COVERAGE> HellaFlush Scrapes Buttonwillow, Pt.2
I know you've been waiting for it, so here's the second installment in our HellaFlush 3.5 event coverage from Buttonwillow Raceway. I'm not sure that there have ever been this many cars with aggressive fitment and stance at the Lerdo Highway exit off the California Interstate 5 highway.
Honestly, I gotta give props to all the Northern California people who came down to this event. Not only does it show that Northern Cali folks are super down and committed, but it was also great to see a lot of cars come out of the woodwork that we normally don't see on blogs and websites. I'd love to expand the MotorMavens reach from doing mostly Southern California events all the time, but it really is kind of difficult as we're doing this as privateers, and we don't have a big corporate budget of several hundred thousand dollars to spend each year like some of the other blogs out there. However, we're resourceful, so we will keep trying to break boundaries, and keep doing our best with the Macaroni-and-Cheese/Cup-o-Noodle budget that we currently have. Hope you like the photos! Read more...
Honestly, I gotta give props to all the Northern California people who came down to this event. Not only does it show that Northern Cali folks are super down and committed, but it was also great to see a lot of cars come out of the woodwork that we normally don't see on blogs and websites. I'd love to expand the MotorMavens reach from doing mostly Southern California events all the time, but it really is kind of difficult as we're doing this as privateers, and we don't have a big corporate budget of several hundred thousand dollars to spend each year like some of the other blogs out there. However, we're resourceful, so we will keep trying to break boundaries, and keep doing our best with the Macaroni-and-Cheese/Cup-o-Noodle budget that we currently have. Hope you like the photos! Read more...
COVERAGE> Simply Clean + Stance in Orlando
I made the short trek last weekend to the Winter Park section of Orlando. It was cold out by Florida standards, but was at least warmer than it had been the past two weeks. Last Sunday's event was the first of it's type (for this area) and the title stated it clearly. Simply Clean..... Proper stance, perfect wheel fitment, quality paint job.... Almost everything a car enthusiast should dream of! There were of course big horse power cars, so they filled in the missing link that we gas mileage savvy people left out. But lets think about this for a second. One one-thousand... Do you really need 500 horsepower when your car sits 1 inch off the ground and has a 95% chance of losing a bumper at every divot? Well, I know I sure as hell do! I can't think of anything better than the ability to yell louder than the passenger screaming in the seat next to you "SHUT UP! I F*CKING GOT THIS!" as you drive over your front lip, while laughing hysterically... Read more...
CARSPOTTING> Walker, Texas Drifter
The drifter archetype has changed. Today in America, drifting has become the life, in part or whole, to many different people from all walks of life. When I met Russell Walker for the first time and learned he piloted this ready to rock machine, I wasn't too surprised. However, meeting him outside of a drifting event, you probably wouldn't suspect that he's a newly licensed Formula D driver.
In high school, where most young men start to entertain their desires, he started to cultivate an interest in the automotive world. He grew up in Texas, so of course he had a truck at first... but that didn't stop him from causing mayhem. Running over curbs, signs and getting sideways in the rain was a common occurrence for Russell and his truck. However, as far away as Japan is from Texas, the drifting bug still bit him. He picked up this Nissan S13 240sx for $500 at the age of 17 and never looked back. It's his first actual car, and I'd say it's come quite a way from being the white hatch with black Silvia front end that it was a few years ago. Read more...
In high school, where most young men start to entertain their desires, he started to cultivate an interest in the automotive world. He grew up in Texas, so of course he had a truck at first... but that didn't stop him from causing mayhem. Running over curbs, signs and getting sideways in the rain was a common occurrence for Russell and his truck. However, as far away as Japan is from Texas, the drifting bug still bit him. He picked up this Nissan S13 240sx for $500 at the age of 17 and never looked back. It's his first actual car, and I'd say it's come quite a way from being the white hatch with black Silvia front end that it was a few years ago. 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
WEBMINING> Rogansan’s Rootbeer RPS13
Real quick before you get your Thanksgiving Holiday started... I just wanted to post up these pics of Logan "Rogansan" Yoshida's car - this metallic brown RPS13 240SX/180SX. I think that metallic brown is such an awesome color... maybe it's because my very first car was also metallic brown with white wheels, but I think the color would look good on an AE86 coupe, on a Civic, on a GS400, and it definitely looks good on this RPS13.
