COVERAGE> ‘So You Think You Can Stance’ Contest
When it comes to car shows, judging criteria is usually based on how the car looks or what kinds of modifications it has. Having attended tons of the same old car shows, our good friend Tony Lee from ItsJDMYo had an idea to make a different type of contest within the car scene.
While driving up or down a driveway may seem like a mundane everyday task for most, it obviously requires a certain amount of technique when you have a lowered car. Tony took that idea and decided to make it into a different form of driving competition, with the help of certain friends. Our own Editor-in-Chief Antonio was selected to be the emcee of the event, while judging duties were handled by Yogi from Fatlace, Noel from Canibeat, and ItsJDMYo's own Keychain. Read more...
While driving up or down a driveway may seem like a mundane everyday task for most, it obviously requires a certain amount of technique when you have a lowered car. Tony took that idea and decided to make it into a different form of driving competition, with the help of certain friends. Our own Editor-in-Chief Antonio was selected to be the emcee of the event, while judging duties were handled by Yogi from Fatlace, Noel from Canibeat, and ItsJDMYo's own Keychain. Read more...
COVERAGE> AutoCon Show at El Toro Air Base
AutoCon 2011 turned out to be a pretty fun show - it has grown quite a bit since the last show they had. I drove all the way down from LA to El Toro Airbase in Irvine, CA so that I could start shooting the carshow roll-in at 10am, but they didn't allow any media to enter the show until 12pm! This definitely put a damper on my plans, because the rest of the normal spectators would be entering the venue at the same time as media.
The scheduling issue left me pretty disappointed to be honest, since my original plan was to shoot roll-in and staging before the large crowds showed up, then meet up with Antonio Alvendia and Oliver Petalver at Irwindale Speedway. I didn't make it out to Irwindale because of the scheduling mix-up, but I still enjoyed the rest of the day at the show. This event looks like it's getting bigger and bigger! Read more...
COVERAGE> HIN LA & Wekfest Hawaii Live Blogging
There were so many great automotive events going on this weekend! As usual, the MotorMavens Crew had to split up in order to check out the best cars at each event. In Southern California, Tamer Omran, Antonio Alvendia and I attended the Hot Import Nights event at the LA Convention Center. Meanwhile, Seattle-based MotorMavens Crew member Raymond Vazquez flew out to Hawaii to take photos at Wekfest Hawaii!
We've been live blogging photos from the actual events, using our iPhones and various lens adapters - both our Olloclips and our Owle Bubos. If you have an iPhone, join @MOTORMAVENS on Instagram to see our photo feed in real time! If you're on a Droid or a non-smartphone, you can still follow @MOTORMAVENS on Twitter or Tumblr. Read more...
We've been live blogging photos from the actual events, using our iPhones and various lens adapters - both our Olloclips and our Owle Bubos. If you have an iPhone, join @MOTORMAVENS on Instagram to see our photo feed in real time! If you're on a Droid or a non-smartphone, you can still follow @MOTORMAVENS on Twitter or Tumblr. Read more...
COVERAGE> Live Blogging The 2011 LA Auto Show
The 2011 LA Auto Show is here! Over 50 cars are making their debuts at this year’s LA Auto Show, with 20 of them being international debuts! Make sure you are following @MOTORMAVENS on Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook our for LIVE up-to-the-minute photo updates of the coolest cars at the show! We’ll be live blogging today and tomorrow to bring you the best cars of the show, as well as some behind the scenes moments that most people won’t get to see normally! (more…)
COVERAGE> More Photos From SEMA Show 2011
The week of SEMA 2011 was one of the most fun and exhausting weeks I've ever had. Between exploring the show floor to scout cars and meet new people, live blog updates on the MotorMavens Instagram channel, and attending all the after parties... SEMA was one hell of an adventure. Since it was my first time at SEMA, I wanted to take full charge of covering everything I could. It was definitely not an easy task to take on - even with some help from my friend Terry Pham from DSTROYR,who helped me scout some cool cars. Read more...
COVERAGE> The 2011 Formula Drift Season Finale
It's hard to believe that the 2011 Formula Drift Championship season has already concluded for the year - the series went from start to finish in just six months! Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, and the Drift Stream, everyone already knows that Discount Tire V8 S13 driver Daijiro Yoshihara was "Triple Crowned" as the 2011 Formula D Series Champion, marking the first time that a Japanese driver won a Formula D series championship. Even more relevant is the fact that this win marks the first time the popular Nissan S13 chassis has been used to win a Formula D championship season! S13 owners should rejoice - the iconic ichi-san is apparently still competitive against the newer technology drift cars.
