The action in Long Beach started a few days early. It was media day. A day for various media dignitaries be able to get up close and spend time with the cars, drivers, and maybe get a ride along or two. It was also time for the drivers get aquainted with their new or updated cars on the Long Beach circuit.
It's a new season for Team Need for Speed driver, Matt Powers. His S14 has a new LS7 powerplant, a new cheetah and zebra livery, a new Rocket Bunny body kit but the same driver behind the wheel.
The Toyota Pro/Celebrity drivers were also out practicing while taking turns with Formula D for track time.
Drivers, Ken Gushi and Chris Rado pose with a few of their celebrity compatriots. Rado looks especially happy as he's in a photo with Jonas Brothers boy-band cutie, Kevin Jonas.
Chris Rado was pretty pumped to get out on track in his Scion tC…
…but immediately fell asleep realizing that the Celebriy/Pro cars have less than 1/10th the horse power of his Team Need for Speed Time Attack tC
As the Celebrities were out on track practicing, Ken Gushi thought he'd take the time practice his mid-air hang time in preperation for Larry and his signature jump shots.
Chris Forsberg on the other hand, did not need any practice as he's got his super-star smile look down pat.
Here's Chris Forsberg's new smoke machine for the 2011 season: a Nissan 370z.
Back in the pits, Larry caught Matt in his trailer conferring with his crew chief, Costa Gialamas.
In 2010, Matt relentlessly worked and repaired on his car all season long. Now it's a new season and here's a glimpse of 2011 Matt trying his best at being just a driver as Costas worked on the diff.
Even though it's the start of a new season, there were familiar faces and cars all around. Kyle Mohan is still in his purple Nexen Tire RX-8 and Taka Aono continues his career with Megan Racing…
…but with much flashier livery than last year's.
Speaking of refreshed liveries, Conrad Grunewald's Camaro sports an updated Hankook livery for the season.
Sam Hubinette also updated the livery of his Dodge Challenger to a more black and white scheme. I do have to say that it looks much better than the red/black scheme of the previous year's.
In the pits, Sam thought he had what it takes to take on a professional fighter.
There's definitely a whole lot of V8 going on this year.
Ryan Tuerck's Soltice also saw an updated livery as it is now rocking Red Bull quite prominantly as well as Mobil 1.
During one of the practice sessions, Ryan thought he'd update the livery a bit more by using a wall as a paint brush.
Robbie Nishida is in a new, yet old, car this year. He will be driving in Michihiro Takatori's old S13.5.
Everyone's favorite little roadster and everyone's favorite pumping-iron driver, Jeff Abbott, has gotten a refreshed look for the 2011 season: new livery, a giant GT wing. Larry and I both agree that the Miata looks even better than last year.
It was rather fun to see such grown men fit into such a small car.
Joon Maeng was also out in his RX-8 which was sporting a new GT wing. The addition of the red accents help the car pop out so much more than last year's.
The Formula D season starts in just three days, are you ready?
-Linhbergh
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
you might or not get a lot of hate comments about Josh Barnett - not a UFC fighter. If you know the history its going to tick a lot of people about it LOL
-Al
MTP's new weapon is sick! full feature please.
Chris Rado was funny...
Doug Artus running off with Ryan Tuerck's spoiler. . . THEIF!
May we have a video of Matt Power's S14? I wanna hear the LS7...
Most of the cars are ugly.
Powers s14 looks awesome!
looks like it was all good!
robbie nashida? joon maengo? you must be drunk when write this...
Amesome? It looks almost the exact same as it did last year.
@Al : it says professional fighter, not UFC fighter unless they ninja edited the article on you. Second he used to be in the UFC until they caught him squeezing the juice.
I AM READY!
where is the live feed going to be broadcast from? aussie here keen to watch seeing as SPEED probably won't show it locally for a few months
FormulaD cars look worse every year, 2 more years and it'll be a cross between Nascar and WWE with predetermaned outcomes and cartoonish characters! just sad.
"...but immediately fell asleep realizing that the Celebriy/Pro cars have less than 10x the horse power of his Team Need for Speed Time Attack tC"
While true, you really mean 1/10th.
