We only gave you a taste last month, but now you're getting the main course. Drifting legally on city streets for the first time ever, Formula D drivers came out to show champ-car fans what drifting was all about at the Long Beach Grand Prix. Virgin drifting fans-sandwiched between giant, inflatable Tecate cans-cheered and gave standing ovations once they saw the combination of tire smoke and noise.
The scene was replayed once more at a packed Wall Speedway in scenic New Jersey. Drifting for the first time in front of 8,000 East Coast fans, the Formula D guys let it all hang out. The day was dominated by event-winner Rhys Millen and the Pontiac GTO. His closest competitor was the incredibly fast-progressing Alex Pfeiffer and the RS*R S2000 in second.
Big names in drifting such as the Falken Tires works team and Ken Gushi were not on their best game in Jersey, suffering many first-round eliminations. The biggest upset story belonged to Japanese rookie Robbie Nishida, who drove the beat Team Orange Sil-180 truck. Arriving stateside on his own ticket with only a plastic bag holding an admittedly cheap-looking driving suit, Nishida would advance and eliminate favorite Sam Hubinette and the new Dodge Viper in the first round. Surely happy to have already made his mark on the Formula D season, Nishida would be eliminated by third- place-finisher Casper Canul and the Nitto Tires Monster Fabrication 240SX. Keep up: www.formulad.com
Exhaust'd For Sure Spugen's S2000 MegameetThe scene: Whittier, Calif. March 26, 2005. The problem: Spugen rocked the city council's gonads with its third-annual Exhaust'd Honda S2000 meet. Over 210 S2000s were registered to make appearances.
Following the annual panty-dropping car cruise, show goers found a barbecue and mini car-show featuring the RS*R drift S2000, turbo S2000s and our JDM Nov. 2004 feature car. After the raffle-which featured giveaways such as a Magellan navigation system, Seibon carbon-fiber hood and Spugen titanium exhaust-we wrapped up and went home dreaming of topless driving action. Watch out for next time: www.teamspugen.com