ORLANDO DRIFT ISSUE #1 / AUGUST 2020 | #IHPSTUDIO

@OrlandoDrift

Cover photo: Pro 2 Driver Alex Schlagel (@alexschlagel) stepping up the game at Klutch Kickers Round 4.

Photo by John Hamilton.

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

E-ditorial

Welcome to Orlando Drift’s first ever E-mag, first of our bi-monthly issues!

We are looking forward to providing our readers with coverage of drifting events throughout the state of Florida.

For our first issue, we traveled to Holt, FL, for Round 4 of Klutch Kickers.

We’re looking forward to hearing from our readers in order for you to be part of our issues, tell us your stories of how drifting has become part of your life, and share your passion with us.

Hope you enjoy!

our team

- Orlando Drift

Photography: John Hamilton @OrlandoDrift

Stories: Rebeka (Bumbi) Rocco @b.umbi

Interviews: Tim (TimBob) Bruch @me_timbob

orlandodrift.fun

4 1 s e e r f e @breath R

Z S1 J 5 .

1 s i h n andy i

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

4

@mattshulmannnn Matt in his 1JZ S13

orlandodrift.fun

s i t a Wh

Klutch Kickers is a $100,000 drift series open to grassroots and pro drivers alike. Many drivers are given the opportunity to register for the series and compete with others from different driving backgrounds without the need for any special licensing. This series is hosted at Emerald Coast Dragway in Holt, FL, with a challenging yet “leveler” road course layout.

icing berry pract Nick Castle run qualifying before his nd u o ickers R at Klutch K

4

Don’t want to compete but want to drive the track? No worries!

The track and the series also offer open drift days to drivers as well. And honestly, if you are a less experienced driver, it’s a great opportunity to drive on the same track where some of your favorite drivers compete! Check out the series event dates.

For a direct link to the series page, please go to: www.klutchkickers.com/events ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

2020 Emerald Coast Dragway events: AUGUST 15 – OPEN DRIFT DAY SEPTEMBER 12 – OPEN DRIFT DAY OCTOBER 10 - 11 – ROUND FIVE NOVEMBER 7 – OPEN DRIFT DAY DECEMBER 5 - 6 – OPEN DRIFT DAY

Kevin Lawrence practicing before his qualifying run at Klutch Kickers Round

orlandodrift.fun

4

!

Check out some of the

awesome drivers

Mike Pollard @Magicdrift

awesomedrivers Mike started competing at the end of 2006, and his very first drift car was a white S13 KA. His favorite tracks are: Fuji Speedway & Drift Matsuri.

Why? “Because it’s like Disneyland for drifting,” he says. Mike also mentions Washington being that the track is a wide-open bank. Although those are some of his favorite tracks, Road Atlanta is one of his very favorites he would like to try in the future.

The most challenging track he’s ever driven was Ebisu Minami, due to the elevation change and the third gear jump, which he describes as “the narliest” being that, if you make one mistake, your car is done. Regarding fan involvement, he describes Eustache, Montreal, as one of the best tracks for the fans. He further describes the French-Canadian fans as “so rowdy” that no other event can compare the level of crowd involvement.

Mike tandeming with Sean Booth (@_seanbooth) in Top 16

“Numerous times Dave and I are giving pointers to other drivers on their battles because we see something where they are slacking, and it’s just an essence that if they get better, and feel cool about it, you’re now creating somebody that’s going to do the same for somebody else.”

Mike leading the drone.

Mike’s Set up is a stock 1JZ VVTI with aftermarket exhaust manifold.

He runs a Garret GTX358 with 20 pounds of boost pushing around 500hp.

As for his transmission, Mike uses a Dogbox Side Shift, a GTR differential, FDF angle kit, and NEO Motorsport coilovers.

orlandodrift.fun

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

Klutchklick

@k_lawrence352

orlandodrift.fun

@lizardidrif t

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

@adam_lz

@a l e x s c h l

agel

@breathefrees14 orlandodrift.fun

.c k c i n @

ry r e b e astl

@s13babe

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

@leebird_rb l e g a l h c s x e l a @

Klutchklick

@adam_lz

@the_greg_jones

orlandodrift.fun

Mike Jones @mikejones.jz Mike’s start into drifting began three years ago, driving for the first time at Orlando Speed World.

His first event was Black Friday in 2016. The first two years of his career Mike only drove a few events, increasing his seat time shortly after. He describes his experience as “finally getting comfortable with proximity with cars.”

"I believe the sport is going in the right direction, and that most people in our community are great!"

