Vaughn Gittin Jr. 2010 Formula Drift Champion hires me to MC his “Smoke Shows” and we kicked it off right at The St Louis Auto Show, 4 days of awesome drift shows driving a Mustang RTR and his demo vehicle skinned to look like his comp car…

Tires burned, fans happy and good times…

Early AM flight from SFO to STL…

BB’s Blues…
Booze and Blues…

That’s JR being a creeper.. haha

Nope no snow in St Louis this trip, it was GOLDEN GIRLS!

Looks kids Big Ben, Parliament & the St Louis Arch…

There it is, officially!

Mean Green machine…

Skatecar, RTR-X, Demo car and Mustang RTR P1 + Optimus Slime Green… JR’s rig…

Don’t mess with the locals..

#AbbyGittin grams…

Photog pose needs work but the Fatlace sticker on the tripod is on point…

Ripping, blipping & grippin!

The shows got more & more packed each day…
about 1,500 people on avg per demo…

Late night fun…

There it is again…

Like it..

Scion showing off the iQ but no FR-S in sight…

I LOVE WAGONS!!!!!!
Caddilac CTS-V wagon yum!

Mustang RTR in sweet gunmetal grey…

Come outside & see the show…

Drove the demo car loud & proud on the street, funny sight pulling up next to ya huh?!

First ya see them &….

Now you don’t!

So much awesome in this pic…Classic, respect!

Support locals Drift STL.com
Bunch of rad drifters said whats up while there, thanks guys and gals, keep it moving, be respectful and hopefully Gateway opens and lets ya’ll drift!

Queing up, sorry British came on, they’re lined up for an autograph…

Grimey rad spot…

Crabby!

SMASH!

2013 Mustang…

Alright lets jump trucks!
HPI Racing 5sc RTR

This is a first, icey!
JR on Ice!

My father in law getting ready to ride shotgun…
Thanks for coming out and… not puking haha

Hitting the streets!

Wait a minute I’m riding shotgun?!?!

FINAL SHOW of the weekend…

We out!

Vaughn Gittin Jr. aka JR is NEVER not working, probably the hardest working dude in the drift world! A consummate thinker, worker and “do-gooder” for drifting in general of course building his driving prowess, his “brand”, the sport and just getting more people to learn, understand and expose people to drifting…
Thanks JR for the good times!
See ya soon buddy!

Myself, Chris of St Louis Auto Show, JR and “Square” Blair…

Oh yeah told ya I saw Nelly…

Thanks Scion and wow this car is just fresh!!!
So as the sign says, do so and witness “Behind the scenes of the 1st ever Scion FR-S commercial” the new Scion FR-S the car I call “The Game Changer”

When in the bay area I have to see some peeps, have some GREAT beers and food!

Car service and hang out sesh with Tyler “The Rock” McQuarrie…
(BTW, he is NOT on Scion program just a bay area homie)

Swung by Fatlace Paddock & RWB USA to see the homies…

Get to see the main man of Fatlace, Illest, Slammed Society, ALL THINGS fresh and living up to FATLACE’S slogan, COLLECT EVERYTHING! My birthday brother Mark Arcenal..

Just KAWS Henny, numerous bottles btw…

NBD…

Lunch is served, Pliny the Elder down and some double IPA after that yum!

Only one design has graced his head, The Rock McQuarrie…

Got to catch up with the LIFEBLASTERS fellas Geoff and Andrew but no pics of them just their stuff and the awesome late night Chinese food, which was an adventure in itself

She needs a hip replacement that amount of dancing she does!

J-Rod smash!

Agenda is CLEAR!
FR-S Launch commercial!

Site!

SIGHT!

Mount…

The Armageddon will be captured…
aka “The Russian Arm”

Can I borrow some cable…

These 2 guys are solid gentlemen and make things happen behind the scenes at Scion, Owen runs National Marketing & Communications and Scion VP Jack Hollis!

“Video Village” is where everybody reviews footage either live, taped, audio, etc…

The commercial director Simon chatting with Jack…

Here’s looking at you kid!

The new Pioneer Bespoke system that’s launching in the FR-S…

The driver behind the wheel of the FR-S in the commercial will be Ken Gushi, not just a drift driver anymore, now stunt driver and….

a hand model! He puts the man back in MANicure as he got a manicure for his hand close ups!

Myself, Gush & Jack…

LUNCH!

The Russian Arm operator catching some bites as he’s been working the camera from the rear seat! Talk about back seat driver, LITERALLY!

The spread was sick…

So much equipment, I love seeing the inner workings of commercials and productions of this magnitude…

This Firestorm Red FR-S does have the 1st ever TRD lowering springs on it, they’re prototype and DO NOT, I repeat do not come standard!

