Autoblog

Click above to witness Hubinette's drifting skills

We know Sam Hubinette has incredible drifting skills. The Crazy Swede is a two-time champion in Formula Drift and makes a living doing stunt driving, but that still doesn't mean we would put our life in his hands. Streetfire.net's Creative Director Alexis Godschalk, however, seems to have more of either faith or bravery than we do. While filming a video intro StreetFire, Hubinette sends his Viper hurtling towards Godschalk and doesn't even flinch. Follow the jump to watch the video and see just how close Hubinette gets. (Hint: very)

[Source: StreetFire.net]

It always seems a bit presumptuous when a "world champion" is declared for a sporting event played in America. After all, other countries have leagues for baseball, basketball, football, etc. Formula Drift, the most well known drifting association in the United States, isn't about to declare world superiority in the art of maneuvering a car sideways through a course, but it does want to find out who's the best. Partnering with Red Bull Energy Drink, Formula Drift will be bringing together the best drifters from around the world to compete head to head in one single event. The competition will be held in November on the docks in Long Beach, CA and will feature a purpose-built course that will test the limits of each driver's skills. With a few of us located in Los Angeles, you can be sure that Autoblog will be bringing you live coverage of the event. Full details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Formula Drift]

As Autoblog's resident kei car fanboy, I like to share news and links about the diminutive forbidden-fruit rides whenever something interesting pops on the radar, like yesterday. Today, it's just a photo, courtesy of the gang at Speedhunters. The tiny kei pickup is a Suzuki Carry, which, in the hands of a normal business owner, does precisely that. This one's obviously a wee bit more specialized though, as the rear wing and roll bar suggest. This little work truck's job is drifting. It might look wrong, but there's something so right about it. Who says you need triple-digit horsepower to have fun?

[Source: Speedhunters]

Professional drifting series, Formula D, is trying to quickly win over fans and competitors in order to become one of the top forms of motorsport in the United States. As folks have learned in the markets this past year, though, rapid growth does not come without some giant bumps in the road. It looks like Formula D has now slid into a wall with a few of its teams. Confusion surrounding the series rule book has come to a head in discussions at Drifting.com. The rules state that any change to a vehicle's OEM suspension design must be approved by Formula D. Of course, a visual inspection of every car lined up for a run at a Formula D event proves that no one is utilizing 100% OEM suspension components. Aftermarket coilovers, adjustable control arms and urethane bushings are all-too-,common modifications seen throughout the pits. Therefore, there must be a list available to competitors outlining the approved components for all competing vehicles. No such list is available, however. That means teams have no method of verifying that other competitors are following the rules, other than the fact an entry passed Formula D's own tech inspection. Current discussion is making a case for the use of vehicle technical sheets as found in series such as SCCA Speed World Challenge to list all allowable modifications for approved competition vehicles.

One particular team lies behind the call for rule revisions, while other concerned competitors back up their request for clarification. The vocal team is the group behind the Super Autobacs Nissan Skyline, which was recently deemed ineligible for competition by Formula D. The series organizers claim the Skyline features illegal front suspension modifications by using the OEM parts off a Nissan Laurel. However, the RWD Scion tC campaigning in the series is eligible despite also using suspension parts from another Toyota vehicle that shares the same chassis. The rules become particularly unclear when other vehicles are allowed to run with obviously altered suspension setups. 350Zs have altered the mounting points of their rear axles and Chevrolet Corvettes have converted from leaf springs to coilovers. Hopefully, Formula D can learn from this tussle and develop a fair and documented method of approving vehicle,s rather than leaving everyone in the dark. Thanks for the tip MrCoolGuy!

