It's been a really, really long time since I've been to an import drag race. This past weekend, since I was planning to attend the Formula Drift event in Las Vegas, we thought it would be only fitting to spend some time over on the straight line portion of Las Vegas Motor Speedway to check out Battle of the Imports! For those who don't know what's up, the guys from Battle of the Imports are the OGs of the import racing scene – Battle was the first event to popularize import drag racing!!!

It was all started by Frank Choi, a legendary name in import racing history – he's the one who put it all together. It was from this seed that the whole import drag racing culture grew into big dollar sponsorships, NHRA Sport Compact Racing, and all that. Since this past SEMA's announcement that NHRA Sport Compact would be "folding" (aka merging with Nopi to become Nopi Drag "sanctioned by" NHRA), a lot of pro sport compact drag racers began returning to their roots – Battle of the Imports.

As I started cruising around the staging lanes, I ran into Mike Choi (younger brother of Frank Choi), who greeted me with a Southern Cali handshake and a whining "Wow… Finallllllly you come out here! We're just not important enough for you, huh!" Hey relax brotha! (Mike, you can finally stop your crying homie – you know I wanted to go to your Atco event to enjoy the best of Puerto Rican old school Toyota drag cars and especially, sample some of Philly's finest Cheesesteaks, but we had a scheduling conflict with a different event!) Here's some Battle photos for you all to enjoy!

Above, Jay Sibal of J's Racing in Southern Cali's 818 area provides trackside support as this DC Integra pulls up to the starting line. Check out the sticker on the rear window! Big ups to our boys at The Speed Lounge! Jersey represent!

Okay, so it's not exactly a "sport compact" drag racer, but this Lucas Oil car was ridiculous fast, and super loud, and spit out TONS of smoke! And just look at the turbo placement! Dayammmmm!!!

Chanel and her friend were walking around the track, passing out Hondoctors flyers. Check out the guy on the left – I guess you're never too old to holla! =)

MP Racing came through with this awesome looking yellow CRX. Bringin it back to the old school!

Well, it's not an import car, but this Pontiac FF drag car certainly looked like a top notch build!

Check out this mean looking EG, with the very obvious front mount and humongous drag slicks up front!

This red DC Integra was out on the track, showing the Cali kids what the Las Vegas racing scene is all about.

Check out the driver – she might be a familiar face to some of you who have been around import drag for a while! It's Lisa Kubo, who was all over the pages of Super Street and every other magazine like every month back in the late 90s. I remember looking through a car magazine at Tower Records in West Covina CA in like 2000 or something, and it had photos of Lisa's drag car… and then I looked up, and she and her husband Gary were standing right there at the magazine rack right in front of me.

At any rate, drag race fans might have gotten used to seeing Lisa driving a Saturn, but now she's returned to her roots, and debuted this newly built EG Civic at the Las Vegas Battle of the Imports! Very cool, returning to your roots. Much respect Lisa!

I'm not too well versed in FF drag wheels, but I think these Lenso front wheels don't look bad at all! Reminds me of a Rays Gram Lights 57CF 1 piece wheel.

This guy was rocking out all by himself in the pit area. Man this guy must be pretty devoted to his style, rocking super tight black pants on a hot summer day, especially considering it was super hot and over 100 degrees in Vegas that day!

-Antonio Alvendia

Battle of the Imports