Another interior shot, while Gush’s helmet rides shotgun…
BTW, the floormats will NOT be tan like that, just some mats to keep it clean!

These are a few of my favorite things, cyclists were going up & down the road we’re on, it’s a VERY popular cycling road… I was jealous of them to be honest riding or maybe of Gushi because he’s driving regardless, I’ll keep blogging!

Bring your own signs just in case!

A moment to reflect on the magnitude of the Scion FR-S, my life and all life has to offer…

Screeching tires…

Simon with his weapon!

water trucks on hand to wet the road for aesthetics, not needed it rained the day before plenty

Gotta love craft services on site! Bangin lunch…

Gushi working it!

Owen & Simon scheeming on the copter shots!

Simon (Director), Gushi (Drifter) & Owen (Marketer)…

Simon rapping with the helicopter pilot…

Double your pleasure!

Spot the “T Pattern”… It’s repeated through the car…

“T Pattern” on the gauge cluster…

“T Pattern” on the dash…

“T Pattern” on the doors…

This badge WILL go down in history, I promise..
Notice the boxer pistons, the “86″ of course and check this out the 4 “holes” in 8 and 6 mimique the sideways action of a drift vehicle…

Storyboard…

Even coyotes like the new FR-S…

Tale of the tape, interior exterior…

Performing surgery on Capturing interior shots

So much going on…

The door opens wide, looks like they took it off from this angle but it’s there…

Helicopter and the nose camera…

Peek a boo…

Checking the footy!

Captain my captain, wish I could’ve taken a ride but had to ride off…

Yeehaw sky cowboys…

Adios muchachos…

2 devils in the night!

I’m out, thanks Scion for the good time, creating a rad car that I know people will love and just for the experience…
Until next time, Golden Gate bridge at 4am…

Beat ya sun!

Scion corporate did BLOG their own version of ‘Behind the scenes’ if you wanna see it, check it out HERE

Camelback mountain is the mountain you always see when you land and take off…
I’ve lived here for 7 years and haven’t climbed it until now!

Starting the climb…

I like the matte green crib…

Where’s Warty?!?!

Made it! Almost 4 miles roundtrip…
Cold can of Simpler Times, not a great beer but tasted good, it’s Trader Joe’s house brand…

Great view!

Blogging the Instagraming…

Weeeee!
Mike will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa next month so this climb was nothing, go get em!

Sweet crib right near the trailhead…

So FFWD to yesterday, Thursday, burgers at Joe’s Farm Grill, Bikes in Scottsdale and beers at Papago Brewing, not bad for a Thursday!

I was riding my STATE Bicycle FGFS and Mike was riding my 29″ SE Bikes Big Ripper…

Free Museum visit at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Arts...

There goes the neighborhood BLOODMASTERS!

CLICK HERE for the video, Bloodbath Part 1!

I had to head up see EVB & the homies at Discount Tire Direct to get them installed, say hello & check out their sweet office…

The new rubber…

TMTMTL EVB…

Did you know that Bruce Halle & Discount Tire has the most extensive collection of Tire Poster artwork in the WORLD!
Also, they own the only cut in half Daijiro Yoshihara Lexus IS hanging on their wall, NBD!

Speaking of Dai Yoshihara he has his own wheel line coming out, check em out!
SICK RIGHT?!?!

Did you know that Falken has some sick Off Road wheels?!?! I like the matte grey finish middle one!

Where’s my stapler?!
This was right after Christmas so Discount isn’t that lazy…

RUGGED, Like me… NOT (that just happened)

I’m kind of backing the off road look versus the 24″ look nowadays, hmmm…

There they are the Falken Wild Peak A/T a great option for you if you’re hittin the dirt, the snow, the elements…

Fast forward to this weekend, Falken set my son Parker, my friend Terry, his son Cooper & I up with tix to Supercross here in Phoenix…
Falken Tire sponsors Villopoto 2011 Supercross Champion…
RV2 also has some INCIPIO cases, peep em

Here’s Falken’s new commercial featuring JR, JTP, RV & the ALMS guys…

What’s up ladies!

This is Cole Seely #34, he competes in the Supercross Lites, he took 1st at Anaheim Round 1, and currently sits 2nd after 2 rounds of Lites competition,
BTW Cole has an S13, drifts and gets down, so does his bro & friends… RAD!
This is a video from last year when he was on the Illest program, Day in the life from 2011…

Good catching up, go get em buddy!

It’s GO TIME!

Parker gets hyped!

Hey look who showed up in AZ, Linhbergh & Thao, the latest couple to announce their relationship via Facebook…
They’re in town to run the P.F. Changs Half marathon, congrats kids!

