who drove a Skyline GT-R R32, ran his family car sales business. Many affluent and well known Japanese "tuning
" shop founders are rumoured to be original members however.
The Mid Night Club was disbanded in 1999 when Bōsōzoku
gang members were waiting to "play" with the club as they were racing down the expressway, culminating in an accident in which six bikers and two innocent motorists ended up hospitalized. One of the motorists, as well as one of the Bosozoku members were killed. As was the club policy (To not endanger or injure any other motorist, no matter a racer, nor an innocent bystander), such a happening would cause the club to be disbanded immediately and forever. Since then there have been numerous imitators, but with tighter traffic laws making things difficult, most of such groups have since been disbanded.
Despite being no longer in existence, many automotive medias still cite the gang as an inspiration to more irresponsible street racing gangs, such as the June 2008 issue of Max Power, when it ran an article about a street racer gang in London
, who claim to race in town centers rather than in expressways. However, the Mid Night Club is highly regarded for being a club which put pedestrian safety first, before their own. Many automotive enthusiasts regard the club as having quite a high sense of moral and honor due to its immediate disbandment post-disaster.
The clubs members seclude themselves in secrecy to this day, many refusing to talk/mention the club under any circumstances.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese street racing
Street racing
Street racing is a form of unsanctioned and illegal motor racing which takes place on public roads. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. Well coordinated races are planned in advance and often have people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and...
gang that hosted illegal top speed themed races on the Bayshore Route
Bayshore Route
Wangan has many meanings. See Wangan for a list.The Bayshore Route of Shuto Expressway is a stretch of toll highway in Greater Tokyo, 70 km, that runs from Yokohama city, Kanazawa ward, to Ichikawa city of Chiba Prefecture...
(known natively as the Wangan
Wangan
Wangan in Japanese means "Bayshore" and may refer to:* Tokyo's infamous Bayshore Route, noted for street racing. Most references in popular culture refer to this.* The manga/anime series Wangan Midnight.* Isewangan Expressway in Ise, Japan....
) of the Shuto Expressway
Shuto Expressway
is a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the .Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely...
between Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
. The gang became one of the most notorious and highly respected clubs of its type, which led to it being featured in over 200 editorial features in most of the leading Japanese auto magazines and even in foreign magazines such as the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Autoviz, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Max Power
Max Power (magazine)
Max Power was a UK-based magazine, headquartered in Peterborough, which covered the performance-tuning car market, boy racers and softcore pornography....
and the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Turbo magazine. One of the earliest non-Japanese media referrals was in the first episode of Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld
Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld
Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld was a BBC television series about the car and motoring cultures of various countries. The show was presented by Jeremy Clarkson and consisted of two series of six episodes each plus a special focusing on the UK...
in January 1995, when the presenter Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
, driving his Skyline GT-R around Japan, stated that his car "is more likely to be seen in the Mid Night Club". The show then featured roughly 30 seconds of amateur footage revealing the typical nature of the club. The combination of its dangerously high racing speed, and aggressive racing style gave street racing in Japan a worldwide notoriety. The club was regarded as one of the longest running street racing gangs.
To join the club, which was formed in 1985, was not as easy as the other clubs as it was governed by a series of rules and was far better organised. Additionally, unlike in other groups, the hashiriya (street racer
Street racing
Street racing is a form of unsanctioned and illegal motor racing which takes place on public roads. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. Well coordinated races are planned in advance and often have people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and...
) car was to be capable of going over 250 km/h (155.3 mph), as a racing speed of over 300 km/h (186.4 mph) was common. As new members are regarded as apprentices for one year, they were required to attend all the meetings. Only 10% of these drivers would qualify for full membership and they would have to leave if they posed a danger to other motorists and to other members. Members would bear the trademark small rectangle Mid Night Car Speciall sticker on their bumpers, a larger sticker on the sun visor area, and sometimes a Mid Night Racing Team sticker on the side skirt. The high standard of the drivers made it difficult for the police to catch them, as most police cars of the era were limited to 180KM/H, a legal requirement set forth by the 1977 Japanese Automotive Gentlemans Agreement.
On average, there were 30 members in the club, and they met in a designated meeting spot at "midnight
Midnight
Midnight is the transition time period from one day to the next: the moment when the date changes. In the Roman time system, midnight was halfway between sunset and sunrise, varying according to the seasons....
