Import Face-Off at Utah Motorsports Campus 2023

 Import Face-Off is a touring car show through North America.  Not to be confused with Race Wars, Import Face-Off does have some celebrity guest as part of their show with the likes of none other than Chad "Jesse" Lindberg and Noel "Hector" Gugliemi.  Both iconic characters from the first Fast & Furious film directed by Rob Cohen.

Import Face-Off shows feature varying degrees of activities depending on the venue, time of year, and resources.  This year at Utah Motorsports Campus the show had a Drifting component with a course layout put on and designed by Drift Buffet, Pro Formula Drift Falken Tire driver Justin Pawlak and some of the wonderful lads at D-Spare Garage.

I took it upon myself to act as a liason character to a few friends who I knew would be getting laps together and coming in from different parts of the west.  In total our crew consisted of Nic Ibarra and Tyler Downi from the Salt Lake City area.  Garrett Pollock, Talan, Ryan Day, and Jimmy Choutdara from Boise Idaho.  Neal Zucker from Montana and myself from a place I can not mention.

While I did not get to meet Jesse, this event was super fun.  I think three things strongly contributed to the event being fun for drifters.  First, there was an actual course to drift in the west paddock at UMC.  Second, the pit areas were clean and huddled the drivers into a group opposed to be lined out where you have only a neighbor to your left in right.  This layout for the hot pits was not only cleaner but formed us together a bit easier to communicate with one another.  Thirdly and perhaps most significant was there was a crowd there that was stoked to watch us drive, film us, cheer, and be apart of the action!  Having the crowd was really awesome.

photo credits: Shelby Lopez, Josh Jackson, Emilio Martinez, J Creations, & Dewfus Photography

Thanks to everyone who made it out!

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Drifting Salt City Drift BMW e46 M54b30

 The last Salt City Drift event for 2022 at Utah Motorsports Campus was last weekend.  I didn't film too much at all.  Here is one video I made from the weekend.  This just happen to be super random in grid, threw up the hand signs, then this 350z and I got to it!  Super fun.

VILLAINS SPORTSLAND #10 - DRIFT

 By now you have come to understand that I'm obsessed with drifting.  If not, I'm informing you now.  I'm completely obsessed with drifting.  It's all I can think about.  Seriously.  Last night while sleeping the only dream I remember having was about BMW subframe bushings, and transmissions.  I guess that is the biggest attraction to me about drifting.  The mechanical familiarity that drifting is promoting in my life.  I've never come across a sub-culture community so dynamic and comfortable with mechanics. 

Anyhow, here are my photos and video edit from VSL#10 in Walla Walla, Washington.  I hope you enjoy.

I almost forgot!  Then after hanging out at VSL all day in Walla Walla, there was the Idaho Subaru Club meet up ride to McCall.  Met up with my homie Tyler, his bro Zach, and lady Lauren.  The drive out was fairly boring, but hearing +40 Subarus cruise up HWY 55 was pretty cool.  The way back was a much more...interesting drive.

DRIFT WEEK 3 - VILLAINS SPORTSLAND IN WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON

 Couple weekends ago I went up to Walla Walla, Washington from Boise, Idaho.  It was a super pretty drive where I was happy to take the #FA20 2017 WRX out with my brother-in-law Michael!  The evening before I installed for my first time ever a Blow Off Valve.  I did the install by myself without guidance or instruction and turned out to be a really difficult task but with 110% success!  It is a TurboXS 50/50 Hybrid, meaning I get the "wooosh" sound while also re-circ of the air back into the system.

Here is a video edit I made of the event from some cell phone clips.

  

This blog post is basically an excuse to share all the photos I took as well, without flooding other folk's social media feeds.  Plus, I wanted them to live somewhere that can be easily accessed.  Huge thanks to Lone Star Drift, Villains Sportsland, Drift Week 3 Vendor supporters, all the Drivers who attended, and all the rubber that was destroyed at my amusement!  Enjoy the photos!

The level of inspiration I got from attending this event was unlike anything else I've ever experienced.  I don't have words at this time to describe how impressed with humanity I am driving away with from this.  Needless to say, when I got back in the WRX I really loved having that boost :)