For the season finale at Irwindale Speedway, Northern California based Tyler McQuarrie beat the competition to win First Place at the event in his Falken Tire V8 350Z, standing atop the podium with Rhys Millen (Second Place) and Chris Forsberg (Third place). Read more...
For the season finale at Irwindale Speedway, Northern California based Tyler McQuarrie beat the competition to win First Place at the event in his Falken Tire V8 350Z, standing atop the podium with Rhys Millen (Second Place) and Chris Forsberg (Third place). Read more...
COVERAGE> Historic Rallycars at RMS in N. Ireland
ReallyMeanSounds.com (or RMS) is a local motoring forum here in Northern Ireland. The site was set up by Andy Cooper many moons ago to showcase ICE installations but, as the popularity of the forum grew, it became one of most popular motoring forums in Ireland. I have been a member since late 2006 when I was losing heart with my rallying exploits and RMS was just the fix I needed.
The site and its members have been very good to me in the last few years. I have made many great friends and have had very special times going to car shows and meet-ups. Now, in its tenth year, Graham Curry, who is the RMS resident photographer and a good friend of mine, decided that the milestone should be marked with a Birthday show. So, after months of planning, we found ourselves at Junction 1 in Antrim - where all sorts of fun ensued! Read more...
The site and its members have been very good to me in the last few years. I have made many great friends and have had very special times going to car shows and meet-ups. Now, in its tenth year, Graham Curry, who is the RMS resident photographer and a good friend of mine, decided that the milestone should be marked with a Birthday show. So, after months of planning, we found ourselves at Junction 1 in Antrim - where all sorts of fun ensued! Read more...
COVERAGE> Formula Drift: Vegas After Dark!
Round 6 of the Formula DRIFT series was held in the scorching heat of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway where locals went to witness Rhys Millen, in the Red Bull/Hankook Tire Hyundai Genesis, take first place in an already competitive season. Prior to Round 6, Daijiro Yoshihara in the Discount Tire/Falken Tire Nissan S13 was the leader in the Championship Point Standings with Justin "JTP" Pawlak (in the Falken Tire Ford Mustang) in second. Both failed to make it to the to the Final Four in Vegas, making the points spread even more slim.
In addition, this past event made people do a double take as FD Asia drivers Adwitya "Dio" Amandio & Saranon "Non" Pornpatanarak each made their U.S. debut. There was also a bit of controversy as Justin Pawlak switched seats with Tyler McQuarrie in the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z while McQuarrie piloted JTP's Falken Tire Nissan S15 instead.
All in all, with a nail biting points race, Rhys Millen back on the podium, new faces, and driver crossovers, you can see how someone might say that Vegas was the place to be this past weekend! Read more...
In addition, this past event made people do a double take as FD Asia drivers Adwitya "Dio" Amandio & Saranon "Non" Pornpatanarak each made their U.S. debut. There was also a bit of controversy as Justin Pawlak switched seats with Tyler McQuarrie in the Falken Tire Nissan 350Z while McQuarrie piloted JTP's Falken Tire Nissan S15 instead.
All in all, with a nail biting points race, Rhys Millen back on the podium, new faces, and driver crossovers, you can see how someone might say that Vegas was the place to be this past weekend! Read more...
COVERAGE> The Nürburgring 24Hour With Falken
Hello MotorMavens! A quick introduction before I tell you about our recent journey over to Germany. My name is Jordan Butters and I am Editor of Drifted.com.
I was recently chatting with Antonio Alvendia about a trip I took to the Nürburgring on behalf of Falken Tyres Europe and the Team Falken UK drift team and he kindly allowed me to show you my shots and experience of the N24 Race here on MotorMavens. Read more...
I was recently chatting with Antonio Alvendia about a trip I took to the Nürburgring on behalf of Falken Tyres Europe and the Team Falken UK drift team and he kindly allowed me to show you my shots and experience of the N24 Race here on MotorMavens. Read more...
COVERAGE> Bay Area AE86 Meet Redux In Oakland
As you witnessed in the first part of coverage from the Bay Area AE86 meet at One Toyota of Oakland, the gathering was a great mix of both hachi rokus and other machines. While more and more cars rolled in, it became harder to pay attention to each car individually. And, although it seemed as if there was almost an equal ratio of AE86s to dope non-AE86s, everyone remembered what car the day was commemorating. Read more...
COVERAGE> XDC Northwest at Pacific Grand Prix
August 13th marked the coming of one of the most anticipated events of the year in the Northwest. Xtreme Drift Circuit was coming to Pacific Grand Prix! This was a chance for the locals to put on a great show with the already talented list of drivers that follow the series.
