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
COVERAGE> Formula Drift Las Vegas Highlights
Just like the gypsy camps in the days of old, this year's Las Vegas round of Formula Drift brought thieves out of the woodwork. I was really surprised to find out that former Formula D judge (and current Tanaka Racing Corvette driver) Alex Pfeiffer's helmet was stolen. I suppose someone was a fan of Alex's Hawaiian print helmet, which had the traditional Hawaiian plumeria flowers painted on one side. The only question I have about that is... Okay, thieves. Now that you have Alex's helmet, what the hell are you going to do with it? Read more...
VIDEO> 24 Hours of DriftMania
Making this video was absolutely insane, but an awesome experience. Drift Mania Canadian Championship Round 4 was the only night-time round scheduled for DMCC this year, and it was my first time really doing a night-time event outside of my hometown. (It was also my first time really partying all night outside of my hometown, but that’s probably for a different post.) The most staggering thing about this event was that the entire event took place on one day, with all the practice sessions and qualifying during the day, and competition starting in the evening and going into the night.
In this video, the Drift Posse team is represented by Brad Carlton driving a grey and black 240sx s13 and Pat Cyr in his trusty F20 turbo-powered hachiroku. Some other notable appearances include Matt Waldin in his flame spitting 350z, who once again proved that his motto of stone cold consistency is a proven formula to getting wins. Surprisingly, Fred Girard and the Rockstar Energy 240sx decided to put a happy note on what has otherwise been a pretty tough season by taking the #2 podium spot.
VIDEO> Rauh Welt Porsches on Japan Streets!
I just posted up a Papercuts story about 0-60 Magazine’s newest issue, which includes a feature on Nakai san and his Rauh Welt Porsches and on one of my favorite cars of all time – the AE86 Corolla GT-S, but I thought I should just go ahead and post this video as well! This video features clips from 0-60′s photo shoot in Japan, and some handheld video footage so that you can hear the Rauh Welt Porsche 911′s AMAZING exhaust note as it cruises through Japanese city streets and freeways!
Enjoy!
:: Antonio Alvendia
PAPERCUTS> AE86 & Rauh Welt in 0-60 Mag
It might have been just a kewinkydink, but since we all celebrated Hachiroku Day, August 6th, this past Friday... I thought it would be cool to point out that O-60 Magazine just printed an in depth article about the AE86 this month, in their column, The Sixty.
0-60 knows that most die hard AE86 owners are pretty crazy about their cars, so they were looking for a super clean AE86 to shoot for this month's feature. They apparently heard that I had some pretty clean AE86s in my collection, and called me up to ask if they would be able to do a photo shoot with one of my cars. Actually, they were asking if I'd be willing to shoot one of my cars for the magazine... of course! Everything was all going to be good, until we spoke further, and I realized that they were actually looking for a bone stock AE86 Corolla GT-S. Ummm... oops. None of my cars are bone stock. Read more...
VIDEO> XDC Round 4 – Englishtown, NJ
Let me start this off by saying that it was a blast to return to the United States for a drift event this year. It’s been a solid year at LEAST (maybe a year and a bit even??!) since I’ve been in the Land of Freedom and Hotdogs, and I gotta say it was good to be back. This video covers the one Drift Posse member who was available to make it out to XDC Round 4 at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey; Pat Cyr in his F20 powered AE86 coupe, as well as the stylings of some of the top players in the Xtreme Drift Circuit today. This includes event winner Matt Waldin in the two-tone 350z, Steve Angerman in the Gardella Racing Solstice, and the series points leader Chelsea Denofa in the wicked green NST BMW E36.
The competition was fun and everything, but honestly the most exciting part for me was just being in a different country, and realizing really how different our cultures can be, even though we only live a few hours away from each other. The biggest and most obvious difference though, is food. Crossing the border into the States is kinda like crossing this line of sugar, chips, and fast food, and I love it. My first order of business once we hit a gas station across the border was to buy myself some Mountain Dew Code Red, along with some Milk Duds; with a 5th Avenue Bar for dessert (I can still feel my teeth hurting). It may surprise you, but none of these is available in Canada, and as a self-proclaimed sweets aficionado, you can imagine that I was in heavenly bliss for basically the rest of the ride to New Jersey. (more…)
FORUM> Happy Hachiroku Day! 8/6/2010
The very first time I heard the term "Hachiroku Day" coined was when my good friend, HerbrockOne from Cipher Garage called me up one morning and greeted me, "Hey man. Happy 8/6!" I just had to bust out laughing. I think this happened sometime in the late 1990s (damn, we're old)... but we are really crazy about our AE86s, and for some reason the number 86 just seems to jump out at us wherever we're at.
