WRECKED / ISSUE: 01_2025

DION DAWKINS - LARRY CHEN - EBISU MATSURI & MORE

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ISSUE : 01 JUN 2025

THE ORIGINAL DRIFT CULTURE MAG - WWW.WRECKEDMAGAZINE.COM

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STAFF DIRECTORY EDITOR - Ty Webb (editor@wreckedmagazine.com) CREATIVE DIRECTOR - Dave Love (dave@wreckedmagazine.com) DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Chuck Murray (chuck@wreckedmagazine.com) DIGITAL MEDIA COORDINATOR - Shawn Allgood (shawn@thedriftgrp.com) ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER - Shawn Allgood (shawn@thedriftgrp.com) STAFF WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS - Shawn Allgood, Sam Igel II, Chuck Murray CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Valters Boze, Larry Chen, Devin Crezee, Brett Despenas, Timothy Emanuele, Karl Gabb, Kenny Garza, Russ Giovanetti, Eric Goodrich, Brittney Johnson, Ellie Levesque, Paddy McGrath, Andy Mellon, Jose Ortiz, PJ Pomata, Jamie Rolls, Nick Shembeda, Sam Shore, Clayton Smith, Alex Wong, Cash Allen, @chasethequality, Chris Leonard CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Devin Crezee, Brian Eggert, Eric Goodrich, Sam House, Lyndsay Johnson, Paddy McGrath, Jennifer Sprouse ADVERTISING DIRECTOR - Edgar Sarmiento (edgar@thedriftgrp.com) WRECKEDMAGAZINE.COM

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LARRY CHEN | PAGE: 54

INSIDE: 01_2025 FD RECAP : MILESTONES & MOMENTUM

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WINNING IN THE WORKSHOP : MA MOTORSPORTS

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EVENT : FINAL BOUT SSE

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INTERVIEW: DION DAWKINS

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MACHINE CHECK : VANCE KEARNS - EB36

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DIY?!? : ECOBOOST SWAP

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EVENT : DRIFT APPALACHIA - STAGE:6

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THE 40 DAY MUSTANG MIRACLE : JAMES DEANE

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THROUGH THE LENS OF LEGEND : LARRY CHEN

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EVENT : EBISU MATSURI 2025

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MACHINE CHECK : DEREK BIANSKI - FD3S

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT : ALARIA TECHNICAL

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SHOP TOUR : KORUWORKS

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EVENT : HYPERFEST 2025

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TOUGE NEWS : BACKROADS OF APPALACHIA

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INTERNATIONAL EVENT : DRIFT LEAGUE GB

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LAST RUN OF THE DAY

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MILESTONES & MOMENTUM Written and photographed by: Chuck Murray

THE 2025 FORMULA DRIFT PRO CHAMPIONSHIP

Has launched with electrifying energy, delivering historic victories, groundbreaking collaborations, and a fierce rivalry that promises an unforgettable season. The opening rounds have set the stage for a championship battle that is as thrilling as it is unpredictable.

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ROUND:1 A HISTORIC KICKOFF APRIL 5, 2025, the streets of Long Beach, California roared to life as the Formula Drift season commenced.

The event was not only a showcase of driving prowess but also a celebration of the sport’s rich history:

LARRY CHEN’S FD HALL OF FAME INDUCTION In a landmark moment, renowned automotive photographer Larry Chen was inducted into the Formula Drift Hall of Fame, becoming the first nondriver to receive this honor. Chen’s contributions have been instrumental in capturing the essence of drifting, bringing the sport closer to fans worldwide.

(Read more about Larry’s story: pg. x-x)

AASBO’S VICTORY AND KENDA’S MILESTONE The competition culminated in a dramatic final between Fredric Aasbo and James Deane. Aasbo, piloting the Rockstar Energy Toyota GR Supra equipped with Kenda VEZDA UHP MAX+ tires, clinched victory after Deane’s misstep in Outside Zone 3.

This win marked Kenda Tire’s first-ever Formula Drift victory, propelling them to the top of the 2025 Tire Cup standings.

FINAL ROUND SURPRISE: SHORELINE SHOWDOWN

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Cred: Formula Drift

Adding to this year’s excitement, Formula Drift’s organizers announced that the 2025 season finale would return to Long Beach with a brand-new layout titled the “Shoreline Showdown.”

This marks the first time the championship will conclude on an independently designed street course, signaling a new era for Formula Drift.

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MILESTONES & MOMENTUM | FORMULA DRIFT 2025

ROUND:2 A COLLABORATIVE SPECTACLE MAY 8-10, 2025, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

hosted the second round of the championship, featuring a groundbreaking collaboration between Formula Drift and GRIDLIFE. This partnership brought together professional drifting and grassroots motorsports, offering fans a diverse and immersive experience.

JAMES DEANE’S REDEMPTION In a rain-soaked finale, James Deane showcased his exceptional skill, defeating Fredric Aasbo after two intense “One More Time” calls from the judges. This victory not only marked Deane’s first win of the season but also tied him with Aasbo at the top of the championship standings.

Pictured (left to right): Fredric Aasbo, James Deane, Aurimas Bakchis

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GRIDLIFE INTEGRATION The event’s integration with GRIDLIFE introduced fans to a variety of motorsport disciplines, including full-course drifting and time attack challenges. This collaboration emphasized the sport’s evolving nature and its commitment to engaging a broader audience.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:

(After Round:2)

DRIVER

POINTS

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Fredric Aasbo

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2

James Deane

151

3

Adam LZ

130

4

Aurimas Bakchis

120

5

Branden Sorensen

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WINNING THE ART OF RACE CAR PREP

with Brian Wilkerson of

Words and Photos By: Chuck Murray

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n the world of motorsport, speed and strategy win races—but preparation is what sets winners apart before the green flag even waves. According to Brian Wilkerson of MA Motorsports, the groundwork for every successful outing begins well before a car is loaded into the trailer. For him, the race is often won not on the track, but in the shop.

“I like to get the car up on the lift or jack stands first thing,” Wilkerson begins. It’s a simple step, but it sets the tone for a meticulous and methodical process that ensures no component goes unchecked. “Starting at the suspension, I’ll wipe everything down by hand—arms, pickup points, subframes, knuckles—you name it.” This isn’t just for cleanliness. It’s about connecting physically with the car, using your hands and a flashlight to spot hairline cracks, hidden damage, or subtle wear that could otherwise go unnoticed.

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IN THE

WORKSHOP FLUIDS TELL A STORY While the chassis is being inspected, Wilkerson begins draining fluids: engine oil, differential, and gearbox lubricants. “These are usually changed after every race,” he explains. The drained fluids are more than waste— they’re diagnostic tools. Running a magnet through the used oil or over the drain plugs can reveal the first signs of trouble: metallic debris, bearing shavings, or signs of excessive wear. It’s a crucial early warning system.

DRIVETRAIN DEEP DIVE If the differential has seen a few events, Wilkerson pulls it apart entirely. “You want to inspect it for wear— especially the input shaft and internals. Make sure the fluid looks healthy and that the gearset’s still up to task.”

This is also when he’ll pre-install the quick-change gearset tailored for the next track’s layout, reducing the scramble at the circuit.”

With fluids drained and a visual check complete, it’s time to inspect the mechanical interfaces: rod ends, wheel bearings, and suspension bushings. “You’re looking for play—any looseness that shouldn’t be there. These parts take a beating and need to be checked closely,” Wilkerson advises.

“Oil filters come next. In high-performance engines, what the filter captures can be just as telling as what’s left behind. “If you don’t have a return filter to examine, cut open the spin-on oil filter and check for metallic flakes or contaminants.” If everything checks out, the engine oil is replenished.

THE ‘NUT AND BOLT’ CHECK Next comes a step that may seem basic, but it’s foundational to reliability—the classic “”nut and bolt check.”” Armed with a wrench, every critical fastener on the suspension, brakes, and driveline is verified for proper torque and integrity. “You’re not just tightening things—you’re looking for signs of fatigue, elongation of holes, or anything starting to shift. It’s a sanity check on every piece of hardware holding the car together.”

GEARBOX AND CLUTCH CHECKS For teams running a racing gearbox, Wilkerson recommends a full teardown. “Remove the gearbox, inspect the faceplates and sliders for wear, and replace anything showing fatigue.” With the transmission off the engine, it’s also the perfect time to assess the clutch. “You’re looking for loose or missing friction material. It doesn’t take much for a failing clutch to ruin a weekend.” Once everything’s inspected or refreshed, the gearbox is refilled and reinstalled.

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WINNING IN THE WORKSHOP | TECH TIPS

HOSES, WIRING, SYSTEMS

&

INTERIOR

Preparation extends beyond the engine bay.

“Keep an eye on hoses, fittings, and lines under the car and in the cabin,” he says. “Chafing and wear can sneak up on you. The best way to catch it is to clean thoroughly and put hands on everything.” It’s not just about spotting leaks—it’s about preventing them.

ALIGNMENT AND THE FINAL TOUCH

BALANCE:

Once the mechanical systems are sorted, it’s time to set the car up for its next battle.

“Sometimes you’ll need to re-align the car depending on what’s changed or what’s coming up next,” Wilkerson explains.

“It’s about connecting physically with the car...”

This involves putting the car on the rack, dialing in the desired camber, caster, and toe settings, and finishing with a corner balance to “Winning in weight the Workshop: The Art of Race Car ensure the distribution is optimal.

Every Prep with Brian Wilkerson of MA Motorsport track is different, and even small adjustments

By Chuck Murray can yield big performance gains.

In the world of motorsport, speed and strategy win races—but preparation is what sets winners apart before the green flag even waves. According to Brian Wilkerson PREPAREDNESS WINS of MA Motorsport, the groundwork for every successful outing beforein a car is adage loaded into trailer.

“I’m abegins firm well believer that thatthe the race For him, the race is often won not on the track, but in is won in the workshop by arriving prepared,” the shop.

Wilkerson says. It’s not just about chasing lap

times—it’s about both “I like to get the car upinstilling on the lift confidence or jack standsin first thing,” Wilkerson begins.

It’s a simple step, but it sets the driver and the machine. When everything the tone for a meticulous and methodical is inspected, tested, and tightenedprocess beforethat you ensures no component goes unchecked.

“Starting at the even leave the shop, you arrive at the track suspension, I’ll wipe everything down by hand—arms, focused not on surviving the weekend—but on pickup points, subframes, knuckles—you name it.” This dominating it. isn’t just for cleanliness.

It’s about connecting physically with the car, using your hands and a flashlight to spot hairline cracks, hidden damage, or subtle wear that Pictured: Brian Hoplamazian’s PRO-SPEC S13 could otherwise go unnoticed.

Built by MA Motorsports

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Race/Drift Car building and servicing

s s e l e im t innovation.

MA-MOTORSPORTS.COM

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THE ESSENCE OF FINAL BOUT

MAY 3, 2025

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he Shenandoah Circuit of Summit Point Motorsports Park in Summit Point, West Virginia, became the epicenter of grassroots drifting as it hosted FINAL BOUT: SPECIAL STAGE EAST, drawing teams and enthusiasts from across the nation to celebrate the art of Japanesestyle drifting.

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Final Bout is not just a drift competition; it’s a cultural celebration that emphasizes style, teamwork, and the shared passion for motorsport. Unlike traditional drift events that focus solely on individual performance, Final Bout centers on team dynamics and the collective spirit of drifting. Teams must apply and be approved to participate, showcasing not only their driving skills but also their commitment to the drifting community. This selective process ensures that only the most dedicated and passionate teams are part of the event, maintaining its unique atmosphere and high standards.

SPECIAL STAGE EAST WORDS AND PHOTOS BY: ERIC GOODRICH

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THE VENUE: SHENANDOAH CIRCUIT The Shenandoah Circuit, a 2.0-mile road course at Summit Point Motorsports Park, provided a challenging and technical layout for the competitors. Its combination of tight corners and elevation changes tested the precision and coordination of each drift team. The circuit’s unique design allowed for close tandem battles and showcased the drivers’ ability to maintain style and control under pressure.

DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TEAMS Final Bout’s appeal extends beyond the United States, attracting international teams and drivers. At the 2025 Special Stage East, teams from the East Coast such as Haze drift team, car shop Karoshi and Front Street drift club participated.

THE COMPETITION FORMAT The event featured a unique competition format where teams showcased their skills in tandem drifting, emphasizing synchronization, style, and precision.

Rather than focusing solely on individual performance, the competition highlighted the team’s ability to work together as a cohesive unit. This approach fostered a sense of camaraderie among participants and underscored the importance of teamwork in drifting.

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COMMUNITY AND ATMOSPHERE One of the standout aspects of Final Bout is its community-driven atmosphere. The event fosters a welcoming environment where drivers, crews, and spectators share a mutual respect and passion for drifting. As one participant noted, “I’ve never felt so much positive vibes and such a chill fun crowd and awesome display of driving skills anyw here else.” This sense of community is integral to Final Bout’s identity and contributes to its enduring popularity.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT | FINAL BOUT SSE

MEDIA AND COVERAGE Final Bout’s impact extends into the media realm, favorited by numerous photographers and videographers alike for it’s unique, flashy style and nastalgic atmosphere. Tight driving, constant action, and every spectrum of color imagineable make for an abundance of fun media, and the combined talents of everyone involved provide a perfect canvas for crafting the event’s legacy.

LOOKING AHEAD With the success of Special Stage East, the Final Bout series continues to grow, with upcoming events planned across the United States. The top three teams from Final Bout Special Stage East move on to Final Bout 8, which scheduled for August 30-31, 2025, at USAIR Motorsports Raceway in Shawano, Wisconsin.

This event will bring together the top-performing teams from the Special Stage qualifiers, culminating in a celebration of drifting excellence.

CONCLUSION Final Bout: Special Stage East at Summit Point Motorsports Park was more than just a drift event; it was a testament to the passion, style, and community that define grassroots drifting. The event’s emphasis on teamwork, its challenging venue, and the international participation highlighted the global appeal of drifting and the shared love for the sport. As the Final Bout series continues to evolve, it remains a cornerstone of the drifting community, celebrating the art of driving and the bonds it creates among enthusiasts.

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BIG SHNOW ENERGY 18

DION DAWKINS TALKS DRIFTING

Photo: Andy Mellon

BIG SHNOW ENERGY | DION DAWKINS

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n a league defined by ruthless competition, Dion Dawkins isn’t your typical NFL lineman. Dion has a reputation built as much on personality as on performance. The Buffalo Bills’ 4x Pro Bowl left tackle, known as “The Shnowman”, doesn’t just block out defenders, he also blocks out the boring. With an electric smile that illuminates a room, Dion truly brings out the positive in everything he does with his larger-than-life persona. We had some time to sit down with Dion and discuss his connection to drifting.

they get out, and next people get in. Just like a roller coaster ride. I love that you use that analogy.

When and where did you first find out about drifting?

DION Around this time during last off season in Buffalo. You know, Tony [my manager] took me up to Big Indian. And Eric put me in his car. Gucci had put me in his car. And we just went around the compound and the track at Big Indian. And I’m telling you; it was everything that I expected it to be. Immediately. I knew what drifting was because of “The Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift”. And “Tokyo Drift” definitely put me on the map of drifting.

