Events - ��ɬ is the Tuner's Source for Modified Car Culture since 1999

Formula DRIFT 2026 Adds Three New Locations, Leaves Englishtown

2025-11-04T20:54:21+00:00

Formula DRIFT has set the stage for another busy year, announcing a 2026 Competition Schedule that brings three new venues into the circuit. After a 2025 season that broke attendance and engagement records, crowned a five-time PRO Champion, and watched the youngest event winner in series history, the organization isn’t slowing down. Instead, it’s reshaping the competitive landscape with stops in Las Vegas, Boston-adjacent Stafford Springs, and Indianapolis.

The new calendar includes eight rounds for the PRO Championship, with Link ECU PROSPEC joining at select stops. Familiar tracks like Long Beach, Road Atlanta, Orlando, and Evergreen remain, while Englishtown slides off the schedule. In its place, Stafford Motor Speedway steps up as the anchor for the Northeast audience. According to President Ryan Sage, the changes reflect both necessity and opportunity.

“After the most successful season in our history, we’re embarking on our most ambitious schedule with three new venues,” Sage said. “We’ve come to some hard decisions but we’re confident this will strengthen the series as we strive to develop and promote the best drifting competition in the world. We proved last month with our new Long Beach venue for the PRO Championship Final, developing new venues can allow us to do something really special. And it’s with this in mind that we’re approaching Las Vegas and Indianapolis, in particular, where we have the opportunity to create venues that will highlight the sport and provide superb facilities for the fans.”

Stafford’s inclusion stems from timing issues during Englishtown’s acquisition process. With no available commitment, the search had to move on. Sage laid out the reasoning:

“As everybody knows, the arena at Englishtown Raceway was built for Formula DRIFT and it was always our intention to remain at the track. However, the facility is going through an acquisition process and we were unable to secure a commitment to our 2026 event date,” Sage explained. “With teams needing to budget for the 2026 season and our deadline to secure an alternative long-passed due, we knew a difficult decision had to be made. So, our major North-East event will be relocated to Stafford Speedway. We made the decision with sadness and not fully aware of the fate of Englishtown Raceway. But because we were unable to contract a date with E-Town, we were left with no choice but to ensure we could secure an East Coast event. And with Stafford Speedway, we have full confidence in the venue and staff to provide everything the teams, drivers and fans require for a killer event. Stafford already has the infrastructure to host Cleetus McFarland events and we’re happy to continue supporting a pillar of the US racing community, which relies on the existence of these regional tracks.”

From there, teams head to Indianapolis Raceway Park. The facility’s mix of motorsports history and robust seating makes it an attractive Midwest destination. Sage added:

“We’re really excited to bring the series to the home of North American motorsports. The City of Indianapolis and the surrounding area supports a strong Mid-West racing community and we can’t wait for them to see world-class drifting in their town.”

Later in the season, Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring returns to the lineup. Unlike the early-2010s parking lot setups, this time the facility gets long-term investment through a three-year deal. Paving upgrades and infrastructure improvements are part of the plan, reinforcing Formula DRIFT’s trend of helping modernize venues.

“Las Vegas has huge potential for Formula DRIFT and we’re excited to return,” Sage said. “We’re coming back under very different circumstances than before, and will invest in the infrastructure to ensure teams and fans can fully experience an FD event as it should be. Vegas has always been on our radar but up until now, there have been challenges in making our return. Conversations started when we were exploring options to replace Irwindale have led to an exciting opportunity for the PROSPEC Final and the development of the entire facility.”

Outside the new additions, the series keeps Long Beach at both ends of the calendar, opening the season on the Streets course and closing it on the Long Beach Shoreline Showdown street layout. Formula DRIFT has indicated the track may evolve year-to-year, similar to how Irwindale inched forward over time.

“Change can bring challenges, but the entire Formula DRIFT team is relishing the opportunity to collaborate with the new tracks, welcome new fans and continue to develop the best drift series in the world,” Sage concluded. “It’s always a major decision to move venues and we only do it when we feel confident that we’re improving the overall experience of the series. And we’re excited about what the 2026 season will bring.”

For now, mark April 10-11 as the return to Long Beach. Tickets, livestream links, and driver info remain at formulad.com.