XDC is known for their raw and mixed make series - making it an interesting change from the more serious Formula Drift. If there ever was an equivalent to the MSC drift competitions that are held in Japan, XDC would be it. Read more...
XDC is known for their raw and mixed make series - making it an interesting change from the more serious Formula Drift. If there ever was an equivalent to the MSC drift competitions that are held in Japan, XDC would be it. Read more...
COVERAGE> Scenes from Nisei Showoff 2011
This past weekend, all the core enthusiasts in Southern California's Japanese car scene gathered once again on the intersection of First Street and Alameda in the Little Tokyo area of Downtown LA for the annual Nisei Showoff celebration. The event was super fun as always - when I showed up at the event, it felt like a big block party with several friends all gathered around different cars, admiring the immaculate engine bays, or trying to figure out new wheel sizing and/or suspension setups. Read more...
COVERAGE> The Spocom Experience at Anaheim
When it comes to automotive lifestyle, some people prefer hitting racetrack events, and some people prefer going to car shows. While the members of the MotorMavens crew definitely love going to the racetrack, we also realize that it's important to go to all kinds of indoor and outdoor car shows to promote our website to people that may not have seen it before.
When we were contacted by the organizers of the Spocom Tour to work with them as a promotional partner, we were definitely excited by the opportunities it would bring! Although the Southern California-based members of our MotorMavens Crew gained a little experience in throwing and promoting a big outdoor automotive event (Mass Appeal at Ken Block's Irwindale Gymkhana event), we had little to no experience in seeing what it's like to run a big indoor car show. We thought it would be extremely interesting to see the inner workings of a big car show series from people who had a track record of doing it, and so began the relationship between MotorMavens and Spocom.
The first thing we noticed about the Spocom Tour - it didn't feel like a normal car show from our standpoint! It felt like a big, fun party - a hype party that just happened to have a bunch of friends and cars crowded in between the vendor exhibits! Read more...
When we were contacted by the organizers of the Spocom Tour to work with them as a promotional partner, we were definitely excited by the opportunities it would bring! Although the Southern California-based members of our MotorMavens Crew gained a little experience in throwing and promoting a big outdoor automotive event (Mass Appeal at Ken Block's Irwindale Gymkhana event), we had little to no experience in seeing what it's like to run a big indoor car show. We thought it would be extremely interesting to see the inner workings of a big car show series from people who had a track record of doing it, and so began the relationship between MotorMavens and Spocom.
The first thing we noticed about the Spocom Tour - it didn't feel like a normal car show from our standpoint! It felt like a big, fun party - a hype party that just happened to have a bunch of friends and cars crowded in between the vendor exhibits! Read more...
COVERAGE> The Bay Area Celebrates the AE86
In the tuner world, the AE86 platform should be considered one of the most important and influential gems that has come from Japanese engineering and research. Even with today's sophisticated technology being used to develop high-performance machines with more than twice the power of a Hachi-Roku, it's hard to forget what this amazing little car did for the general public. Despite the fact that the machine didn't have some of the better features and strengths of some of the other cars its age and younger, it had one great sense of appeal to it: the price.
The common man didn't have to settle with just dreaming about the AE86 and gazing over pictures of its bodywork in magazines. No, instead, the common man could actually get behind the wheel of one since a new, fully-loaded Corolla GT-S would cost on average $12,000 at the time. And though AE86 became the last generation of the affordable front-engine, rear-wheel-drive compact from Toyota (until the FR-S/FT-86, we hope), it is still remembered, still used and still loved by the common man. And that love is why the Bay Area joins together each year to celebrate this iconic vehicle. I give you The Bay Area 8-6 Day meet! Read more...
The common man didn't have to settle with just dreaming about the AE86 and gazing over pictures of its bodywork in magazines. No, instead, the common man could actually get behind the wheel of one since a new, fully-loaded Corolla GT-S would cost on average $12,000 at the time. And though AE86 became the last generation of the affordable front-engine, rear-wheel-drive compact from Toyota (until the FR-S/FT-86, we hope), it is still remembered, still used and still loved by the common man. And that love is why the Bay Area joins together each year to celebrate this iconic vehicle. I give you The Bay Area 8-6 Day meet! Read more...
COVERAGE> Experiencing MotoGP at Laguna Seca
While my colleagues were in the Pacific Northwest shooting Formula D, I decided to take a road trip to Monterey, CA to shoot the world famous MotoGP.
For those unfamiliar with MotoGP, it is the two-wheel equivalent of Formula One. It is an 18-race series visiting 14 countries (with only two stops in the U.S.). Now in its 63rd year, it is the oldest motorsports championship in the world. The world’s best riders pilot machinery that have been crafted with the keenest of cutting-edge technology - technology which has largely benefited from the R&D budgets of four manufacturers: Yamaha, Ducati, Honda, & Suzuki.