And I had seen it, and I was like, this is one of the cooler “Fast and the Furious” movies. And it went from that to, oh, maybe this is exactly what “Fast and the Furious” is.

And then I go to the Drift Pit, and it was exactly that.

BRIAN That’s cool. I’ve seen videos of you drifting at Big Indian, for what, about a year then?

DION Yea, I’ve been [drifting] there about a year and a half.

Photo: Andy Mellon

BRIAN EGGERT Let’s get started with a question that’s asked a bunch, but the answer isn’t always the same. How did you first get into cars?

DION DAWKINS I mean, well, yeah. Everybody always asks that question, bro. It’s so crazy. I would say I got into cars, bro, because of remote control cars. Right? I had Hot Wheels, I had remote control cars, and the shit was cool as hell. Like it was cool to see all the designs, the cars had all the different type of stuff on it, and then also going to car shows as a kid I always said, “I want my own car” and I didn’t know what I wanted. I didn’t know what type of sport I wanted to be in. I didn’t know what drifting was as a kid, but getting into the world of drifting, when I got into the first drift car that I ever got into, it felt like a roller coaster.

And, you know, I’m about 6’5”, about 350lbs, 345 on a regular day where realistically, amusement parks are not your friend, right? I can’t get in a roller coaster like; I can’t get on a regular ride. If we went to Six Flags, I could probably get on one ride. And that’s a ride that doesn’t strap across your waist or come over your chest.

Getting into a drift car, it felt like a roller coaster. And I said, well, I finally found a roller coaster that I can control the controls. So, this is where I belong. And ever since I got in the freaking car, it’s been honestly a crazy ass true love at first sight. But it’s the truth.

BRIAN That’s cool. I love that you mentioned the roller coaster part. We do ridealongs at some of our events. For some of our bigger events, we line up 5, 6, or more cars at a time, get the people in them, do some laps, come in,

BRIAN You currently have an LS-swapped E46, right? Is that your first drift car?

DION That is my first drift car. It has an LS1 swap from an 04 Pontiac GTO, and it’s my baby. Like, that is my baby. It was just meant for me to be with that Beemer. Because, you know, I’m from Jersey and me being from Jersey, Eric found me a drift car in Jersey. So, they drove from Buffalo down to Jersey two days after I was in a drift car.

I wind up having my own drift car three days later. And once the drift car came, it was just like, yeah, this is your car and you’re here and this is you. This is your baby.

Create what you got to create. And then like, you know, I threw the Monster tags on it and everything, and now she’s a purty beast.

BRIAN That’s cool. It looks great now in the white and purple.

Was it already a drift car when you got it or was it pretty stock?

DION No, it was definitely a drift car, but we had to do a ton of stuff to it. Like, I couldn’t fit in the seat. It was a work in progress. That was definitely a work in progress. And then we upgraded it. It’s supercharged now and there’s so many other things that we’ve added to it that it’s just upgraded and it’s ready to go.

BRIAN Nice. And so, if it came from Jersey, I guess it’s safe to assume it probably spent some time at Englishtown?

Which is just a little south of where you are originally from.

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DION Yeah, exactly.

BRIAN I know the Napp family there and that’s one track that we go to for the Formula DRIFT Professional Series, which we will be there June 19-21. Have you been to a FD event?

DION I’ve been planning on going there.

BRIAN I’ve watched some videos of you drifting. I’m impressed, especially since you’ve only been driving for a short amount of time. I can only imagine you have a very busy schedule that limits the amount of seat time you can fit in, how do you think you were able to take so quickly to drifting?

DION I truly think it’s the athletic background. I’m a professional athlete. And with me being a pro, I understand the details within the details of driving, like, it’s not just practicing with the guys, clutch kicking at the right time, pulling the e-brake, hitting your regular brakes, and turning, like it’s so much more than that.

You have to feel the car, like you literally have to feel the car through your ass, feel what the car’s doing, feel when the car is going wrong, feel when it’s going well. And I think that just the aspect of me being a pro football player, it gives me just that much advantage.

Also, I look at drivers as athletes, right? So, when it comes to driving, you have to have your stamina, your strength. You have to fight the freaking car, your sight, and you have to really be able to be in good enough shape to be able to drive. But like your grandfather can’t just go in there and drift the car, the car is going to beat the grandpa up, right? And with me being an athlete, I think that gives me the little bit of an advantage.

And bro, I’m telling you, I’m blessed enough to have a place where I can practice. Yeah, I am so crazy of wanting to be perfect, that I’m in the car as much as I can. If I have free time, my ass is in the seat. Teach me how to pull this e-brake, teach me how to have a clean ass entry. Teach me. And I’m okay with learning and failing, and learning and failing, and learning and failing, and learning and failing, and winning and failing. And, you know, but like my car, I smack that rear up. You know, all of that is a part of the learning, and I enjoy it.

I didn’t just go “man, yo like”, and then get upset and blame it on my teacher. Nah bro, like you’re trying something new. You have to learn a whole new skill.

You’re learning how to walk. It’s like you are LeBron James’ kid, basically in a pro world, you have a little bit extra umph about yourself, you know? So use it to your advantage. I think with me being an older pro, it just gives me just that leeway.

BRIAN Yeah, I mean that makes sense. It works for some of 20

BIG SHNOW ENERGY | DION DAWKINS

these other guys we have come in from motocross and other motorsport backgrounds as well. So that’s why I was curious, because just watching the footage. I mean, there’s a couple of videos where you’ve got your arm resting behind the passenger seat, and I’m like, man, he’s not even worried about grabbing the brake. He’s totally comfortable.

DION I’m chillin’. I’m chillin’.

BRIAN Speaking of athletes, I know you’re a fan of Allen Iverson and Mike Tyson. Are you a fan of any drifters in particular? And if so, what is it that you like about them? For example, their vehicle, their driving style, their personality?

DION I would say Rome [Charpentier]. Rome is one of the first pros that I’ve met. And, you know, and I found a liking to him just because he was the original. But Justin Pawlak, I like Justin Pawlak. He is super lit. Justin is building me a drift car now. It’s going to be insane. I was actually telling Tony that if there’s any way that we can get Justin involved with this write up, it’d be perfect because Justin is one of those legends. I would say Justin. Yo, because Justin’s not real skinny, like he’s similar to me. Yeah, similar. Like, you gotta make sure that your seat fits and you got to be comfortable in that car. So, anybody who has a snugger fit in a drift car, I’m a fan of.

BRIAN I like those answers, they’re both good. Justin is one of those guys that I always thought was going to get a championship and I wish he had stayed in the series just a little bit longer, because I think he was due for one. I mean, he was just an exciting driver. He had a style. He made a Mustang look good.

DION I’m excited. Justin is currently building me a Mustang.

I’m modeling it after Justin’s car. It’ll be very similar to Justin’s, but it’ll be mine. It’ll be, not a kid’s dream, but it’ll just be a dream. To have a liking to someone and then also be able to, scoot with the same basketball reference to AI, but to Justin.

BRIAN One of the former FD judges, Ryan Lanteigne, used to do ridealongs with some of the pro cars during the FD events. Ryan would hop in the cars to get an idea of the track and everything the drivers were experiencing. I unfortunately never got to ride in Justin’s car, but Ryan rode with him and said it was the best set up car that he rode with that season. He said, “if I got to drive a car in the series, that’s the car I would want to drive”. So I think Ryan would agree that you made a good choice there.

Photo: Andy Mellon

DION Yes, sir.

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BRIAN You wear several different hats, I guess I should say helmets, between the football, drifting, your charity Dion’s Dreamers, you’ve got the Shnow brand, you’re a brand ambassador for Monster Energy Drink and several other companies, and let’s not forget your family.

How do you balance all this time and still manage to do the drifting and other stuff you do?

DION Man, I would say it’s a learned skill. There’s never no answer to that. You know, you just have to learn what comes first and in the time of life that I’m in first. The time in life of where I’m at now, football shall always come first. Alright, football is forever first, because that is my cash cow. That’s what feeds my family with the lifestyle that I chose. My family is, you know, like, my kids are five, four and three. My fiancé, she loves it. She wants to drift, too. But the balance part, bro, it’s just, you find time for what you want to find time for. And I’m kind of more so in the fact of, let me get all of my work done and then let me go play. Right?

Photo: Nick Shembeda

So I do my charity stuff , I do my football stuff , I do my family stuff . And I’m like, alright, am I done? And then I’m done. I run over there and I get in my drift car. So that’s kind of how I balance it. I just get all my tedious activities done of dad, the Shnowman, the football world, and then I jump into the car and I drive all the way over to the Indian reservation where Big Indian is.

Bro, I’m telling you, I get in the car. Like we have a compound there, the compound is freaking humongous.

I just link the compound over, and over, and over, and over. I practice all day long. I got to get tight. I got to get wide. I gotta work on the entries. The compound is so big that we have drag events there, right? It’s just like I am in the best spot of life, in Buffalo. But, you know, I kind of just get my little stuff done first, and then I jump over and to feat.

BRIAN You’re also down in Florida some of the time. Are you planning to have one of your cars down there or are you going to keep them both in Buffalo?

DION They’re both staying with me, brother. I am blessed enough. I’m keeping my cars right in my back pocket.

Cars break every day and I need wheels to spin. I’m telling you, I will not be sitting on the sideline no more.

I felt that one time and I said never again. I have three cars now. I have an old beater Stang, that I just beat up and just mess around. I have my Beemer, which is my show car, it’s pretty obviously, and it turns heads. And then this Mustang, it’s going to be the ripper. I’m going to start it up, it’s going to freaking scare you with the noise, and I’m going to beat the track up. But no, I plan on bringing it everywhere that I go. The hardest part is finding places to drive.

Photo: Brett Despenas

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Another small thing. Before I found out what drifting

BIG SHNOW ENERGY | DION DAWKINS

was, or before I knew that drifting was a real thing. I had a Mustang. I had a GT Shelby 500. I had it brand new.

I bought it because one of my best friends who passed away… it was one of his dream cars. He always had a Mustang, but the Shelby was just obviously, it was just on another level.

We were in high school, we were middle school, and his dad always had a Mustang. We would work on it in the garage. We would play with it just, you know, turn it on, but like when we’re not supposed to turn it on. Just do little, little dumb shit, right? And so, I bought one, and then, you know, I got in the car, I started driving it and I was on the highway down here in Florida. And you know, now I’m ripping. I’m ripping. So, I said, bruh, I’m going to get in trouble in this car. I’m going to get in some serious freaking trouble in this car, and I don’t want to get in too much trouble. So, I sold it. I sold the car, and I wound up getting an Escalade V, which still is fast as shit, but it’s not the Mustang. If I would have waited six months, five months, four months, I could have just turned that Shelby into a drift car, and I would have ripped the whole thing apart. I would have done some stuff that nobody ever thinks of. So now I got Justin building me one, that is better than it.

BRIAN You seem very passionate about drifting, and motorsports in general. Is this something that you plan to continue after your career in football or is this just a hobby for you on the side?

DION

“I want to win a championship.”

BRIAN See, you said something earlier that caught my attention. It was along the lines of a winning attitude reference, where you said something like if I want to do something, I want to be good at it. And I’m like, man, this guy is going to want to compete.

DION I want to win, bro. I’ve been playing a team sport for a long time. And not to say that drifting is not a team sport, mechanics, and everything. But when it comes down to it, when you get in that car, when you get behind the wheel, you’re on your own, right? I would like to win a championship.

It’s something that’s not all on you, but you take it as far as you want to go. Like if you want to practice, get your ass in the car, man. Yeah. If you want to get better, go and get better. And you know, football is not one of those things that you can just go and shoot free throws all day and get better. So, football, you practice when you practice, and you get better while you’re at practice.

Here, like I’m not about to take 3000 pass rush sets out here in my backyard. No, like I’m bound to get injured.

So, with it being a sport that you can better yourself within yourself; and you only need yourself, cause you can practice by yourself, I think that’s cool.

BRIAN Do you have a sim or have you ever tried driving on a sim?

DION No, on a simulator? A lot of people always ask me that.

Okay, I’m gonna look into it then, man, because if it’s similar, if it’s real... I don’t want no Dave and Busters.

Photo: Nick Shembeda

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BIG SHNOW ENERGY | DION DAWKINS

BRIAN You’re a very positive person from what I can tell from a lot of your interviews. Recently I watched you mention the phrase of being relevant while the jerseys on, which sort of follows the idea of striking while the irons hot and to not procrastinate. Do you have advice for anyone that might be in a similar situation to you that was considering getting into motorsports?

DION Yes. I would say, One, if you’re in the same or if you’re in a similar financial situation, 100% jump in! Why not jump in? You got it. You could do it. Jump in, have some fun, spin some tires, open up another part of your heart. Two, even if you don’t have it, you can still jump in, right? There are so many avenues of drifting, you could drift a car that costs 200 grand. You could drift the car that cost two grand. Like you don’t have to have 600, 700, 900 horsepower to feel the fondness and the greatness of drifting.

Just know that at any avenue that you do decide to jump in, the community of drifting is so freaking dope that there will be somebody that will grab a hand and pull you along at any step of the way.I’ve seen it, I’ve done felt it, and we all think alike. We’re all a bunch of big kids that just like to have fun. So, if you’re worried, if you have anything that you might be doubting, don’t doubt it. Throw it out and just jump in. And I guarantee you you’ll find happiness and you’ll find that thrill and that love that you’re looking for. Once you get in, the love will continue to grow, and you’ll be all right. Hopefully you’ll find me, and I’ll show you how much I love it as well as you. That’s what I would tell them.

BRIAN I think that might be it. Do you have anything else you would like to say?

DION If I could say anything, it’s that I’m honored to be accepted in the motorsport community of drifting and, you know, my goal in this is just to continue to bring attention and shine light on this, this sport, because it’s a sport that forever needs light. And this sport is just as entertaining as F1, or the Indy 500, or NASCAR, all that stuff . Drifting should be just like that. The drivers are just as dope, and they have that skill. And my goal is just to continue to just bring attention to it and just to show the world how dope these dudes are.

These dudes be really elite, man. They be REALLY elite, and the world needs to see these superstars within the sport that love to express through their tires and their engines.

...And it’s cool with me.

BRIAN Awesome, I love it. It’s just like in your interviews, especially when you throw in a brief comment about drifting during one of your football interviews. I just love that you love the sport so much and you’ve taken to it.

All right, final question, so we don’t take up too much of your time. Bar-Bill, Anchor, Duff ’s, or La Nova. Which one is your pick for best wings?

DION Bro? You can’t do me like that. I might have to think on that one. Okay, I think truly, I think La Nova is family to me. Bar-Bill is family to me. And I mean real family, right? Bar-Bill wings, you’re not beating those out.

You’re not beating the blue cheese, the honey butter barbecue, the waffle fries, the pizza logs, the personal pizzas. It’s a win. Bar-Bill Tavern.

On a quick order, come to the house. Pizza and wings combination, La Nova. If you’re going pizza and wings, combination house full of people, La Novas.

