The Dodge Ram Van wasn’t a particularly great vehicle, but it could move people and cargo effectively and reliably for tens of thousands of miles. Some people hate them, some people like them, but only a few diehards love Ram Vans as much as the racers of the D-Van Grand Prix. Rising from humble beginnings eight years ago, this oddball Japanese racing series has become uncomprehendingly popular, and even we’ve got to admit…it looks pretty fun.

The man behind the D-Van Grand Prix is named Takuro Abe, who’s blatant disregard for safety and track rules gave birth to this unique motorsport. These vans were used to transport motorcycle sat a riding school, and during lunch break one day Abe and some friends went onto the track with their vans for a quick race. While this was against regulations, after showing pictures of the renegade race to some friends Abe found that many people wanted in on the action. Thus, the D-Van Grand Prix was born.

While the first races featured mostly stock Dodge Ram Vans of the mid-90s vintage, the easy interchangeability of engine parts meant tuning up the 318 Magnum V8 was as easy as opening a catalog. Some bits had to be custom ordered or created, but apparently even Brembo makes bigger brake pads for the old Dodge workhorses.

Sure, there are inherent disadvantages to racing a vehicle with a high center of gravity and the aerodynamics of a brick, but once you see these big boxes battling it out on the track, you’ll wonder why we let the Japanese beat us to such a great idea. Make no mistake though, as these guys take the competition very seriously, looking for any advantage they can find to give them a winning edge.

These Dodge Ram Van racers are fearless, reckless, and definitely a different kind of crazy. Respect.