In 2008 Red Bull announced with FormulaD that they were going to hold a world series, best of the best etc, 16 USA drivers vs. 16 other drivers from around the world, and what an amazing event it was too. JDM Allstars producer Niall Gunn was heading out and invited myself and Jamie Morgan from Japspeed to come – and it was ace! Bon had secured a drive too by winning the European Championship in his JZX Chaser. I didn’t have a posh camera, but today clearing out the HD I found the pictures, and had some good memories I thought you might want to see! They’re all taken on an old Nokia phone, so no complaints, yea? 😀
Before we hit Long Beach for the finals, we ended up at SEMA in Vegas which was an amazing place, I’ve never seen a car show of this quality on such a huge scale!
There was everything from stock Ferrari F40’s…
To Millens as-yet-unreleased Genesis Coupe.
Monstrous Track S2000, totally bare carbon fibre body all round and RFP’s.
The hall of Awesome, with the original vanishing point car with laquered over dirt to keep it authentically dirty for ever!
Falken Motorsport was just really starting to gather momentum in 2008…
But it would be a long time before they were over shadowing the Rothmans livery.
This particular stand had some seats, which I tried…
Outside Lexus had some concept machinery, and even let people drive around an impossibly slow and simple course, but it was fun none the less.
Tucking 32’s!!! W.T.F!!!
At the time, I was totally convinced this was the best looking RX-7 I’d ever seen, but now I realise it’s not.
This was actually common place. Really.
This MX-5 has seen a fair amount of press too, it’s hard top is now for sale through a US distributor apparently. I can’t remember who it was though!
The scale of the show is hard to comprehend. This is a tiny corner of the area of the Vegas convention centre.
Not has big as the ridiculous food portions.
This G35 one best car of the show.
This Boyd Coddington creation was one of his last. 🙁
At the end of the show, there was a Formula D press conference covering the next weeks events.
And so to the event itself – Long Beach docks.
I’m pretty sure this should be on my kit list, but at over a million dollars a unit…
It was a big big wide track, and 95-100mph entries all day long. I filmed the rest of it, you can watch it here.
We hung out at Chris Forsbergs workshop.
And Rhys Millens.
ONLY in America. This was next to the Guns and Motorbike magazines. Argh.
We popped into Autobacs, which is the US equivalent of Halfords. Except they sell good stuff, not rubbish.
Like this full VTEC turbo kit with Apexi Power FC.
Or half price HKS turbos.
We hit up the Red Bull drivers party with Bon and Phil, Will and the Joyce.
Who all got horrendously drunk while the drivers tables were called.
The LA fires were raging at the time, and Ash covered everything, but it made for some amazing light, even if it did ruin a £2500 camera 😀
Overall, it was a pretty cool trip – it’s just a shame it didn’t happen this year as we’d have been there giving you guys the low down on what’s going on, but hey – there is always next year, and AwesomeFest 2011 to look forward too! Thanks to Niall and Jamie for the trip, transport and good times!
i believe the shop that makes those miata hardtops is autokonexion
What do You mean it did’nt happen this year? They did announce it, what happened?
Love the pic with all the ash floating about and the Chaser, niiice man, shame about the camera though :/
“This particular stand had some seats, which I tried…”
This was of interest to me. 🙂
/p.s. The UK equivalent of Halfords is…Halfords.
Touche Skiddly.