COVERAGE> JDM Allstars Wembley Stadium
Wembley is THE event to go to in the JDM Allstars calendar. Drifters from all over Europe and even outside of Europe flock to Wembley to step up to the plate and show their talents in the competition. So bright and early (way too early) Saturday morning, I headed down into London to check out what was going on.
Usually I like to hang around the pits for a while to chat with drivers and friends, but with briefings to attend to and with the large amount of drivers competing, practice had to get underway pretty sharpish and I didn't want to miss out on any of the action. So I made a move out to the track and started shooting. So here are some photos from practice and qualifying! Read more...
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
OH SNAP> Canadian Drift Union Rocks PGP
Pacific Grand Prix in Washington state has only been holding drift events this year, but they been doing so well that everyone in the Pacific Northwest looks forward to these events now. This past weekend, was the very first Team Tandem event that PGP held. Many of the regular familiar faces showed up, as well as a lot of new drivers that I hadn’t seen before.
Drift Union was one of the crews from out-of-town that showed up for this event. They came all the way from Canada (I don’t know the exact city) and even though they were new to the PGP course, they were killin it out on track. Their super ridiculously early entries and close-following tandem runs wowed the crowd and the judges enough to ensure that they took top honors!
Congratulations, boys! Stay tuned to MotorMavens for more photos from the PGP event very soon… but right now I have an appointment to buy some super wide wheels for my S14! Now I need overfenders! =D
:: Yoshi Shindo
WEBMINING> Drifting Mercedes Benz W123 Wagon
I’ve always had sort of a thing for wagons. They have a kind of comforting appeal that reminds us of our childhood – camping trips and such. This turbocharged Mercedes W123 wagon provides no such comfort. This thing is a beast!
:: Justin Shreeve
VIDEO> In Car Drifting with ContourHD POV
In Cars from Justin Shreeve on Vimeo.
The idea for this video came from a night of goofing off with friends and tossing ideas around. When this song began to play in the background, I knew I had to edit a drift video to it, but not just any drift video. That’s when I decided to make a video using only the help of wearable/mountable cameras. Many questions arise when considering such a project. How will I get my hands on enough cameras? My old, broken GoPro SD sure wasn’t going to cut it. Then, once I have enough cameras, how can I mount them in ways that keep the viewer interested throughout the entire video? I can assure you, this was a slightly daunting prospect that quickly found it’s home in the recesses of my mind. That is, until Antonio Alvendia introduced me to Jason from Contour at the Apex’i/Lexus SC430 debut party in Seattle. I swear, that guy knows everyone!
This video is far from perfect, but I feel it captures some of the excitement and carefree qualities of drifting that are often difficult to see or feel through a lens or computer screen. I chose to leave the colors/exposure/contrast/everything alone with this video. There is zero color grading and very little audio mixing. My intent was to not only create a fun, relaxed drifting video, but to also show the grassroots drivers what these cameras are capable of straight out of the box.
A huge thanks goes out to Jason at ContourHD for making this project a possibility. Without the help of the ContourHD 1080p, my dream of an all point-of-view drift video may have never come to fruition.
:: Justin Shreeve
CONTOURHD Cameras
Shreeve Films
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...
NEWSWORTHY> Riverside Adams Drift Night
PERSPECTIVE> Drifting Changed My Life
That's why this story by Jonathan McWhorter was so compelling to me. It's not about the money or the fame. It's not about your company budget or your connections. It's not even how long you've been in the industry. Those are not the things that make this industry so awesome. I could tell you but Jon did such a great job - I'll leave it in his capable hands. After all, he reminded me. So, without further ado... 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> UK Drifting Is Exciting With JDM Allstars!
JDM Allstars NISSAN FACTORY – Round 3, 2010 from Josh Allen on Vimeo.
At last! Here’s Josh Allen‘s latest installment of this season’s JDM Allstars video coverage. It also happens to be the debut of his new production company – Will Shoot For Food. Although it might be a little schizophrenic to some, I love the way this video has been cut. It’s a huge mix of intense action, great camerawork, a dope soundtrack and a certain human element that you don’t see that often in drift videos.