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

awesomedrivers Mike Jones tandeming in practice with Bryce Kumis (@brycekumis) before his run in Top 64

Fu nny Story

Mike’s set up on his LS400 is a stock 1JZ with a CD009 utilizing a Collins adapter kit

One of th Mike’s e e first cars ve hard bo r drifted was dy that he later wrecke d into a tree aft practic er ing aro u n same c d t h e orner. H e describ es “ran it s the wreck as h uper w e ide, hit puddle, a w uncont ent in an rolled s pin, cau air in a ght manho le stoppe d into a and tre the inci dent, M e.” After ar Garza b ought t co h body fr om him e hard , welde the diff d erentia l , and continu ed to se nd it sidewa yz.

orlandodrift.fun

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

Klutchklick

Luis Lizardi (@lizardidrift) and Savio Silva (@savio.hq) practicing before their battles in Top 64

orlandodrift.fun

Marco Garza @Mag.jz Marco started driving about 10 years ago, taking a five-year break during this time.

His and Mike Jones’ favorite tracks are Skid Pad at OSW running the ‘’reversed kidney bean’’ (lol) layout, and Emerald Coast Dragway. The experience afforded by the Klutch Kickers series allows drivers to drive alongside professionals. He believes that the sport has grown and the talent level as a whole has elevated, bringing in more and more skilled drivers. One of the tracks he would like to drive one day is Englishtown, NJ.

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

Marco smiling for us in front of his IS300

awesomedrivers

Marco in his battle against Alex Schlagel (@alexschlagel ) in Top 64

Marco’s first car was a 240 S13 KA, moving onto a manual swapped Lexus SC. Following those, he started building the IS300 he currently drives. His set up is a stock 1JZ with a CD009 Collins adapted transmission.

orlandodrift.fun

@deprived_drifter

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

Klutchklick

orlandodrift.fun

t f i r d i d r a @liz

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

Klutchklick

@c4t8

@magicdrift orlandodrift.fun

@taylorhull82

a f o n e d a e s @chel

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

top five

From left to right

@alexschlagel | 4TH. ($1,000) @jonathannerren | 3RD. ($3,500) @chelseadenofa | 2ND. ($5,000) @taylorhull82 | 1ST. ($10,000) @taylordrifts | 5TH. ($500)

orlandodrift.fun

Kendrick Garza @aspectskenny aspectskenny.myportfolio.com

“If you get a chance to come out, you should!�

Among the many media persons at the Klutch Kickers event, Kenny Garza was one of them.

Kenny is a recent high-school graduate from Boston, Massachusetts. Due to the recent pandemic, he describes the scene up north as not providing any similar events to Klutch Kickers, which drew him to come party down south.

ORLANDO DRIFT EMAG

Photos by Kendrick Garza

DRIFTLENS

Kenny’s favorite drivers here at Klutch Kickers were Taylor Hull (@taylorhull82) and Nate Hamilton (@natehamilton144). He describes Taylor as one of the nicest guys he’s met, and Nate’s car as his favorite out of the whole event, reason being that “every time that car comes out, I have to get a shot because of the body lines, the color of the car, and the fact that he always has his headlights on – making the shots even better.” He also believes the event as a whole was a great experience as he finds everyone to be really friendly.

Kenny uses a Nikon 750D with a 24-70mm Nikkor lens for photography and a Sony A7r with a 2470mm kit lens for video, utilizing Photoshop Lightroom as his main editing platform. In 2016, Kenny’s passion for drifting started when his father brought him to Formula Drift Long Beach, and from there, he began his photography career.

His favorite photographers are Darrien Craven (@_crvn_), whom is one of his biggest inspirations, and John Mu (@john_mu_1991), whom inspired him to push his cameras limits at night, which is one of the reasons he enjoys night shoots.

orlandodrift.fun

DRIFTcare

Hands On! Jacob Hunt @dreamtanksoap Many vendors were at Klutch Kickers displaying their products, but one in particular stood out.

Jacob Hunt is the owner and founder of Dream Tank Soap. Jacob is from St. Geroge, Utah, and has been in the drift scene for 10 years, working in the motorsport industry for quite some time. He calls the start of his business a “happy accident.” When working in the motorsport industry, he realized that he would always come home with irritated skin. This gave him the idea to create a soap based off natural ingredients in order to help soothe his skin after long hours working in the shop. He started to market his soap on Facebook, and shortly after made his way to LS Fest in 2019.

The main ingredient in his soaps is vegetable glycerin, with added ingredients – such as lemon grass essential oil – and evolved with time thanks to the help of his wife.

Jacob began including drivers’ opinions in order to provide products based on what the customers were searching for. The first five bars

Photos by Jacob Hunt, Dream Tank Soap

Www.dreamtank.life

he sold and produced were a hit, allowing him to quickly grow his business. As of July 2020, the company currently is in collaboration with drivers such as Nate Hamilton and Forrest Wang.

Not only does Jacob offer a solution to most of us hands on enthusiasts, he also makes an effort to donate some of his product to food banks for those in need. It’s remarkable how such a young company – as it was founded just a year ago – would put in the effort to help others in need.

“Team work makes the dream work!”

orlandodrift.fun

2020 Season Points

standings

orlandodrift.fun

P

IHP

udio Studio

HP

udio

Graphics by

IHP

Studio