", as the name implied; races would take place on the Bayshore
Bayshore
Bayshore may refer to:Communities:*Bayshore, North Carolina, USA*Bayshore Gardens, Florida, USA*Bayshore, Miami, Florida, USA - a neighborhood in the City of Miami*Bayshore, Miami Beach, Florida, USA - a neighborhood in the City of Miami Beach...
Wangan route sometimes leading itself to extended portions of the "Shuto Expressway
Shuto Expressway
is a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the .Most routes consist of elevated roadway above other roads or over water, and have many sharp curves which require caution to drive safely...
" for more complicated and intricate top speed runs. The standing/winner of the race would be one of many factors, such as "the ability to no longer see the driver in front" or "To pass a certain Highway Stop first". Although very secretive in fashion, a member was once heard saying " "Drifting
Drifting
Drifting may mean:*Drifting In film:*Drifting , a 1923 film directed by Tod Browning*Drifting , the first Israeli gay-themed filmIn music:*Drifting, a song by Jimi Hendrix on his album The Cry of Love...
" and "Autocross
Autocross
Autocross is a form of motorsports that emphasizes safe competition and active participation. An autocross is a timed competition where drivers navigate one at a time through a defined course on either sealed or unsealed surfaces...
" is for the weak. We only do Maximum Velocity. "
Customary among most racers was to watch out for members of other teams displaying Mid Night Club parophinalia. If a member of another team, or an independent racer was spotted owning a car displaying "Mid Night" stickers/logos that were not part of the actual teams roster, they could face harassment, and in some cases, vandalism inflicted onto their cars. There were many reports of non-member cars wearing the logos being defaced/damaged to a state of disrepair.
In order to organize a meet up, a Mid Night Team "Leader
Leader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
" would place an ad in a "Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
" local newspaper, under the "Classifieds" section. Usually it would read of something entirely different then any sort of racing meeting, in order to not draw attention from any unwanted law enforcement. The subject of the ad would have been discussed at the previous meet up, so that the team members could look up the ad and specifically meet up at the exact location in order to begin racing, at the exact time. An example of the Ad would read something like this.
For Sale: Small handbags at discount prices. For more information, I am available for meetup at "Daikoku Parking Area" on Thursday, between 11PM and 2AM. Thank you.
The members would then meet up at the preconceived meeting spot, and begin racing.
As full-fledged members' cars were capable of performing over 320 km/h (198.8 mph), the cars were usually boasting over 400–600 bhp and one member was rumored to be spending over $2 million on rebuilding and modifications of his Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
. The drivers' professions were never revealed, as by club policy members were not allowed to ask how other members got the money for modifications. Only Max Power
Max Power (magazine)
Max Power was a UK-based magazine, headquartered in Peterborough, which covered the performance-tuning car market, boy racers and softcore pornography....
, in 1995, revealed the professions of two drivers: one, a RX-7 FD3S owner, was a property developer; the other, who drove a Skyline GT-R R32, ran his family car sales business. Many affluent and well known Japanese "tuning
Car tuning
Car tuning is both an industry and a hobby, in which an automobile is modified in order to improve its performance, handling and appearance. As most vehicles leave the factory set up for average driver expectations and average conditions, tuning has become a way to personalize the characteristics...
" shop founders are rumoured to be original members however.
The Mid Night Club was disbanded in 1999 when Bōsōzoku
Bosozoku
is a Japanese subculture associated with motorcycle clubs and gangs.-Traits and history:The word bōsōzoku is also applied to motorcycle gangs, who share an interest in modifications for motorcycles, such as removing the mufflers so that more noise is produced...
gang members were waiting to "play" with the club as they were racing down the expressway, culminating in an accident in which six bikers and two innocent motorists ended up hospitalized. One of the motorists, as well as one of the Bosozoku members were killed. As was the club policy (To not endanger or injure any other motorist, no matter a racer, nor an innocent bystander), such a happening would cause the club to be disbanded immediately and forever. Since then there have been numerous imitators, but with tighter traffic laws making things difficult, most of such groups have since been disbanded.
Despite being no longer in existence, many automotive medias still cite the gang as an inspiration to more irresponsible street racing gangs, such as the June 2008 issue of Max Power, when it ran an article about a street racer gang in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, who claim to race in town centers rather than in expressways. However, the Mid Night Club is highly regarded for being a club which put pedestrian safety first, before their own. Many automotive enthusiasts regard the club as having quite a high sense of moral and honor due to its immediate disbandment post-disaster.
The clubs members seclude themselves in secrecy to this day, many refusing to talk/mention the club under any circumstances.