I gotta say I wasn't a huge fan of matt's livery at first, but I have to admit, it looks terrific going sideways! Good luck to team NFS!
i hope Forsberg kicks ass this season im loving that 370Z anyone know what's powering it most likely a VQ i'd say.
Thanks for the great shots!!!
I heard Jeff Abbott bent his own roll cage with his bare hands. True story
im actually really stoked this year, i never used to like the big v8 swaps but after being exposed to the true potential they have, its defs a great swap. and gawd mtp's livery is so sick, and with the new rocketbunny kit, u cant get a much better kit than that for an s chassis
Jesus....no style, no originality. Can someone send Option DVD's to these teams?
Ugly contest.
that 370z really..really need to be dropped than it will look super sick!
Stoked for Long Beach. Send it!
i dont understand the point of having a radical paintjob like Powers' S14's when it has a V8 and tube-chassis same as every other car.
the GTR only lasted one season eh.
will mad mike be competing in FD this year? i haven't seen anything about the BadBull on here in a minute.
I told you guys, Formula D is getting boring every year. =(
jonutz who ? that's dane cook in the picture suckas
Formula D here I come! I can't wait. First I attended TX2K11, then the Texas Mile and now Formula D! I love the spring! Aaahhhhhh...
Linhbergh, can I get a SpeedHunters sticker if I run into you?
Whats the deal with the genital herpe sores on matt power's car?
@ TylerS13 Forsberg is running the old VK56 setup he had before he switched to the CORR engine in the 350
Is there a minimum ground clearance rule in FD? Where is the low and stylish? Might just be the camera angles... shotting moving cars from waist height is a lazy virus that must be stopped.
Wheres Mike and the RX8?
lol Americans.
[My job here is done]
all the gt wings look terrible, fd is so lame... show some of the new guys cars please sh*ts getting old and the season hasnt even started yet.
love Matt's new livery!
will mad mike be competing in FD this year? i haven't seen anything about the BadBull on here in a minute.
Push this peddal to the floor and kick th fu... klutch NOW!!!!!!
Even though I love my four cylinders (don't hate) I think this is cool just because I've my fair share of imports and domestics. Nimble chassis with muscle hmm....
Who knew the V8 powered 240's would cause so much controversy.
From an honest standpoint, even if its considered blasphemous by purists there is no denying the massive potential of these V8 swaps to stay competitive.
In a competition environment for Formula D, it means whatever is cheap, reliable power, and gobs of torque because their focus is simply to win. Not saying its needed, but drifting's nature of requiring instant torque, it definitely helps. That is where I see the appeal.
There is dyno graph on motoiq.com that shows a great comparison between Matt's old and new setup. The graph alone is enough proof of why people make the jump to LSX series engines.
With that said, I still love 240's.
Next question is not whether the RX8's will get a V8 treatment, but when lol.............
Rocket bunny kit looks great on the S14
Speedhunters needs a thesaurus! The word "livery" is way over used, seven times just in this post. The pictures are great but it pains me to read the commentary. One last thing, I love V8s.
FD looks to be promising this year. But one thing that really bothers me, as well as many others on this site, why all the hating? Is it really completely necessary? "Awww boo V8 swaps and weird liveries!" Deal with it! Are you mad because they're doing what you wish you could do.....but only better and faster? Some people need to learn how to relax and enjoy things in life. If all there is, is hate, then soon enough there'll be no pure enjoyment of the sport we've come to love.
@H8R ADE
Exactly. People are jealous including me lol. I want to drive Matt's car with his new setup.
Who's Yellow S13 hatchback is that with the S15 front end. I like the traditional Japanese style of that car. Origin kit is it ? and work wheels ? its nice to see the very few staying true to the game. I also like how its a solid color. Makes it look more like a car and not a poster board.
Forsberg+ 370Z= Soooo WIN!!! ^^^
some of you need to get over it, Formula Drift is maturing, Its all getting more corporate but that is how sport works....and yes it is a sport. deal with it.
Love the Need for Speed Scion livery (sorry graphics), Challenger and the Gardella Solstice. I see they are building a Camaro. Hate the front of Matt Power's Nissan, love the rear......but I'm not out there, so who am I to judge?
no luke fink?
i guess they dont want any more drivers in fd since all the new ones are leaving the old names in the dust