For the purposes of competing in MotoGP's premier class, the manufacturers are held within these general parameters: the engines must be 800 cc, four-stroke engines and the motorcycles competing must be prototypes. As you might imagine, first-rate drivers plus high-end, super machines equate to one HELL of a ride! Read more...
For those unfamiliar with MotoGP, it is the two-wheel equivalent of Formula One. It is an 18-race series visiting 14 countries (with only two stops in the U.S.). Now in its 63rd year, it is the oldest motorsports championship in the world. The world’s best riders pilot machinery that have been crafted with the keenest of cutting-edge technology - technology which has largely benefited from the R&D budgets of four manufacturers: Yamaha, Ducati, Honda, & Suzuki.
For the purposes of competing in MotoGP's premier class, the manufacturers are held within these general parameters: the engines must be 800 cc, four-stroke engines and the motorcycles competing must be prototypes. As you might imagine, first-rate drivers plus high-end, super machines equate to one HELL of a ride! Read more...
COVERAGE> The 2011 Formula D Seattle Experience
Formula Drift in Seattle is definitely one of my favorite stops on the Formula D tour. It always happens in the middle of the summer, and summertime is the best time to visit Seattle anyway! The event planners at Formula Drift always seem to pick the FD Seattle weekend perfectly, when the rainy state of Washington is blessed with a little break from the gloomy rain, and the sun comes out to put everybody in a good mood!
Since most drift fans outside of Seattle were able to watch the event play-by-play on Justin.TV's Formula D Driftstream, Seattle-based MotorMavens sharpshooter Yoshi Shindo and I decided we'd post up photographic highlights from the event, based on our own experiences there! Read more...
Since most drift fans outside of Seattle were able to watch the event play-by-play on Justin.TV's Formula D Driftstream, Seattle-based MotorMavens sharpshooter Yoshi Shindo and I decided we'd post up photographic highlights from the event, based on our own experiences there! Read more...
COVERAGE> 2011 Formula D Seattle, Day One
Once again Formula D makes the stop in my hometown Seattle, Washington! This is always one of my favorite events because, not only is it my home track, it's also where we see the Northwest grassroots drivers come out and show everyone what they're really are made of. Seattle has a way of making people rise to the occasion!
Earlier in the day, I received a phone call from Rob Primo telling me that practice was rained out. It was very disappointing because practice is my favorite time to shoot the cars on track. Seattle strikes again. However, she can be forgiving at times. A couple of hours later I received another call from Rob. The rain had stopped and the track was dry. Practice was on again! I think you already know that I quickly grabbed my camera gear and drove straight there before Seattle had a chance to change her mind. So, I guess you can thank beautiful Lady Seattle for what you're about to see. Read more...
Earlier in the day, I received a phone call from Rob Primo telling me that practice was rained out. It was very disappointing because practice is my favorite time to shoot the cars on track. Seattle strikes again. However, she can be forgiving at times. A couple of hours later I received another call from Rob. The rain had stopped and the track was dry. Practice was on again! I think you already know that I quickly grabbed my camera gear and drove straight there before Seattle had a chance to change her mind. So, I guess you can thank beautiful Lady Seattle for what you're about to see. Read more...
COVERAGE> Gatebil Rudskogen Festival in Norway!
Some 40,000-50,000 people come to the 3 day Gatebil Festival every single year. This year, they debuted a brand new, freshly paved track, extending it nearly twice as long as what it used to be. Read more...
COVERAGE> Evergreen Drift Pro-Am Round 2
The Evergreen Pro-Am Round Two event was this past Sunday and it did not disappoint. The very best of the Northwest were out in abundance competing for a professional Formula D license. Drivers from Oregon to as far away as Canada made their way to the centrally located Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington. The very same place that will be hosting Formula Drift Round 5 in July.
In addition to the head to head drift action of the Pro-Am, the grassroots drift series was intertwined with the event as well. These drivers are not necessarily novices but they don't have the required safety equipment to run the full track which includes the big 5/8th track. With all of this happening in the same place at the same time, there are bound to be interesting stories to tell from all aspects of the day! Read more...
In addition to the head to head drift action of the Pro-Am, the grassroots drift series was intertwined with the event as well. These drivers are not necessarily novices but they don't have the required safety equipment to run the full track which includes the big 5/8th track. With all of this happening in the same place at the same time, there are bound to be interesting stories to tell from all aspects of the day! Read more...
COVERAGE> Falken Tires Sweep Formula D Florida!
