VIDEO> Drift Posse – Road To Formula Drift Atlanta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPvpCt5KZeY
Today is Dan Cyr of Cyrious Productions‘ Birthday! If you don’t know who Dan Cyr is, he’s the brother of the Pat Cyr, the baddest privateer AE86 Formula Drift rookie who cleaned up at the Irwindale Pro Am event in the tail end of 2010. What a better way to honor Dan’s efforts as a drift documentarian than posting his latest video from Formula Drift Round 2 – Atlanta. It’s the best we can do Dan! We are all starving artists for now. Happy Birthday!
What does it feel to be the proverbial black sheep? Or better yet, the wolf in sheep’s clothing? Before you contemplate and think that I’m going to throw all kinds of cliché’s at you, consider where privateers like Pat Cyr sit right now in the world of Formula Drift. It’s hardly cliché at all to see a 360hp, garage built, ratty AE86 in a field of expensive dream machines and famous drivers. To me, and to countless others, the story of the “underdog” never gets old. (more…)
VIDEO> AWFilms Overdue Formula Drift Irwindale
AWFILMS | Formula Drift | Irwindale from Abbitt Wilkerson on Vimeo.
Abbitt Wilkerson‘s Formula Drift 2010 Finale video may be three months overdue, but I would hardly consider giving him half credit. Having recently enrolled in college, the “18 and famous teen idol” is juggling essays with edits. We don’t mind though. This just gives us motivation for the upcoming Formula Drift season during the slower winter months that most videographers despise.
Privateer drivers and professional mechanics, put down your wrenches for a few minutes to be reminded of the beautiful result of all your hard work. (more…)
VIDEO> Raw and Uncut From Ebisu Circuit
AWFILMS | GOES TO EBISU! | RAW from Abbitt Wilkerson on Vimeo.
Here’s just a little teaser from this weekend! The universal MotorMavens Crew was out in full force this weekend. Within the course of two days, the members of our crew hit up FIVE different automotive events, and we’ll be presenting the images to you over the course of the next few days!
However, right now we wanted to give you just a little taste of WHY we love Japan’s Ebisu Circuit. Ebisu Circuit is the epicenter of grassroots drifting culture in Japan. Right this moment, MotorMavens Northwest video shooter Abbitt Wilkerson is up at Ebisu Circuit filming and enjoying the Fukushima countryside. Here’s some raw clips of what he’s capturing up at the Holy Land of Drifting.
:: Antonio Alvendia
AW Films on Vimeo
Show people that you know what’s up by getting an Ebisu Circuit shirt on the MotorMavens Shop!
VIDEO> The Spirit of Formula D Las Vegas
My recent trip to Las Vegas for round 5 of Formula Drift was one of minimal luxuries. Joe Ayala and I could only afford one night in a hotel and a rental car was out of the question. Day one, we got up around noon, grabbed some “breakfast” at the Blueberry Hill next to the hotel, and began our journey to the track at around two. The trek consisted of roughly 2-3 miles, on foot, in 108 degree weather. Luckily for us, we found a shopping cart to carry our backpacks, camera cases, laptop bags, and of course my skateboard. Before long, we had covered the cart in MotorMavens cards (gotta represent) and found fun stuff to do on the way, such as drifting and dirt dropping the cart on the side of Las Vegas Blvd. Joe and I had fun overall, but boy were we glad when an old woman (with a legit mustache) stopped and asked us if we needed a ride. She drove us about a quarter of a mile to the gift shop of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, complaining the whole time about how she would be late to work. Haha!
Anyone will tell you that there’s really no way to describe a trip to FD Vegas other than “hot.” I had a great time making new acquaintances, like when my buddy Josh Herron took us by Forrest Wang‘s shop to BS and look at all his rad cars. I also had fun catching up with friends, like when the amazing Drew Fishbein and Ross Fairfield from OMGDrift let Joe and I stay in their hotel room because 18andFamous Abbitt Wilkerson was too busy napping to answer his door. Haha!
