Photos by Jeremy Whittle and Kielan Prince
In today’s technology fueled society, it is becoming easier and easier to find people with interests in line with your own, and the saying “it’s a small world” is becoming ever more prevalent. I first “met” Nick Nikolov in a Call of Duty Lobby nearly 4 years ago, through our mutual Xbox friend, and Nick’s current roommate, Sean O’ Connor who I had “known” for quite a while at that point.

Our talented friends at Yaer Productions have put together a season-launching piece for Nitto Racing and their Formula Drift team. The trio consists of powerhouse Vaughn Gittin Jr, crowd-favorite Matt Powers, and the up-and-coming E46-driving Chelsea Denofa. Yaer’s intro piece beautifully captures some highlights from Round One: The Streets of Long Beach from just a few weeks ago.

It’s been two years since a garage fire took something very near and dear to me. In a flash, my closest friend was gone, left in the form of warped and tarnished steel. Other cars have come and gone, but none have managed to fill the void Rusty Slammington has left.

While we all have differing opinions as to what constitutes “better,” the end goal of this hobby of ours is to improve upon the blank canvas that is a stock car. Some owners will take a subtle path that adheres closely to the original design aesthetic while others will stride a little further from that path to build aggressive and wild cars.

Detail is a killer. That double edged sword of perfection and psychosis. Easily distinguished and recognized by the least observant onlooker, admired by all. To exercise detail takes attention to every bolt texture, every radius, each minute feature being primped and worked until a complete picture is realized. A labor of pleasure and pain to be sure.