For the second year in a row, NRG Innovations held their very own drift event at Grange Motor Circuit, called Drift Matsuri. Grange is always fun, and that’s what this event was all about. With a little bit of product out on the table, a taco vendor, and tires being changed by Andy’s tires, Drift Matsuri had everything that everybody needed for a complete day of fun.
The Jeff Jones’ New Years Drift Hoe Down was the brilliant result of another scheduled event being canceled at the last minute. Originally, we were supposed to be at Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino for a 2 day drift bash starting on New Years Day and carrying over to the next, but logistical issues beyond control of the event planners arised, and left a large group of drivers with nowhere to drift.
My good buddy and drifter Eric Hill picked me up from home, and we headed up to NorCal for Sonoma Drift’s Winterjam event at Sonoma Raceway on December 19-20, 2015. This would be my second year in a row traveling to Sonoma for Winterjam, but this year was much bigger and much colder than the last.
The event this past Saturday December 19th, took place at Auto Plus Raceway in Gainesville, FL, home of one of the most famous ¼ mile tracks in drag racing and the Gator Nationals NHRA race every March. No, drivers would not be using the main track, but rather 2 different courses depending on their skill level and competition entry. The event had a very strong grassroots feel, and is hopefully the beginning of something special.
It’s been nearly a month since Golden Gate Drift held it’s final round of their Formula Drift Pro Am licensing series at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Northern California. Things have been pretty hectic for the past couple of weeks, but let’s finally talk about Round 5 and who fought their way to the finish, and who will be going to Formula Drift Pro 2 next year.
Every year in California, we Californians are so lucky to have two Formula Drift events each year. I am glad that I live in the central California where drifting events happen to be in 4 hours north, or 4 hours south. Formula Drift is one of my favorite “I GOT TO GO” drift events. No matter what the circumstances are, each year, I plan to attend both Long Beach and Irwindale.