SEMA 2025 Preview: Toyo Tires Treadpass Returns

2025-10-28T15:30:54+00:00

The SEMA Show returns to Las Vegas from November 4-7, and with it comes one of the most recognizable paths at the Las Vegas Convention Center: Toyo Tires Treadpass. For 12 years, the walkway between the Central and South Halls has become a destination for anyone chasing what’s next in car culture, or for anyone looking for a one-stop look at some of SEMA's biggest and baddest. It’s a special place where an idea gets put on the ground, wrapped in rubber, and debuted for the world to see.

This year, Toyo Tires is debuting 28 builds within that stretch - a curated mix that speaks to the wide spectrum of enthusiast niches under one banner. A full digital companion will launch on the Toyo Tires website, giving showgoers and fans a deeper look at each vehicle, from wheel and tire specs all the way up to the custom details that define them.

A new addition for 2025 brings the miniature world to full scale. Time Capsule - known for diecast models with a focus on authenticity and the stories behind the metal - is creating a life-size “toy box” installation. Inside: a Bisimoto-built 1982 Porsche twin-turbo Kremer K3 935, rolling on Brixton Forged TR17 Circuit+ wheels and Toyo Proxes RTM tires. It’s a nod to the idea that even a dream car starts as something you hold in your hands long before you ever have the keys.

“Treadpass is a celebration of creativity and passion in the automotive world, and we are thrilled for its return this year, marking our 12th anniversary,” said Stan Chen, Toyo Tires USA's Senior Manager of Events, Sponsorships and Motorsports, “We are proud to continue creating a space that showcases amazing builders and delivers a remarkable destination for attendees year after year.”

Collectors will once again be able to track down limited-edition Leen Customs pins, with 10 designs tied to Treadpass builds and a special 11th available during the “Artist’s Meet” with Leen Customs founder Hansel Echeverria on Wednesday, November 5 from 12–1 p.m.

Toyo Tires is also bringing back its partnership with CSR Racing 2 (CSR2) developers NaturalMotion, giving fans the power to vote for their favorite Treadpass build. Whichever one wins will be transformed into a fully playable digital car in the game.

“We are proud to partner yet again with Toyo Tires, one of the most prominent names in the automotive industry, to bring one of the impressive custom-built Treadpass vehicles to our players in CSR2,” said Sam Cooper, Vice President of Games at Zynga. “We were blown away by the response from our fans last year and are excited for racing fans to once more bring their passion to life by voting on their favorite custom car and then taking the winning build into their own hands to race in-game.”

What’s Rolling Into Treadpass?

Every build brings a different personality to the lineup this year. From factory restoration ethos, to radical fabrication and transformations.
Here’s a first look at what attendees will find this November:

1969 Chevrolet Nova - Sean Ramáge, Empire Fabrication

A Nelson Racing Engines supercharged LSX estimates 1,200 horsepower at the core of this Nova, paired with Forgeline GA3 wheels and Toyo Proxes R888R tires. Custom metalwork reshapes the engine bay and cockpit, while the exterior is trimmed and modernized without losing its identity.

1977 Datsun 620 Hakotora - Dylan & Bill Brinkworth

The father-son harmony behind Saisei continues here - a frame-up Hakotora build combining an L33 engine, Redux Racing ITBs, TKX transmission, and a custom cantilever rear suspension. The cab borrows cues from early Skyline design, rolling on deep-set Watanabes wrapped in Proxes R888R.

1988 BMW 528 (E28) - Igor Polishchuk, CAtuned

A supercharged S52 swap gives new breathing room to the E28 platform. BBS RS wheels paired with Toyo Proxes Sport A/S+ set the stance. The look remains clean, but the upgrades underneath the sheet metal tell the real story: custom brakes, suspension, and full interior attention.

1988 Ford Bronco Twin Turbo - Bisimoto Engineering

Bisimoto applies its familiar power-driven approach to a desert-leaning Bronco build. Long travel, beadlocks, Toyo Open Country R/T Pro tires, a fully tuned powerplant, and a FiberWerx Gen-2 Raptor conversion give the vintage Ford a new purpose far outside its original design brief.

