COVERAGE> UK Grassroots Drifting at Santa Pod!
The drift area itself is in a fairly large plot of land on the left side of the drag strip, and is split up into five tracks, ranging from a larger "main track" for more experienced drifters (which is based on the 2008 European Drift Championship layout), a smaller "kidney track" which is set up for practicing transitions, and finally, there are 3 small "play pens" for practicing donuts, figure 8s, etc. There's also a make shift pit area for people to change tyres and work on their cars. Mint Tyres is always on hand to provide tire support for the drivers; they will fit tyres at very good prices to keep you on the track all day, and Sue's Cafe makes AWESOME cheese and bacon burgers to fill the appetites of hungry drifters.
DWYB also happens to be where I started out photographing drifting and the culture that surrounds it... so I headed up last weekend to catch up with some friends, have a lot of fun and bring back a few photos to shed some light on grassroots drifting in the UK for you Motor Mavens readers! Read more...
VIDEO> Simply Clean & Stance in Orlando
Simply Clean from Bluemotion on Vimeo.
Back in January I covered the Simply Clean + Stance event in Orlando Florida, which was completely awesome. I am saddened to hear that the next event may not be till November of this year… sad face!! I wish these guys would do a rotating event every 4-5 months or so to help promote proper car building. Cars with sunken wheels are 8 years ago people; change with the times! Flush wheels and no drop don’t count either!
Anyway, the video is awesome and so is the sound track. Quan Vu at Bluemotion did an awesome job, and from the looks of it, it involved a Canon 5D Mark II. Rock on man – for his first car meet video, I am simply stunned. The song “More More More” is from the upcoming LP by SOY Is Real… so if you think it’s dope like I do, just watch the video over and over again.
Lastly, BIG THANKS to Simply Clean’s Nickoli for giving us the first shout out at the end of the video. You know I will be at the next one!!
If you want to view pictures of the cars that did not make it on the video and my coverage check out Nickoli’s link.
:: Scottie Scheetz
COVERAGE> Wekfest Weekend in J-Town SF, Pt.1
Anyway, the Weksos Wekfest event was pretty crazy... TONS of cars, TONS of people in attendance, and a line of impatient people that stretched around the block. Seriously... that was a pretty long line! Read more...
COVERAGE> Simply Clean + Stance in Orlando
WEBMINING> S13 Running Touge at Night!
For everyone who’s ever wondered why mountain racing in Japan has evolved from an illegal, underground activity into something that accidentally slipped into the “mainstream” via comic books, anime, movies, and more… you need to watch this video, which was sent to me by my friend Chihiro Yoshimura from PEAK, an all AE and KP chassis drift team from Kanagawa Japan.
The driver of this S13 Silvia is drifting through a mountain road with such little space to navigate and maneuver the car… it’s incredible! Now this is car control.
I can’t wait to get back to Japan.
:: Antonio Alvendia
COVERAGE> San Francisco Auto Show 2009
Since the FD wasn't back in San Francisco yet, I figured it would be a good chance to debut my RHD S14 and display it at this week-long show so I could show some love to my sponsors. Read more...
CENTER STAGE> Roland Gallagher’s BN Blister S13
Our whole crew has a ton of respect for all the grassroots drivers out there; they are certainly working hard to step their game up and make it into the pro ranks... and for me personally, I think sometimes watching the grassroots guys compete is even more exciting than watching the pro drivers go at it. Some people may be thinking, "What?! Are you crazy?" I know, I know... it may be a bit different to outsiders or to those who are just sitting in the stands... but for those of us who circulate through the pit areas and go to the different shops and hang out with the drivers even outside of track events, it's really inspiring to see the hard work and perseverance of normal, everyday individuals, the grassroots enthusiasts, pay off.
This is what passion is all about. And this is why I think people are crazy when people think drifting is just a fad. Maybe it is for outsiders... but for the people who live and breathe this stuff day in and day out, it couldn't be further from the truth.
One guy who lives and breathes drifting is Roland Gallagher. The first time I saw Roland drive was at Formula D Las Vegas, where he was competing to earn his invite to the Pro Am. I was standing trackside with my younger brother David, and I saw this flash of teal pass me, followed by clouds of billowing white tiresmoke. My eyes followed the tiresmoke and somehow became fixated on his WHEELS which had ridiculously fat lips... I remember muttering "helllll yeah" under my breath, because these days, it's becoming more and more rare to see drift cars with good looking wheels and stance on the FD circuit. 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> The Spirit of Irwindale Formula D
The+Spirit+of+Irwindale+Formula+D
There’s just something about Irwindale Speedway at the end of the season. After all the teams in the Formula Drift Championship have faced countless trials and tribulations, dealing with mechanical problems and financial stress of how to get their cars and teams from event to event as the series travels all over the country; the Formula D homecoming at Irwindale Speedway for the last event of the year has a different feeling to it than the other events in the series.
