Before I get to the surprise, let's talk about March's theme. For this month, Speedhunters will be focusing on Meets.
Has it really been a month since my last editorial? For me it seems like it was just a week ago that I announced our February theme, yet here we are saying hello to March. Rod and I have been incredibly busy the past couple of months with the upcoming release of SHIFT2 UNLEASED, but we've also been working on a nice Speedhunters surprise for this month.
In underground parking garages, empty lots and industrial estates, informal meets occur the world over. Car meets are all about informal, relaxed gatherings. No pretense, no trophies, no spotlights. While outsiders may look on with disdain and label us as hoons, we all know that they couldn't be any further from the truth.
Rain, hail or shine (OK, perhaps not hail), enthusiasts congregate to feed and grow off one another. In many ways, these informal meets are the lifeblood of car culture.
Meets are all about rubbing shoulders with like-minded people, regardless of how quirky your tastes might be!
Sure, meets are a chance to check out each other's rides...
...But for me, meets are as much about the people as they are about the cars.
It's a chance to put faces to usernames and to understand the builders behind the cars. And like you, over the years I've forged many friendships with strangers I've met at meets.
This month, the Speedhunters team will be attending meets across the globe, and we're sure it'll be a cool insight into each country's street scene.
Mike Garrett will also be putting a call-out for readers to submit their suggestions of meets we should attend, and we're inviting forums to submit photos from their recent gatherings.
So enough of the suspense. At the end of this month, Speedhunters will also be holding it's first ever meet! To celebrate the launch of SHIFT2 UNLEASHED, Speedhunters and Team Need for Speed will be holding a So-Cal meet in LA, and it's shaping up to be quite an exciting event. We have some cool partners on board, so stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. We hope you're excited as we are!
It's become a tradition to dedicate the first week of March to Skylines, and Speedhunters will once again have a special on Nissan's hero car.
Dino will practically be camping out at Daikoku to snap Japan's celebration of GT-Rs.
In Australia, Casey will be featuring the hard-tuned R35 built by Mercury Motorsports...
...While Ross will be focusing on the 1200hp SVA R34 GT-R.
Rod will be continuing his spotlights on the cars in SHIFT2 UNLEASHED, so it's the perfect opportunity to reveal some of the GT-Rs in the game...
...Including the Sumo Power GT1 GT-R.
Last week Rod and I made the trip to Abbotsford, where we paid a visit to Force Fed Racing to meet up with some of the Drift Safari crew.
We also took the opportunity to check out the Fraser Valley World of Wheels, so expect coverage of that in the coming days.
Mike will be on hand for the Hotchkis track day at Willowsprings...
...And will also be bringing you coverage of XDC Drift from Irwindale.
Over in Europe, Ross I'anson has just returned from Mallory Park in the UK.
There's something about grassroots drift meets like this that we simply love.
Linhbergh will be off to Texas for Import Reactor, held at the popular Anime Matsuri event.
And unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know that one of Japan's fabled tuners, Smoky Nagata, will once again be in attendance.
This time however, he'll be bringing his Top Secret V12 Supra to American shores...
...And will be unleashing the Supra at the Texas Mile!
Dino's monthly serving from Japan includes a feature on Varis' carbon-clad EVO X.
Dino will also be at Idlers Games, undoubtedly one of the coolest events held at Tsukuba.
If you're a motorsports fan like we are, then you've probably been dying for the 2011 season to kick off. This month we'll have full coverage of D1 Tokyo Drift...
...Along with MSC in Mobara.
Over in New Zealand, Matt Malcolm covered the eventful Rockstar D1NZ in Taupo.
The ALMS season opener begins at Sebring, and hopefully Tommy Milner has the perfect debut for Corvette Racing.
Kind of like the debut of Team Need for Speed's newest driver, Fredric Aasbo. Fredric took out the Formula D event at Abu Dhabi, and he'll be bringing you his personal account of his first ever FD victory.
With SHIFT2 UNLEASHED and our So-Cal meet, it's looking like a busy month for the Speedhunters team, but hopefully you'll agree that March is shaping up rather nicely!
- Charles Kha
Source: speedhunters.com
