A Lamborghini drifting? Throw all expectations out the window. These next 10 seconds are going to blow you away.

We've been working on something special with Sam and Stina Hübinette and wanted to give you all a little peek (because it's awesome). It's not every day you get to see a one-of-a-kind Lamborghini Huracán with an aggressive Vorsteiner Novara Edizone Aero Package, custom hydraulic handbrake and meaty Nitto TireNT555 G2s. Now picture that carbon fiber drift machine ripping around a tight Lamborghini Newport Beach lot only inches away from other brand new Lamborghinis. This is only a tease, but we might already have to put out a storm warning!

There's a Huracán brewing. Be ready on 11/1/16. Umbrellas optional.

(Photos by: Jonathan Wong / Video by: Donut Media)

For 26 years running, the Chile Challenge has been home to some of the best rockcrawling action in the U.S. This year, the event took place at Caballo Lake State Park Riverside Campground. Every morning participants staged for their trails and headed out on a short drive to the trailheads. Crystal Canyon was on the agenda for the day, a difficult-rated trail that gets down to business right away.

Towards the beginning of the trail is a climb up a dry waterfall nestled in a narrow canyon. The trick is to line up on the far right  then work to the left once the rear tires start to climb. The longer wheelbase rigs made quick work of the climb while others struggled. This Land Cruiser running Trail Grapplers had no trouble finding the right line.

Once the group made it up the waterfall, the fun continued. Here, the canyon takes a turn and goes down a small, rocky ledge.

Sometimes you just have to float a tire in the air to make forward progress. This turn caught a few leaf-sprung rigs by surprise.

One final challenge in Crystal Canyon is the V-notch. Pick the wrong line, and you may find yourself lifting a tire and leaning into the rock wall. Once past this point, the trail becomes easier all the way to the top.

Another Day, Another Trail

This time, we lined up for The Shaft to Off Again. Both of these trails are rated extreme and require a minimum of 37-inch tires, lockers and a winch. The Shaft boasts a series of difficult ledges near the top of the canyon, the first of which has three different lines that work for different vehicles. This Jeep YJ had a short wheelbase and was low and stable in off-camber situations. He chose the far right line and crawled straight up.

Another Jeep YJ in the group had a much different build philosophy, with big tires, 2½-ton Rockwell axles and a much higher ride height to clear the large differentials. On the same ledge, he chose to go right up the middle with some throttle.

Challenging Brandon

On Friday, Jim was our trail leader on Brandon’s Challenge in a Formula Toyota buggy. This short canyon is filled with non-stop boulders that offers multiple lines throughout.

Several vendors came out to support the event and got some trail time in between manning their booths. Iron Rock Off Road brought out its recently completed Jeep project.

The action was non-stop as our large group stretched through the entire canyon. This is just one of many sections along the trail that offers several lines to choose from.

At the end of Brandon’s Challenge is a small, jagged ledge between two large boulders. Climb the wall on the left side or split the two large rocks on the right as this Jeep TJ did. A narrow road leads back to the main access road from here.

Green Canyon is one of the major arteries through the area and is the jumping-off point for many of the other trails run during the event. The canyon itself can offer a full day of challenges. We caught up with Synergy Manufacturing’s JK twisting its way through the polished boulders.

All of these trails are found near the Caballo Mountains in the high desert. Many of the canyons are narrow and traverse through some harsh terrain. Several species of cactus and yucca dot the hillsides along with a variety of other desert life. While we stuck to the harder rockcrawling canyons, several trail offerings explore the more scenic roads in the area.

A Spicy Event

By now, you may be asking yourself: Why is it called the Chile Challenge?

The Rio Grande valley lies just to the west of these trails and is home to the world-famous Hatch Chile. Every day we passed fields of Chile plants on our way to the trails. If you finish your trails early, make the short drive down to the small town of Hatch and indulge in a green Chile cheeseburger; you'll thank us later!

Want to see more 'wheeling from out west? Check out our other Trail Reviews outside California.

“When you say 'LS-swapped Porsche,' everyone thinks some bastard redneck race car,” says Aaron Kaufman of Fast N’ Loud’s Gas Monkey Garage in reference to their latest episode’s Porsche 996 build. To be honest, that’s exactly what we thought as we headed to Dallas to check out the car for ourselves. What we found may be a bit redneck, but only in the rip-roarin’, out-to-have-a-good-time, very best sort of way.

One of the things we love about Gas Monkey Garage is that they’re always switching things up. One week they may be building an old pickup and the next this trackable-daily-driver Porsche 996. Whatever they’re building, it’s a combination of what Richard finds and what Aaron and the rest of the team thinks is cool.

For this one, it was a combination of Aaron seeing an LS-swapped Porsche the year before and loving the idea of it, plus Richard finding this convertible 996 for a steal. Delete the high-cost Porsche motor and replace it with something you could build in the parking lot if you needed to, and you're left with a hopped up Porsche that should be easy to maintain and give you loads of fun on the road.

“We put a lot effort into making sure the serviceability and drivability came first,” says Aaron. That meant modifying the JT Mode fender flares to work with the altered GT3 997 front nose in addition to making sure all of the custom bits seemed as stock as possible. The LS-swap utilized a kit from Renegade Hybrids, who’ve been tackling modified Porsches for 30 years now.

“As far as the widebody wheels, tires and stance – it’s kind of a combination between stance stuff and Cup Car suspension. We wanted something that was very aggressive on the suspension to match a very aggressive powertrain,” notes Aaron. “The car’s corner balanced, set-up right. It drives somewhere between a track day car and an everyday driver.”