Regarding the video, I apologize for taking so long to finish it. The song I chose has a small introduction that requires specific footage to go with the audio. Hobo and I had arranged beforehand to film what I needed while in Vegas. Unfortunately, the lovely security team at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was very strict about when and who could drive in or out of the gates, so we just couldn’t make it happen. That being said, I had to acquire the help of up-and-coming photographer, videographer, actor, and stunt driver Joe Ayala to finish the timeline.
Special thanks to Jason at ContourHD for hooking us up with the cameras. These things are a blast to use! Definitely one of the most fun moments of the trip was running around the grid, sticking cameras on cars. Thanks again!
Enjoy! 
:: Justin Shreeve
VIDEO> Nikolay’s RBS13 Burnout at FD Vegas
AWFILMS | RAW LAS VEGAS | Shreeve Gets Wild! from Abbitt Wilkerson on Vimeo.
The heat of Las Vegas can make people do some crazy things. It makes some people stay out all night, drinking beer with new friends that they just met until 10AM, ensuring that they won’t have enough sleep to function as a normal human being at the actual Formula D Las Vegas event… and it makes some people stick their faces behind 180SX drift cars as they do burnouts in line for drifting practice.
Here’s our vote for the best looking S13 in the entire Formula Drift series… Nikolay Konstantinov‘s RB-powered RPS13, as seen through the lens of Abbitt Wilkerson as Justin Shreeve clowns around behind the car…
(Hey Abbitt… where’s that logo bumper?)
:: Antonio Alvendia
COVERAGE> PGP Graduation Day Bash!
Luckily for us, it was Rob Primo's graduation day on Saturday June 12th, because after several years of school, graduating with an MBA from Western Washington University, he went out with a bang, holding the second drift event at Pacific Grand Prix, inviting about 26 of his drifting friends and even more spectators. I couldn't think of a better way than drifting to celebrate and let loose after learning things like how magnets and rainbows work! Read more...
COVERAGE> Comrades Invade Pacific Grand Prix
For those that don't know, Comrades started from humble beginnings when four local drift teams decided to unite under one banner years ago. Now that banner has grown to include all NW grassroots drifters from Oregon to Canada.
May 15th set a new benchmark for drifting in the NW when the Comrades were invited to tear up the track at Pacific Grand Prix in Kent, WA. New Pros and old schoolers came out to drive on this newly created track, owned and operated by Paul Zalud, that spans a little less than a mile with a layout "that kinda gives you that Bihoku vibe."(Haha, it's a reference to a Japanese race track, Bihoku Highland)
The Mighty MotorMavens Crew was out in full force as well. Covering the entire event from the driving (by me), video from Abbit Wilkerson and Justin Shreeve to, of course, photos from Yoshi Shindo and new comer Jeff Santiago - both armed to the teeth with their new Canon EOS 7D cameras. Read more...
VIDEO> Pacific Grand Prix Drifting
Pacific Grand Prix Drift Invitational – May 19th, 2010 from Abbitt Wilkerson on Vimeo.
Last weekend, the smell of tire smoke penetrated the crisp Evergreen air of the Pacific Northwest. In the state of Washington, the MotorMavens Crew and friends attended the Pacific Grand Prix Drift Invitational, which took place at a go-kart track in the city of Kent. Many of the usual suspects were out there driving at the event, and you can be sure that out crew members Yoshi Shindo, Lucas Perez and Justin Shreeve will be posting up their stories from the event very soon, as they work to expose and blow up the Northwest car scene even further. Before we release the photos that Yoshi’s new Canon 7D captured from the event, we thought we’d post up Abbitt Wilkerson’s video from the event, which was also shot completely with a Canon 7D DSLR.
After watching this video, it makes me even more excited to return to Seattle to hang out with all our friends in the Northwest. I really like the Evergreen drifting scene; it has everything! Clean air, cool people, and stylish cars! Enjoy!
:: Edward Uche
VIDEO> One Of One Show at Long Beach
Fatlace OneOfOne Showcase | FD Long Beach Extra Footage
So yesterday I was sitting at my desk, cleaning up my external hard drive. I realized I’ve got TONS of extra footage of Formula Drift Long Beach and quite a bit of footage from the Fatlace OneOfOne Showcase that didn’t make it into the final edit.