Bar-Bill will not give you the giant pizza to feed the whole family. That’s all personal pizzas for you. I have a bunch of personal little boxes, which is cool, but it’s not for the party of 20. Personal, yeah, I’m going to Bar-Bill every time.

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Photo: Andy Mellon

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EB MACHINE CHECK

VANCE KEARNS’ ECOBOOST E36

Written By: Sam House Photos: Chuck Murray, Larry Chen, Vance Kearns

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n a world full of LS-, JZ- and SR-swapped drift machines, it’s rare to see drivers branch out and explore other powerplant options.

Vance Kearns, though, is an open-minded dude.

When the folks at JEM-Sport presented him with the option of being one of the first drivers to try out their Ford Ecoboost swap blueprint in his E36

B36 M3, he ditched his S52 and went for it. His down for whatever attitude has taken him a long way in his decade plus of drifting.

Kearns’ Japanese-styled, German car with an American heart is a common sight at tracks around the midwest, as well as on Appalachian mountain roads.

The Pittsburgh native and member of Bobby’s Crew

has made a name for himself with his aggressive, stylish driving, making the most of what he sees as a golden era for drifting and for his own progression.

We sat down with him to find out what led him from a background in motocross to putting down heaters on the track:

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MACHINE CHECK | ECOBOOST E36

How’d you first get into drifting?

So, when I got into drifting, it was 2013 or 2014. I actually was building Honda Civics at the time.

That was just the thing to do then, and I had a turbo Civic at 16, delivering pizza in it. Back then there wasn’t really much more to do for cars, I guess. Around here, that’s what everybody was building was Civics or Subarus. So I tend to lean to the Honda world, so I went to the Honda, got into a lot of trouble with that, I lost my license, actually. I got 21 points on my license in one pull-over. The only thing you can do in those things is go, like, fast as fuck. That’s really it, you know, literally doing highway pulls, so I actually took one of my buddies for a ride down the road in it, it was in a 35 mile an hour zone, and I got pulled over doing 120, and they pretty much just pulled my license and towed the car.

It was just bad, and I lost my license for two years. So after that, I decided, “man, there has to be something cooler to do with this,” so coming from motocross, I raced motocross from when I was two till I was about 15, 16, so I found drifting through, actually, just videos on YouTube. One of my buddies brought it up as we were building Civics. He was like, “I’m selling my civic.

I’m gonna buy a Nissan 240SX and I’m going to drift,” and I’m like, “what the fuck’s that?”

This was a long time ago, so he actually showed me, I’m trying to think which video it was. I want to say it was an old Option video. I can’t remember what it was, but it was one of the competitions, D1GP. It had the Blitz R34 car on it, and that’s the first video I watched and I was like, “oh, this actually looks pretty cool. It kind of has the same aspect of styling as motocross and stuff like that.”

With drifting, you kind of just throw your own flair, but everybody has the same goal, same intention. What they’re looking for out of, out of a vehicle, comparing

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motocross to drifting. So I was like, “man, this looks pretty interesting.”

So actually, the dude that showed me drifting, he’s the one that had the S13 that I was talking about, and this was like back in the time when there was nothing. There was nothing and no information, no anything at all. So, he’s like, “I’m getting rid of it, I just want to get into a Civic again.”

I was like, “all right, sweet. Let’s get rid of the Nissan then,” and so he sold it to one of our buddies, and we got back into Civics for a little bit. And then I was like, “this ain’t really my thing anymore, actually,” and I went to the guy that had bought the S13 and I was like, “hey, would you want to get rid of that thing? Me and my buddy spent like a year working on it,” and he was like, “actually, yeah!”

So I bought the S13 that me and my buddy started working on when I was like 15, 16, so that’s 16 years ago now.

We immediately got it and bought an SR for it, and that was back when SRs were cheap, we imported it and they had literally cut the engine harness with a soldering torch and the downpipe with a torch. They cut everything out with a fucking torch. It was crazy, but we got it super cheap.

Brought it over and there was no flip harnesses or anything like that, and the car was a single cam KA car, so we literally had to change the whole pinout to make it work with an SR, which that car is still currently, as we are speaking, in the same exact position that it was that long ago. So, it hasn’t been updated to newer stuff.

But that car is literally time period correct to what it was when I built it. Obviously that was, like I said, 15 years ago now.

2010 I think is when I actually did get it, but then when I started drifting it, it was like 2013 - 2014.

That S13 hatch became Kearns’ daily driver, and he drifted with it for five years. He emphasized that information on topics like car setups and techniques wasn’t as readily available back then as it is now. He learned as much as he could from YouTube videos and from just getting out and driving the car.

Somewhere along the way, he started to get a little burnt out. It was around the time that the whole “missile car” craze was in full effect and drivers were focusing less on the way their cars looked and more on turning a ton of laps. Like it or not, it was a big chapter in the story of American drifting.

Kearns, though, started to miss the stylish cars that were such a focus of the videos that first made him fall in love with drifting. Going from the iconic styling of cars in old Option Magazine videos to seeing a bunch of beat tin cans at the track, it’s not hard to see how you might start to feel like the community had lost the script somewhere along the way. That paired with his frustration with people gatekeeping information to make him take a couple seasons off.

He got back behind the wheel around 2018, still piloting that S13. It wasn’t until a couple years later, during Covid in 2020, that he would make the switch to an E36.

“Obviously I didn’t have anything else to do except for just sit and think and reminisce and whatever, so I was like, I see all these guys driving E36s and they’re super cheap. You just weld your diff, throw some coilovers on and go bang doors with your friends,” he said.

How’d you find your E36? It started out as an M3?

Yeah, so this car, I was actually just sitting at work one day during Covid, and we were just sitting there and I was like, “man, I really want to get back into this, let’s look on Facebook Marketplace.”

Every time I look, everybody is telling me to get a 325 at least, but a 328 is what you want, so I’m starting to look at these things and even when I first started look, they were so dirt cheap, man. I mean, like, there were super clean, 328 five speeds, obviously with XFs, for like 1500 bucks.

But the problem for me was, every time I’d go to them, they’d sell immediately. So I was like, “shit, what am I going to do?”

And then I literally was just sitting there, like most people do with Facebook Marketplace, and we’re sitting there for lunch and I look at it and there’s a black, ‘99 E36 M3, completely stock, and it was over. It was about 3.5 hours from me, it was in Ohio, I can’t remember exactly what town it was in Ohio. So I called up one of my buddies, I’m like, you know, this thing popped up, the guy said he’ll hold it for me if I throw down some cash, it’s an M3. Obviously, I don’t know much about these cars, coming from a Nissan, I just knew these cars were supposed to be something to have fun with.

So, I bought this car with no intention of it ever being more than just a party car or something, just to go have fun with. We went and looked at this car,it was this middle-aged guy, probably in his 50s, and he was a big aircooled guy, he had an old BMW 2002, stuff like that. And he goes, “my buddies told me to buy this thing because they’re all into drifting, but I really am not into it. It’s just not my thing.”

The car seems pretty good. He told me he hasn’t driven it since he bought it, and that it actually only had two owners. It was the original owner and then the guy that I bought it off of, and the guy that I bought it off of had never even drove it till we showed up.

We showed up and we’re like, “hey, man, this is what I do,” And he’s like, “yeah, that’s what I bought the car for,” so then I’m like, “well, I can’t leave here without at least testing the car.”

He hit me with, “well, I’m going to tell you this right now. This car hasn’t driven more than maybe 15, 20 feet around the parking lot, I know nothing about it,” blah blah blah…

It was pretty cheap for a nice S52 car, so me and my buddy Anthony LaGorga jumped in, and he’s like “what are you gonna do?” and I’m like, “I wanna rip this thing down the street, and we’re going to go find something and see if this thing actually wants to work.

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MACHINE CHECK | ECOBOOST E36 Let’s go drift it somewhere,” so I took it down, probably a mile from where the shop was, and the guy was sitting there all worried that, you know, something’s going to happen, but I’m like, “well, I’m not buying it unless I can see what it can do…”

We went into a parking lot we found, clutch kicked it, it had the stock LSD in it and it actually did pretty good, it wasn’t horrible. Obviously it would open up in transition, but it wasn’t horrible. But, on the way back, I looked down and saw the nightmare of BMWs, the temp gauge reaching the red bar. Shit. So I come back, we shut it off, pop the hood, the cork was a little low, but with it sitting for so long I figured the thermostat would probably be stuck or have some crud inside, so I said screw it.

I bought it, threw it on the trailer and brought it home.

I did some service to it, and after I put a new thermostat and a clutch fan on it, the car always ripped. Obviously, I’m on year five or six with it now, but I drove with that stock setup on it, did almost except for the head gasket, just to be preventative, but that car had 230,000 miles on it and I drifted on it for three years, and I was not easy on that car. It was stout. It did what I bought the car to do. I guess I should say that I bought the car with a simple mindset of what I wanted it to do, and it surpassed that.

Buying a BMW with over 200k miles on it of Facebook Marketplace is a move that, it’s probably safe to say, has come back to bite quite a few young enthusiasts. Kearns, though, found a diamond in the rough that helped pull him out of the slump he had been in. In a motorsport with as many ups and downs as drifting, sometimes it just takes something like a lucky deal to remind you why you fell in love with it in the first place.

What made you go with an E36 instead of the Nissan to get back into the swing of things?

You know, the general vibe these days is “S13, SR20, god’s motor,” blah blah blah. At the time, I was going to chassis swap the car, but in 2020 for some reason the opposite happened with the BMW to what was happening with S-chassis, they were going through the roof, while BMW dropped in price even. I mean, they didn’t drop, I should say, because there’s some guys that are gonna battle with me and say that these cars were even cheaper than what I got it for. People used to buy these cars for $300 to $1,000, which is still astounding to me, but S-chassis were like, even with no engine in them, you couldn’t get them for under like five grand. There’s dudes selling them for fucking 30 grand running. It was just insane.

So, I had actually seen a video of an E36, I think it was Don Musk’s video, from Europe, Germany, I can’t remember. But he had an E36 and it was very Japanese-styled, very aggressive, big flare, really low. It looked Japanese to me, and I don’t know why, but it pulled my attention compared to the other S13, because I had always wanted an S13 coupe, but they were always

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“ I’m fully, fully in love with drifting right now. ”

too hard to grab. So instead, I grabbed the E36, which seemed to be the closest thing to a coupe to me, in my eyes, that was accessible.

A lot of people didn’t like the E36, like they felt like they underperformed or because S-chassis drive a certain way, and E36s drive a different way. I felt like, coming from an S13 to an E36, the only thing it did was heighten my driving ability, because S13s were more floaty, where you can literally just let the car slide. The BMW seems a lot more nimble. Wherever you want to put the car, you can put it. So coming from the S13 into the E36, I knew how to drive, I could drive the car, I could run the line I wanted to run, I could do everything I wanted to do in the car, just there’s no room for correction…

I ran a modded knuckle on the E36 at first, I didn’t like it. It kind of reminded me of an S-chassis, but the Ackermann settings were a little weird. It didn’t handle as well, so I went to a dull SLR kit and it got it pretty close to an S-chassis feel. The hardest thing to get, for me, to make it feel like an S-chassis was to get the rear end to float as long as you want.

The E36, you flick it hard and it doesn’t want to float in the rear. If you make any correction or touch the gas or the brake, it kind of directs the car at whatever angle you’re at. Whatever you’re doing, if you make any abrupt movements, it exaggerates that, whereas in an S-chassis, you can kind of just let the car do its thing and it wanted to go that way no matter what. If you do that in an E36, you try to add a correction, it would either straighten the wheel out or over-angle or take away angle, so there’s a little bit that I was trying to combat to make it feel like an S-chassis. That’s been my biggest goal of driving a BMW, coming from an S-chassis, was to make a cheap, simple car drive like an expensive, cool car.

For reference, the MSRP on a brand new ‘89 240sx was around $13k. The MSRP on a brand new ‘99 M3 was around $42k. You can adjust for inflation if you want, but the point is that drift tax is insane. Who would’ve thought that Nissan’s simple economy cars might one day be selling for as much, or more than, one of BMW’s top-of-the-line sports cars that was 10 years newer?

Drifting is weird.

What has been your most memorable competition to-date?

Mine would obviously be Drift Indy Street League, I think it was Volume Eight? I kind of wasn’t even expecting to compete that round, per se. I think I had some stuff going on, my fiancée was away, I really didn’t feel like going to drive, but a couple of my buddies and my father, they were like, “just go, man. Just go have fun.

Give it a shot. What’s the worst that can happen?”

So I said, “I have the machine to get there, why not go have some fun?” So, I went out there, and I’m pretty sure it was the first round that they introduced the bracket where you had to be seeded to get into the top 16.

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MACHINE CHECK | ECOBOOST E36

So, I had to qualify from the prelims, which was a single run, two laps, put on the best show you can and then you might get in there, and they were only picking 16 drivers from, I think it was like 70 some drivers out there.

So, I went from not even expecting to even make it into the main comp, I mean I’m pretty confident in my driving and stuff like that, but my mindset wasn’t like, “hey, I’m here to try and fight for this competition,” I just went there with the mindset of having fun.

Long story short, I qualified, I got into the top 32. I can’t remember my battles, because, like I said, it was such a crazy day, but I fought my way through the ranks and I ended up winning the competition. Every time I think about it, it’s the most memorable because it was the one that I didn’t care the most about. I was just hanging out, trying to have fun with my friends. Even the dudes in the competition, a lot of them are dudes that we drive with all the time and have fun with.

It just put a smile on my face to prove to myself that I can run some of these cars’ doors in a stock S52, low-power car. I wasn’t super hopeful that I could even potentially get a win was just because, with the horsepower, everybody was telling me, “man, you just don’t have the power,” so I overcame that in my eyes. I fought harder, I pushed the car harder, I did a lot more. So that event, it wasn’t intentional, I just did it.

It’s almost like you’re saying that if you get out of your head and just have fun with it, you’ll do better.

Exactly, and that’s the hardest part… the no fear aspect, and no regrets, it’s wild and for me, that event, I got to win, I got to see all my boys coming up super happy for me, my father came up and cheersed a beer with me, I think that what winning for me is, making it exciting for not yourself, but making everybody else hype that you won. You want everybody else to be excited about you and your winning… I think a lot of people forget

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about that. They get so hell-bent on, “I just got a win” that you don’t remember why you’re trying to win. You know, obviously we’re doing this for ourselves, but if it wasn’t for the people that come out to watch us, why would we do it at all?

Stuff like that, winning and making everybody else feel involved, it’s exciting and it’s something I’ll never forget about. Just driving off that track, hyperventilating and not knowing what to do with myself, and everybody’s coming up, slapping the car, cheering me on, and I’m sitting there and I don’t even know what to do with myself.

That event was one of the best feel-good stories to come out of the first ten volumes of Drift Indy Street League. Seeing Kearns’ dad, Kenny (who is also a regular DISL competitor and competed in that round along with Vance), hug his son up on the podium was about as wholesome as it gets. It was a hard-fought win against some of DISL’s best drivers, and you just got the vibe that he deserved it, even if you didn’t know anything about him.