To me, the video has a great balance between good footage, a good song and some slick editing, and the (usually) boring motorsport “who won what and championship points” style coverage.
Keep up the good work Josh!
::Daniel Bridle
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…)
VIDEO> Apex’i Lexus SC430 Drifting at Evergreen
With all the great things I’ve been hearing about last week’s Formula Drift Seattle event, it’s getting me amped to see what will happen at the Las Vegas round of the championship series. I’ve been checking out a lot of our video footage from the event, but I remain drawn to the great POV (point-of-view) footage that Justin Shreeve captured with a ContourHD mountable/wearable video camera.
This particular video clip shows former D1GP Series Champ Ryuji Miki drifting his newly built Lexus SC430 on the banking at Evergreen Speedway. For those who havent driven or ridden along on the Evergreen Speedway course, this video is a great way to check the track out – from a driver’s perspective.
We’ve got more clips and we’ll be showing some of our favorite POV footage from time to time. Meanwhile click this link to see other shots from Formula D Seattle and Formula D Irwindale, as featured on the new MotorMavens Channel on ContourHD’s website.
:: Travis Hodges
VIDEO> KP Race LSx14 Debut
To be completely honest, up until earlier this year, I knew next to nothing of KP Race. I knew it was an auto shop located somewhere in Washington (With names like Snoqualmie and Skookumchuck, the towns all seem to blend together in my mind). That was, until I received a call from a guy who goes by the name of “Victor Moore.” Hey, I’d have an alias, too, if I were him. Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me, Tiger. Haha! Anyway, the conversation consisted of a request to travel the US with Victor, Chris Jeanneret, and Matt Brandow as they work their way up the Formula Drift Ranks in 2010. How could I resist?! Free rides all over the country and food along the way! Say no more; I’m in!
Traveling with these fine young gentlemen took me back to a simpler time in life. A time when all that mattered was having fun. A time when you jumped in a 1988 Ford Probe and drove all day, just to bomb a hill in San Francisco or skate a new park in Vancouver, BC. From late night In-N-Out runs, to shenanigans at Hooters in Long Beach, drifting was far from the best part of the journey, for me. That’s probably why I love it so much! Just like skateboarding in my younger years, drifting has given me the opportunity to meet literally hundreds of new people who share a common love.
This video documents the adventures of KP Race as they fight for the Formula Drift podium. Despite a privateer budget and terribly timed mechanical failure, these guys are always upbeat and having a good time. Don’t get me wrong, though. These guys are seriously dedicated to the sport and have the drive and motivation necessary to reach the top. Expect to see plenty more of KP Race in the 2010 season!
:: Justin Shreeve
VIDEO> Texas Drifting at Gulf Greyhound Park
A few of Texas’ notable drifters descended upon Gulf Greyhound Park about a month ago for a day of drifting. It was ridiculously hot, but everyone seemed to mow through all their tires by the day’s end.
I’ll go ahead use this post to make my formal introduction as well – My name is Henry Swasey and I’m from Houston, Texas. I’m a photographer/videographer who has a thing for drifting (street drifting specifically). As you may have seen in my other videos that were previously posted on MotorMavens, I’m with a local drift crew called Team Silhouette, and we have a shared interest in dope street drifting and getting it captured on camera. I have a few big projects in the works, so stay tuned to MotorMavens for more Lone Star drifting!!
::Henry Swasey
View more videos from Henry Swasey on Youtube
View more videos from MotorMavens on Youtube
COVERAGE> Lone Star Bash is Texas Drifting!
The downside to such an active scene is that every driver doesn't go to every event. Many of the best Texas drivers are now competing nationally, so schedule conflicts and the financial burden that comes with competition keep them from attending as often. You may go to an event and experience a less than stellar turnout and end up missing all of your favorite drivers. Luckily, Aaron Losey of Fabricated Motorsports has found a solution - once a year, a huge event is thrown in Mineral Wells, TX. This is the event that tops every other event of the year... Lone Star Bash! Everybody goes to Lone Star Bash!
