East10 Drift kicked off the 2016 season in epic fashion this past weekend with the 4th annual Ice Bowl. More than 700 fans braved the cold temperatures and high winds to support drivers old and new. East10 Drift is well-known for being one of the largest grassroots drifting organizations in the southeast with drivers traveling from all directions to join in the fun.
A lot of fans where hoping to see cool and interesting builds for 2016, and the drivers did not disappoint. Competition drifter Cory Cooper towed his freshly V8-swapped Nissan 240SX from Huntsville, Alabama to the Knoxville-based event for a shakedown run. He was also happy to give ride-alongs stating, “One of the biggest parts about this sport, at least right now, is getting others to join, and spreading the good word of drift. I really want to see the sport grow.” What better way to encourage others than by letting them experience what it’s all about? Though his day was cut short by a smack between Scott Rutledge and himself, he never fails to have a smile on his face.
Joey Moran brought his competition-prepped 350z out and had a blast. He hasn’t changed the car much from last season, but if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. He also had some contact happen which not only made the crowd happy, but Joey as well. He welcomes the body damage and thinks it gives the car more character.
Another driver to the event, Chris Miller, brought his pro-am prepped, 1JZ swapped, sc300 to its first event and was extremely happy with how the car performed.
Chase Castle showed up in a new V8-swapped 240SX as well and improved greatly throughout the day. Quickly learning how to keep his LS2-powered beast where he wanted it to be.
Chris Spurgeon keeps the spirit of grassroots drifting alive and continues to progress his skills with his stock drivetrain 240SX. We’re excited to see how he improves throughout the 2016 season. If you want to see photos of all these cars in action, as well as some extra shots from the event, just check out our full gallery below.
Autotalk.com will be providing coverage of the 2016 season with East10 Drift as well as the State of Drift competition series; we look forward to seeing drivers make their way to the professional series levels.
