Well, firstly, I'm pretty sure that the posts about the fictional character were purely in jest. Secondly, I hope you realize Eiji "Tarzan" Yamada NEVER DROVE D1, but was instead primarily a Super Taikyu and JGTC competitor (like Tsuchiya).
He's a decent driver, and he's a fun personality, but I'd rate Kazama or Taniguchi over Yamada any day. Seriously, Kazama's entry angles and speeds are wicked, and Taniguchi's control in transitions is unreal.
And of course, I get positively jazzed watching Daijiro Yoshihara and Rhys Millen whenever they take to the track. They just plain attack the course, and do so with consistency that practically no one on either side of the Pacific can match.