One of these days I’ll learn to sit down and relax a bit. That day though is definitely not today, as I traded in damp, 8℃ (46℉) Tokyo weather for 30℃ ( 86℉) tropical Indonesia weather.

The Black Auto Battle event being held in Yogyakarta (often called ‘Jogja’) is a totally new concept to me.

The events that I normally find myself covering are more gatherings than shows per se. Often there are international guests and judges that look over the cars and award top picks, however nine times out of 10, it’s what pulls at the heartstrings rather than what has actually been changed or modified that wins. Or at least that’s how I pick them, anyway.

For the Black Auto Battle, the cars that participate will be scrutinized to the nth degree in the hopes of earning bragging rights and bringing home some new hardware.

The participants will even have to make dyno pulls or forfeit their claim to the top honors. You can bet I’ll be hanging around this area to see what kind of numbers the locals are putting down.

I left the hotel and brought my camera along to get a sneak peek of what kind of cars would be present, and to see how the participants and staff worked right up to the last hours before the Jogja Expo Center filled with spectators and judges.

Without giving too much away, it seems like the selection will be as diverse as it gets – especially when it comes to what the locals call ekstrim (extreme) cars.

I won’t lie, this might not be to everyone’s taste, and it’s a bit controversial here in Indonesia as well. Nevertheless, if someone is going to put in the effort and make sure everything has been properly done, then you can be sure I’ll give it a chance.

Let the cultural exploration begin!

Ron Celestine
Instagram: celestinephotography