When we're ordering food or something, Herb and I always seem to get receipts that say "Order # 86" and once when I was at the airport, I've even had to board an airplane at Gate 86... hahahaha!!! I'm also pretty sure I'm not the only one who's stolen the number 86 "plastic table number" from Carl's Jr restaurants (at least, if you live in the United States).
I just wanted to alert everyone else that we've been starting up a thread in our MotorMavens Forum that includes pictures of everyone's favorite AE86s! Please add your own favorites to the thread, if you haven't done so already! Read more...
CENTER STAGE> Superfine Serial Nine Cressidas
That perception of these four-door beauties changed when engines like the 1JZGTE and 2JZGTE started to become more accessible with the spike in JDM import parts coming into the US within the last decade. With minimal work, and a good knowledge of cars, one could have a powerful car with less investment than, say... a 240SX or AE86. Opting for the straight six turbo 1/2JZ engines was a no-brainer if you had a Cressida. Read more...
VIDEO> DMCC Rd. 3 at ICAR Motorsports Complex
Before we get to the video hinted at in the title, I’ve decided to take a moment to introduce myself and my team for those who may not recognize me.
My name is Dan Cyr, and I’m the guy behind the Cyrious Productions lens and computer screen. I’ve been following drifting in Canada for several years now, riding along with my brother, AE86 driver Pat Cyr and the Drift Posse. We’ve been at drift events from Quebec to Edmonton and in between, as well as a few down south… You can be sure to see us at more of them this year.
I’m not going to go into the meaty details of this event, since the actual Driftmania Canadian Championship event coverage will be taken care of by fellow Ontario MotorMaven Jover Papag, who was an absolute blast to hang out with all weekend, as well as being wicked help on the track.
What I can tell you though is that the event was great, and the whole team had piles of fun. This round was the first ever round of Drift Mania held at ICAR Motorsports Complex at the Mirabel Airport. It was a pretty neat looking track, being extremely flat and paved entirely in concrete. (more…)
COVERAGE> JDM Allstars Rd.2 – Donington Alpine!
I later heard that the plan was to hold it on something called the Donington Alpine Circuit. I had no clue what that was until I came along to the shoot of the promotional video a few weeks back. Then it all became clear. On the outskirts of the main track and the Launch Pad is a fast, wide, almost mountain road-like track that the JDM Crew decided to use. It's made up of four corners and a steep uphill straight where the cars seemingly come out of nowhere and fly over the top. There's a right transition into the second turn, aiming for a clipping point close to the deadly armco, then a transition left into the third turn where you plant the throttle and bring the rear of the car to the armco on the straight, leading to another transition right into the final hairpin turn.
Fast corners, armco barriers on all sides and beautiful scenery all around. This was looking to be one of the most unique and exciting drift events in the JDM Allstars calendar. Read more...
CENTER STAGE> Pat Cyr, DMCC Winner with AE86!
When I think of the hard campaigning privateer, there's no one that comes more quick ly to mind than Pat. He and his team bring the perfect mix of heart, dedication and style to every event - and it shows. Read more...
VIDEO> Formula D Atlanta Part 2
Experience Atlanta | FD Round 2 | Part 2 from Justin Shreeve Films on Vimeo.
Formula D Round 2 Atlanta has been a subject of the past now, but our boy Justin Shreeve had extra footage and decided to make a sequel to his original FD Atlanta video. In my opinion Justin did a great job showing the great experience a Formula D event can have on someone. These events are more than just the cars and drifting to me. It’s about the people, friends, vendors, and of course the girls! I’m not going to lie though, that clip of Daijiro Yoshihara dirt dropping was sick! Great job Justin Michael Shreeve!
::Yoshi Shindo
VIDEO> Silhouette Street Drifting in Houston TX
A dude from a crew on the north side of Houston TX, showed us this amazing drifting spot in an abandoned neighborhood. It’s known as “the graveyard” among them for the many ditches that suck cars in from time to time.
We had this shoot planned two weeks in advance, but due to a spook from the local fuzz the last time we were there, we had to be quick. I managed to grab all my still shots prior to the actual drifting so as not to draw unnecessary attention. Once that was done, we got the cameras mounted, and off my boys went. About 45 minutes later and lots of running around with the tripod and dolly, we were outta there… The cars emerged unscathed; no one got hurt, and no one got caught. Props to everyone from Team Silhouette that helped.
:: Henry Swasey
View more videos from Henry Swasey on Youtube
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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 Drift Invitational
Pacific Grand Prix | Drift Invitational
The first Pacific Grand Prix Drift Invitational was a blast! So many good people, live DJ, beer garden, skateboarding, dirt drops, four car tandems. What’s not to love? If you haven’t been to this track, make plans to attend a future event. This thing is beautiful! Super clean grass; I can’t believe dudes were dirt dropping in this shit!