Well, that’s as they say “how the cookie crumbles” or better yet How it gets HOUSED by PJ!
ARRRR!!!!

Check it out!
The scenery driving from the Phoenix area to Park City was stunning, different colors, shapes and backdrops covered the land!

We arrive to Park City and rendezvous with our friends and are staying with our friends The Block family, yeah that gentlemen Ken Block and his family were nothing but awesome & their house is an amazing piece of architecture, design and livability with a great sense of function= fashion!
This is a bad cell phone pic of the “mud room”…
Gear, mid century modern furniture and a sweet Siberian Husky, RAD!

Hit the mountain with our other friends who we rendezvoused with Vaughn Gittin Jr. the soon to be Mrs. Gittin, Abby & JacobChills…

Wifeys…

Homies..

Let’s get lifted, the snow wasn’t amazing but it was nice weather, warm, decent blown stuff but all good for a SoCal kid…

Night time was dinner time, hit a place that’s BANGIN!
Wahso on Main St and it ripped!

One of many awesome dishes, pork belly in a Vietnamese bun …

One of many awesome deserts…
Coconut Creme Brulee’

Hit the bars and saw some Banksy hits from last years Sundance attendance…
Plexi’d for security and even framed in the next instance…

A separate night we hit the St Regis via the Funicular...
Fire, fire fire!- Beavis & Butthead

Ken & I…

JR & PJ, 2 peas in a pod!

Sledding with the dogs & fam…
What up dog?!

You can’t see me!

Great time with the fam!

The final night was spent hangin with the whole gang, my family, Blocks, Gittins, Jacob, & the MWRT team Ron, Matt, Mike, good times!
Here’s the living room, pong/dining table, yep that’s function=fashion at it’s finest + Ken WILL smoke you LEFT HANDED at pong!

You canna canna roast them marshmallows!

A crappy cell phone pic, with a not crappy friend and also an amazing piece of artwork in the back HAROSHI’s moose that Ken acquired a while ago, rad right?!?!
Ya like the ‘TIRE SLAYER’ tee? Peep HOONIGAN’S page now to acquire!

The drive home was just as beautiful of course!

Grand Canton rim in the distance…

A great week came to a close as the sunset on the way home!
Thanks to my family & friends, #HomeLife can even be experienced on the road!
Thanks to The Block family, The Gittins, Jacob, Ron, Mike & Matt, you guys and gals all rule!

I want to share with you over the next couple blogs mine, my family & friends holiday joy…

Enjoy only some of the goodness, because to be honest it’s nice to just enjoy & not blog EVERYTHING! due to popular belief I don’t blog everything!

Christmas eve with friends & family… & of course it’s all about the kids!

My wife made a bangin cake!

We had fun!

Christmas Merry we did have from Yoda & PJ…

Thanks HPI Racing for some radical R/C cars both Ready To Run aka RTR Blitz truck and ALSO Vaughn Gittin Jr’s Monster Falken tires Mustang!

Bikes & brews, some of my favorite things, thanks to my inlaws for the l/s & short sleeve Stone Brewing Jerseys...

This was Parker’s gift he got from SANTA, these things are awesome every day for days straight we ride these things, me, my bikes, the neighbors, the R/C cars, everybody they’re AWESOME…
FYI, if you’re asking they’re Landwave products ramps

Look who came through AZ, The HOBO Josh Herron…
Beard Life rocking, back from Chi Town, he’s back!

Rendezvoused in AZ with a lil lady friend of his…

Winter time in AZ is EPIC!
Nice briskness, the lighting, the mellowness, the enjoyment of awesome weather, yeah it’s hot in AZ in the summer but RIGHT NOW!
It’s ON POINT!!!
Lots of walks, bike rides, doing, hanging, loving life, I’m blessed and my son is evidence of that, I LOVE my family!

I caught one for myself as an early Christmas gift + it this bike will be officially my wheels around the paddock of Formula Drift events for the 2012 season, hence the color way matches the Formula drift steez…

STATE BICYCLE CO just launched their official Fixed Gear Free Style aka FGFS in 2 colorways, the Cuplrit and the model I caught is the Suspect….

Headed to the STATE HQ for assembly…

AZ loud & proud…

This is how the bike comes packaged, ready for assembly…

I had to customize the bike with some custom parts from the homies at Animal…
Animal makes solid stuff for BMX and is applicable for Fixed as well…
These are the Hamilton pedals…

Solid tacky grips…

Animal even hooked up a rad bike tool, check out all the tools in this beast…
KOTULAK

Then the banger stem, the Jumpoff Remix Stem…

Here’s the front fork for the FGFS…

Big dude Carter helped put it all together, ok I just watched him put it together…

Here it is, outside of the pedals, grips and stem everything comes along with it even including less expensive Animal pedals & Hold Fast foot straps...