1992 Volkswagen Golf GTI - Patience Metal Fabrication

Built around a turbocharged MK4 R32 VR6 capable of four-digit horsepower, this hatch brings its punch to all four wheels through a 4MOTION AWD swap. Proxes R888R tires and wide BBS LM 090 wheels support the aggressive mechanical package, with extensive fabrication from firewall to subframe.

2008 Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 - John Sarkisyan, S Klub

S Klub creates a Murciélago that reads more like a design prototype than a modified supercar. HRE wheels, Toyo Proxes Sport tires, a widebody skin formed in-house, carbon roof scoop, custom frunk layout, and a full interior redesign - each decision changes the way the platform is understood.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser - Chuck Hernandez, Showstoppers USA

The newest Land Cruiser gets an aftermarket makeover built for attention: Aimgain widebody, Boldworld Japan air suspension, and polished Bradley Takumi wheels on Toyo Open Country R/T Pro tires. Bride seating completes the rework from trail truck to tailored showpiece.

Clean Culture SoFlo Showdown 2025 Recap

2025-10-28T15:45:04+00:00

The Clean Culture SoFlo Showdown 2025 took over the South Florida Fairgrounds on September 27th, and it definitely delivered. From the moment gates opened at 2 PM until the lights went out at 10, the place was buzzing with energy. Hundreds of show cars, drifting, music, and good vibes filled the venue all day.

If you’ve ever been to a Clean Culture event, you know it’s more than just a car show. The SoFlo Showdown felt like a mix between a massive meet, a drift festival, and a social hangout. People talked about how much action there was, from non-stop drift demos to the burnout pits and ride-alongs that kept the crowd hyped.

Attendees said the variety of cars was one of the highlights. You could find everything from clean, detailed show builds to wild track monsters. Many also mentioned how the event had a fun, festival-like atmosphere with vendors, food trucks, and music keeping things lively all afternoon. Families seemed to enjoy it too, especially since kids under ten got in free.

The only real complaints came from the sheer size of the crowd and the Florida heat. With so much happening at once, it was easy to miss parts of the action unless you planned ahead. Some drivers also noted that the registration fees for competing or drifting were on the higher side, but most agreed it was worth it.

Overall, the 2025 SoFlo Showdown was a big success. It blended the best parts of car culture — style, performance, and community — into one high-energy day. Whether you were there to admire builds, watch tire smoke fill the air, or just hang out with friends, it was the kind of event that reminded everyone why car culture in South Florida hits different.

Formula DRIFT Long Beach 2025 Round 8: Shoreline Showdown

2025-10-20T19:13:21+00:00

Formula DRIFT closed out its 2025 season in true Long Beach style — on a brand-new course built specifically for the series. The Shoreline Showdown marked the debut of a more technical layout with seven outside zones, designed to test precision and reward commitment. While the PRO Championship had already been decided one round earlier in Utah, the finale delivered plenty of drama and a glimpse at the sport’s future.

Photography by Caden Underwood (@cru_media)

That future came into focus when Ireland’s Jack Shanahan captured his first career win and claimed Rookie of the Year honors in his Kumho Tires BMW 1 Series. His path to victory included eliminating heavy hitters like Adam LZ, Simen Olsen, and veteran Ryan Tuerck before advancing to a Final that never materialized — a mechanical failure sidelined Hiroya Minowa’s Toyota GT86, handing Shanahan the win. It was a fitting conclusion to a breakthrough season that saw the Irish rookie finish sixth overall with two podiums.

Minowa’s runner-up finish capped another impressive campaign for the 16-year-old Japanese prodigy, who remains the youngest driver in Formula DRIFT history to earn a Round win. Meanwhile, five-time champion James Deane continued his dominance, securing his seventh podium of the year after an uncharacteristic mistake in the Final Four. The AutoZone Mustang RTR driver had already locked in his record-breaking fifth title — and a third consecutive championship for RTR Motorsports — marking one of the most successful runs in FD history.

The season also concluded with Toyota securing its tenth Auto Cup title and GT Radial claiming the Tire Cup, each celebrating milestones that speak to the growth and consistency of modern drift competition.

From rookies like Shanahan and Minowa to legends like Deane and Tuerck, Long Beach once again showcased the full spectrum of the sport — a reminder that Formula DRIFT’s blend of innovation, intensity, and community is still accelerating into new territory.

