Today, DDS Performance will be celebrating their re-grand opening at the new location on 3599 Polaris Ave #2. (702)482-TUNE

Come see our new shop, check out the 3 cars we are preparing for Formula Drift, as well as a few for VegasDrift Pro-Am, and chat with the crew from 10:00AM to 5:00PM. We will be joined by the Bass-Ballin SPL Competition, as well as AWD Chassis Dyno with Millerspec Motorsports, a few fast high power Evo’s and a mini car show!

See you there!

Vd – As VegasDrift gears up for the third season of VegasProAm, Robert Strohmeyer prepares his “bastard child” for it’s first season. Robert has helped out with the Vegas scene since his arrival with driver instruction as well as videos of earlier VegasProAms. Fill us in about your history with drifting.

RS – It mainly started in late 2003 after being stationed in Florida at Eglin AFB. There was a big rain storm when I was on leave in Virginia and my Miata that I was going to drive down to Florida was wrecked two days before I moved my stuff to Florida. My friend I met in tech school was stationed at Eglin a month before me, so after I showed up he already had heard of this shop called MPHAutomod. When I walked into the shop, soon to be Professional Drifter Ben Schwartz and the owners of the shop where all watching JDM Insider 2 siting in bucket seats on the floor. Once I watched the whole video with them that first day I went back to the dorms found a white 1993 SE coupe on ebay and bought it. It was in Virginia so I had an old high school friend drive it down from Virginia. The next two years where filled with nothing but traveling by truck and trailer to events all around the east coast, mid west, Texas and California. A highlight for me was traveling up to RS-R Drift festival at Chicago in 2004 and placing 4^th at the time it was my 4^th event ever.  A bunch of other military stuff happened between 06-09.  I met Nick and the main members of VegasDrift at the first powdered drift night at FastLap in early 09.

Vd – Tell us about “Bastard Child” and it’s predecessor, “High Hopes”.(Check Rob’s build thread here.)

RS – Well, after being in the Vegas and west coast FD scene for a few years, I got sick and tired of not driving. I’ve talked about driving again to other people in the scene. After working at this past FD Irwindale event with the VegasDrift crew, I had just about had enough with not driving. I went out and bought “High Hopes” just in time for the “Best of Vegas” event on the inside road course at LVMS. Bastard Child comes in for the simple fact of being fiscally cheaper for me to buy a shell with a cage in it then putting a cage in High Hopes.  Bastard Child will be a full ProAm build with around 300hp and pretty much everything you can do suspension wise except aftermarket LCAs. Vd – Being a race car instructor has to be fun job, what steps did you take to get there?

RS – Well, I guess it came down to the ol’ “who you know.”  I knew a few people that worked there and I was called by one of them when Exotics Racing was looking for another instructor. I interviewed for the job and started the next day. It’s nice to drive exotic cars but the real experience is an abundance of track time. I now have over 12,000 on track miles as an instructor, which is pretty crazy to think about. Its also cool because quite a few celebrities stop by. Recently Mickie Frial, a so-cal drifter hopped in a 458 with me and turned some fast laps. Vd – What advice would you give to someone that wants to start drifting?

RS – While everyone gives the stock answer of “practice makes perfect” and have fun yadda yadda. I will say to anyone that wants to start….THINK about it first. What do you plan to accomplish by starting? Will it be hobby or are you going to try and make something of it? For many people it will start as a hobby and as they progress they start taking bigger steps. But really think about it first. For me, it has become a 9 year obsession that has caused great moments in my life but has also demanded the high sacrifices. Vd- Are there any sponsors or people you would like to thank or mention?

RS – I’d like to thank the current crew signed up for the 2012 VDPA season, Crew Chief-Danny Libonati, Spotter-Marlon Tecson, PR/Art Director- Jovany Martinez. DDS performance for letting me use the shop and their tools when I didn’t have the right tools/space to get the job done. I’d like to thank Eladio at H1 Performance for helping the team out with chassis tuning during the season. I’d also like to thank Nick, Wes, Ace, Ray, Mando, Robert, Danillo, Aj, Jc, and anyone in the VegasDrift crew that I didn’t mention. You guys are great and it has meant a lot to me being apart of these events! I also have a few prospective sponsors in mix, which I hope to add at a later date but wanted to acknowledge them with a thanks as well (you know who you are).