After his dominant performance at Volume Eight, Kearns would go on to podium at Volume Nine as well, finishing second. He was on a tear in 2023, especially in DISL, and that went a long way toward earning him an invitation to drive Drift Appalachia’s inaugural event, Special Stage One. So, in the same vein as that, what do you think is the most fun you’ve had drifting?

Obviously, it has to be Drift Appalachia. That has been such a grace in this period of drifting. Drifting in general is getting bigger, and bigger and bigger, and, like I was getting at before, people are coming in and they don’t really know what the roots were. This is something that I used to watch all the time, and, you know, coming from motocross, what made me attracted to it is the fear…

...you’re doing something that’s wild.

You used to watch these videos of dudes just drifting the mountains, and being from where I’m from, the Pittsburgh area, we have a lot of the Appalachian mountains here. A lot of the time, you’d just go out and find a backroad and go drift it, or just find something small and cut a couple laps on it because there’s not a lot of people here. You go out to a back road, you might have a shitty road or you might have a really good road, you never know, but there’s not a lot of people that you have to worry about.

So, that’s kind of where drifting stems from for me.

My first drifting experiences were like, parking lots, and then once I got a little better, I’d go out and drive mountain roads. Not necessarily drifting them, sometimes just just flying up and down and grip racing them.

That’s when I learned how the car would feel at speed…

So, when I was actually approached by the guys from Drift Appalachia for the first one, I’m like, “oh, guys, of course. This is what I love to do. I love doing this stuff.”

I went out there with a stock S52, and the course we went on, it was like third gear, you’re at 70 miles an hour, flying. And I was doing it, I was just having fun doing it. I couldn’t extend stuff like that, but I could still have fun. It’s still probably, not gonna lie, other than the first one in Beckley, I still think the first rendition was my favorite… it was just wild. It felt so awesome to like, have that feeling for drifting again, and it reminded me why we do this stuff. It’s to have fun and do crazy stuff and push the boundaries and drift.

He got a junkyard EcoBoost, fully dressed, for $800.

From pulling the S52 and finding his donor engine, it took him around two months, working from his own shop, to get the car running.

“I changed nothing from the transmission to the rear end. The only thing I physically changed was the engine. You think of a swap, changing everything out.

There’s no driveshaft change, no mount relocations, no custom jobs. The work to put it into the car was so simple,” Kearns said. The swap shaved 250 lbs off the front end of the car, and it makes somewhere in the 220-250 HP range, with 300 ft-lbs of torque. “I couldn’t ask for anything more of it. I’m excited to see the potential of it, the full potential.”

With one season under his belt with the new engine, Kearns is enjoying exploring something new and different. Even after over a decade with the motorsport, he’s still finding ways to keep things fresh, while still staying true to the roots that first drew him in.

“Drivers are just stepping back and enjoying the fun of it. In five years, hopefully we still have that, hopefully it’s still easy to get into… I feel like it’s something so extravagant and so fun that everybody should be able to enjoy it if they want to,” “I’m fully, fully in love with drifting right now.”

Appalachia is pushing the boundaries on all levels, and it’s something that older drivers, like myself, have always wanted to do and we’ve never really been allowed to. It’s a tough pill to swallow because it’s crazy to think that 10 years ago, I’m looking at this stuff and thinking. “man, we’ll never be there,” and now I’m sitting here and I’m like, “we get to do this.” You just never know where this stuff’s going to go, and it’s really, really beautiful.

Following an absolutely killer season in 2023 that saw him climb both podiums and mountains, Kearns finally decided it was time to move beyond his faithful S52 and seek out a little more sauce. In stepped JEM-Sport’s Jake Minard. He and his team specialize in developing Ford EcoBoost swap kits for a variety of chassis, including the E36.

“So, I was approached by Jake, and he’s like, ‘hey man, we’ve got this pretty cool program going on where we’re taking the EcoBoost out of Ford Escapes, Mustangs, etc., and we’re putting them in multiple chassis. We see that you’re doing pretty good and we want to see you add some more power, would you be interested?’,” Kearns said. With his motor starting to show its age and the promise of more power enticing him, he took them up on their offer.

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ECOBOOST!

ECOBOOST SWAP SPECIALISTS MOTORSPORT SOLUTIONS, TUNING, FABRICATION, WIRING & MORE ROBUST SELECTION OF PARTS:

SHOP

ONLINE

JEM-SPORT.COM: 35

DI-WHY?!?

ECOBOOST! WRITTEN BY: SHAWN ALLGOOD

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p a Sw

It’s a Ford thing, you wouldn’t understand.

PHOTOS: SHAWN ALLGOOD, CHRIS LEONARD, SAM IGEL II, CASH ALLEN, @CHASETHEQUALITY

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n a world of $4000-$5000 SR20DET and 1JZs or the elusive “$500” LS Swap, more and more people are looking for the next big thing for engine swaps. The state of the economy means everyone is tightening their belts and a $15,000 engine swap project isn’t in the cards for most. In looking at engine swaps the cheap, supported, and powerful options are all but drying up. Or are they?

Enter Ford with their Ecoboost Engine. Originally released in 2011 in the Ford F-150, the moniker now spans many different displacements, cylinder counts, drivelines and transmissions. For the purposes of this article, we’re going to focus on two of the four cylinder options even though there are three, four and six cylinder variants of Ford’s workhorse platform.

The first four cylinder Ecoboost engine to be released was the 2.0T. This engine is derived from the 2.0L Mazda L engine block used by Ford in the North American Focus MK3, but equipped with unique heads, direct injection fuel system, and Ford’s Ti-VCT. (It should not be confused with the Mazda 2.3 DISI Turbo, which also features direct injection along with turbocharging, but shares little else aside from the same engine block.)

The unique head design is typically referred to as a ‘headifold’ design, that is the exhaust manifold is integrated directly into the cylinder head with the turbocharger bolted to the cylinder head itself.

Some models of this engine were equipped with a standard head and exhaust runners, but those are in the minority.

In 2015, Ford released a second generation of the 2.0T and a new 2.3T variant. The main target in front of engineers was a more responsive engine, with better performance and fuel efficiency in Ford’s all-wheeldrive applications than the first gen 2.0 EcoBoost.

The second generation 2.0 has an aluminum cylinder block and redesigned aluminum cylinder head, featuring an integrated exhaust manifold optimized for the BorgWarner twin-scroll turbocharger. The exhaust gases from cylinders 2 & 3, and 1 & 4, go separately into each scroll of the turbocharger reducing the time needed to reach full boost.

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DI-WHY? | ECOBOOST SWAP

JEM-SPORT.COM

The 2.3-liter four cylinder turbo engine became available for the 2015 Lincoln MKC crossover at first, and a year later, it was installed in the Ford Explorer and the ultimate 350-hp Ford Focus RS. But the engine has truly become known under the hood of the Ford Mustang EcoBoost, with 310 horsepower and 320 lb-ft (434 Nm) of torque.

The last time Ford used the 4-cylinder turbo engine in Mustangs was in the

Mid-80’s Mustang SVO Basically, the 2.3 EcoBoost engine is based on the 2.0 EcoBoost Gen 2 engine and can be called a ‘stroker’.

However, the 2.3-liter version was heavily fortified to handle the increased power output and provide thousands of reliable miles.

So why would you want to swap your aging and underpowered powerplant for something like an Ecoboost? It comes down to three factors: easy power, proven reliability, and low cost. Depending on which displacement you choose, stock power levels range from 250-310 crank horsepower and an insane amount of torque for such low displacement ranging from 310-350 pound feet. Stock.

These engines take power adders and tuning easily, as long as you respect the strength of the stock internals.

With just a tune, a 2.0T can easily make 280 wheel horsepower and 330 pound feet of torque. Upgrade fueling components and a small 2867 turbocharger and that same engine can push well over 300 wheel horsepower.

The 2.3T prospects are even juicier.

With similar fuel upgrades and a Precision NX2 turbo you can easily reach 400 wheel horsepower. Again, if one respects the strength of the stock internals this can be an incredibly reliable setup powering many track days without fail.

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As with anything misunderstood, there are loads of horror stories of engine failure surrounding the Ecoboost platform, even gaining its own nickname ‘Ecoboom.’

As is the case with the internet, you only see the bad and never the good. Considering the sheer volume of vehicles that are Ecoboost-powered, this failure rate is incredibly low and typically comes down to two factors leading to premature failure: poor maintenance schedule and improper driving.

One of the Ecoboost’s Achilles’ heel is LSPI or low speed pre-ignition. Simply put, an LSPI event occurs when the cylinder is too hot, and too loaded up at low piston speeds which then pre-detonates the fuel. Think predetonation with too low an octane rating of fuel that happens at high rpm, same effect, just the cause and the operating conditions are different.

To protect against this are a couple of strategies. The main contributor is running oils that contain a few elements in the additive package, mostly calcium and phosphorus. When the LSPI event happens, it ignites

2.0T Gen 1 2013–2015 Ford Escape 2013–2015 Land Rover LR2 2013–2016 Ford Fusion 2013–2017 Ford Taurus 2013–2015 Lincoln MKZ 2015–2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport 2015-2017 Jaguar XE 25T 2015–2018 Lincoln MKC

the film of oil on the cylinder wall. Running oils that are formulated and tested against LSPI is 100% necessary to protect against it. In addition to that, letting the engine be lazy below say 3k rpm helps.

A huge positive in the corner of the Ecoboost platform is the relatively low cost to acquire and maintain the engine. Depending on your area, a 2.0T can be had for as low as $1000 fully dressed. In 2025 that’s unheard of for the power potential in many engines. Additionally, because of their implementation from everything from the Mustang to your mom’s Lincoln, your local Auto Zone will have the parts you need to maintain the engine for a long time. Imagine it, no more trolling Facebook Marketplace or Groups for that odd piece you need to get the track car back up and running.

So where do you acquire your very own Ecoboost for that lawn ornament you told your friends would totally be running three summers ago? The following list isn’t exhaustive but gives a solid idea on just how widespread the Ecoboost is:

2.0T Gen 2 2015–2019 Ford Edge 2017–2020 Ford Fusion 2016– Ford Escape 2021– Ford Bronco Sport 2016–2020 Lincoln MKZ 2022- Lincoln Zephyr 2019-2020 Lincoln MKC 2019– Lincoln Nautilus 2020– Lincoln Corsair

2.3T Gen 1 2016– 2018 Ford Explorer 2015–2019 Lincoln MKC 2015–2023 Ford Mustang EcoBoost 2016–2018 Ford Focus RS 2.3 Liter Gen 2 2019– Ford Ranger 2020– Ford Explorer 2020–2022 Lincoln Corsair

With Ecoboost swaps becoming more common, it’s clear that this powerplant is here to make a splash.

will only produce more swap oriented components to drop an Ecoboost in whatever you can think of.

From Chelsea Denofa’s Ecobost swapped Foxbody Mustang to Chris Leonard’s RWD swap Ford Fusion and more, the engine is proving an incredibly easy and lightweight solution to providing serious power in just about anything. The rise in popularity of this engine

Open-minded, creative ideas like the Ecoboost swap keep motorsports affordable for the rest of us. We hope that mindset never dies out, especially as the old stable of engine options approach costs only reserved for the wealthiest among us.

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Words and Photos By: Chuck Murray

SCENIC ROADS, SIZZLING TIRES, AND A COMMUNITY OF PASSION. Beckley, West Virginia, was once again the epicenter of American touge-style drifting with the return of Drift Appalachia Special Stage 6. This adrenaline-pumping event has grown into a major highlight on the motorsport calendar, not only for its competitive edge but also for the sense of camaraderie, culture, and celebration that surrounds it. As drivers and fans prepare to descend on the Mountain State, Beckley is ready to welcome them with open arms, a winding ribbon of road, and a fullthrottle festival downtown.

A DRIVER’S PARADISE:

BECKLEY’S MOUNTAIN ROADS

Drivers from across the U.S. consistently rank Beckley as one of their favorite drift locations — and it’s easy to see why. The roads here are carved into the rolling Appalachian Mountains, offering natural elevation changes, sharp switchbacks, and long, sweeping curves that demand precision and reward grace. The se routes mirror the iconic mountain passes of Japan that birthed touge drifting, earning Beckley its nickname as the “American Touge.”

But it’s not just about the layout — it’s the scenery.

Drivers and spectators alike are treated to panoramic views of misty hills, dense forests, and wildflower-lined stretches of pavement.

“There’s a sense of poetry in the balance between speed and serenity, where every drift is framed by nature’s own canvas.”

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT | DRIFT APPALACHIA

DRIFT APPALACHIA: STAGE6 41

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT | DRIFT APPALACHIA

DOWNTOWN

BLOCK PARTY BECKLEY, WEST VIRGINIA

DRIFT CULTURE MEETS

APPALACHIAN HOSPITALITY

Drift Appalachia isn’t just about what happens on the road — it’s also about the celebration that follows.

Downtown Beckley comes alive during Special Stage 6, with a massive block party that draws fans, families, and curious newcomers from across the country.

This free event transforms Main Street into a hub of excitement, featuring: - Car displays from participating drivers and teams - Meet-and-greets with pro & grassroots drifters - Music, food trucks, vendors, & street performers - Exclusive merchandise & gear from event partners

The block party has grown into one of the region’s most vibrant festivals, and it’s not uncommon to meet fans who traveled hundreds of miles just to experience the unique blend of Appalachian charm and high-octane car culture.

“It’s the kind of event where a seasoned drifter and a curious local might bond over brake setups or mountain folklore, and that’s part of what makes it so special.”

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MORE THAN AN EVENT:

A MOVEMENT ON THE RISE

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT | DRIFT APPALACHIA Drift Appalachia has pioneered a community-driven push to create a legitimate, respectful, and thrilling motorsports culture in the American heartland. From the roar of engines in the mountains to the laughter echoing through Beckley’s streets, Special Stage 6 is a living symbol of what happens when passion, talent, and support all converge.

Whether you’re a lifelong drift fan, a curious spectator, or someone just looking to experience something extraordinary, Beckley is the place to be.

With its legendary roads, stunning scenery, and unforgettable block party, Drift Appalachia Special Stage 6 was a weekend of motorsport and magic attendees won’t forget..

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT | DRIFT APPALACHIA

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

POWERED BY PARTNERSHIPS Drift Appalachia wouldn’t be the success it is without the support of its industry-leading partners, each bringing something vital to the track — and the community:

BC RACING NORTH AMERICA A global leader in suspension technology, BC Racing plays a crucial role in helping drivers tame the rugged Appalachian terrain. Their adjustable coilovers and performance suspension kits are trusted by amateur and pro drifters alike for their balance of comfort and control — a must for mastering Beckley’s nuanced curves.

KENDA TIRE When you’re pushing your car sideways on a mountain pass, grip is everything. Kenda Tire supplies the rubber that connects all that power to the pavement. Known for their consistency, durability, and performance under pressure, Kenda tires have become a go-to for drivers aiming to balance drift angle and speed without compromising safety.

LINK ECU Precision matters in drifting, and Link ECU helps deliver it. These advanced engine control units give drivers full command of their vehicle’s performance, allowing for fine-tuning that’s crucial in a sport where milliseconds and millimeters count. With Link ECU onboard, drivers can trust their machines to respond instantly to every throttle, clutch, and steering input.