The drivers and teams in the points race are anxious, knowing that they must be on point and professional every step of the way, as even the smallest mechanical hiccup or driver error could take them out of the running and give the advantage to an opposing team.
At the same time, the fans are excited to see the cars and drivers return to the birthplace of American drifting after they have spent the whole year on tour, cutting their teeth and taking their epic fender-to-fender dogfights to race tracks across the nation in an attempt to attract more sponsors, build more publicity, and most importantly… attract new drifting fans.
I’ve been traveling with the Formula Drift series since the very first event; since the series started in 2004… and every year, as the season ends at Irwindale Speedway, there’s a shared feeling of excitement and pride of accomplishment running through the pits.
This video, by Motor Mavens shooter Travis Hodges, is our attempt to capture that feeling. And it was captured entirely with two cameras, the new Canon 7D digital HD SLR and the Twenty20 ContourHD.
We hope you enjoy the video, and CONGRATULATIONS to all the teams, drivers, umbrella girls, and FANS that make the Formula D series what it is. RESPECT!!!
:: Antonio Alvendia
COVERAGE> Drifting is alive in Santo Domingo!
We went out there a couple of days early to prep our cars, test and setup their new drift track, marking all of the clipping points and track outline of the course. We spoke with the drivers and setup a driver’s meeting on competition day to go over all of the judging criteria and track rules with their local judges. Read more...
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
WEBMINING>Team Battle:Drift by Stephen Brooks
Team Battle:Drift from Stephen Brooks on Vimeo.
I’ve been checking out Stephen Brooks’ work lately on Vimeo. The man from the land of tea and crumpets makes great videos, but this one really stood out to me in particular. It was shot during a team drift event (hence the name) at the Norfolk Arena, which is about 2.5 hours North of London.
Although I’m not too keen on the song choice, I think it matched the content of the video very well. Beyond that, I feel like this piece does a great job to portray all the emotions behind the scenes of a drift event. Don’t worry though, there’s great drifting footage as well!
::Justin Shreeve
ARCHAEOLOGY> JDM Allstars Action
The qualifying would be run using the new Super Lap format. With the Super Lap, drivers are given just one single run to lay down their best score, no warm up laps, or anything. The judges were also wanting to see the drivers give it their all and get their cars as close as they could to the wall. A lot of pressure, but it was definitely gonna be exciting! Read more...
WEBMINING> 1982 Super Silhouette Silvia Turbo
I absolutely LOVE these old Super Silhouette cars! Cars like this look so crazy because of their robotic looking bodywork – it looks like something straight out of a Japanese anime movie. This particular one is a 1982 Nissan Silvia Turbo, which is the same as the S12 200SX in the United States.
Nissan and Mooncraft Japan worked together to create this monster, and somehow, they were able to get over 500hp out of this 4-valve DOHC 4 cylinder turbo motor! Just think… having a 500+ horsepower SR20DET engine is definitely doable with today’s aftermarket engine and electronics technology… but these guys made this car in the early 1980s, when the A-team van and Knight Rider were new shows on television! It never ceases to AMAZE me what these old school Japanese racing engineers accomplished back then.
Also notice that super old school red Recaro racing bucket in the car! DOPE!!! Also notice, this particular Silvia Turbo is sitting on some super wide Impul Hoshino G5 wheels. AE86 guys, please take note – it’s further proof of what I’ve been telling everyone on Club4AG for like 10 years now… Hoshino wheels belong on NISSANS, not Toyotas. Kazuyoshi Hoshino (and his Impul Hoshino wheels) have a history of racing Nissans, so when you put Hoshino wheels on your AE86, it’s like putting Mugen stuff on your Nissan. Or putting TRD stuff on your Civic. Or putting Nismo stuff on your Subaru. Get it?
So if you like the look of the Impul Hoshino G5 wheels that much (ya gotta admit, they DO look pretty damn awesome), then try to find a set of Work Equip 02 wheels, or try to find an R30 or R31 Skyline or S12 Silvia to mount those Hoshino wheels on, if you’re interested in keepin it real. If you don’t care, that’s ok too. Just saying.