Photo Credit

Larry Chen – Drift Fotos

Joel Cada – Third 3ye Photography

Brenton Ho – Brentonho.com

Import Racer

Vd – Bobby has been involved in the Vegas scene for some time now. Give us a background of yourself and how you started drifting.

BG – What is up Vegasdrift peeps, it’s BOBBYG!  As some of you guys know I am part of the LIMITBREAK family and drove a seafoam green s13(R.I.P. Bessy). I just recently moved back from Socal and got to experience the drift life out there, it was cool but nothings better than home. How i got into drifting was, well I was always trying to slide stuff lol, when I was a kid I would drift my little plastic tricycle and with the remote control cars I would take the tires off so they would slide, I just didn’t know it was called drifting ahah, but what really got me into drifting was going to illegals and watching the drag racing and was honestly bored. Then I saw some FD footage on TV and was hooked. After that I got a 240sx and here I am 4 240′s later lol!

Vd – We’re glad to hear your Ok!! Tell us about the recent hit and run.

BG – The hit and run….man I was so pissed, can’t believe people now a days. I’m just thankful for making it out ok. It was just a normal Friday, just got paid and driving home from work on the 15 south merging to the 95 north and BOOOWW. I got hit really hard in the left rear corner and it sends me flying. Honestly what saved me from spinning around was counter steering. After I hit the wall, I saw the guy slow down with his hazards on and then just kept driving like nothing happened. They still have yet to catch him.

Vd – That’s unreal….Do you have any plans for the new chassis?

BG – The plans for the new chassis are to get some new coils. I want to get the chassis stitch welded but right now it’s not the time since this is my drift/daily car. What my biggest plan is to make it to a lot more Vegasdrift events, it’s been too long since I drove at a VD event.

Vd – Where do you see the sport of drifting in 5 years from now?

BG -Drifting is growing by the second, everyone and their moms are doing it. In 5 years I would like to see the sport getting its respect that it should have and be on the TV, being able to watch it like it’s a regular sport, having local drift clinics for the guys getting into drifting would also be nice.

Vd – Grid or Forza?

BG – I’m not really a gamer but I am a proud owner of grid, haven’t played Forza yet. Grid is pretty dam close to real life.

Vd – What advice could you lend to someone that wants to get into drifting?

BG – The new people getting into drifting DON’T DO IT!!!! Ahah just playin, just gotta the have patience. The key I think is to just get out on the track and get seat time, and take in as much advice as you can and put it to use driving. Starting out you really don’t need much, everyone thinks that you have to get on that baller level like all the baller guys. You just need decent suspension, tires, and the motor, man that should not be a issue I think you can drift anything that has the ability. Check out my 2nd 240sx, all it had was dualcam, lowering springs and exhaust and it got down.

Vd – Thanks for the interview Bobby, Anyone you would like to shout out or thank?

BG – I want to first of thank WES and NICK for picking me to do a VD Check-Up and also everyone for the help and the events being put up, Vegasdrift, Justdrift, U-Drift and etc. My family for supporting me through all the work I’m doing when I need help with my car and letting me use their car. MY BIGGEST SHOUT out is to my crew LIMITBREAK, we all look out for each other, oh yea check out our tumblr page its Lemonbreadhouse.Tumblr.com. There are many more people to thank to many to list, so if I missed you I apologize but just know I’m thankful for all you. To everyone BOBBYG is out. Don’t be afraid to come over and say whats up if you see us around, we’re friendly. Happy Holidays and Happy New Years to all. Live life to the fullest!!

Photo Credit

-Everything Drift
-CW Photography

Vd – With this being his first VegasProAm season, Joey has become a familiar face at the local comps. Ok, tell us about yourself and why you started drifting.