BACKROADS OF APPALACHIA Perhaps the most emotionally resonant partnership is with Backroads of Appalachia, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming Appalachian roads into safe, sanctioned venues for motorsports and tourism. Their mission is to revitalize the region through motorsports, offering economic development and community engagement while preserving the culture of Appalachia. Their support helps bring events like Drift Appalachia to life, ensuring that the legacy of these roads, and those who live along them, is honored and uplifted.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS. GRAB YOUR CAMERAS. TUNE YOUR ENGINES.

THE MOUNTAIN IS CALLING. 46

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D R I F TA P PA L A C H I A . C O M 47

40 DAY MUSTANG MIRACLE THE

JAMES DEANE’S BLISTERING RTR BUILD FOR DRIFT MASTERS

WRITTEN BY: Chuck Murray - PHOTOS: Paddy McGrath 48

THE MUSTANG MIRACLE | JAMES DEANE RTR

FROM CONTAINER TO COMPETITION: THE RACE AGAINST TIME

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n the ever-evolving world of professional drifting, where style meets surgical precision and horsepower battles rubber-melting torque, few stories speak to the raw grit and sheer determination of a team quite like James Deane’s 40-day transformation of a barebones

Mustang chassis into a fully-fledged RTR-spec Drift Masters contender. With virtually no time to spare and a competition looming, Deane and his crew took on a challenge that many would consider madness—and emerged with a roaring, tire-shredding beast.

THE SWITCH: NEW SEASON, NEW CAR When James Deane made the last-minute decision to swap to a near-identical RTR-spec 5FD Mustang for the 2025 Drift Masters European Championship, it wasn’t just a change of machinery—it was a logistical gauntlet.

Essentially what comes down to a “build-your-own RTR kit” was delivered to his workshop in Ireland, packed meticulously in shipping containers. One container

carried the chassis, two formidable RY45 V8 engines, and some core components. The rest trickled in soon after, forming the ultimate high-performance jigsaw puzzle.

The moment the container doors swung open, the clock started ticking. With just 40 days to go, every second mattered.

The moment the container doors swung open, the clock started ticking.

WITH JUST 40 DAYS TO GO, EVERY SECOND MATTERED. 49

DAY 1-5: A CAR IN PIECES The chassis emerged from the container like an uncut gem. Deane’s team immediately set to work, wasting no time with pleasantries. Within five days, the chassis was completely stripped of all excess metal. The hood, trunk, roof, doors, and quarter panels—all removed.

The skeleton of the Mustang was bared, prepped for transformation.

Next stop: Herney Motorsport. Here, precision welding met strategic fabrication. Engine and transmission mounts were secured, a new transmission tunnel was crafted, the roll cage was installed with surgical precision, seat placement was finalized, and the fuel cell firewall was welded into place. The once-empty chassis now had the bones of a warrior.

MIDWAY MILESTONE: PAINT & PLUG & PLAY With structural modifications complete, the chassis moved on to S&B Autobody for a fresh coat of paint.

When it returned to Deane’s shop, it was time for what many might think of as the “easier” part—but make no mistake, even the plug-and-play stage demanded exceptional craftsmanship.

Some components, particularly in the suspension, needed fabrication to fit. A custom exhaust manifold was engineered to weave gracefully around the steering column, tailored for the Mustang’s right-hand drive configuration.

The front subframe, now cradling the monstrous RY45 engine, was paired up with a Samsonas RS90 transmission. At the rear, a Winters differential was installed, creating the perfect balance between brute force and controlled aggression.

THE DETAILS MATTER: CARBON, COILS, AND COMPLEXITY Lightweight carbon Kevlar body panels were mounted, merging strength with weight savings. Custom BC Racing coilovers were bolted in, fine-tuned for the violent ballet that is competitive drifting. Every line— fuel, brake, and coolant—was plumbed with absolute care.

A bespoke ECU Master harness was installed, an electronic nervous system tailored to the car’s heartbeat.

The seat went in. Fluids were added. Pressures were tested. No leaks. No issues.

And then—the moment of truth.

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DETAILS MATTER.

THE MUSTANG MIRACLE | JAMES DEANE RTR

START-UP AND SYMPHONY With a deep breath and a quiet countdown, the ignition was pushed. The RY45 roared to life on its very first try.

It was more than just a startup. It was a victory cry for a team that had worked with relentless intensity and precision. The garage echoed with the sound of triumph—and the promise of more to come.

DYNO DAYS AND DESIGN DELIGHTS With the engine purring like a caged animal, the Mustang headed to the dyno for its final tune. The result? A staggering 900-plus horsepower.

Each rotation of the rollers marked another step closer to competition.

Then came the aesthetic transformation. Moose Design applied the livery, wrapping the car in its battle-ready skin. A machine that had existed as a skeletal project just weeks prior now looked every bit the part of a professional drift weapon.

SHAKEDOWN AND SMALL SETBACKS The shakedown took place at Watergrasshill, a proving ground for many of Ireland’s elite drivers. The Mustang showed its teeth and responded beautifully, revealing only minor issues—nothing the seasoned team couldn’t handle.

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Final tweaks were made, bugs were squashed, and the car was officially ready.

It was loaded up and sent off to Driftgames HQ, where it joined the race hauler and prepared to begin its competitive journey.

CURVEBALL IN THE CALENDAR The opening round of Drift Masters in Italy was tragically cancelled following the sudden death of Pope Francis, a moment that shook the world and forced major events across Europe into postponement or cancellation.

The team quickly shifted gears and redirected their focus to Spain.

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SPANISH SHOWDOWN: A TRIAL BY FIRE In Spain, the Mustang got its first taste of battle. In qualifying, James Deane faced off against none other than his former Worthouse teammate, Piotr Wiecek.

Sparks flew—literally and figuratively.

During a heated run, contact was made. The RTR Mustang collided with Wiecek’s Supra, sending the latter into the wall in a devastating hit. The Supra was deemed a total loss for the weekend. James’ own machine had sustained significant damage, but his crew sprang into action, working tirelessly through the night to make repairs.

By morning, the Mustang was once again whole.

THE MUSTANG MIRACLE | JAMES DEANE RTR

TOP 8 AND HEARTBREAK Deane advanced into the Top 8, proving that even with a freshly built car and post-crash repairs, he was still a force to be reckoned with. But in motorsport, fate can be cruel. A delay at the start line led to a disqualification—a bitter pill to swallow after such an incredible effort.

They didn’t just build a competition drift car — they engineered a warrior, a piece of art, and a statement.

As the Drift Masters season continues, fans and rivals alike will be watching closely. Because if this Mustang can be built in 40 days, one can only imagine what it’ll do over a full season.

The RTR Mustang has arrived, and it means business.

MORE THAN A BUILD - A TESTAMENT This was more than just a car build. It was a testament to teamwork, hustle, and passion. In just 40 days, James Deane and his team accomplished what many couldn’t in a year.

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THE MAN BEHIND THE CAMERA

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n the sprawling, high-octane universe of motorsports, few names command as much respect from both sides of the lens as Larry Chen.

To call him simply a photographer would be like calling Ayrton Senna just a driver. Larry is a documentarian of speed, a visual storyteller whose images transcend the race track and speak directly to the hearts of gearheads around the world.

BUILT NOT BOUGHT – THE HUSTLE YEARS Larry Chen’s story doesn’t begin on a red carpet or racetrack. It starts like many true car guys—with passion and hustle.

Straight out of high school, Larry was determined to carve out a space for himself in the car world. He built and sold custom PCs to make ends meet. He hawked wholesale nuts. He did whatever it took. During this time, he drove a white Nissan S13 hatchback and never missed a local car meet. His goal wasn’t fame; it was proximity—to cool cars, cool people, and cool stories.

But in a twist of fate that could only happen in Los Angeles, Larry found himself in a completely different

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From the blistering tire smoke of Formula Drift to the neon glow of Tokyo’s midnight streets, Larry Chen has been everywhere. He’s featured on YouTube, in national TV campaigns, and even in video games.

He’s worked with global powerhouses like Toyota, Pennzoil, Hot Wheels, and 7-Eleven. He’s a Speedhunter, a Hoonigan, and a bonafide automotive culture icon.

But what makes Larry so remarkable isn’t just his resume—it’s the path he took to get there.

kind of fast-paced pursuit: paparazzi. He met a celebrity photographer at a car meet and soon found himself chasing down stars across Hollywood. It was a crash course in high-pressure shooting. He learned how to be quick, accurate, and invisible—all while making a living snapping celebrities like Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, and Taylor Swift.

At the same time, Larry was paying his own way into car events like Formula Drift, just to shoot. Armed with whatever camera gear he could scrape together— including a major trade deal involving a motorcycle for a set of professional lenses—he posted his shots to his self-run site, Driftfotos.com. Forums, not social media, were the battleground back then, and Larry made sure his name was everywhere.

LENS OF LEGEND | THE STORY OF LARRY CHEN

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LENS OF LEGEND | THE STORY OF LARRY CHEN

A GLOBAL SPEEDHUNTER Larry’s break came when he joined the renowned automotive media brand Speedhunters. With them, he was finally doing what he’d always dreamed of - getting paid to travel the world and capture car culture.

From Japan’s drifting scene to Germany’s touring cars, from desert rally raids to high-end car features, Larry became a globe-trotting ambassador of speed.

His role as the official Formula Drift photographer cemented his status in the drifting community. With his lens fixed firmly on the action, Larry became an integral

part of the sport—not just recording it, but shaping how it was perceived. His photos became iconic, inspiring a new generation of drifters and shooters alike.

One of Larry’s most pivotal collaborations came through Ken Block and the Hoonigan crew. Working on Gymkhana 4, Larry captured some of the most visually stunning and widely shared automotive content of the decade.

His camera was no longer just a tool—it was the lens through which an entire generation experienced automotive culture.

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LENS OF LEGEND | THE STORY OF LARRY CHEN

“IT WAS THE LENS THROUGH WHICH AN ENTIRE GENERATION EXPERIENCED AUTOMOTIVE CULTURE.”

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YOUTUBE AND THE AUTOFOCUS ERA As social media rose, so did Larry’s presence. At first, he challenged himself to post only cell phone photos to his Instagram—a nod to his belief that storytelling mattered more than megapixels.

Once he hit 100,000 followers, he began integrating more polished shots. Today, Larry boasts over one million followers, and each post reaches car lovers from all walks of life.

His rise in the Hoonigan ecosystem led to more video work. He began appearing on their Daily Transmission

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series and eventually spun off into his own branded show: Autofocus. What started as a side segment became a full-on YouTube channel, first under the Hoonigan banner and now fully owned and operated by Larry himself.

Autofocus isn’t just a behind-the-scenes channel— it’s a love letter to car culture. Whether he’s featuring a builder’s backyard project or spotlighting a hyperrare supercar, Larry brings the same level of respect, curiosity, and photographic excellence to every story.

LENS OF LEGEND | THE STORY OF LARRY CHEN THE TEAM BEHIND THE MAGIC It’s easy to assume that Larry Chen must have a twin— or three. He seems to be everywhere, all the time. The secret? He’s built a team of some of the most talented automotive shooters in the industry. With a shared vision and work ethic, Larry’s crew allows his brand to have a global reach with local authenticity.

This teamwork approach enables Larry to take on larger projects without losing his distinctive photographic voice. Whether it’s covering simultaneous events on

opposite sides of the world or coordinating shoots with major sponsors, Larry’s squad runs like a finely-tuned V8.

And don’t think Larry’s just a shooter—he’s a driver, too. He drifts, he races, and he’s even unofficially tackled the legendary Baja 1000. His intimate understanding of performance behind the wheel gives his photography an edge few others can replicate. He doesn’t just watch the action—he feels it.

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HALL OF FAME AND BEYOND In 2025, Larry Chen reached another milestone: Formula Drift Hall of Fame inductee—and the first non-driver to receive the honor. The decision was not just symbolic. It was recognition of decades of contribution, of capturing moments that elevated the sport’s visibility and inspired legions of fans.

The accolade came not because Larry sought attention, but because his work demanded it. His photos told stories that words couldn’t. His images were often the first point of contact for fans discovering drifting, JDM builds, or American muscle. Through his lens, Larry gave the car world a new kind of language.

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LENS OF LEGEND | THE STORY OF LARRY CHEN

So what’s next for the most interesting man in motorsports media?

CHUCK MURRAY

Whatever it is, one thing’s certain:

HE’LL HAVE A CAMERA IN HAND, AND A STORY WORTH TELLING.

WWW.LARRYCHENPHOTO.COM

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2025

ebisu.

Spring Matsuri

3 7. 6 4 4 9 ° N , 1 4 0 . 3 7 0 9 ° E

Visiting the Drift Mecca | By: Devin Crezee PHOTOS BY: DEVIN CREZEE

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For the uninitiated, you would never guess that these gates lead to anything of significance to global automotive culture.

B

ut for those in the drift community, these gates lead to a holy place. Carved out of the side of a mountain in Fukushima, Japan – is the Drift Mecca, the Drift Heaven, the Ebisu Circuit.

Ebisu wasn’t the first racetrack to allow drifting, but its history is so deeply intertwined in the sport that you’d be hard-pressed to find another track with as much significance to drifting.

The famous Minami jump track from D1GP, the Formula Drift Japan Nishi course, the School Course - where Keiichi Tsuchiya filmed countless videos for the “Drift Bible”, and more. I was introduced to this track through videos of these legendary features from Tsuchiya-san, and I watched a ridiculous amount of Option Magazine drift videos filmed at Ebisu.

the trip cancelled. While I waited for the stars to align again, I went elsewhere to prepare myself – competing at Klutch Kickers down in Florida, roundtripping around the USA for Drift Week, and countless local drift events.

Then finally this year, in 2025, I found myself on a plane headed for Tokyo – where I would meet up with CJ. After a few days of exploring Tokyo and immersing ourselves in the culture, we started the 4-hour trek to Nihonmatsu-Fukushima and arrived at the holy gates to Ebisu (and Tohoku Safari Park).

I’ve been to tons of racetracks around America, but nothing had adequately prepared me for Ebisu.

It’s how many of the “OGs” were introduced to the sport - these videos were our lifeline to the heart of it .

The Journey I’ve dreamt about making a pilgrimage to Ebisu for almost 15 years, and it took about 5 years of planning to make this dream a reality. In 2020, I bought a drift car at the track (co-owned with my friend CJ), an RB20DET powered Nissan Cefiro, booked a plane ticket with a group of friends, only to have the world shut down and

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The Track I think a lot of the newer drifters learned about Ebisu Circuit from social media influencers and content creators like Noriyaro, Lone Star Drift, Adam LZ, and more – the OGs know about this place from the ORIGINAL drift content – like the aforementioned Option Magazine and Drift Bible.

For us old-timers, Keiichi Tsuchiya’s Drift Bible is where we learned our drifting techniques – from basic to advanced. We also learned about car setup and performance parts from these videos, as well as others put out by Option Magazine.