I decided I'd go ahead and catch a ride with my friends at 786 Motoring since they'd be trailering Ameen Rizvi's 2JZGTE powered Toyota Cressida (previously featured on MotorMavens) up to Mineral Wells for the event. You can't beat a road trip! Sometimes, you have nearly as much fun on the road as you do at the events, especially when you're in a truck packed with six or seven friends. There is definitely never a dull moment with these guys! Read more...
ROADTRIP> Drifting Culture is Alive in Brazil!
They explained that Leo Malfatti, owner of TTR Tuning, wanted to hold a drift event in Brazil in collaboration with Drift Company Brasil, the country's leading drift crew. Leo felt that 786 Motoring had the reputation and experience to assist and contribute. Leo had approached many shops, but Amir and Ameen were the only ones that had taken him seriously. I wasn't surprised that 786 Motoring was the shop he connected with -- they're a great bunch of guys with an extreme dedication to the sport.
After considerable planning and collaborating, things started to take shape and the trip was scheduled. Our plan was to meet and hang out with Drift Company, document our trip, discuss cars and setups, and talk about the overall logistics of drifting in Brazil. Unfortunately, Ameen had an issue securing his passport at the last minute. However, if everything worked out as planned, we also knew we'd probably have the chance to return to Brasil. Read more...
COVERAGE> Big Guns at Formula D New Jersey
Thanks to our friends at YoParts and Belle 1 Communications, we were able to watch Formula D live; the DriftStream live feed was really fun and entertaining! It was like an old school AOL chat room with tons of drifting fans blurting out information and opinions; I was impressed at how many people got involved in the live chat, cheering for (and sometimes clowning) drivers and teams! All in all, it was super fun - and I quite honestly was pretty disappointed that I had to shut down my computer in the middle of the Top 16 so that I could drive to my friend's house for a party/bbq (it was my fault - I should have just driven over there early so I could watch the entire thing at his house).
Wall Speedway is a pretty interesting track. It was originally built for circle track cars, but somehow was able to re-purpose itself for drifting, thanks to a lot of phone calls, legwork, and planning by the Formula Drift staff. Wall Speedway is also the most extreme banking that Formula Drift competition cars run on, with the most extreme sections of the track being 30 degrees - a really big difference in comparison to Irwindale Speedway's 18 degrees of incline. Read more...
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
View more videos from MotorMavens on Youtube
NEWSWORTHY> Apex’i SC430 Debuts at FD NJ
Oh snap! Now this is newsworthy! I’ve been hearing about this car for quite some time now, and I’ve been waiting for its debut with eager anticipation! It seems that our favorite Koala-faced ex-D1 Grand Prix series champion Ryuji Miki will be at Wall Speedway in New Jersey, debuting the Lexus SC430 Formula Drift competition car that was recently built for him, thanks to the good folks at Apex’i in Orange County CA!
The masterminds behind this project, Masaki Nakayama and Chuck Griffice from the United States arm of Apex Integration have been gracious enough to keep me updated with the build, but we’ve been keeping all the information under wraps until now! (more…)
VIDEO> Drifting the UK’s Mallory Park Circuit!
Before you watch this video allow me to give you a little back story…
Mallory Park Circuit has been one of the more recent tracks to open it’s arms to drifting in the UK and has been holding drift days for the past few months. From checking out some photos and reading threads on few a internet forums, it looked and sounded like it was a pretty cool setup. So about a month ago JDM Allstars driver Dan Chapman contacted me and invited me to go to Mallory Park with him to see what all the hype was about! Dan was also bringing along his Driftworks PS13, as it was a long time since he last went drifting somewhere that wasn’t related to competitions. With the trailer loaded and our gear ready we headed up to Mallory for a chilled out day of drifting!
I wasn’t really sure what to expect but when we arrived it was a pleasant surprise. The place was far bigger than I thought and with the first thing I saw being a V8 powered E30 BMW and a little KP61 Toyota Starlet hammering down the main straight, it seemed damn fast as well! As with a lot of days in the UK the rain clouds reared their ugly heads later on during the day and made an already extreme track even more so with plenty of rain, which meant people took things a little slower… until Drift Australia 2009 champion Luke Fink rocked up that is. Managing to borrow another driver’s JZX90 Toyota Cresta for a few laps, Luke showed us how to rip the track up good with some fast-as-hell entries! (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