JS – Well I was born and raised here in Vegas. I’m married with 3 boys. I know I’m probably one of the older guys out here at 32. I’ve been around cars since I was very little and love wrenching on them. I was big in the Import scene 12 years ago but I was an Acura guy back then.  A few years ago, I saw some “street drifting” at one of the import meets I was at and it seemed so much more fun than drag racing. That night when I get home I searched Google about drifting. At 10am the next morning i knew it was something i wanted to be apart of. After getting the car it took me years to convince my wife that it was safe. We went to FD Vegas 2010 and that night i got the answer i had been waiting for. Started ordering parts the next morning.

Vd – Give us a recap of your 2011 VegasProAm season.

JS – This year was overall a great year with lots of ups and downs. This was my first year drifting and first time i tried drifting was February this year. Round 1 was an adventure for sure. I had the stock Ka24e pushed to its limits. It was very challenging to say the least. I learned so much and met a bunch of cool new people that all gave me, the new guy a lot of help. I made a few changes including 2 single cams to the car before Round 2. The course was more of a challenge. That’s when I knew if I wanted to continue i needed more power. Round 3 i had the new Rb20det power and it really helped. That event was the worst one all season for me. I had some track debris get up in the steering and i hit the K-Rail and totaled the car. Very hard hit but i walked away. Round 4 i unveiled a new car built in 8 days. DDS built me a cage after i found a chassis in record time. Tested the new car on Monday night before the event and made a large swing at the set up before Thursdays paid practice. Round 4 was very new with much higher speed. I qualified 6th with a great 2nd run and believe I finished 10th. I’m very happy with this year and cant wait for next season.Vd – What was it like driving on the FD course at VegasProAm round 4.

JS – It was so unreal running that course. Last year i was on the other side of the fence watching and then here i am running on the fastest FD course. The entire course was very intimidating for me. Last event i hit the wall and now I’m pushing this new car to 80+mph and throwing is sideways between nothing but K-Rails. This was hands down the best event of the year.

Vd – What mods have you done on your 240 Hatch?

JS – It has a RB20DET running stock boost. It has a front mount inter-cooler, walbro 255lph, fuel pressure regulator, custom ignition set up, running on pump gas with stock tune. I’m running Godspeed hyper rs on the rear and no name coils on the front. I have a welded diff and rear sub-frame spacers and rear links. Most of what I had in the old car is in this one. (Click here to view Joey’s build thread)

Vd – What advice would you give to someone that wants to get into drifting?

JS – First thing i would tell them is to get a Rwd car and get out there. We are so lucky to have U-drift where they not only provide a legal place to drift, they will teach you as well. Don’t let anyone tell you that you need a high horsepower car to drift. It does help but you should start out and learn to control a low power car. So much you learn from low power that you need even with high power cars.

Vd – In your opinion, what is the worst movie trilogy?

JS – Worst trilogy in my opinion was the scream trilogy. First one was ok but could not even sit through the other two.

Vd – Thanks for the interview Joey. We will see you at the next VegasDrift competition! Are there any sponsors or people you would like to thank?

JS – I would like to start by thanking my wife, friends and family for all the support this year. I would like to thank everyone at VegasDrift for great events and all the advice and help this season. I need to thank Lance with DaeDalus Automotive for helping me get the car together for round3 and building the new car for Round 4 in 8 days. Kyle with DDS for building me an awesome cage and a second cage in such short time. Big thanks to Billy with Functiontheory.com for all the help and the pictures this season.

Photo Credit

Billy with Functiontheory.com

Joel Cada – Third Eye Photography

After an onslaught of hectic tandems, VegasProAM 2011 came to an end. Congratulations to the newly licensed Formula Drift drivers!!

#43 George Marstanovic – Arizona
#45 Corey Hosford – Arizona
#34 Mauricio Ornelas – California
#23 Brandon Patterson – California

VegasDrift would like to thank all event participants, volunteers, and our series sssociates.

• 702 Graphics
• AIT Racing
• Baker Precision
• Belle 1 Racing Communications
• Brian Crower
• CP-Carrillo
• DSTROYR
• Emergency Hookers
• Formula Drift
• Godspeed Project
• HPS Silicone Hoses
• RETAKS Backpacks
• Sparco USA
• U-Drift