To be driving on the hallowed ground of Ebisu, the very same asphalt as many of their “forefathers” of drifting had me electrified.

There used to be 7 tracks that could be drifted: – NORTH COURSE (KITA) - TOUGE COURSE - E AST COURSE (HIGASHI) - SCHOOL COURSE - DRIF T STADIUM (MINAMI) - DRIF T L AND - WEST COURSE (NISHI)

Minami Also two skid pads: Kuru Kuru Land 1 & 2.

Unfortunately, a landslide damaged School Course and Minami, and while School Course was repaired [and improved], Minami became a gravel rally track.

EBISU | SPRING MATSURI 2025

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EBISU | SPRING MATSURI 2025

Since the facility itself is built into the side of a mountain, it means that every track has elevation changes (excluding the skid pads). I found that each track has at least one unique feature that makes it exciting to drive.

For North Course, it’s the Sanpatsu entry where you throw the car at the wall before transitioning the other direction to go down the hill. Touge course is extremely narrow with tight turns, making it a lower speed course but it is extremely INTENSE and dangerous. Or Nishi, which has TWO separate features – one for each section

that they open up for drifting. Nishi Short has an EXTREMELY fun blind entry over the top of a hill, and the back section has an embankment up the side of the hill.

Every track had something to offer, something to conquer, something to learn. Even the high-speed Higashi was incredible to drive in our tired old Cefiro – and while I couldn’t quite power through in 3rd gear most of the time, I still got the opportunity to drive the car FLAT OUT to see what it could do.

Impressions - Overhyped or just right?

Once the euphoria of being on hallowed drift ground started to wear off, the rose-tinted glasses came off too.

The asphalt isn’t as pristine as it was in the old Drift Bible videos – with cracks forming on the tracks and the surface roads (Touge course was particularly rough), the buildings are a little more “rust-ic” than I

remember, and the tracks had patchwork additions to make improvements and fix the inevitable damage from decades if motorsports. It reminded me of some of the old circle tracks in the USA, trying to preserve what made it special in the beginning while also attempting to keep up with the latest changes in the sport – but maybe not quite enough funding to do it perfect.

And yet, I don’t think that took anything away from the experience. Feeling the surface change as you go wide on Nishi gave you the feedback that you’re on the right line, or feeling a little bump when you go too wide at the end of North Course let you know to cut it back in. This

is better than just running off course and kicking dirt everywhere because the asphalt ends where the driving line wants to take you.

Every addition to the track showed you how drifting had changed over the years.

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The Cars The cars at Matsuri told a similar story. I’m a huge fan of Kyushu cars; newer drift cars just aren’t as appealing to me personally. It’s part of why I still drift an AE86, the same AE86 that I started with all those years ago.

I think I expected to see a ton of AE86s and S-chassis drifting – just like in the videos I’ve watched for so long.

There were a few, definitely more AE86s than we get in the US (which was rad), but overall – the Kyusha cars were a small percentage of the total number of cars.

The reality is that just like in the US, these old cars are appreciating in value – and something inexpensive has to take their place in a [destructive] motorsport like Drifting. In America we have Mustangs, Corvettes, and various BMWs – Japan has Toyota JZX90s, JZX100s, and some drivers have turned to JZX110s. But still, these cars are starting to get expensive to find and buy in Japan – so the dynamic of the sport is different than it was.

Even Power Vehicles, which started as a drift shop at Ebisu, had the focus of their business shift. They said most of what they do nowadays are high end import/ exports – like special production Nissan R34 GT-Rs, and they typically only work on drift cars for a few weeks leading up to each Drift Matsuri.

I think what I’m getting at is, everything is changing.

The Ebisu experience I dreamt about for so long is a thing of the past, and it was a harsh reality check. But that doesn’t mean it was a bad thing!

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EBISU | SPRING MATSURI 2025

The Culture Japan has a knack for creating a time capsule effect.

I noticed this when solo-exploring Tokyo on my last day before returning to the States – the architecture, the fashion, and a lot of the technology are things that were popular in the US in the 90s. With Ebisu Matsuri, even though the cars are newer than I had imagined, the build style hasn’t changed much since the “golden era” of drifting.

Most of the cars were relatively simple, very “streetstyle” – some steering rack spacers and maybe some knuckles for angle mods, coilovers, limited slip differentials, and a few adjustable arms to dial it in.

Even the power-adders were modest – with simple turbo upgrades, front mount intercoolers, and an intake/exhaust combo.

It was rare to see a car with a high-tech angle kit or an insane high-power monster under the hood, although there were a few around.

build style hasn’t changed much since the “golden era” of drifting.

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LIVING FOR THE MOMENT | NOT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

These simpler builds make builds and repairs cheaper and easier, which also meant the driving style was very similar to what it was 15 years ago – but closer to perfection, if that makes sense. I’m talking about the days before drivers were doing everything to be competitive, back when people just drove for fun with whatever car they could get.

Adding to this atmosphere, media presence was almost non-existent. The only media that was at Spring Matsuri was Larry Chen, his co-shooter Tyler Ko, and the various content creators with their media teams.

I didn’t even know how to go about getting a media pass, otherwise I may have tried – but honestly, I just enjoyed shooting for the fun of it, and I gave out plenty of hi-res photos for free to drivers just like the old days.

It was even rare to see somebody with an action camera strapped to their helmet. Most people were living in the moment, not worried about capturing it for their social media, they were just having fun. That’s what drifting is all about for me, and this was an incredible amount of fun.

If you ever have the chance to make it to Ebisu, I think it’s worth the journey. It may be different than you imagined, so go with an open mind. I really enjoyed the cherry blossoms of Spring Matsuri, the weather was incredible, and the vibes were fantastic. I hear that Fall Matsuri is the biggest every year, so maybe next time I’ll have to come back in the fall.

You can see more about this trip on my youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/doctoredgarage

EBISU | SPRING MATSURI 2025

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MACHINE CHECK

RX-7 Derek Bianski

WORDS: Sam House PHOTOS: Jose Ortiz

D

erek Bianski is one of a rare breed of drivers that have stuck with drifting for over a decade, maturing alongside the motorsport as it has grown into its current state. Along the way, he and his FD RX7 have managed to become a little bit iconic in the Midwest drift scene.

“So, my name’s Derek Bianski. I’ve been drifting for, I don’t know, 15 years now? Maybe longer,” he told us, “it’s been a while.”

Bianski is a member of Team Breaking, a Fort Wayne, Ind.-based team of like-minded dudes that have made a name for themselves with their dedication to stylish driving of stylish cars. He got his first exposure to the motorsport in the early 2000s as drifting was gaining popularity here in the US, and it planted a seed that has grown into one of his life’s passions over 20 years later. In the 15+ years since he got behind the wheel of his first drift car, he and his FD have been to tracks and events all over the Midwest, and, more recently, a little further east to the side of a few mountains with Drift Appalachia. He is a Drift Indy Grand Prix driver, a former Midwest Drift Union competitor and a rotaryloving masochist.

We sat down with Mr. Bianski to learn a little more about him and his ride:

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What was your first exposure to drifting?

Basically, I was a fan of WRC, I’d stay up late and watch World Rally and then, I would kind of just see like little things about drifting here and there, whether through like magazines or things online or whatever, but something that stuck out was when I went to Hot Import Nights in Chicago, and I was just going around the show and I went to a booth and there was a big projection of a video, and it was of D1. I remember Manabu Suzuki announcing it, and it just being really wild. And there was in-car stuff, and that was really neat to see. I don’t feel like there was much in-car video of drifting at that time, like you would see in other motorsports. That was just something that stuck with me, and at the time it wasn’t even something that I thought I was going to do.

I just thought ‘oh, this is really interesting,’ and it was something that I hadn’t seen a lot of…

I was in like high school and just went with a couple of buddies. We thought it would be cool, it was kind of a newer thing. Seeing some of the booths there, like the top fuel booth or some of those that were a little more performance-oriented, I liked a lot of those, the cars were neat, but it was definitely more of that SPOCOM era, like heavy audio and a lot of fiberglass, which was neat for the time, but for whatever reason the J-cars really stood out to me. The ones that were being used to race in whatever discipline that they had brought over, and I was like, ‘oh, these are the real deal.’

That specific HIN was back in 2002. You can still find photos and videos from it online, but it’s not hard to imagine the sights and sounds if you’ve seen the early Fast and Furious movies: equal parts sex-spec silliness and real racecar stuff. There were plenty of builds there that wouldn’t look out of place at a track today. The few drift cars that were there on the show floor combined with the drift footage being projected to get the gears turning in Bianski’s high school-aged head.

It was around that time, maybe a little later, that he started ripping around Fort Wayne in a little turbocharged VW hatchback. He learned to drive stick in his actual first car, a Ford Ranger, before he started getting a taste for street racing and sating it in his Wolfsburg-designed chariot. That love for enjoying his cars on the streets is a recurring theme in Bianski’s story, and one that ties nicely into another of his passions: skateboarding.

So, I know you’re a skater, and I wanted to ask how, in your mind, do skate culture and drift culture sort of intertwine?

I think there’s a ton of parallels. I mean, I think a lot of it had to do with like, kind of the Asian demographic of kids that skated in the time that drifting was getting popular in the US, but also this idea of, or factor of like being an outlaw. It historically exists inside of skateboarding and drifting.

So, you know, if you skate on the street, you deal with cops. If you drift on the street, you deal with cops.

There’s a lot of parallels within both of them, like this idea that you don’t win at skating is kind of the same as you don’t win at drifting.

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I mean, I know thercompetition in drifting and there’s competition in skating, but culturally, I think they’re so much bigger than those things. So I feel like that’s where a lot of the parallel exists, inside of that. There’s a lot of youthful energy that’s put into it and a lot of expression, and, at least for myself, I still enjoy both of those things very much.

With those influences in mind, we can jump ahead a few years to another seminal event in Bianski’s love affair with drifting. In 2005, he headed up to Chicago again, this time to check out a Formula Drift round being held at Soldier Field. It was his first time seeing drifting in the flesh.

Who was it that drove the Falken FD that season?

That would have been Tony Angelo. And they actually had two FDs that season, Tony Angelo and his was SR, I think, and then Calvin Wan had one, and his was rotary.

Is that what made you want an FD? So I was actually kind of into them before that. I was into FDs before I started drifting. So a friend of mine that I raced with, we were actually on a street racing team, he had an FD. So that’s where the first, like, motor I ever pulled was a rotary, the first big car modifications.

I kind of cut my teeth learning from him on his car.

It was kind of one of those cars that I never thought I would own. I was like, ‘that’s too expensive, I’ll never be able to own one of those.’ but then, you know, fast forward to like 2010, I had the opportunity to buy one.

And I’m like, alright, I’m kind of done blowing up SR20s in my hatch. Let’s change it up to something that I really like.

That aforementioned hatch was Bianski’s S13, his first drift car. In the years following that Formula Drift round in Chicago, he picked it up and he and his brother, Drake, put in a bunch of work to get it drift-ready. “We fixed it up and threw a welded diff in it and stuff, and kind of just got out start with drifting in the rain and doing that sort of thing. It wasn’t crazy, but it definitely felt like it was the start of something,” he said.

With some experience under his belt behind the wheel of the S13, he started to turn his attention more seriously toward finding an FD to call his own. Scouring the forums, he considered flying to look at a few that were for sale. As it turned out, though, a buddy of his had one that he wasn’t opposed to letting go of, especially since it was going to a guy that that buddy knew was going to appreciate the hell out of it.

Bianski is still ripping in that same car 15 years later.

He said that he and his buddy still keep in touch, too, discussing rotary-head stuff from time-to-time.

In talking to him, you get the sense that friendships and the people he surrounds himself with are really important to Bianski.

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It probably comes as no surprise that, just a few seasons into his drifting “career,” he and his buddies founded a team that’s still going strong 13 years later.

So, tell me about Breaking. How’d you guys get your start as a team?

So, there were a few of us. It was myself, Derek King, my brother Drake, Camden Fox and Michael Tung. We were all already drifting at the time, and since we were all at the same events anyways, we decided to make a team.

It was just one of those things where we were already homies and it was very organic. And that’s kind of been one of the things that we’ve continued with the team is just that we’re friends outside of just the track. We hang out together, we, you know, we grill, we see each other on the weekends, like that sort of thing, and it’s just kind of a bonus that we get to enjoy drifting together.

And when was that that you guys got started?

So 2012 was the year that we all painted our cars the same color, and we came up with the team name and all that sort of thing. and where’d that name come from?

So, we kind of took a little bit of inspiration from a lot of the Japanese teams and how they seemed like they didn’t really have much like, kind of intent behind them.

They seemed pretty lighthearted, and if anything, it was more of, like, the action of the word. You know, something kind of intangible.

So, my brother actually came up with the name of the team, and, and it didn’t really have a deep meaning or anything outside of, I guess, that drifting is very hard on cars, so they’re constantly going to be breaking. Not that that was like the main reason behind doing it, but I mean, it kind of fit. I mean, you’re going to be breaking aero, it’s hard on every component of the car, so that was part of it. But it was mostly meant just to be this innocuous kind of name that we thought sounded neat.

Sounds like a good enough reason to start a team as any! What were some of your stylistic influences as a team?

I think it was like, I don’t know, probably pretty common at the time of, you know, 2012, there was a big push for more of the pro-style builds, and then there was the more period-correct kind of cars that we saw that we really enjoyed.

So kind of early D1 style, early Option, kind of the 2003 era, which I feel like is still popular. There’s other things that are gaining more momentum, but yeah, that was probably our biggest inspiration. The early stuff, Doriten, Option, you know, a lot of the things that I guess you see on repost pages nowadays.

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So, jumping forward 12, 13 years now, how have you guys, both as drivers and stylistically and all of it, developed into where you’re at now?

A lot of that just, like, kind of like simple friendship and camaraderie. And now I feel like it’s starting to get a little more, like dialed in. I don’t want to say serious, because we are definitely very lighthearted and have a good time, but maybe a little more focused. We definitely talk more about, like, set up and things like that as far as trying to get the cars to perform a little bit with each other, perform better together.

I mean, honestly, we kind of run it pretty loose, like we are absolutely friends first that are hanging out and enjoying drifting together and having fun. With our cars being different, there’s not a whole lot that we do to kind of set them up to work better together. We definitely should do that. I mean, there’s brief discussions, but, we definitely just focus mostly on having a really fun time and not taking it too seriously.

I mean, even at that last event [DIGP Round One], I had pretty heavy motor issues, but I still had a great time at the event. I could have been all bummed and thinking like, ‘oh no, all those months of work,’ and all this sort of stuff, but, you know, that’s how drifting goes. Sometimes you have the best weekend ever, and you never would have expected it. And then sometimes you don’t. And that’s kind of why those good days are so special when everything’s working right and the team’s all driving together. You know, you have three, four or five team cars all out there at the same time and no one’s having an issue and you’re all driving together.

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Those are pretty rare, so we just having those experiences actually happen and enjoying them, rather than just focusing on every little negative thing that can ruin your weekend.

