On Nov. 10th I got a phone call from Casisdi at Formula D saying that I did have an invite to the Pro Am in Irwindale, Ca. I proceeded at that point to scramble, I made ten million phone calls it felt like trying to get whoever one board for this as I was completely unprepared and really wasn’t sure my car was ready. For the next 3 days I did nothing but work on my car and make phone calls. The twist to the story was I had to leave on Nov 13th to drive another event that I already paid for. So all I really had was those three days, Thursday night I went to dinner with a special someone and laid down all my plans and who I had on the table. I have Nexen Tires giving me sneakers for my car and so far had a couple close friends throw me some money to put their name on my car, things were looking ok but a lot need to happen.
I left Friday Nov 13th to head to Nashville, Tn to an event that may or may not have happened with a group of people who probably were never there and it all happened at a venue I was never to. After all that I headed to Atlanta to meet up with the guys I knew from Drift Mechaniks and do a little once over on my car at Tiger Racing. Monday, I went go karting with the DM guys and did some sight seeing around Atlanta. Tuesday morning Hater Dan and I made the big trek westward with not a lot of money and really not knowing how we were going to get home yet. We had started a online fundraiser to make this happen and really nothing came of it. Mid way though Tuesday the funds started flowing in once people saw on my facebook we were going for it and I felt relieved.
Dan and I did some random things on our way out though the states that may have involved Team Rowdy stickers and State signs. We got into LA Wednesday night around midnight and stayed in the worst super 8 known to man, my car was on an open trailer so I feared for its life and didnt sleep very well at all that night.
The Thursday we headed to Nexens headquarters to pick up my tires and get them mounted later on a City Tire. Thanks to John at City Tire for all the help and letting us take up your parking lot for about 2 hours while we had lunch. We then switched hotel to a much nicer Marriott where I felt I could have left the keys in my car an it would have been fine also there were a lot of other drifters there as well since it was only about 5 mins from the track. That night we picked the boys from JerseyStreets.tv up from the airport. We showed them around LA and then headed to the hotel I was whipped and felt pretty uneasy about practice on Friday. I had been to the House of Drift before but never drove it and it definitely scared me.
Fridays Practice went really well, Dan kept telling me that I was really low on the bank which I later find out he was just saying to me so that I would push harder to run the car against the wall. We left the track and I felt ok but not statisfied and knew I had to pull something together for the next day. I watched a couple people wreck and didnt really see anyone who stood out like crazy but there were a few people that were doing well.
Saturday morning I woke up early and headed to the track, I hadn’t felt this serious since I was in High school and was competing in the national mechanic’s testing that I did. I went into practice nervous but made a few car changes for the better and put the car way up on the bank did a few runs and when I came in got a HOLY F*** from Dan, he didnt know if it was something I ate for breakfast or what but I improved drastically overnight. I ended up qualifying 5th which I was happy with and had an hour break for lunch after the drivers meeting to go over the car.
First round I was against Ameen in his Cressida, and I was having some trouble on the line with my car as the tire model during opening ceremonies stepped on my engine harness and now when the car hit a bump a certian way it would shut off. I was freaking out but went for the lead run anyway I lead Ameen well coming though the straight away clipping point the car shut off as I transitioned towards the inner wall I clutch kicked and it restarted somehow, pulled off the rest of the run and Ameen spun in the infeild so I my head I said ok this is in the bag. As I turned around in the pits the car shuts off and wont restart, I’m freaking out in my head right now like wow right now this has to happen. After about a minute of messing around it restarts and as I go to do the burnout to warm up the tire I big league it and dump the clutch like and idiot breaking the transmission.
I roll the car down the staging lanes and off track, pretty mad at myself at that point. Ameen ends up finishing 4th which was awesome and I was happy that if I wasnt able to continue or something stupid like that at least the guy who advanced did well.
Ian fourtier won the Pro Am and my fellow Nexen Driver Chelsea Denofa got Third, putting Mike pollard in the 2nd place position.
After all the serious stuff we all headed back to our hotel spent the night with a couple of cold drinks and some good food. Then headed home Sunday morning for the most part it was an all around good trip, and I got what I came to California looking for my Formula Drift license.
Thanks to everyone listed for making this happen
GroundWerks Garage
Nexen Tires
Elite Jdm
Drift Tough.com
RatedDrama.com
JerseyStreets.tv
TeamRowdy.net
Special Thanks To: Rayray, Bobo, Erika Spanier, Anthony Fallon, Drift pa, Collin K, Marty, Andy Sapp, Greg thore, Control Freaks, Cody wellons, Gerald Neusser, Scott allinder, Justin Marlow, Axel Mack, David jones, Sammy tiger, Shawn smith, Aaron Shrum, Tyler Clayton, Hater Dan, Jason Crane, My Mother and that girl I text too much. Without all of these people I wouldnt have been able to make Pro am happen.
