Event>>fd Cars On Parade In Long Beach

I'm sitting here in my downtown Long Beach hotel room as we get ready for Friday's Formula D practice and qualifying day. This evening a number of FD drivers and their cars took to the streets for a get-together at the corner of Pine and Broadway in the heart of Long Beach. I headed down there to have a look and thought you guys might want to have a quick look at tonight's pre-race happenings.

The city of Long Beach blocked off the streets as the competition cars rolled in from the racing course a few blocks away. Picture your typical urban car show – except replace the chromed hot rods with pro drift cars, most of which aren't even street legal. There's always something cool about seeing race cars in street settings, as shown here by Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s 2010 Mustang parked curbside…

A few of the cars competing in this weekend's event didn't even look unusual in this street setting. JTP's FC3S and Matt Powers' S14 come to mind…

The gathering was open to the public, and the locals came out in big numbers to check out the drift cars and to get autographs from the drivers. This is just one of the great things about a racing event held on a street course in an urban area. From what I saw, people were having a blast seeing all the drift cars lined up outside of the restaurants and bars along Pine Street.

Calvin Wan's new S15 was looking absolutely spotless. Hopefully it will still look this nice after two days of hard driving over the weekend.

Kyle Mohan's RX8 is another one of the cars that impressed me as I was making my rounds this evening.

Is that what people are talking about when the say "curb appeal"?

Ross Petty's S15 (now with graphics) was one of the most popular cars among the people on the street. Hmmm…

Well, I've got a long day ahead of me tomorrow so I'd better double check the camera gear and get some sleep.

Stay tuned for much more from the Formula D season opener in Long Beach.

-Mike Garrett

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1

cant wait till it rains tomorrow and some of these nice cars smashed!



we will see who will be the best

2

Is that RX8 wearing a AutoExe bodykit?



Looks nice.

3

Just wanted to ask, are JTP and Sam Hubinette running their 08 cars at Long Beach?

Also is that Dai's car beside Ross Petty's S15? Hehe, the Rossta S15 sure does look awesome with that paint scheme.

4

Holy shiz, I thought it looked good before, but with the graphics, the ROSSta S15 is done deals. MEEEAAAAAN.

5

808 S15 intresting, have you got more pics ?

6

Lovely S15..T&E Vertex Lang on Calvin Wan's new S15?

Many Jap drift stars in the game..Orido, Miki, Ueo..

Looking forward to the coverage of the event..

7

i admit...i didnt like the colours on Ross Petty's S15 when i first saw it but now its all stickered i LOOOOVE it,
theres some interesting cars this year

8

I've been out of the drift scene for about 5 years now, when did Ross move from Hawaii to ...wherever he is now?

9

Could we have a desktop of Ross' S15?

10

Thats a vertex ridge kit on Calvin Wans car. Man, cali is where its at.

11

I think the graphics ruined the car. It looked so clean before. Where's teh Gen Coupe? ;)

12

mohans RX-8 is wearing a OEM mazdaspeed aero kit with wider fender flares and custom made rear flares

13

I wish these cars weren't so sky high.



FD take some notes from Matt.

14

that curb appeal picture is more like curb disappeal.... to many ugly cars

15

Damn i have to say the americans dont have much taste when it comes to drift cars.....i mean the only one that looks good is the vette...a viper for a drift car? the japs have always had the right idea for drift machines

16

Jason I would normally be the first person to tell you in great detail about my dislike for Vipers and their showiness but their really is no denying the success that Hubinette has had with it. He could probably compete with the best Japanese drivers as much as it pains me to say that too. Now the graphics and all that is completely subject to opinion but as far as his choice of machine for drift use goes he seems to have made a good choice or at least a good choice when applied to his style, either way there is no arguing his double Formula D titles.

17

Such a great idea to have the cars and drivers so accessible to the public. Love the FC!!!

18

@ Jason



I'm not a big fan of Vipers and Vettes, but you cannot deny how well those and the Charger "Drift Limo" from 2007 did. Your own taste in looks is debateable, but NO, the Japanese have not always had the "right" ideas. We just like to use more models in drifting than them. Go look at hte Aussie scene, same thing. Besides, go review the D1GP world finals at Irwindale for the last couple years, the US drivers more than holding their own up to the top few drivers like Kumakubo.



Besides, the sport is still pretty new here. Give it time.



See ya down there Saturday!!!!

19

why no pics of mattycakes

20

seriously... i want pics of mattycakes.... coolest car in FD this year

21

Coolest car in FD EVER.



Done.

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