Heavy motor issues are something that you kind of have to learn to deal with as the owner of any rotarypowered car, especially once you start modifying it, but Bianski has managed to find something of a sweet spot with his FD. He has always sought to balance on-track performance with street drivability, albeit with a bit more rawness than the average commuter might want from their car. Still, it’s a car that he thoroughly enjoys being able to go get groceries in, or drive to work on Fridays, or cruise in to a Cars and Coffee on the weekend.

“That has always been my outlook and what I’ve wanted to do with the car. It’s not for everyone. Some people want, like, highly competitive cars, but I just want to enjoy the car as much as possible,” he said. “I mean, there’s been times where, you know, things will happen or things will break, and I think that happens with any 30 year old Japanese car, but I really like the kind of visceral, or the tangible, you know. I like a car that kind of smells like fuel and is kind of bumpy, and it’s a little too loud and it just feels raw.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that he also loves being able to street-drive his car to events whenever it’s feasible. Whether it’s a Drift Indy event, or Final Bout or even a touge stage with Drift Appalachia, he tries to make it happen. I’m sure many a little kid has pointed out of the window of the backseat of their minivan to ask

be really, really neat to follow either one of those drivers just to see how fast they are, and just how much I could learn from following them. I think that would be an amazing experience.

Kazama was most famous for the Kei Office green S15.

So he drove under Tsuchiya, and was a big Option driver.

He would be in a lot of the Option videos where he was teaching techniques or they would, like, bring him over to the United States and they would drift a stock Miata or whatever, but he was just always a very exciting driver to watch. And it didn’t have to be a very highly built car, he had this really fast, exciting racing style that was just really neat to watch. their parents what that cool-looking blue car with the highlighter wheels is as Bianski has come braaapping his way past on the highway.

What have been, and what are some of your favorite events that you drive?

I’m really looking forward to driving the DIGP stuff, unfortunately, you know, that first round I had a little bit of engine issues, so I’m getting ready to swap the motor or whatever and get that all taken care of, but yeah, really looking forward to DIGP. I really enjoy the Final Bout stuff a lot, and then I think probably the biggest thing that is exciting to me, or bringing me joy currently, is the Drift Appalachia stuff.

It feels kind of like a dream a little bit. I don’t know if I ever thought we were going to be able to do something like this, as far as, you know, driving touge passes and not worrying about, you know, police or fire safety or whatever. It’s just kind of the most genuine version of drifting, and the fact that we get to experience that is really cool. The level of consequence is really high as well, so that makes it exciting, and, yeah, I mean, I can’t say enough about how fun those events are.

Yeah, I mean, thinking of another skate analogy, I guess it’s like having the police shut down El Toro or some other legendary street spot just so you and your buddies can skate it for a day.

And then Kuroi, he passed away a number of years ago now, but, he drove the River Side S13 that was always kind of a big power car, a lot of smoke. He was an Osaka street drifter and then also drove D1 and, yeah, just another really exciting driver to watch. Fast, crazy lines.

They’re two drivers that always kind of stuck out in my mind, especially when I was first getting into it and seeing drifting.

Derek Bianski, now 40-years-old, still seems as excited by drifting as the first time he saw those in-car videos for the first time 23 years ago. He and his FD RX7 have come a long way in the 15 years since he first acquired it, and he’s still coming up with new ways to refresh and revitalize it season after season. A combination of extensive aftermarket support for such a beloved, classic chassis and Bianski’s own passion for, and dedication to, the platform means that he’s constantly dreaming up unique setups. Each iteration becomes a part of the car’s history and character.

“I enjoy the character and personality that drift cars that have been around for a long time and that are street driven have. And, you know, there’s typically a pretty cool collection of parts and a lot of time and thought and effort and stories kind of wrapped into all of that,”

Yeah, I couldn’t put it better myself. Just, the idea of going to a street spot and now you don’t have the stress of dealing with, you know, people walking in and out of, like, the building or security or, you know, worst case scenario, police, getting tickets or something like that.

It just feels like a very authentic version of the thing that potentially got you into that in the first place.

Alright, man, last question. If you could tandem with any other driver, past or present, who would it be?

First, Yasuyuki Kazama. He always drove in a very exciting way, he always had a really fast racing line.

So, either him or like someone from the past, Atsushi Kuroi, because, you know, he passed away, and it would

You can follow along with Bianski and his FD on Instagram @breakingbianski, and along with the rest of Team Breaking @breaking.usa.

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KORUW FRIENDS, DRIFT CARS, & THE QUEST FOR A PONTOON BOAT. AN INTERVIEW WITH GREGG BUCELL OF KORUWORKS

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WORKS WORDS: SHAWN ALLGOOD PHOTOS: KENNY GARCIA

WRECKED STAFF Right. If you want to start from, like, first beginnings.

Well, we’ll start from there, right? How did Koruworks stand up?

GREGG BUCELL Yeah. So, Koruworks originally started with, with our good friend, Tyler Clayton, he founded the shop and it originally started as just more of a garage hangout.

You know, the doors were always locked. There was no showroom. It wasn’t really set up for customers or anything like that. It was just more for the Team Rowdy crew, the Atlanta drift team to kind of work on our cars and stuff.

Tyler, at this point he had, like 3 or 4 cars. So he went

somewhere to kind of work on them. And after some years of that going by I had moved up from Enjuku from down in Florida. and I was looking for a job. Tyler and I had always been friends, I had worked on my car here, you know, for many years.

And he’s like, let’s legitimize. Let’s open the doors, let’s get a showroom going. Let’s put some paint on the walls and let’s start taking in some more customer cars and actually, you know, make it as a company. Tyler brought in the best group of dudes. Sebastian is our lead fabricator. Ryan does all of our engine building and race prep. Adam Goodman at the front desk. Then we have Riley Ingram. He’s, graphic design. All these guys are crazy talented.

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They’ve been friends with Tyler for a while. We’ve all known each other, and we’re all drifting.

We all have drift cars. So it’s just a bunch of friends that got into a shop, and we really have been grinding to make it work, and, you know, there’s been a lot of learning curves along the way, for sure.

WRECKED: Awesome. So you decide, hey, let’s open up. Let’s make this legit. And then now the other bookend being like, oh, the company’s super profitable. Tell me about some of those, of those early years in the trenches, as it were.

GREGG BUCELL: So the early years in the trenches was really for finding out, you know, what was Koruworks going to be. We definitely wanted to be a drift shop, a Japanese inspired drift shop. That was definitely our core. But did we want to be a part manufacturer? Do we want to be a parts retailer, a service shop? Where do we want to kind of fall in especially when we start to zoom in, what kind of services we want to offer. So, we just kind of chose to be all of it.

So, over time our service grew, and we kind of immediately brought in some formula drift, drivers and

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But the company’s now on its umpteenth year, 16th. I forget. I need to look back now. But each month is its most profitable, month over month.

Now, we’re seeing tremendous growth, and we’re just trying to ride it. You know, everybody here has worked their ass off to see this growth.

some teams and built those cars. So that was something that helped legitimize the services that we do here. You know, if it’s good enough for Formula Drift and those cars stand season after season it’s good enough for your car on the street. That was one aspect with service.

And with that building the race cars, we learned how to fabricate wire, build engines, maintain them, race prep.

You know, all the above. So the nice thing is when we bring in, you know, a blank chassis here, it doesn’t need to leave everything front to back done in one place.

So that was kind of nice with service. Then we move over to parts retail. Obviously, we have this availability to install these parts on the cars so we might as well advertise them. So our e-commerce has become one of our most profitable segments of the company for sure.

And then manufacturing, that was like the next thing.

We were like, “Okay we want to start making our own stuff.” So we’ve started dabbling in manufacturing, which is, these Koruworks dress-up bits. Again, there’s only a small group of us here, so we have to make parts where there’s no tech support. If this part doesn’t fit your car you ordered the wrong part.It’s kind of beauty dress up stuff, right? So it’s fantastic in that sense.

There’s no assembly or anything like that.

So yeah, that’s kind of where we’ve been. We’re getting to the newest segment, which is media. And, we’re not trying to be a media company by any means where it’s like a form of income we’re still just trying to be a shop.

But we want to let the consumer know how relatable we

GREGG BUCELL So the beautiful thing is, we are located next to some extremely talented colleges, and we get some very talented interns.So we are fortunate enough to have our own engineers, I guess seasonal engineers.

Throughout each season, they design a project or a product for their class, and that becomes a new Koruworks product. So if you notice, Koruworks

are because we are just doing it like them.

So with the media, we’re traveling to events, we’re going drifting, we’re showing the consumer everything that we do basically here as a group of guys, and hopefully builds like a fan loyalty in the long run.

WRECKED STAFF Sure. I mean, that makes a ton of sense, right? Like, yeah, we build these things, we drive them, we make the parts for them. It’s a one stop place.

I’m curious in terms of manufacturing, are you guys managing the whole process in-house from initial CAD design to finished product?

products come out every semester.

WRECKED STAFF Is this a collaborative effort between the schools and Koruworks?

GREGG BUCELL Correct. So we work with three different schools. We have Savannah College of Art and Design, where Riley became an employee from that program.

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We also have Linear Technical Institute, which is a fabrication school. They have like engine building, you know, race car prep, they do all of it there.

But we work with them. The current intern that we have from them is a fabrication intern.

He’s helping Sebastian make some new JZX bars as part of his program. There’s actually a high school program also, but they’re like the minimum 4.3 GPA geniuses, super genius kids. But it’s fun. We get to work with these kids.

WRECKED STAFF And so this in house parts manufacturing and local support from the schools in your area has helped drive Koruworks success?

GREGG BUCELL One of the bigger reasons we’ve been successful is we’ve really had to be very cost efficient. So like the interns and parts that is one thing. And you’ll see us play around in Formula Drift but we’ve really had to be conscious on how we can title sponsor cars.

So certain drivers may come to us and say, “Hey, it’s more we need help with the service of the vehicle.” “We need help with media.” With some of our title cars it’s like,” I don’t want to do any of that. I don’t want to send emails to sponsors, I need media, I need sponsors themselves.”

We’ll take certain drivers like Noback or Litteral and we’ll just set up the whole program for them. In return, we take X amount from sponsors and now instead of us paying for title for a car, we’re actually making money on the opportunity to work with the driver.

WRECKED STAFF You’ve got a rare opportunity right there. Beautiful. So I guess just to put it like a nice bow on this, where would you like to see Koruworks go in the next five years?

GREGG BUCELL It’s not so much the growth of the company. It’s like more square footage, more product, more money. It’s more, to be blatantly honest with you, we just want to keep being able to afford tires to go drifting as employees.

WRECKED STAFF That’s sick.

GREGG BUCELL So if we’re still drifting in five years, working at Koruworks, the name is still strong and maybe Koruworks can buy some tires for us one day that would be like, that’s it. Five year plan? I hope we’re still drifting and burning tires.

WRECKED STAFF I couldn’t think of a better goal, honestly. That’s super cool.

GREGG BUCELL Oh yeah, we want a pontoon also. We want a boat. Add that. We want to keep burning tires and we would love a pontoon. If we have a pontoon in five years we’ve made it.

WRECKED STAFF That’s like big Alan Jackson vibes. I can dig it.

WRECKED STAFF Right, and that just goes right back into the business.

GREGG BUCELL Correct. Goes right back into business. But the driver doesn’t have to send follow up emails, they don’t have to worry about media, they don’t have to worry about a lot of stuff, you know. And then they also get the benefit of the fact that we are a retail shop that sells a ton of all these amazing brands, we also get to show ROI for a program.

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Follow: @ko

ruworks WWW.KOR UWORKS.C OM

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AMERICA’S AUTOMOTIVE AMUSEMENT PARK WORDS: LINDSAY JOHNSON PHOTOS: VALTERS BOZE, ALEX WONG Think about every amusement park you’ve ever visited? What do the best ones have in common?

Any amusement park worth visiting has a balance of thrills, comfort, entertainment, and atmosphere. There is a reason HyperFest has been so commonly referred to as “the Automotive Amusement Park”. Established in 2002, HyperFest has been offering one of a kind experiences to automotive enthusiasts for over twenty years and just keeps getting better.

Presented by the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) Mid-Atlantic Region, HyperFest provides a unique three-day escape from the real world. Tucked away in the Southwest corner of Virginia along the North Carolina border, VIRginia International Raceway is a beautiful venue that stretches over 1,300 acres and was named one of the nation’s top road courses by Car and Driver Magazine.

HyperFest is one of the few weekends a year that VIR will be packed to the brim with drivers and spectators ready to enjoy all this incredible track has to offer. From drifting to road racing, food trucks to bounce houses, off-road activities to power wheels races; HyperFest 2025 truly had it all.

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT| HYPERFEST 2025

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Haltech, title sponsor of HyperFest, has been involved with the event since 2021. “I have always enjoyed HyperFest because it’s such an amazing event where motorsports and community collide. Everyone is here to have fun and go fast,” said Andrew DiMartino, Haltech Project Specialist. Spectators could find the Haltech booth near the end of vendor row, the home to over 100 vendors with diverse products and experiences on display. Haltech opens their doors to spectators looking for new technology to add to their builds, with intricate displays and interactive parts presented in a sophisticated way. Haltech tuners were also on site to help any of their drivers should they need it.

Conveniently located in front of the XS Power Batteries Skid Pad, patrons could wait in line while observing the exhilarating drifting from the RTR Vehicles and Drift HQ demonstrations. Along with drifting, the XS Power Batteries Skid Pad was home to electrifying exhibits from Twinstunt stunt bikes and the XComp Tires Beetle Jump. Spectators even had the chance to catch rides with the KONI GTS Rides.

Getting around the expansive venue was part of the experience. HyperFest encouraged patrons to bring golf carts, scooters, pit bikes, or just comfortable shoes. As participants made their way through vendor row toward the food truck area, there was a little bit of something for everyone to experience. With a variety of options, HyperFest presented everything you could need from breakfast and coffee trucks to a diverse spread of food from all over the world. Complete with an ice cream truck rolling around the venue all weekend, no one went hungry.

On the move, you could encounter drift cars, race cars, show cars, and off road vehicles as people waited in line for meals or made their trek through vendor row.

Everywhere you looked, you were observing a different aspect of this incredible automotive amusement park.

Spectators could be found watching road racing on the 17-turn, 3.27-Mile Full course from almost any turn around the venue. Racers licensed through NASA were on track all weekend showing their skills and builds.

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e n o y r “Eve un an f e v a h

o t e r is he ast” f o g d n

EVENT SPOTLIGHT| HYPERFEST 2025

If racing wasn’t your style, you could have made your way to the 1.1-Mile Patriot Course where USDrift had over 115 drivers drifting around the track all day on Friday and Saturday. Vehicles ranged from the ever popular Nissan 240SX and BMW 3-series to a McLaren, C8 Corvette, and a Porsche. There was even a Toyota Supra drift car piloted by Mike Perez drifting alongside a boat named “Jenny” piloted by Brandon Tothero.

After the drift cars and race cars were done driving on track, the Koni Downhill Attack would conclude the ontrack activities for Friday night. Participants repurposed old power wheels by removing the motors and batteries that their kiddos had outgrown or they fully committed and built the biggest, baddest power wheels car they could. If you’ve ever wanted to drive on VIR’s Full Course track, this is the cheapest way to experience the downhill “roller coaster” section.