[Source: Drifting.com]

When you're winging a vehicle as expensive and powerful as a purpose-built Dodge Viper drift car, being fearful will only lead to a bad ending. Sam Hubinette doesn't have any such compunctions while sliding sideways at 90 miles per hour. Should he inadvertently hit the wall, whoops. Fretting over potential contact will likely only make it inevitable. The hairy-chested car guys over at 0-60 were hanging out at the third round of Formula Drift competition in Englishtown, NJ, and caught up with the Skidding Swede for a few minutes while shooting a larger video of the competition. The smoky event saw Hubinette's Viper place second to Tanner Foust's Nissan 350Z. Foust, you'll recall, is one of the hosts of NBC's domestic "Top Gear." Good to know he can drive. Now's your chance to take shots at drifting and complain about how it's not racing, and doesn't require any skill, though we assure you it is, and it does. You still don't have to like it. Video posted after the jump


[Source: 0-60]

The new website encompassing all things sport compact, RiceBoyTV.com, has put together a web-based reality series following 17-year-old drifter Patrick Mordaunt. The video content follows Mordaunt through the trials and tribulations of his rookie season as a driver in the Formula Drift series. The show is currently on the second webisode, with the third waiting in the wings and many more to come as the season progresses. Patrick Mordaunt may not already be a name with which most casual drift fans are familiar, but he is certainly working hard to make sure things don't stay that way for long. His story is one of interest, as the talented young driver has a lot of heart.

Those in the sport compact industry first came to know Patrick Mordaunt when he was hardly a teenager. The avid Japanese Option video watcher was a regular attendee at any and all Southern California events remotely related to drifting. Patrick then began hitting the local test events with his '85 Toyota Corolla before he could even legally drive on the street. His thirst to learn quickly earned him immense respect in the pits, while his passion and tenacity stood out, causing industry insiders to take notice. Add in his uncanny ability to rack up the professional drifting licenses, with three in all, and It's no surprise that many folks, such as the crew at RiceBoyTV.com, want to help the guy achieve his dreams.

You can find Patrick's first webisode here and the second here. Keep checking back for updates throughout the 2008 Formula Drift season.

[Source: RiceBoyTV.com]

He usually spends his time behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger, but recently Samuel Hübinette made an exchange for something with a lower roofline. Lamborghini asked him to take a seat in a 2009 Gallardo for the filming of a European-market commercial set on the streets of Los Angeles and Palm Springs. Blowing tire smoke for the camera is nothing new to Sam since his blue Mopar-mobile has been featured in many a BF Goodrich tire commercial. Unlike the Charger though, the Gallardo isn't quite the towering elephant. It is also equipped with all wheel drive, a feature that requires a bit more driving finesse in order to pull off an extended slide. Look for the spot to hit YouTube sometime in the not too distant future. Also follow the link to see a few more of Sam's photos from filming.

Thanks for the tip, Eric!
[Source: Samuel Hubinette Blog]

View video after jump

We're not exactly sure why this Dodge Challenger is drifting around this empty parking lot, but we don't really care. Any time someone has no regard for the longevity of rear tire tread in the name of smokey fun is fine with us. Follow the jump to watch the Challenger amuse onlookers and join its fellow Viper and Charger SRT counterparts for even more tire shredding entertainment.

[Source: YouTube]

Video after the jump

Think drifting's just for the kids? Silly grown-up, didn't you know that it's also something you can do with your kids? At least that's the impression we get from this vid, which features an older-gen Toyota Estima (that's "Previa" in USDM English) out shaking a tail feather with some of the more traditional drifter fare. Odd choice? Yes, but still awesome. So buy yourself a couple of these, throw the youngsters in back, and make getting sideways a family affair. It's totally responsible. No, really. Follow the jump to watch.

[Source: JPCN]

Face it. Drifting is passé and drag racing is so 1996. So what's the next big thing to hit the import scene? Flip A Bitch. You know the move. You did it with your Big Wheel when you were eight. Head straight, yank the wheel, grab the e-brake and pull a perfect 180 into a designated spot. With their tongue firmly in cheek, the GT Channel crew assembled some of the top drivers from Formula D, including Tanner Foust, Chris Forsberg and Dai Yoshihara, to see who can pull off "The Bitch" with style and accuracy. Hit the jump to watch the teaser and keep an eye out for the full video from GT Channel later this month.