Operating in the shadows of Tokyo and Yokohama from 1987 to 1999, the Mid Night Club remains etched in street racing lore as one of the most notorious and respected groups to ever command the Wangan highway.
For enthusiasts of Japanese street racing culture and the vibrant automotive scene of the late 80s and 90s, knowledge of the almost mythical Mid Night Club is paramount. This wasn’t just another group of speed junkies; the Mid Night Club operated with a code, a level of exclusivity, and a dedication to speed that set them apart.
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Founded in 1987, the Mid Night Club was built upon a strict ethical foundation: the safety of the public and fellow members was paramount. This wasn’t a reckless gang; it was a highly disciplined and selective club. Entry into the Mid Night Club was notoriously difficult. A prospective member needed a car capable of exceeding 250km/h (160 mph) just to be considered. However, possessing a fast car was merely the entry ticket; on the Wangan highway, the Mid Night Club regularly engaged in sustained high-speed runs upwards of 300km/h (190 mph). To merely reach the minimum speed was to be at the bottom rung.
The garages of Mid Night Club members were filled with a diverse and impressive array of machinery. Italian exotics like the Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari Testarossa were common sights, alongside Japanese performance icons such as the Nissan 300ZX, various generations of Nissan Skyline GT-Rs, the Toyota Supra, and the Mazda RX-7. Acceptance into the club began with a year-long “apprenticeship.” During this probationary period, aspiring members were required to attend every single meet to prove their dedication and commitment. Remarkably, only about 10% of apprentices would eventually earn full membership, highlighting the incredibly high standards and exclusivity of the Mid Night Club – truly making them the most notorious street racers ever to haunt Tokyo’s highways.
A silver BNR32 Nissan Skyline GT-R, a popular car among members of the Mid Night Club, parked at night, showcasing its iconic silhouette and hinting at the high-speed street racing culture.
Adding to their mystique, the Mid Night Club operated with a strict code of anonymity. Members only used first names and avoided discussing their professions, fostering a sense of separation between their racing lives and their everyday identities. Even friendships formed outside the club were discouraged from overlapping with club activities; members were expected to remain discreet in front of each other. Despite this intense secrecy, a few details have surfaced over the years. In a rare interview with Max Power magazine, the professions of two members were revealed: one, an FD Mazda RX-7 driver, was a property developer, and another, an R32 Skyline GT-R driver, managed a family car sales business. Rumors persist that many established Japanese tuning shops are either owned or were founded by former members of the Mid Night Club, adding another layer to their enduring legacy within the automotive world.
Organizing a Mid Night Club meetup was an exercise in clandestine communication. The club leader would announce at a prior meeting to look for a specific type of advertisement in a designated local newspaper. These seemingly innocuous ads contained coded messages revealing the time and location of the next gathering. An example of such an advert might read:
“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.”
To those in the know, this cryptic message clearly signaled a Mid Night Club meetup between 11 PM and 2 AM on Thursday at the Daikoku Parking Area, a location that had already become a renowned mecca for Japanese car enthusiasts and street racing groups.
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The legendary run of the Mid Night Club came to an abrupt and tragic end due to an unforeseen and devastating incident. A local Bōsōzoku biker gang, known for their rebellious culture and often disruptive behavior, attempted to engage with Mid Night members during a high-speed run on the Wangan. When some Mid Night members responded with a chase, the situation escalated rapidly. The Bōsōzoku members inadvertently led the high-speed pursuit into a heavily trafficked area, resulting in a catastrophic accident. The incident claimed the lives of two Bōsōzoku members and left eight other motorists hospitalized, six of whom were innocent civilians and two presumed to be Mid Night Club racers.
This tragic event directly violated the Mid Night Club’s core principle of not endangering the public. The immense public attention and scrutiny following the accident led to the immediate disbandment of the club. Members vanished, cars associated with the club were hidden or destroyed, and to this day, former members remain intensely private, refusing to discuss the club or their past activities. The Mid Night Club, in its physical form, ceased to exist, becoming a ghost of the high-speed Wangan.
A stunning black Yoshida Special 930 Porsche, a symbol of the Mid Night Club’s engineering prowess and dedication to pushing the limits of speed on the Wangan highway.
No discussion of the Mid Night Club is complete without mentioning one of its most iconic machines: the Yoshida Special 930 Porsche, often referred to as the “Blackbird.” Owned by a club member rumored to have been a medical student before taking over his family business, this car was said to have undergone approximately $2 million in modifications to maximize its performance.
For a deep dive into the Blackbird’s incredible details, our colleagues at Speedhunters have provided exceptional coverage. However, some key specifications deserve mention. The Blackbird boasted a 3.6-liter stroked, turbocharged flat-six engine, rumored to produce between 650HP and 700HP. Weight reduction was a key focus, evidenced by features like bucket seats. Aerodynamic enhancements included low-drag wing mirrors and the removal of windshield wipers to minimize unnecessary drag at extreme velocities.
Close-up view of the Yoshida Special 930’s engine bay, highlighting the large cooling ducts designed to keep the high-performance engine running optimally during intense midnight club street racing.
Large cooling ducts were integrated to supply the engine with the massive amounts of air needed to prevent catastrophic failure at speeds exceeding 300km/h. Yoshida-san built this car with the explicit aim of dominating the Wangan highway and challenging the legendary RUF “Yellowbird.” The “Blackbird” nickname itself was a nod to this rivalry. While it never quite reached the 347km/h benchmark set by RUF, it pushed the limits and became a legend in its own right.
A dynamic shot showcasing the aggressive front end of the Yoshida Special 930 “Blackbird,” emphasizing its aerodynamic design and the intensity of its presence on the midnight streets.
Speaking of the “Blackbird” name inevitably brings up its most famous rival within the Mid Night Club: the Air-Breathing Research Hosoki Z-Car, also known as the “Devil Z.” This naturally aspirated Datsun 280ZX was equipped with a formidable 630BHP L30ETT engine. This legendary car served as the inspiration for “The Devil Z” in the popular Japanese anime “Wangan Midnight,” which vividly portrays the intense rivalry between the Blackbird and the Devil Z as they race through the night on the Wangan Highway and the C1 loop at breathtaking speeds.
While the Mid Night Club officially disbanded, glimpses of its legacy occasionally surface. Other Mid Night Club vehicles and members have been discreetly spotted online and at automotive events. A Lamborghini Countach, bearing Mid Night Club stickers, was unfortunately crashed at a track day in Japan, its stickers promptly removed upon returning to the pits, underscoring the continued secrecy. Speedhunters once featured this car in an article, but later removed it at the request of the owner and remaining club associates, further reinforcing the club’s desire for obscurity. Out of respect for the owner’s privacy, we will not display those images here. However, a Nissan 300ZX, another Mid Night Club alumni, has been seen at car meets like the Nissan Nismo Festival at Fuji Speedway, offering fleeting glimpses into this secretive world.
A Nissan 300ZX, likely a former Mid Night Club car, spotted at the Nissan Nismo Festival, a rare public appearance hinting at the enduring legacy of the secretive street racing group.
In November 2020, the Mid Night Club emerged from the shadows for a rare public moment since their disbandment at the end of the 20th century. To delve deeper into this unexpected resurgence of these street racing legends, read our updated article.
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