For the first time Formula DRIFT history, the war was brought to the battlegrounds in Florida at the Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR). Locals got to witness a "Battle of the Mustangs" as Justin "JTP" Pawlak took another victory this year in his Falken Tires Ford Mustang against last year's champion, Vaughn Gittin, Jr. and his Monster Energy/Falken Tires Ford Mustang. Darren McNamara (who qualified 2nd) and his Falken Tire Saturn Sky ended up in 3rd place after defeating number one qualifier Chris Forsberg and his NOS Energy Drink Nissan 370Z. Florida was very very good to Falken Tires! In fact, Florida was very good - period. Read more...
COVERAGE> Formula Drift Speeds Into Palm Beach
This weekend, Formula Drift brings the third round of the championship series to an all new venue, Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Florida. I managed to shoot a few photos while filming random shenanigans around the track. I really liked the high speed entry to this new track, flowing into a long transition on a rumble strip.
Formerly known as Moroso Raceway, the high speed capability of PBIR's road course did present a problem, however - the course layout led a lot of high speed drifting right into the fans laps. Since this was the very first time that the Formula Drift series would be running at Palm Beach, they certainly didn't expect these types of results from their initial course layout! However, since Formula D is a responsible professional organization, they decided to reverse the course layout mid day in the interest of driver safety. Read more...
Formerly known as Moroso Raceway, the high speed capability of PBIR's road course did present a problem, however - the course layout led a lot of high speed drifting right into the fans laps. Since this was the very first time that the Formula Drift series would be running at Palm Beach, they certainly didn't expect these types of results from their initial course layout! However, since Formula D is a responsible professional organization, they decided to reverse the course layout mid day in the interest of driver safety. Read more...
COVERAGE> Pacific Grand Prix Open Event
Last Saturday marked another successful event held at Pacific Grand Prix. It was a full event with not a spot left open on the roster for drivers - a roster which included two Formula D drivers who are currently in the top 10 in standings: Justin "JTP" Pawlak and newcomer Walker Wilkerson.
In addition to the great American pros in attendance, it was an international affair as well. The Drift Union drift team from Canada came down again to show us how to have fun with style in their textbook tandem sessions.
Large crowds of spectators arrived, filling the stands and lining the fences en masse to catch a view of the great driving presented that day. NOS Energy Drink and (for the first time) Greg Young from Northwest Riders clothing, set up shop to talk to people and to hand out prizes. If you missed it, don't feel too bad - here's the next best thing to being there! Read more...
In addition to the great American pros in attendance, it was an international affair as well. The Drift Union drift team from Canada came down again to show us how to have fun with style in their textbook tandem sessions.
Large crowds of spectators arrived, filling the stands and lining the fences en masse to catch a view of the great driving presented that day. NOS Energy Drink and (for the first time) Greg Young from Northwest Riders clothing, set up shop to talk to people and to hand out prizes. If you missed it, don't feel too bad - here's the next best thing to being there! Read more...
COVERAGE> It’s JDM Yo! Anniversary In Cerritos
Over a year ago, when you heard the phrase 'It's JDM Yo!' you would just think of a bunch of Japanese cars with parts from Japan following a trend. Now, as soon as you hear it, the first thing that comes to mind are the hot models and Tony 'It's JDM Yo' Lee with his posse at every major car show representing. The meet turned out more like a car show but with free entrance and in and out privileges for both people and cars. With vendors, food trucks, free NOS Energy Drinks to quench your thirst, and lots of eye candy the day went by without a hitch. A raffle, emceed by Tony and Miss Natalia Marie from NOS, was held and proceeds went to help fund Big Abe's daughter Sophie's funeral cost (if you don't know who Big Abe is, he's the guy with the big ass rim hanging from his neck). I have to give a big shout out to Big Abe for showing up to the meet after going through what he and his family had to endure. Read more...
COVERAGE> Retro Toyota Meet at Ace Cafe London!
On the 25th of April, the legendary Ace Cafe in London was home to the first Retro Toyota Gathering. Organised by The Corolla Brotherhood, the meet was held to bring together some of the sweetest Corolla AE86s and other classic Toyotas from around the UK and even Europe!
I'm a big fan of Toyota's little AE86 (and I know a lot of MotorMavens readers are too) so, when I first heard about the plans for this meet earlier in the year, I knew I had to go! Let's take a look at some of the great cars that turned up! Read more...
I'm a big fan of Toyota's little AE86 (and I know a lot of MotorMavens readers are too) so, when I first heard about the plans for this meet earlier in the year, I knew I had to go! Let's take a look at some of the great cars that turned up! Read more...