My girl had the car for the day, and I wasn’t getting anything else done… so I decided to make another edit. This one has a much lighter vibe than the first, with no color grading and very little audio work; just lots of familiar faces, pretty cars, and loud engines.
Enjoy.
:: Justin Shreeve
Vimeo.com/JustinShreeve
YouTube.com/Shreeveco
More Formula D Long Beach 2010 stories on MOTORMAVENS
COVERAGE> Insider’s Look at FD Long Beach
The first photo in our series is from one of the practice sessions. I think the practice sessions were actually a lot cooler and funner to watch at times than some of the tandem bouts, because it felt like freestyle drifting chaos within the confines of the white cement barriers and tire stacks that lined the streets of the LBC. Read more...
VIDEO> Evergreen Drifting by Justin Shreeve
“Nothin’ to Worry About” – Evergreen Invitational (MotorMavens) from Justin Shreeve Films on Vimeo.
Even a broken foot and multiple equipment issues didn’t keep me from running around Evergreen Speedway last Sunday. Evergreen Drift’s invite-only season opener was a great success, despite several wrecks… and even fires. Tires were destroyed on track, while old friends caught up with one another in the uncharacteristic warmth of the Washington sun.
This event was a testament to the true nature of drifting. Pushing through misfortune to create something beautiful, all the while having the collective time of our lives. I find it ironic that although times may be hard, when we come together to share what we love, we find a feeling of euphoria. (more…)
VIDEO> AW Films Does Pro Am
I don’t know about you, but I just can’t seem to get enough Pro Am action. AW Films just released their take on the day’s events. Abbitt says he struggled with this edit, but after watching it several times, I never would have guessed! There is a ton of great footage and an equal amount of great driving in this video. Take a look!
:: Andy Sapp
VIDEO> Through the eyes of a child
Formula D Irwindale 2009 Rd 7 “Judgement Day” from Abbitt Wilkerson on Vimeo.
It seems that most of the videographers who made it to Formula D Irwindale have been finishing up the edits on their videos this week. While many of our readers are already familiar with a lot of the “normal videographers” that travel to all the stops on the Formula D circuit, I thought I’d shine a light on a certain young videographer from the Pacific Northwest named Abbitt Wilkerson.
Devout Motor Mavens readers might recognize his name, as Abbitt is the guy behind all the AW Films drifting videos that have been popping up on Vimeo and the owner of a particular sick stanced Subaru Impreza WRX STi that has been the topic of some controversy on the site. (haha!) Abbitt is still relatively new to the car scene, as he only recently began driving and he is just starting his video production career. He’s still building up his skills and experience, because as Abbitt will be the first to tell you – HE’S ONLY SEVENTEEN! Not bad for a high school kid.
Believe it or not, there have been quite a few people on the internet that were actually hating on Abbitt and his aggressively stanced STi, saying he’s just a spoiled kid who had the luxury of getting everything paid for by his parents. It’s funny, because when I mentioned it to him at Irwindale, he got pretty defensive about it, insisting that he works his ass off to hustle enough money to pay for his car and his camera equipment.
Whatever the case may be, he gets respect from ME because while most seventeen year old kids are wasting their lives playing video games and watching TV, Abbitt is actually doing something productive, working two jobs so he can afford to build his car and filming as much as he can so that he can constantly improve his skills in shooting and editing video. Sheesh, I wish I was that productive when I was seventeen. I didn’t do ANYTHING but take pictures and listen to hip hop.
Props, A-dub!
:: Antonio Alvendia
CARSPOTTING> Sick Stanced STi
The owner of this slammed Subaru Impreza WRX STi is a seventeen year old (Yes, I said 17 years old!) high school student named Abbitt Wilkerson from AW Films. Abbitt has been making a name for himself; not only because he shoots some of the most popular car videos up here in the Northwest, but also because he has a driving passion for building Subarus with the common thread of aggressive wheel fitment. Read more...
