Dax Rodriguez
Profile:
VIDEO> Arizona’s Tribute To The Unknowns
Trial By Fire – Phoenix International Raceway, Arizona from Dax Rodriguez on Vimeo.
This is a video about unknowns. It stars a race track that is nestled deep in the desert of Tolleson, Arizona; it also stars a collection of individuals who are infamous outside the state of Arizona. However, the track that we know as PIR (Phoenix International Raceway) is on par with most of the premier drifting tracks in the country. It features a high speed entry, technical transitions, and risky moves in every turn.
The group of people that meet at this track are passionate about drifting and the spirit of the sport. The carefree and reckless nature of drifting brings them together, and their track days here are about more than just cars. Days filled with drifting on this Arizona race track hold a special sentiment in the community’s hearts. (more…)
CARSPOTTING> Purple People Eater RPS13
Don't be confused, this just isn't a "welcome back to the site" for me. Oh no, this is a huge welcome back to fresh cars built by cool people on real world budgets. Welcome back to grassroots drifting and sick street cars, which is what this site was built upon and the whole reason why we keep pushing forward. Like a skilled surgeon, Mike Burns and company have suited up in their drifting scrubs to save the all important life of grassroots drifting; but instead a sharpened scalpel, his finely tuned instrument is this super rad RPS13 Nissan 240SX. Read more...
VIDEO> Risky Devil Puts the "Fun" in Funyuns
Fresh off the press! Here’s the newest video from Tim Tulov of T2 Films and AJ G. of the infamous Chicago drift gang Risky Devil. The two collaborated on this video to bring you what is probably the funnest Sunday ever! From hanging out with bums, to smashing into stuff, to paying off security guards…this video delivers. Definitely give this video a gander, but I have to warn you this video contains some explicit language and it’s probably best to say its not work safe. Enjoy!
::Dax Rodriguez
CARSPOTTING> Josh Herron's S14
Enter Josh Herron. This young and talented videographer has made some of the most creative drift videos I've ever seen, while also averaging 200,000 views on each video, and reaching the acclaimed Internet celebrity status all before the age of 21. And I thought I was a media prodigy. :D Read more...
COVERAGE> All Star Bash Weekend Pt.4
All Star Bash is still very vivid and exciting in our minds, and we don't plan on pushing off our grassroots drifting photos to publish coverage from other big events that took place this week. We know other sites have already moved on, but we don't care. We're still all about the ASB. Drifting is where we live. It's in our hearts and on our minds, and it doesn't just stop when events are over. Even though the MotorMavens site is new, the members of our crew have been down with drifting since day one. It's like that... and that's the way it is. We show love to grassroots drifters, and grassroots drifters show love to us. This being said, we are proud to continue our coverage of the Ziptied/JustDrift All Star Bash, as we bring you the long overdue, eagerly anticipated... Part FOUR! Read more...
CENTER STAGE> Z One and Only
The long awaited introduction of the 370Z has many 350Z fans scratching their heads, however, as Nissan took away the flowing lines and sleek styling in lieu of an overly edgy and incoherent design. For many of us here at Motor Mavens, the 07-08 Z still stands as arguably the best looking Z of the past generation and for fellow Maven Mike Maez, he unequivocally agrees.
Mike's take on the Z33 is one that caught our eye for a number of reasons. For one, it isn't too over the top with a flashy body kit or a wild graphics scheme. There is attention to detail with the fitment and the wheel selection, which is always a plus, but furthermore it represents a very specific paint and wheel combo that we've never seen before on the 350Z. Combined with a solid ride height, an Akebono brake setup borrowed from the aforementioned 370, and just the right amount of bolt-ons, we were convinced that this was one Z that easily takes Center Stage. Read more...
VIDEO> Battle of the Beards, Vegas Edition
Okay, you’ve seen Josh’s video already; now Will Roegge adds yet another classic to his collection with this Formula Drift Las Vegas video. This video really delivers a smooth feel which is very different from his friend Joshua Herron’s Las Vegas video. It’s cool to see how two people can capture the same event and come up with two different renditions of it! Keep up the good work guys!
