This past weekend, thousands of excited drift enthusiasts poured into Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey for the kick-off of the third year of the LZ World Tour. Returning to its roots in Englishtown, where the first round of the LZ World Tour was initially held in 2023, this year fans saw drivers take on E-Town’s Road Course over two days of high-speed tandem battles.
With a sunny but cool start to the weekend, the raceway roared to life as attendees poured into the venue. As the smell of gasoline and exhaust fumes permeated the air, enthusiasts made their way through the car show as proud owners discussed their builds and hurriedly polished their vehicles with microfiber cloths.
Before the competition began, driver’s cars were showcased behind the grandstands for the crowd to get close and see. We were quick to notice Hert Eugene Jr.’s built Mazda RX-7 track weapon, also known as "Twerkstallion", sporting a Mishimoto intercooler and radiator. Hert was in attendance with fellow Nappy Boy Automotive co-founder, T-Pain, who brought his notorious "Pickle Rick" Nissan S14 drift car.
Another celebrity in attendance was actor Sung Kang, who played the legendary role of Han Lue in the 2006 film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. We found him admiring a 1985 Toyota Corolla GTS AE86 and discussing the build with owner Peter Diaz. A crowd gathered as the two discussed Diaz’s extremely clean AE86, which featured a Mishimoto fan setup. After they finished, Kang graciously chatted with fans in the crowd before making his way to the pits.
Fans over the weekend were thrilled to see Brandon Tothero’s custom build, affectionately known as “Jenny the Drift Boat”, which houses an E46 underneath its nautical exterior. There’s just something about seeing a modified boat go to-to-toe with a McLaren on a drift track that just brings a smile to your face. We’re excited to see Jenny the Drift Boat at future events, and we loved seeing a Mishimoto sticker front and center on her windshield.
Adam LZ, the figurehead and organizer of the LZ World Tour, tore up the track while competing with the Nissan S15 that he previously raced in Formula Drift. He later drove the crowd wild when he drove his black and red custom-built 4-rotor Supra. When he wasn’t driving, Adam could be spotted engaging with fans, addressing the crowd, and zipping around the facility on a 150cc dirtbike to relay instructions and coordinate efforts between event staff and race marshals.
Likewise, Collete Davis also put on an incredible performance in her pink BMW E46. In a recap of the event, Davis commented on how it was initially a challenge to get used to the colder track temperatures in New Jersey compared to those in Florida. Her dog, Pit Dog Pete, no doubt provided Davis ample support throughout the weekend.
Another build that caught our eye was the BMW 1-Series with a Mishimoto intercooler driven by Luke Fink on Saturday.
Josiah Fallaise laid down an unstoppable performance in his black C6 Corvette, fighting his way through the Last Chance 16 on Saturday to make second place, to ultimately claiming victory in the Main Show battles on Sunday. As the sun set at the end of the weekend, Fallaise was crowned champion. Lee Yearwood took second place in his red S15. Luke Fink, who ultimately drove four different vehicles over the weekend, took third.
After a long weekend of precision drifting, burning tire smoke, and a couple of lost bumpers, LZ World Tour’s return to E-Town delivered on its promise to be the wildest U.S. stop yet. Between high-speed heroics and a passionate crowd, the event cemented itself as a must-attend spectacle in the drifting world.
Be sure to check out some of the other photos from the event below!