The 100-competitor grid brought laughs, chaos, and memories. No serious injuries, just dented pride and epic stories.

And then there was Club HyperFest. When the sun set on Friday night, the party began. For the sixth straight year, Monster Energy presented a nightlife experience worthy of a music festival. Friday night’s Emo Night brought live renditions of nostalgic emo anthems, while Saturday was dominated by sets from DJs like Dook and Ruckle. Lights, bass, and thousands of fans created an unforgettable atmosphere.

Every amusement park worth visiting is built on the reputation of the rides provided. HyperFest spectators had the incredible opportunity to get a rare life experience with trained professional drivers.

Some ridealongs were sold out months in advance as enthusiasts jumped at the chance to experience a once in a lifetime ride around parts of the amazing VIRginia International Raceway.

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Participants had quite the list to choose from when purchasing their ridealong tickets with options such drifting rides, race car and supercar rides, rally car rides, and off-road rides.

Drift rides were available on the Patriot Course. Long lines formed, full of excited enthusiasts ready to don their race helmet and climb into a spectacular array of professionally built drift cars. This is a unique experience like no other. This year’s event featured several decorated Formula DRIFT past champions such as Vaughn Gittin JR, Ben Hobson, Chelsea Denofa, and Dan Savage. Other professional drivers coming from all over the country, such as Formula DRIFT drivers Matt Field, Nick Noback, Nate Chen, and Connor O’Sullivan were also in attendance.

If drifting was not your thing, no worries! There truly was something for everyone. Rally and off-road rides have been compared to some of the best roller coasters.

Participants had the unique opportunity to enter Dirt World and strap into a rally car or a side by side, for the thrill of a lifetime. Presented on Saturday only due to excessive rain earlier in the week, these tickets were quick to go, but that did not stop HyperFest from getting muddy. Thanks to the professionals who were willing to give it a go, the off-road experience was one for the books.

For some of the road racing rides, HyperFest partnered with Kaizen Autosport, America’s premier racecar driving operations located in house at VIR. Kaizen Autosport offered an array of vehicles to hop in for an exhilarating experience around the Full Course track.

Whoever said money can’t buy happiness has clearly never been buckled into the passenger seat of a car

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and felt hurricane force winds as you travelled around a track. Warriors in Motion was also onsite to provide participants with an experience in a full, track prepped race car operated by a licensed NASA driver. What more could you ask for?

Saturday also offered events such as the Haltech Reverse Camera Races and Drift Games to the XS Power Batteries Skid Pad. Crowds gathered to watch drivers put their skills to the test as they competed in the Monster Energy Drink Can Challenge where they had to hold a can of Monster Energy Drink out of the window of their vehicle while they drifted a course with the other hand.

Winners were decided based on who had spilled the least amount during their runs. Drivers also competed in Drift Limbo where the course was designated by cones and the space between them was shortened each lap until only one driver was able to successfully drift through the cones without hitting any.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT| HYPERFEST 2025

For those who preferred spectating, the car show on Saturday offered a deep dive into automotive culture.

From immaculate builds by seasoned pros to backyard projects and showroom fresh exotics, the variety was unmatched. Raffles every 30 minutes kept the energy high, with prizes ranging from detailing kits to ridealong tickets.

After the car show concluded, the festivities kicked off in the HyperFest Burnout Coliseum. If you had been waiting all year to show off your air guitar skills, this was the place to be. PRS Guitars Air Guitar contest was the opening act before fans were treated to the Burnout Competition. Dedicated participants build vehicles specifically for this burnout competition every year and travel from all over for a chance to earn the title of winner. The burnout competition drew one of the largest crowds of the weekend and did not disappoint.

Having the luxury of waking up in the provided camping areas at VIRginia International Raceway, while the sounds of racecars rip through the venue, was a once in a lifetime experience for many. Even just walking around the campsites and running into old friends or making new friends is always a great time.

HyperFest 2025 was one for the books. Spirits were high, rubber was burned, friendships were formed, and lives were changed!

Thank you HyperFest for the memories. We cannot wait to be back.

HYPER-FEST.COM

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BACK ROADS OF APPALACHIA

Written By: Jennifer Sprouse

Photos: Ellie Levesque & Russ Giovanetti

B

ackroads of Appalachia isn’t just a clever name— it’s a lifeline for rural towns across the Appalachian region, and increasingly, a backbone of grassroots motorsports in the area as well. What started as a oneman mission to breathe life back into forgotten roads has grown into a full-scale nonprofit operation with real economic and cultural weight behind it.

Winding through hollers and over ridgelines, these routes cut through coal towns, farmland, and forest… places long passed over by the interstate system. Now, thanks to Backroads, those same stretches of pavement are roaring back to life with the sound of race cars, drifters, and motorcycles carving through the scenery.

It’s not just a revival, it’s a reinvention.

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That “something” became Backroads of Appalachia, a nonprofit dedicated to turning forgotten roads into destinations. Their strategy? Combine mapped routes, curated driving experiences, and full-blown motorsports events to draw people back into towns the highway system left behind. Think drift events, rally stages, offroad endurance challenges, and scenic cruise-ins that flood local diners and motels with new energy and dollars. On event weekends, places that might not see ten visitors in a day suddenly buzz with packed parking lots, dinner rushes, and the low rumble of tuned engines echoing through narrow streets. These aren’t just pit stops…they’re proving grounds for what rural revival can look like when fuel, fandom, and community all pull in the same direction.

The story starts with Erik Hubbard, a Kentucky native and longtime motorsports enthusiast. On a motorcycle tour across the country, Hubbard noticed something specifically on the backroads of Idaho: some remote towns weren’t just surviving, they were thriving. These places weren’t near interstates or major highways, but they were outright beautiful, and offered some of the most exciting drives and views in the area…if you were willing to take the backroads.

Riders, drivers, and adventure seekers passing through were keeping small-towns alive in exchange for a taste of the sights and passages they had to offer. That was the lightbulb moment. Hubbard saw the same kind of roads—and the same kind of struggling communities— in his own backyard, and he decided to do something about it.

Over time, they’ve made a great portion of Appalachia more accessible to tourists by becoming the first nonprofit to create their own wayfinding mobile application free-of-charge to the public.

They’ve helped bring the American Rally Association (ARA) to Kentucky with the Boone Forest Rally, and built the first hill climb event open to non-sanctioned public drivers. They recently created the 24 Hours of Appalachia, the first grassroots overland endurance rally of its kind in the U.S. All of this helps prove one thing: you don’t need a racetrack to go racing—just a map, a mission, and the right kind of support.

They haven’t just made noise; they’ve made history.

In 2023, Backroads of Appalachia partnered with Drift Appalachia to launch something that had never been done before: a fully legal mountain touge drift event on public roads in the United States. What started as a bold idea quickly became a logistical feat, requiring months of planning, state and local approvals, and collaboration across organizers, officials, and townspeople. The first event took place on Route 421 just outside of McKee, Kentucky, a snaking pass long known to locals but never touched by sanctioned motorsport. The inaugural event was a success and became a sensation. And then they did it again in Beckley, West Virginia just a few months later.

These weren’t just demos or parade laps. These were full-speed runs down real mountain roads: technical, raw, and treacherous. Drift Appalachia proved that with the right safety standards, community engagement, and vision, the kind of driving usually confined to YouTube clips from Japan could have a legitimate home in the U.S. They didn’t just break new ground; they redefined what drifting can look like in America and laid the foundation for a whole new future on the mountain.

The action doesn’t stop when the “track” goes cold either. At Drift Appalachia, the afterparties feel just as integral as the driving itself. When the smoke settles and the sun dips behind the treelines, the towns light up…literally. City streets close down for block parties where drivers, locals, and out-of-towners all pack into downtown squares for late-night hangs between event days. Kids get a chance to check out the cars and maybe meet their favorite influencer or driver, bringing the excitement of motorsport to their backyard. In places like Beckley, you’ll find drivers parked bumper-tobumper in front of historic courthouses, swapping stories with residents over local food and maybe a stiff drink. It’s a collision of car culture and community that turns sleepy towns into temporary capitals of speed, style, and southern hospitality.

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By consistently spotlighting the region’s natural beauty, tight-knit communities, and untapped driving potential, Backroads of Appalachia has drawn the attention of some of the biggest names in motorsports. Hard proof that these winding roads offer more than just stunning views. Industry investment is only part of the equation, though.

The real impact comes from the enthusiasts: adventure seekers descending into towns once bypassed by industrial progress, fueling momand-pop shops and main streets with cash flow that’s long overdue. In 2024 alone, Backroads of Appalachia helped generate over $92 million in economic impact. More than 120 events across the region brought in over 95,000 visitors with money that flows straight into communities that need it But the organization knows that long-term success takes more than scenic routes and economic boosts. The region faces deep-rooted challenges: generational poverty, the collapse of coal and industry, and a devastating opioid crisis that’s hollowed out entire communities.

That’s why their work doesn’t stop on the roads. In Lynch, Kentucky, the nonprofit opened its own addiction recovery and job training center for women—a place built to offer not just support, but

“Backroads of Appalachia helped generate over

$92 MILLION

in economic impact.”

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With momentum building, the organization has its sights set on Tennessee and Ohio. That means more roads carved through rolling hills and river valleys, more events bringing the rumble of engines to towns forgotten by time, and more small communities finally getting their shot at revival. The blueprint is already there, Backroads of Appalachia has shown what’s possible. Now it’s just a matter of how far they can take it, and how many more lives those roads can touch along the way.

Because for the team at Backroads it’s never been about just getting from point A to B; it’s about what you can find along the way, and how many people you can bring with you.

BACKROADSOFAPPALACHIA.ORG

THE ROADS LESS TRAVELED

( ARE A LOT MORE FUN. )

FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF, DOWNLOAD THE APP AND START EXPLORING TODAY:

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DLGB DRIFT LEAGUE GB – ROUND 1 REVIEW

THREE SISTERS CIRCUIT, WIGAN, UK | MAY 3RD–4TH, 2025 WORDS AND PHOTOS BY: JAMIE MARK ROLLS

T

he 2025 Drift League GB season roared into life over the weekend as drivers from across the UK and beyond descended on the iconic Three Sisters Circuit in Wigan.

Round 1 delivered a thrilling mix of high-powered entries, fresh faces, dramatic returns, and incredible perseverance – all under the backdrop of bright skies and a typically unpredictable British spring.

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A GRID FULL OF STORIES From the very first practice sessions, the paddock buzzed with excitement and intrigue. One of the biggest talking points was Damen Haskett, piloting his outrageous V12powered Mercedes SLK – a build as wild in sound as it is in presence. Equally grabbing headlines was Mark Brown, debuting Europe’s first known Ecoboost 8HP-swapped Nissan S13, a bold and technical setup that’s pushing the boundaries of grassroots innovation.

The event also marked the emotional return of several fan favourites. Jamie Stanton, long considered one of the UK’s top drifting figures, made his return to competitive action in fine form.

Danny Grundy, another legend of the scene, reignited his Pro 1 campaign, bringing a wealth of experience and precision to the track.

But perhaps the biggest story of resilience came from Alex “Unlucky” Williams, whose Drift Masters-spec S15 was destroyed in a garage fire just months prior.

After an intense rebuild effort, he arrived with a freshly finished pink S14 – only for the engine to fail days before the event. Refusing to quit, Williams sourced a lastminute “missile” car and still put down electrifying runs that had fans and judges alike on their feet.

Meanwhile, Team Betty Surf turned heads with one of the most professional-looking setups in the paddock.

Their eye-catching liveries and all-out aggression on track – including some ambitious “dirt surfing” moments – earned them both style points and fan attention.

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PRO-2 STREET TIRE

Callum Allonby and Rob Spray rounded out the podium with smart, composed driving.

In the Street Tire Pro 2 division, competition was fierce from the outset. Kieran Bond put down a commanding performance throughout the weekend, claiming both Top Qualifier and Round Winner status.

The Hard Charger Award went to young up-and-comer Harry Cunliffe, whose aggressive yet clean driving saw him surge through the ranks and firmly establish himself as one to watch this season.

PRO 2 TOP 3 QUALIFIERS:

PRO 2 PODIUM:

KIERAN BOND

KIERAN BOND

RYAN MILTON

CALLUM ALLONBY

VIKKI WEAVER-LYNCH

ROB SPRAY

EVENT SPOTLIGHT | DLGB ROUND1

PRO-1 SEMI-SLICK The Pro 1 grid delivered all the smoke, speed, and spectacle fans could ask for. Harry Kerr was nearflawless all weekend, backing up his Top Qualifier performance with a win in the final battles.

Jamie Stanton, in his long-awaited return, took

second place in a display of both consistency and raw pace.

Nerijus Voliukevicius rounded out the podium in third with a clinical drive, while the Hard Charger Award went to Stefan Stefanov, representing Dream Car Giveaways, after a standout series of comeback runs that had the crowd roaring.

PRO 1 TOP 3 QUALIFIERS:

PRO 1 PODIUM:

HARRY KERR

HARRY KERR

JAMIE STANTON

JAMIE STANTON

RYAN BURGESS

NERIJUS VOLIUKEVICIUS

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BATTLES TOP 32 / 16 / 8

As the drivers battled their way from the Top 32 to the final 4, there were no easy victories, with each competitor giving 110% in every run.

Nissan 200SX. The car featured a unique 2024 2.3L Ford EcoBoost engine paired with a BMW 8HP gearbox, but unfortunately, Brown’s run came to an end.

There were some surprising exits early on, one of the most notable being Mark Brown in the newly debuted

Kieran Bond went on to take the win in what was a thrilling and hard-fought battle.

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EVENT SPOTLIGHT | DLGB ROUND1

TOP 4 SHOWDOWN

After a day of incredible driving from both competitors, it all came down to one final battle for the last spot on the podium.

Tensions were high and both Alex Williams and Rob Spray were pushing the limits. But in a dramatic twist, Alex made a costly mistake, making contact with Rob during the heat of the run.

That error handed Rob Spray the edge he needed, securing 3rd place and a well-earned spot on the podium!

Alex Williams settles into 4th, still with a strong performance throughout the day, while Rob Spray celebrates a hard-fought victory and a trophy to show for it.

FINAL BATTLE

The combined age of Callum Allonby and Kieran Bond is just 38 — making them one of the youngest duos competing in Drift League GB. The SIM generation is here, and it’s becoming more apparent than ever. Virtual seat time is just as crucial as real-world experience.

After a seriously tough battle, Kieran stepped onto the top step to cap off a perfect weekend— 1st in qualifying and 1st overall!

Looking Ahead With the season now officially underway, Round 1 set a high benchmark for what promises to be one of the most competitive Drift League GB seasons yet. The mix of new talent, technical innovation, and returning legends has already added layers of excitement and unpredictability.

Round 2 is already shaping up to be unmissable.

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LAST RUN OF THE DAY

@CASHSTAUB

LARRY CHEN

HERE LIES: CASH STAUB STRANDED IN THE MOUNTAINS OF APPALACHIA (DA STAGE:4)

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