Above is an old photo of Logan's car... full aero, kouki tails, a roof wing, an understated lip wing and some authentic Nismo wheels in white?! Come on. Recipe for success. Read more...
Above is an old photo of Logan's car... full aero, kouki tails, a roof wing, an understated lip wing and some authentic Nismo wheels in white?! Come on. Recipe for success. Read more...
WEBMINING> Ebisu Summer Drift Matsuri 2009
This video of the 2009 Summer Drift Matsuri at the famed Ebisu Circuit is just plain awesome. It’s got tons of variety in cars and courses and lots of high speed fly-bys. I haven’t been to Ebisu yet personally, but by the looks of this video, it’s no wonder everyone is so crazy about Ebisu. I can’t wait to go!
Check it out!
::Justin Shreeve
WEBMINING> Nikko Circuit in the Rain
Nikko Circuit: Part 2 from David Dizzle on Vimeo.
As the gloomy rainy season begins for many of us, I thought I’d post up a cool rainy drift video, reminding us that the rain isn’t all that bad… it saves tires!
Chasers, Mark IIs, Soarers, Silvias, 180SXs, Skylines, Levins, Truenos and RX7s… I stumbled across this gem on Vimeo recently, featuring lots of awesome Japanese cars at the famous Nikko Circuit. The entire three-part series is viewable on MayDayGarage.com, check it out!
:: Justin Shreeve
VIDEO> Evergreen Drift Round 4
Evergreen Drift Round 4 from MotorMavens Dotcom on Vimeo.
Hey guys, it’s Justin again. Last Sunday, I visited Monroe, Washington for Round 4 of the Evergreen Drift series. The final round saw a lot of upsets as some drivers weren’t able to attend and others were plagued with car troubles. Overall, it was an exciting day, making for lots of good footage.
For more information regarding the Evergreen Drift series, please visit EvergreenDrift.com.
:: Justin Shreeve
CARSPOTTING> Josh Herron’s S14
I can't remember the last time I was in Las Vegas when I wasn't covering an event or taking photos for work. It seems like an reoccurring thing when it comes to traveling for me, I never have time to hang with friends or just kick back. However my recent trip to Vegas was non-work related and I basically had the whole weekend to do whatever and go wherever my heart desired! After receiving a phone call from my dad asking if I would like to accompany him on his business trip to Vegas for the weekend, it didn't take me long to respond with an enthusiastic "Yes!". Once I arrived in Vegas I wasted no time getting in touch with people, while making sure I contacted a certain Internet celebrity!
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...
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
It has been over one week since the epic All Star Bash drifting festival took over the Mojave Desert, but that isn't stopping Motor Mavens from continuing the coverage. We had to take a very brief hiatus from updates this weekend, as some of our crew roadtripped to Chicago for D1 while others had to divert our concentration for a moment to finish other client projects that help us pay our monthly bills. This being said, we'd just like to make sure you know that even though it happened a little over a week ago, All Star Bash is not old to us.
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...
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...
COVERAGE> Formula D Brings Heat to Vegas, Part 2
Continuing our Motor Mavens Coverage on Formula D Las Vegas... many of the fans and media members seem to have been focused on only the Top 32 tandem competition, but those who braved the Vegas heat earlier in the day were treated to some pretty exciting tsuisou action from the Formula D Pro Am drivers. Props go out to all the Pro Am drivers for coming up through the ranks and doin it big! Read more...
COVERAGE> Formula D Brings Heat to Vegas, Pt 1
The latest round of the Formula Drift Championship took place this past weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was sooooo incredibly hot in Las Vegas this past weekend; the Formula D teams had to work hard to make sure the drivers remained hydrated enough to perform at peak levels (last year, I remember seeing one of the drivers pass out because of the intense heat inside the car).
As a member of the media with a trackside photo pass, I remember being extremely uncomfortable because of Formula D safety rules requiring us to wear long pants instead of shorts at the track. However, just think about what the drivers must be feeling like - wearing full fire suits and Nomex underwear and HELMETS, sitting inside hot cars without air conditioning; with hot metal roofs working like a broiler due to the lack of headliners and insulation in a professional drift car.
