Remembering Shaun Carlson

Ron Bergenholtz
Co-founder of Bergenholtz Racing
"The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Shaun Carlson is 'crazy'. Everything he worked on was a work of art. He went all the way on every project he undertook. When you looked at a Shaun Carlson car, you could stare at it for days, never even realizing the small details Shaun likely lost sleep over-the finished product was always that clean. His ingenuity and craftsmanship were just plain sick, and the automotive industry benefited from his ideas before it even knew what hit it. I miss Shaun Carlson already. I miss competing against his and Steph's Civic back in '99. I miss asking him how to build a Pro-FWD car. I miss racing against his Dodge Neon in NHRA Sport Compact competition. I miss rooting for him in the NHRA Powerade series. I miss asking him how to begin a drift team. I miss competing against him in Formula D. But more than all that, I think I'll miss just talking with my friend the most."

Samuel Hubinette
Driver, Nuformz/Mopar Formula D competition cars
"I got to know Shaun for the first time in 2004, when I started to drift for Team Mopar. With him and his crew from Nuformz, we achieved two championships and so far, the most victories awarded to any single team in Formula D history. Having a master fabricator as a team owner was always a big bonus for us. Every time I came out to an event there were some new updates to the car. I have to admit, they weren't always things I thought were necessary, but that was Shaun: the eternal perfectionist. He loved to keep things top-notch for style. Our success and popularity as drift competitors are largely thanks to his efforts. It's amazing how closely Shaun has stuck by his team throughout the '09 season, despite suffering three heart attacks and losing sponsorship with Mopar due to the Chrysler bankruptcy. For all of us at Team Nuformz 2009, thank you so much. You will always be in our hearts. Rest in peace, bro. We know you're in a better place."