Either way, these 1980s Japanese race cars are so incredible. Their incredible and unique style even influenced people to recreate these crazy body modifications on their own street cars – the bosozoku (yanki) cars.
I love Super Silhouette!
Click here for more incredible Super Silhouette video links
:Antonio Alvendia
COVERAGE> JDM Allstars at Wembley Part 2
But the day wasn't just for practice, it was for qualifying and with over 50 drivers it was going to be a long one. Read more...
VIDEO> JDM Allstars All Out In The UK
JDM Allstars – Wembley 2009 – The Drift Festival from JDM Allstars on Vimeo.
Recently we’ve been talking with some new friends “across the pond” as they say in the UK, JDM Allstars. They held one of the dopest drift events to date in Europe, JDM Allstars at Wembley Stadium, London. 70mph entries with epic sweeping corners and jumps…dude jumps!? This was the second year for the drift event. All the hard work, blood, sweet and love that was put into making it all happen paid off with one of their best top 32’s ever. They’re feeling was standard of driving, event atmosphere, and skill level compared to the Redbull Championships in Long Beach last year.
In the up coming days we’ll be introducing to the JDM Allstars with photographic coverage of the event and the people that made this event so amazing. Meanwhile check out the video they made of the event and let us know what you think.
Music – Al Clark & Jaguar Skills
Edited by Al on Final Cut Express
Additional camera op: Josh Allen
:: Travis Hodges
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...
COVERAGE> Formula D Brings Heat to Vegas, Part 2
COVERAGE> Formula D Brings Heat to Vegas, Pt 1
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...
VIDEO> Honeymoon at Ebisu Circuit
Exactly one year ago, my good friends Jody and Chris Manacop (you might recognize the covers he’s shot for Performance Auto Sound Magazine, but you probably wouldn’t know his name cause PASmag effed up more than once and put someone else’s name under the photo credit! LOL) got married… on the day before Toshiki Yoshioka won first place at Formula D Las Vegas.
So today, on the 1-year anniversary of our good friends getting hitched, I decided to post up a video from their honeymoon. (No, no, you won’t see any night-vision camera stuff here… Google Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian for that.) I’m posting up a pretty cool video from their honeymoon in Japan; these two decided to go to the Summer Drift Festival at Ebisu Circuit for their honeymoon!
As luck would have it, I had just finished a photo mission in Germany, Belgium and the UK, so I met up with them in Japan during their “Honeymoon at Ebisu.” So there we were… Chris, Jody, Kumakubo, Naoto and the rest of our Ebisu Family in Fukushima Japan… just chillin out, looking for delicious Japanese drinks and snacks at the kombini (7-Eleven)… when Kumakubo asked Chris and Jody if they wanted to check out Ebisu’s Touge course.
In the words of Tokyo socialite Kenta Ogawara, Chris responded “well, OBVIOUSRYYYY!” and hopped into Kumakubo’s yellow Autech PS13 Silvia Convertible with his Canon SD 800IS point and shoot camera and an old school drifting helmet, which looked more like a baseball helmet.
So here’s the video that Chris shot with his SD 800IS, on his first ride up and down Ebisu’s touge with the King of the Hill himself, Kumakubo at the wheel… and the white RPS13 180SX in the background is being driven by Team Orange’s Naoto Suenaga with Chris’s wife Jody sitting shotgun.
So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Chris and Jody! And thanks for the funny ass video! See you in Vegas tomorrow night! I’m gonna stop name dropping and get on the road now!
:: Antonio Alvendia
(PS: Excuse Chris’s high pitched laughter, LOL)
COVERAGE> Megan Racing Drift Competition Pt.2
VIDEO> Spocom USA Show
Spocom%3a+Models+%2b+Formula+D%2c+Time+Attack+%26+VIP+Cars
Check out our newest video on Streetfire.net, which features some video footage from the Spocom USA show at the Long Beach Convention Center. We decided to go to Spocom to meet up with some friends, and also to see what it would be like if we combined the footage from the small Canon HF S100 consumer HD camera I’m testing with the footage from Antonio’s Canon 5D MarkII digital SLR, which he normally only uses for shooting still photos!
Luckily for us, Antonio’s younger brother David was in town; he helped us capture a lot of this video footage while his big bro stopped at every. single. booth… to say hi to a friend of his. David’s an aspiring video producer in training – he’s only 16 years old, but he seems to have a good eye for composition already!
Enjoy the video and the music… I wonder if anyone can easily identify which video clips were shot with the 5DMk2 and which ones were shot with the HF S100?
:: Travis Hodges