P.s If you pay attention you can see me in the video! Lol
:: Dax Rodriguez
VIDEO> Touge Heroes. The Remix!
Just in case you haven’t seen this video yet…you really need to sit down and watch. This new remixed version of Touge Heroes Volume One takes footage from Formula Drift Red Bull Championship and other parts of the DVD and remixes it with a fresh new soundtrack and editing. Even though this video is approximately an hour shorter then the DVD, it still manages to bring a lot of excitement. If you haven’t picked up the full length DVD, you can do so at Touge Heroes website.
:: Dax Rodriguez
VIDEO> Team Falken Rolls Dice in Vegas
Check out the latest Falken Tire video that my homie Skylar Smith produced at Formula Drift Vegas. High production value, awesome cars and lots of smoke…what more can you ask for? This video speaks for itself, so take a look and let us know what you think!
PS: How many of you can spot the Motor Mavens sticker in the video? Better watch it carefully!
:: Dax Rodriguez
WEBMINING> Risky Devil IS300 is Back!
Being a web junkie I search the outer boundaries of the web looking for cool content and most importantly cool cars. With the internet train making a regular stop at Risky Devil’s blog I was greeted with some new imagery from AJ of ILL Photography. After ending the hiatus of one of my favorite Risky Devil cars and sporting a new front lip got me really wanting to make a trip to Chicago and meet up with these guys. Who wants to see me do a photoshoot of the Risky Devil cars? I sure do!
:: Dax Rodriguez
CARSPOTTING> 714hp Evo 8 on Tempe Streets
As I was driving around Tempe AZ one day, I saw this white Evo VIII take off from a traffic light, literally leaving all the other cars (including mine) in the dust, as it turned into a big blur of white 'get up and go!' I just had to follow this car! This Evo is owned by a guy named Jake Blackman; and for Jake, the feeling of power is assigned a numerical value - 714. That's the exact number of horses in Jake's Mitsubishi Evolution VIII that actually get their hooves on the ground! With that kind of power you're sure to leave some worries (and problems) in the dust. Read more...
NEWSWORTHY> From Modified Mag to Motor Mavens
Arizona native Mike Maez could easily be called a veteran in the game, as the former West Coast Editor for Modified Magazine, shooting over 40 magazine covers (and counting) for Modified and it’s Luxury and Exotics title.
Mike got his start in the photography game just as drifting first hit the United States… And, like our fellow Motor Maven Antonio Alvendia, drifting changed his life. Drifting was the force that pushed Mike over the edge, inspiring him to upgrade both his gear and his skills to more accurately capture its unparalleled excitement and emotion. As the scene grew and Mike honed his skills, he found himself called upon by various companies and media outlets to shoot feature cars and events from coast to coast.
Despite his years as a professional photographer and editor for Modified, Mike is still eager as ever to contribute to the Motor Mavens Movement; sharing insight on past and present projects, shooting exclusive feature cars, and giving his own slant on industry events and trends. Even though Mike still remains busy with his current editorial and advertising responsibilities, we understand that even as a part-time contributor, the quality of Motor Mavens content can only increase with Mike on board. We are glad to welcome Mike to the Motor Mavens team and cannot wait to see what he has in store!
Trust us, you need to stay tuned to Motor Mavens!
:: Dax Rodriguez
WEBMINING> Wald International Lexus IS-F
COVERAGE> AZ Drag & Drift at Firebird Raceway
/IH0J4647_Drift_and_Drag_Firebird_Raceway_Vince_Nissan_S13.4_Drifting.jpg)
/IMG_8840_Drift_and_Drag_Firebird_Raceway_Chase_Champa_In_Starting_Line.jpg)
COVERAGE> D1 Grand Prix USA, Anaheim
CENTER STAGE> Domino’s Deep Dish Kouki S14
CENTER STAGE> Pink wheels (for real!)