Nevertheless, the crowd at Formula D remained upbeat and excited, due to the level of driving prowess they were treated to. Vegas drift fans are hardcore! Regardless of the heat, these fans were down to sit outside in the stands, sweating and cheering as their favorite professional drifters slid past them, dousing the grandstands in a bath of tire dust. Read more...
As a member of the media with a trackside photo pass, I remember being extremely uncomfortable because of Formula D safety rules requiring us to wear long pants instead of shorts at the track. However, just think about what the drivers must be feeling like - wearing full fire suits and Nomex underwear and HELMETS, sitting inside hot cars without air conditioning; with hot metal roofs working like a broiler due to the lack of headliners and insulation in a professional drift car.
Nevertheless, the crowd at Formula D remained upbeat and excited, due to the level of driving prowess they were treated to. Vegas drift fans are hardcore! Regardless of the heat, these fans were down to sit outside in the stands, sweating and cheering as their favorite professional drifters slid past them, dousing the grandstands in a bath of tire dust. Read more...
COVERAGE> Megan Racing Drift Competition Pt.2
Continuing our photographic coverage of the Megan Racing Drift Competition in San Bernardino on 4th of July weekend... Read more...
COVERAGE> Megan Racing Drift Competition Pt.1
Independence Day weekend was certainly a busy for those of us in Southern California. There were so many parties and car events to go to, it was really difficult choosing what to do this weekend. While many of my other friends spent the 4th of July having BBQs or enjoying the cool breeze in Huntington Beach, Drift Day organizer Naoki Kobayashi talked my friends and I into making the long, long trek out to the National Orange Show (NOS) Center in San Bernardino, CA for the Megan Racing Drift Competition.
You don't have to say it; we know what you're thinking. Megan Racing? Yes, we're talking about THAT Megan Racing. Working with Naoki from Drift Day, Megan Racing has decided to show its support of grassroots drifters, by throwing a fully catered drifting competition (thanks for the tacos, Megan Racing!), complete with a two thousand dollar purse for the winners. (Although, we didn't stick around til the end, so we weren't sure if they actually gave out money to the winners, or just a really expensive handbag.) Either way, we think it's great that a company with products catering to the grassroots drifting community would actually give back to the grassroots drifting community by putting together an event like this! Read more...
You don't have to say it; we know what you're thinking. Megan Racing? Yes, we're talking about THAT Megan Racing. Working with Naoki from Drift Day, Megan Racing has decided to show its support of grassroots drifters, by throwing a fully catered drifting competition (thanks for the tacos, Megan Racing!), complete with a two thousand dollar purse for the winners. (Although, we didn't stick around til the end, so we weren't sure if they actually gave out money to the winners, or just a really expensive handbag.) Either way, we think it's great that a company with products catering to the grassroots drifting community would actually give back to the grassroots drifting community by putting together an event like this! Read more...
COVERAGE> AZ Drift “Drag&Drift” at Firebird Raceway
Arizona drifting - two words that aren't put together very often by people. However, the drifting scene is strong in AZ, and it's about time we MotorMavens shine a little much-deserved light on the grassroots drifters out in the land of desert and cactus.
Firebird Raceway is the backdrop for Arizona's monthly AZ DRIFT Drag and Drift event, with all types of drivers from amateur to professional coming out to practice and showoff their skills. With it being summer in Arizona, we're very reluctant to make a trip outside into the 109 degree heat. 109 degrees! However being blessed with beautiful weekend weather it was a perfect day to take photos and it seemed like everyone was out at track either driving or spectating. Read more...
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CENTER STAGE> Domino’s Deep Dish Kouki S14
Not too long ago, I scheduled a rendezvous with Mike Paganik, who is the owner of this pristine 1996 240sx. Mike, who happens to be a friend who I have known since the 9th grade, tells me he's getting a new car, and I'm thinking "Great... Another one?" This guy has more vehicles then a dealership's used car lot, so out of curiosity, I ask him what the car is and the obvious question of "Can I drive it?" He answered "It's an S14" and the obvious answer of "You definitely can not drive it." Read more...