Filming, on the other hand, was quite a challenge. With only a 15mm F/2.8 and a 50mm F/1.4, the strict media regulations made it difficult to shoot good footage without breaking the rules. The super bright sun half the day didn’t help either.
It is what it is. Enjoy.
:: Justin Shreeve
Justin Shreeve Films
More Motor Mavens coverage from Pacific Grand Prix
OH SNAP> The Demon That Makes Trophies of Men
A lot of times when you buy a car, you have a plan. Sometimes it can be just a mild street car build, or full on race car that will never see a day on the streets. In my experience my builds are always unexpected, starting off with just a daily driver that turns into a full blown money eating machine. Either way, planned or not planned we all have the same passion on getting our cars to become what we imagine in our minds. It always amazes me how far we go to do that. (more…)
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
VIDEO> World Drift Series China 2009
World Drift Series China 2009 from Larry Chen on Vimeo.
Once a year drivers from all over the world gather in China to drive the shit out of crappy cars. No rules. No limits. And sometimes no seatbelts.
This is the World Drift Series. Drifting is very new in the land of communism… but every year, American and Japanese drifters show the Chinese drifters how to do some REAL drifting. In 2008 and 2009, the main event, “WDS Hang Zhou” had a sellout crowd of 45,000 people.
This year, along with the American and Japanese drivers, there were quite a few drivers from Mainland China and Hong Kong as well. There was even a Russian drifter who came down for two events.
I had the privilege of traveling with the American team. I was given $1500 to purchase 4 sh!tty cameras and 3 sh!tty on-car mounts (I don’t really shoot video). This short film is what I ended up with. I tried to concentrate more on the drivers, since I had an opportunity to live and travel with them for 2 weeks. Every part showcases a different driver and their unique personalities. Enjoy!
:: Larry Chen
CARSPOTTING> TE37s on a Five and Dime
Before the advent of the Internet, before forums and blogs, these cars were being raced and modded. Now, with technology literally at your fingertips, it's made these cult cars more accessible to a new, younger audience. Parts are available if you need them, despite possibly being scarce in your area. Information is readily available for any trouble shooting or restoration you may choose to embark upon.
As the years go by, the 510 has endured a lot in the changing automotive climate. As with most classics, even with the help of the Internet, these beloved little cars share the same pitfalls as others; NOS parts being near worth their weight in gold, beat up used parts hoarded, and the barnyard finds that the owner may "someday" restore. These cars seem to present a picture in extremes; either restored to immaculate condition, or beat up and oddly modded. After 40 years of being a fan favorite among motor-heads it's harder and harder to find a clean, unmolested dime. Luckily, that's exactly what happened to Steve Keely when he found this natural beauty - a four door bamboo colored 1972 Datsun 510. Read more...
VIDEO> VegasDrift Checkup: Mike Bolaños
VD CheckUp-Mike Bolanos from Robert Strohmeyer on Vimeo.
I just saw this “VD Checkup” video posted on the VegasDrift site. The VD Checkup is basically a “driver profile video” of sorts, which allows people to get to know the folks involved with VegasDrift. In this particular installment, AE86/S13 driver Mike Bolanos sits down for a quick one-on-one talk with AE86 bretheren (and MotorMavens chief editor) Antonio Alvendia, who just happened to be in Las Vegas for a bachelor party. This soft spoken individual (I’m obviously talking about Mike) briefly talks about his experience as a driver and a Vegas ProAm judge.
I always see Mike at drift events, and I think it’s cool that he’s so committed to fully living out his drift lifestyle. For those not in the know, Mike is also very much involved in Just Drift, thanks to JD event organizer Charlie Ongsingco. Want to learn more about Mike? Check out his website and add him on Facebook. While there, also be sure to add the new MotorMavens Blog Fan Page. Pleasure getting to know you Mike, you too are a true MotorMaven.
:: Edward Uche
COVERAGE> Formula D Fun at Long Beach
This past weekend was certainly an exciting one. I was excited to see all the new cars that were debuting at Long Beach, as well as seeing a lot of good friends from different parts of the world, even if it would be only for a brief moment. Unfortunately, when you're working at the event like I am, you're usually hustling about, going from one spot to the next, and you don't have as much time as you'd like to just chill and spend time with good friends. This event was definitely like that for me.
I was trying to juggle shooting photos for the website while overseeing the Motor Mavens Crew's event promotions efforts. Not an easy task! Also, on the Saturday of the event, I was asked to help out with the filming of The Grid, which is a UK-based motorsports television show that airs in 120 countries around the world! And... on top of all that, we debuted the new MotorMavens X DSTROYR "Follow The Leader" shirt at our booth, which was managed by super designer Jon Chase, the creative genius behind the brands DSTROYR and Famous Stars and Straps. I and the entire Motor Mavens Crew definitely had our hustle mode switched ON this weekend! Read more...
