Grip day thoughts and results...

Another great event hosted by yours truly...

It was great seeing the usual cars out there.. especially the s-class.














I did realize that I need to build one of my cars up for this event because I finally realized that using my stock 101 cars will not cut it..

I wanted to thank a few people....

Kat Tanaka
Morgan from AE86 nights
Will Roldan
Jeff Lee
Tom Flowers

If you wish to buy some great photos from this event, support Larry Chen at Larry@larrychendesign.com

Not a bad weekend....

Last Saturday, Cyrus Martinez received his Formula Drift License at the Pro Am Nationals. Since he rarely updates his blog and he doesn't have his own website yet, I will thank his sponsors and supporters for him.....

First, he would like to thank his best friend and mentor, Me (Naoki Kobayashi). He would probably say something like: "I wouldn't be where I am at if it wasn't for Naoki. He is the greatest guy I have ever met in a non-homosexual way".

Then, there are his true supporters....

Taka Aono
Melonie Mancinas
Tom Flowers
Naoki Kobayashi (Yes, I am putting my name again....It's my blog)
Micheal Essa
Alex Pfeiffer
Naoki Kobayashi (It's still my blog)
Kat Tanaka
His Parents
Andy Luk
Fan boy aka. Jarod...

His Sponsors..
Megan Racing
Nexen Tires
G Dimension
HD Speed
Tomei
KAAZ
ACT
ONTRACK motorsports
Battle Version
XXR wheels
DSTROYR
AIT
Greddy
Sinful Enhancement
Driftfotos

Thank you....

Can't wait... The car is being worked on!!

The car is over at Alex's place where it will soon be converted into a manual j30...

So far, I have all of the parts with the exception of a clutch, but SPEC is sending me one soon and I will be dropping it off at Alex's to have it installed... This time around with such limited time, I really can't do much on my own so I am entrusting alex to get the job done for me....

Nice Camaro

My camera phone doesn't do any justice for the quality of this paint job...

Grip day update..

While I wait here at Mcdonalds of the rosamond exit just minutes before we start testing Cyrus's drift car, I am getting excited about the grip day that is coming up in the next couple of weeks. We have close to 12 S13 drivers competing in the KA class and it looks to be a fun one. What I hope to get of out the this event is momentum for us to continue hosting events that cater to the true grassroots drivers. Of course media coverage and prizes would be great, but are those 2 things that should motivate someone to attend an event? I remember a long time ago.. When I would attend an event because I loved the idea of simply driving.. Now, it seems like in order to get people to attend an event, there has to be something givien.. Is it just me or has the passion for driving changed over the years?

Old school mentality...

I have been having this conversation with a lot of old school guys recently.. One thing that has died over the years is the appreciation for accessories on your car.. When I say accessories, I mean wheels, steering wheels, lights, etc....

For me, wheels are the single most important accessory on my cars.. I simply can't put on cheap wheels.. It's an old school philosophy that I have since day one...

A reflection on the Old and new generation...

This picture taken by Carlos makes me reflect on the past and look into the future. We have Cyrus Martinez, the future Pro Drifter waiting before he enters the track at the National Orange Show Speedway to sign autographs and meets his fans before the demo scheduled later in the evening. His car, covered with the Drift Day logo represents the new generation of Drift Association loyal prospects to hit the Formula Drift circuit in 2010. Then there is me, the aged veteran patiently waiting to release the cars on the track.

It is a good feeling to know that there is still some drivers out there with the same drive as the previous drivers that represent the logo...