Red Bull Tokyo Drift 2025 – Mad Mike Whiddett and Hiroya Minowa Defy Gravity

2025-10-20T17:09:47+00:00

Red Bull took drifting to new heights—literally—at Tokyo Drift 2025, an event staged inside the ESR Higashi-Ogishima Distribution Center 1 in Kawasaki, Japan. The venue, a towering eight-storey warehouse complex overlooking Tokyo Bay, became the backdrop for one of the most ambitious drift demonstrations ever produced.

In a concept unlike anything seen before, drivers drifted up the structure’s spiraling parking ramp, turning an industrial building into a vertical motorsport stage. The single exhibition run featured two of drifting’s most recognizable names. Mad Mike Whiddett piloted the TCP Magic-built, quad-rotor Mazda 3, while Hiroya Minowa drove the Cusco-built, 2JZ-powered Toyota GR Corolla.

The run combined choreography, engineering, and spectacle in equal measure. Tire smoke and rotary resonance filled the enclosed ramp as both drivers executed precise transitions through tight elevation changes. The sequence was filmed using a lead car-mounted camera, drone coverage, and in-car perspectives, capturing every moment as the cars climbed toward the roof.

More than a demonstration of skill, Tokyo Drift 2025 highlighted the shared creativity between Japan’s tuning scene and global motorsport production. It served as a showcase of how modern drifting can evolve beyond circuits or city streets — without losing its roots.

The result was a proof of concept on a massive scale: one part engineering feat, one part cultural tribute, and a reminder that innovation remains at the heart of drift culture.

October 2025 Event Calendar - 2025

2025-10-07T05:00:42+00:00

October 17-19, 2025 – GRIDLIFE Pitt Race 2025
Pittsburgh International Race Complex – Wampum, PA

gridlife.torkhub.com/event/387142/tickets

October 11, 2025 – Clean Culture
New York, Heritage Financial Park

cleancultureevents.com/schedule

October 12, 2025 – Import Face-Off
Elko New Market, MN

https://tickets.thefoat.com/ImportFaceOff

October 11, 2025 – Subiefest Texas
Lone Star Park near Dallas, TX

subiefest.com/texas/become_a_vendor

October 17, 2025 – Formula DRIFT
Long Beach, California

https://www.formulad.com/schedule

October 19, 2025 – Import Face-Off
Suika Circuit, Albuquerque, New Mexico

https://tickets.thefoat.com/ImportFaceOff

October 26, 2025 – Import Face-Off
Maize, KS

https://tickets.thefoat.com/ImportFaceOff

October 26, 2025 – Clean Culture
Richmond Raceway, Virginia

cleancultureevents.com/schedule

Tuned Originals Takes Over Sneaky Pete’s

2025-09-23T15:50:00+00:00

On September 20, Sneaky Pete’s in Lewisville, TX came alive as Tuned Originals delivered one of the most memorable automotive and lifestyle events of the year. With live music, poolside contests, and vendor showcases, the waterfront venue set the stage for a day that had it all. From JDM legends and exotic head-turners to tuners and old-school classics, the show field was packed with variety and energy. The event also marked a milestone: the retirement show of Wayne Raqueno, better known as Mr. Wayneside, who has hosted more than 700+ shows in his career. His signature squirrel-themed awards made a final appearance, handed out from the poolside stage.

Between the packed crowds, live DJ, and pool party atmosphere, Tuned Originals proved itself to be more than just a car show. It was a full celebration of the community, the culture, and the good vibes that drive it all.

Story by Jamie Lake | Photography by Merrick Harding (@merrick_media)

Events - ����ɬ is the Tuner's Source for Modified Car Culture since 1999

Formula DRIFT 2026 Adds Three New Locations, Leaves Englishtown

SEMA 2025 Preview: Toyo Tires Treadpass Returns

Clean Culture SoFlo Showdown 2025 Recap

Formula DRIFT Long Beach 2025 Round 8: Shoreline Showdown

Red Bull Tokyo Drift 2025 – Mad Mike Whiddett and Hiroya Minowa Defy Gravity

October 2025 Event Calendar - 2025

Tuned Originals Takes Over Sneaky Pete’s

Events - ��ɬ is the Tuner's Source for Modified Car Culture since 1999