Feb 25

5:00AM  - The JD staff proceed to a meeting and getting ready for the 1st round of TD. Everyone is fully charged and very ready to go!
630AM - Cars and transports/trailers started rolling in the gate... Newly prep'd cars are being unloaded from their trailers getting ready for the first round of TOPDRIFT! Everyone.. well almost everyone was on time! Staff was right on the dot! Tech inspection started right away, without delay! Henry leads the tech inspection of all the cars competing. Hung and Christine got the registration going and had people checked in. 

 7:30 - The Drivers meeting started! All drivers were on deck and very eager to start drifting. The course was designed the day before with various clipping points. After the first set of practice, the judges readjusted the clipping points to make it even more challenging.... diving and switching back on full throttle is the name of the game!

 8:00 AM  to 1:00 PM  Practice sessions begun for all groups.... Amazing drivers showing what they got. Some got strategies and holding back and some are just going for broke during practice! We had people flying their cars from Hawaii last minute! Well it was worth it according to Gary and Forest, your drift reps from Hawaii! both of them were rippin` it! Gary hit the Haybales and damaged his quarter panel, but to the fighter it's just a reason to get over fenders. The local JD heroes were rippin` it!  The rusted Miki Frial showed and tried to get his game back.  Our very own Henry Schelley got his Pink FC last minute and competed! The Drift Day staff showed up to compete and showcase their talents Tony Pham from Drift Association moved up to Top 16 later on that day. You can see a lot of  Camaraderie amongst drifters.. But somehow, the qualifying has to start, and only 16 drivers will move on to see the next round.

Gary from Hawaii tearin` it up....                                                                 Even an IS300 wagon is out there to have fun!

The judges - Hiro, Taka and Tony adjusting clipping points and Charlie gets to test them!

2:00 PM Qualifying starts.... there are 44 cars on the grid out of 48 that started. 4 was unable to continue from practice. Drivers are excited and some are tense. There were all kinds of faces that day... but all are there to have fun! That's what drifting is all about... if drifting can't put a smile on your face, then you're in it for the wrong reason. Once again.. drivers are stepping up and laying down solid runs. The judges was impressed by the driving skills that was shown. Forest ran out of tires and approached Charlie for some help, He then jacked Charlie's Federal tires from his S13 and left it on the jack stand! Charlie's S13's Federal Tires lasted all the way to the finals in Forest 450HP smoke machine!

4:00 PM After all the drivers were done qualifying... only 16 will moved up to see the next round.. The following were - Forest Wang, Stan Tran, Henry Schelley, Miki Frial, John Rusakoff, Chris Mendoza, Josh Guild, Joon Maeng, Drew Poppler, Steven Suepel, Tony Pham, Masa Nakamura, Aaron Suarez, Yoshie Shayuma, John Chow and Thomas Olech.

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TOP 16 being announced in the Performance Nissan "mynismo.com" hospitality tent!              US Earth S13 driven by Gin Nakamura, went to qualify in TOP 16

4:30 PM The heated battle begins, boost turned up, tires checked and drivers checked their skills all over again. All of them "up'd their game" which sometimes causes them their spot to the "HOT 8". Everyone did exceptionally well, but... there were only 8 open spots  and this will lead to Tandem Elimination.

5:00 PM The Tandem began....  John Rusakoff in a VTEC powered Toyota Corolla and Stan Tran in a prep'd S13. Stan advanced to see the next round which is final 4. John is known to go all out but Stan stepped up on pressure, maybe extra boost?  Next, You have Forest Wang and Chris Mendoza, but Forest's power was too much for Mendoza to handle. Henry and Josh... Henry's last minute work paid off with his FC3 to get back in fighting form. Unfortunately Josh, he won't be advancing since his car did not pass the tandem tech safety requirement. Luckily for Josh, Henry won't get to spank him in front of everyone, So Henry did a single "BYE" run. Miki " the rusted" drifter having more experience under his belt helped eliminate  Joon "the up and comer young blood". 

Henry and Forest... Henry going for the Kill!                                                         Stan and John....  The VTEC powered AE86 vs S13!

5:15 PM  TOP 4!!! The final battle, Which everyone's waiting for and drivers getting their points in for the season.  Henry and Forest's  tandem made the day very interesting! Henry was on the lead when Forest spun in the chase. Then came the switch... Forest was led and Henry went for the "kill". Unfortunately, there was only a space for one car, (the powerful car) ... it would have been an interesting paint scheme for both cars if paints were to exchange, Green and Pink. Then Miki and Stan...  Stan advances after Miki spun on exit. Stan advances.  Fighting for first was Forest and Stan, Forest advanced and Henry vs Miki for 3rd place. Henry advance. The Round 1 concluded with new winners on the podium. Celebration continues.... See you in ROUND 2!

The winners.... Stan Tran Forest Wang and Henry Schelley...                   The crowd gathers for the Awardings!