By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

While Linhbergh was in Charlotte shooting the Mustang RTR and RTR-C last week, we stopped by Autosport Dynamics where we were able to check out the shell of my new competition car. The Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang chassis had just arrived from paint. Here is a picture of me getting acquainted with my new car for the first time. Something is so cool to me about seeing a freshly painted bare chassis. Anyone agree?

By Vaughn Gittin Jr.

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor-at-Large

I’m one of a number of people who just doesn’t quite get the ‘10 Mustang. It’s not that it’s awful, it’s just that I like the ‘05-’09 better. Well, this year’s SEMA show, with all its awesome ‘10 Mustang builds, has done a lot to help the new car grow on me–and it certainly doesn’t hurt the cause to see one tricked out as a badass drift car. According to the guys at the Falken booth, Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s Mustang is the only 2010 currently in Formula D, and the car is expected to run a full season next year. Under the hood is a Whipple-supercharged 4.6L Aluminator v8 by Ford Racing, putting out 680 hp and 650 lb-ft torque, mated to the same 4-speed gearbox they run in their NASCAR program. I’m thinking that Hankook Camaro had better watch out! See more pics below the jump.

Continue reading "Vaughn Gittin Jr's 2010 Formula Drift Mustang" »

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

Even though Formula D has come to an end for the year and is a huge relief for many, the next five days are full of suspense, insanity and excitement for me, as I get ready to introduce my dream that will become a reality in a big way at SEMA. A new generation of Mustang will be introduced to the world - the Mustang RTR which will be a dealer-installed performance and appearance package available at select dealers in 2010. Official introduction to be posted here next Tuesday. If you will be at SEMA, be sure to check out the car in person at the K&N filters booth! Continue reading at Speedhunters

By Vaughn Gittin Jr.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Falken Tire just built ride pages for all of their drift cars. How cool is that? My favorites are Vaughn Gittin Jr’s Mustang and Daijiro Yoshihara’s burly Lexus. Check out all five ride pages!

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

Here is a video that Ken Block sent me this morning of himself and fellow rally driver Chris Atkinson having some fun in Ken’s 1978 Ford Escort. Under the hood sits a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder Millington engine that boasts 280 BHP. It also is setup with WRC-styled paddle shifting and a six-speed sequential gearbox. I think this video does an incredible job of capturing the definition of fun!

—By Vaughn Gittin JR

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

For this clip, Speedhunters said to hell with cinematic montages and went for a pure visceral experience, and we love it. Hop into Vaughn Gittin JR’s Mustang for practice laps and runs against McNamara in Atlanta!

By Antonio Alvendia

Antonio Alvendia

Detroit’s annual Woodward Dream Cruise rolled into town this weekend along with droves of visitors looking to get in on the fun and Cruise Woodward. The estimated attendance was to the tune of just over 1 million visitors, which is said to be a few hundred thousand less than last year, although I’m not sure exactly how you’d go about counting everyone. Despite the Los Angeles-style traffic that comes with so many visitors, the boost in the economy is more than welcome around these parts. I even saw a few nuns, of all people, hustling visitors for their prime parking spots at a church parking lot. Well done sisters!

For Detroiters, it was a pleasant surprise to see the American automakers on hand and still showing their support for the event. Ford went as far as shutting down a portion of 9 mile Rd. in Ferndale,MI to turn it into Mustang Alley, lining both sides of the street with Mustangs from all generations and styles. It was pretty impressive such a variety of Mustangs including the original Shelby’s from the mid-60’s.

Continue reading and view more photos at MotorMavens.com

By John Naderi

StreetFire.net

Round Five of the 2009 Formula Drift series at Seattle’s Evergreen Raceway is a done deal. There were some upsets, carnage, a great crowd, the sweet smelling Falken girls (don’t ask how I know this) and most important of all, no rain. In practice before the event even began Dai Yoshihara hit the wall. Hard. Hard enough to totally total his discount Tire IS350. Hit the jump to see who won as well more news from Seattle.

Continue reading "Formula Drifting in Seattle" »

By John Naderi

StreetFire.net

I first met Vaughn Gittin Jr. in a non-descript Maryland strip mall parking lot on a Wednesday night in September of 2001. He was hanging out at the kickoff party for the old Super Street Tour. He was introduced to me as a “drifter” but I was nonplussed. Keep in mind, at this point I had already been to Japan and witnessed Taniguchi manji the OG HKS S15 at Bihoku Highland. I was already a JDM drift fan boy with no time for a wannabe. Fast forward to last Saturday night and I see JR at a party. He is no longer the fresh-faced kid I remember. Now he walks with a swagger that can only come after running the high bank of Irwindale harder than the world’s best drifters. In this picture he’s riding the wall on the 100 mph first turn at the Red Bull event in his 2008 car, “Betsy”. On this day he would later tag the wall too hard retiring the car. But that’s his style – go big or… you know the rest. This year, poppa JR’s gotta a brand new bag. Hit the jump to see the video. As an added bonus check out the verbal smackdown he lays on Samuel Hubinette at the 1:57 mark.

Continue reading "Vaughn Gittin Jr and His Superbad Falken Drift 2010 Mustang GT" »

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

So last December I took a cross-country trip with my pal Brian Scotto – the editor of 0-60 Magazine – in a 2010 Ford Mustang GT. Now that the 0-60 Magazine feature “East Bound and Down” is on news stand’s – go get it, it’s a great read – I can share some of the cool things we did and saw along the way. After leaving LA ,our first stop was the Sourdough Saloon in Rachel, Nevada. This is the local watering hole for a lot of manufacturer engineers while they are testing in Death Valley. Continue reading at Speedhunters

By Vaughn Gittin Jr.