Boom in the sun!

The badge…

Truth be told I’VE NEVER ridden fixed gear so I’m learning as I go along, we’ll see how I do…
I love the bike it’s fun around the neighborhood so far…
See ya on the road or in the paddock…

See how some serious riders get down on the bikes…

State Bicycle Co. – Culprits & Suspects from State Bicycle Co. on Vimeo.

Here’s one of the owners Mehdi, good dude and good crew at STATE, hit them up and let them know I SENT YA! They might give ya more than ya asked for *wink*
Of course he’s with his STATE road bike with some other parts on it…

Here’s some STATE Bicycle swag they hooked up, hats, tee’s, coozies (rad) stickers etc..

Andy Yen & I arriving to a wet Kuala Lumpur

About an hour from the airport to the main city of KL, seeing some old school houses…
But no means is this the norm in KL…

Taxi sir..

BTW, I fit and carried on everything I needed from Thurs midday to Monday afternoon in THIS Incipio Weekender bag incl:
2 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 7 t-shirts, 5 collared shirts, underwear, socks, toiletries, one pair of shoes, chargers, iPad, headphones, magazines, iPod & that’s for real!
INCIPIO WEEKENDER BAG can be seen HERE

3 days of set up, then qualifying on Saturday and “Game Day” on Sunday…

Ryan Sage, Co-Founder & I swung out to grab some sights and grub…

Prosperity Meal bro…

You are here, I was there…

That’s some nice literal tagging, I like Fixed huh?! Cool!

Then maybe another literal tag, The Freaks…
Sounds like a gang from The Warriors

I love making Ryan laugh, getting birded out!

Drivers Meeting! Pay attention Kiki!

1 too many r’s but still a cool gift from Mervyn Nakamura, he got it in Australia

CMYK in the graphic, rad…

Our nice hotel for the weekend…

The 4th tallest building(s) in the world…
KL Petronas Towers…

BTW our backdrop for this event is pretty rad, don’t ya think?
Merdeka Square

Hey lil buddy!

The Champ, The Technical Director and The Yen!

This dude Koh Kae from Thaialand rips sooo hard, he’s got a great attitude and pushes HARD!

Lil car parade action…

If you know Ryan, you will know how hillarious this pic is! It’s ALL TIME!

The PTT lubricnats team of Thailand is like a Man Band…

I’m not mad at this car, the graphics matching the wheels etc. Not a fan of the red & blues though…

The 2011 FD Asia Champion trophy, good choice of fingers btw

Going at it…

Big time slam…

Winning car of Daigo Saito…

Hello Orido…

Yeah Robbie

The Top 3 for the weekend and the 2011 FD Asia Champion Daigo…

Mister RE Amemiya

Our after party was at a rad bar called EST 1/2 of the place called EST.TATE…

One place is called EST and down the walk a low key door is called TATE…

Walk in & see this

Cool shirt huh…

There he is the nut literally Koh Kae, his family makes snack foods Koh Kae

Tengku Djan “Prince of Drift“, his beautiful wife Shan as they’re expecting a baby next year!

Thanks Marcus Lim for everything, Dai for being you buddy and Jason for your hard work…

Monday had a bit of time so hit China town..

Def NOT the newest Ken Block or DC shoes, yuck!

DEF NOT Chris Forsbergs NOS Energy Drink 350Z take note of the door plate, not “YSOHIARA” either…

MEGA MALL!

Bears!

Liked this sign display…

We arrive to Kuala Lumpur it was pouring, we stay and it’s nice, we lave and it’s pouring, we were blessed with some nice weather for sure!
Peace out KL, til next year!

Hello ARIZONA! HOME!

Wheels are still in my life even when I’m home, bicycles, off road and with my son Parker…

My son aka CKITW (Cutest Kid In The World) Parker and his buddy Pride Lion…

My buddy Chris Forsberg & his wife Michelle came through AZ, on their way to the East Coast, making the CFR big move, he snapped a pic when I wasnt looking so now it’s on my blog…

Wednesday night I rode with my friends at State Bicycle that organize a Wed night ride called LOOPS, this is my friend DJ Diesel, good times on a cold night!

Thursday rode road bikes with my homie & 2010 Pro Lite Champion, Casey Currie

I had to case him up with an INCIPIO NGP for his iPhone4, duh!

So Parker & I went to go check out his truck over at Firebird Raceway, where they’re racing this weekend…
Parker just got hired!

Don’t worry it’s just water!

Thumbs Up, see he’s part of the crew now!