2004 U.S. Drift - Turbo Updates

Over the TopIs parking your car in the driveway just not good enough? Do you want to showcase the quality and individualism of your ride? Howdy Facilities may have the answer. Howdy Ledbetter, a hot rod builder from Northern California, has created Howdy's facilities to help you put your car in the way-back machine. Howdy is selling prefabricated 1950s-replica diners and gas stations to give you that extra edge.

Both facilities are constructed from 22-gauge galvanized steel and are coated in Kynar paint. Standing seams snap together and an instruction video takes the user through the assembly.

The diner is 16x8 and the gas station is 12x8, with a 9-foot awning. The ceiling is 92 inches so people can walk through. This makes the interior a great place to store memorabilia or interesting car parts. For more information, contact Howdy Facilities at (510) 657-6683 or check out www.hotrodhowdy.com.

Custom VinylAuto Custom Carpets added red and blue to its lineup of moldable vinyl floorings. These brighter hues, along with the black, gray, beige and chamo colors, feature vacuum-molded construction. Auto Custom Carpets can produce a vinyl mat to fit your car, truck, Jeep, or SUV. For more information, contact Auto Custom Carpets at (800) 633-2358.

Catch The Drift!U.S. Drift was founded in 2001 by Chris Cobetto, a road racing champion and director of the National Auto Sport Association's Virginia/Mid-Atlantic Region, and Mike DeFord, an enthusiast working in the aftermarket for 12 years (eight of them in road racing). Once both were exposed to drifting, they never looked back.

U.S. Drift has come a long way since its first Nationals in 2001 at Summit Point Raceway, with fewer than 20 cars competing. For 2004, U.S. Drift roars into its third year with packed fields, solid sponsorship, and a full schedule of events from coast to coast.

U.S. Drift's schools are divided into regions throughout the United States. In each classroom, drivers are taught the basics of car setup and driving techniques. Practical skills are forged on the track, where the basics of skid/ slide control are taught on a skidpad at progressively higher speeds. Drivers' technique and setup are then critiqued.

In any form of motorsport, nothing is more important than seat time. U.S. Drift day sessions are just that-seat time for experienced and beginning drivers, with the added bonus of critical feedback as well.

On-Track Day '04: Don't Miss This Hotchkis Performance, Baer Brakes, Flowmaster Exhaust And Yokohama Tire Host The Seventh Annual On-Track Day

Hotchkis Performance, along with Baer Brake Systems, Flowmaster Exhaust and Yokohama Tire, completed arrangements for the upcoming seventh annual On-Track Day. Join us Saturday, May 8, at Buttonwillow Raceway Park (buttonwillowraceway.com) in Buttonwillow, Calif., for the ultimate road course extravaganza.

Bring your street metal to the track and see if you've got the skill (and, more importantly, see if you've built your hot rod properly) to go right (and left). Whether your ride is a domestic, import, car, or truck, not only can you take the whip to it and see how well it moves, but company techs from Hotchkis, Baer, Yokohama and Flowmaster will also be on hand to help analyze your performance. We'll be joined by magazine guys from all over the West Coast, too, as well as professional hot-shoes from U.S. Touring and the SCCA.

Registration forms and more information are available by calling Hotchkis at (562) 907-7757, Baer at (602) 233-1411, or by visiting their Web sites, hotchkis.net and baer.com. Attendance is $200 per person (before April 25), which includes a spectacular BBQ lunch before the afternoon driving session.

We've done all the work-just bring your metal to Buttonwillow for some heavy-duty track time and on-track tutelage via some of the sharpest tuning minds on the West Coast. The seventh annual On-Track Day is on.

2004 U.S. DRIFT ScheduleDrift 101 School, Drift Day Sessions and the National Grand Prix competitions are an integral part of each event on the 2004 U.S. Drift National Tour.

In 2004, drivers who compete in U.S. Drift National events will receive an invitation to take part in the Championship Round at year's end. It's not a points-based championship; all that's required to compete for the championship is participation in at least one U.S. Drift National event. The contest format will be the same as the U.S. Drift National events, with competitors participating in a head-to-head round and the top drivers in each group moving on to the next round.

The final will consist of eight drivers fighting for the number one spot, with the winner crowned the 2004 U.S. Drift National Champion. Cash and prizes will be paid through eighth place, but the bottom line is: In 2004 the United States will have a drift champion-will it be you?

For more information about U.S. Drift, please contact:Jason R. SakuraiManaging DirectorRoadhouse Marketing & Motor Media376 Dogwood RoadBanner Elk, NC 28604(828) 898-5071roadhouse@skybest.com

Mike DeFordEvent & Sponsorship DirectorU.S. Drift/EVO Productions4225 Vauxhall RoadRichmond, VA 23234(804) 275-8399 mike@hyper-fest.com