Speaking of driving it, Gas Monkey Marketing Director Jonathan (and stunt-double for Aaron) admits this Porsche might be the funnest car he's ever driven. And since he gets driving duties on all of the Gas Monkey builds, that’s saying something. “The Ford GT is the GT... but since it’s worth three times my house, you’re just terrified the entire time driving it," he says. "This thing? It’s just straight fun.”

Much of that fun is delivered by a stock GM Performance LS3 engine with a hot cam, laying down 420 ft/lbs of torque to its Nitto Invos wrapped around aluminum 3-piece Rotiform wheels. The Cup Car-styled suspension components come from Elephant Racing added to by H&R Coilovers.

“I can’t believe they’re not all built this way,” exclaims Aaron after testing it on the track next to Richard’s 911 Turbo S. “Porsche builds an incredible car, but it’s just beyond my price range, and I think it’s beyond a lot of people’s price range. Sure, you can own one, but when it starts to fall apart, the expense is quite high.”

For the LS-swapped Porsche 996, “The balance of the car has only been affected in a positive way. It weighs less than a turbo car, we make more power than a turbo car.” At the track, the difference of the LS-swapped 996 versus Richard’s 911 Turbo S was just 6 mph at the speed trap. Taking into account that the Turbo S has a $200k price tag up against what Aaron estimates could be built at home for $40k, that’s not too bad.

“Our little junkyard car is close,” notes Aaron. In fact, he likes it so much he says he’s planning on putting together a similar, hardtop version for himself. Could this be a replacement for his current racer-Falcon? Only time will tell...

“People drive up and say, ‘What’s wrong with your car?! Is there a ‘Vette following you?’,” exclaims Aaron. “It’s neat. It really is.”

Photos by: Tim Sutton

VEHICLE SPECS

2000 Porsche 996

• BUILT FOR: Gas Monkey Garage by Aaron Kaufman, Jason Aker, Charles Cimino, Jeremy Cheatham, Mike Coy and Keenon Hons
• LOCATION: Dallas, TX ENGINE: GM Performance LS3; stock internals with hydraulic roller cam (.525/.525 lift, 219°/228° duration)
• POWER: 432 rwhp, 420 ft/lbs torque
• TRANSMISSION: stock with B&M short throw shifter
• SUSPENSION: Double Elephant Racing Components (front and rear), H&R Coilovers (front and rear)
• WHEELS: Rotiform TMB (19x9”, 19x11”), Nitto Invo tires (225-35-19, 275-30-19)
• BODY: JT Mode fender flares and deck lid, 997 GT3 front end conversion, factory silver paint
• SPONSORS: GM Performance/ Scoggin Dickey Chevrolet, H&R Coilovers, Rotiform Wheels, JT Mode

Daikokufuto PA (or Daikoku, for short) is a Japanese car culture mecca of sorts. After scrolling through online photo galleries and reading about the astounding variety and sheer number of cars that visit each weekend, some may question, “It can’t really be that amazing, can it?”

Like most American rest stops, there are refreshments and parking spots aplenty, but everyone knows that has nothing to do with why visitors from around the world make sure to stop by this man-made island in Yokohama Harbor. The enormous, sweeping ramps that corkscrew around the parking area to bring cars down to ground level act as an immediately recognizable backdrop to everything from USDM lowriders and Italian exotics to RAUH-Welt Porsches and JDM sportscars draped in iconic race liveries every weekend. Granted, the police step in when it gets too late or too full, and nobody likes to stay when the rain begins to pour, but this influx of cars still show up more reliably than those “Fri-yay” puns from your aunt on Facebook each week.

Visitors on the weekend really need to set aside an hour or two to watch as cars leave and new ones roll in like the tides in the harbor, but you can even spot gems in the lot throughout the week as well. There’s something about being immersed in a sea of Nissan Skylines, JCCS-worthy JDM legends and crazy neon light-laced showcars that blasts right past that "I-must-be-dreaming" level and straight to "I'm-definitely-dreaming" levels. All that being said, the answer to “It can’t really be that amazing, can it?” is a definite and resounding yes. So much, in fact, that it’s nearly impossible to catch it all.

Luckily, you can also check out our Facebook Live video from our visit below:

A huge thank you to Keisuke and TRUEFITCREW Japan for the transportation and warm welcome to Yokohama.

Make sure you catch our photo gallery at the top!

Love it or hate it, engine swaps have become a normal occurrence in the import scene. American V8s (LS motors, to be specific) power numerous street cars, amateur cars and pro cars alike. In Japan, you'll find occurrences along the same lines, with larger engines being stuffed into smaller chassis for better power-to-weight numbers. However, that's not the topic of today's discussion. Today is an appreciation of factory-allotted straight six power from Toyota: the JZ engine and the owners that love them.

Straight Up Love for the Straight Six

Each year at Fuji Speedway, tucked into the misty countryside of Oyama, Japan, the distinct sound of Toyota power plants cuts through the fog. Although the name is technically "All Japan 1JZ Drift Meeting," 2JZ and 1.5JZ powered autos are now allowed to attend and drift around the outer lots of Fuji. Since adding the 1.5 and 2JZ, the number of factory-produced JZ cars in attendance has jumped to over 25 different models (and that doesn't even count the numerous cars around the parking lot with JZ transplants under the hood). This engine-specific meet (rather than marque or model-specific) allows for a commonality and bond between attendees, while still offering a variety of cars to drool over and photograph.

Luckily the event allowed us to scour the parking lots for hidden gems and watch the big bodied JZ drift cars slide about in the rain for a few hours, so enjoy the big gallery at the top!

Want more JZ? Read why we especially love the 2JZ-GTE.

As cool as it is to see cars built to exceed their inherent levels of performance in ways complementary to their OEM design, there’s something truly impressive about seeing a car built to perform at those higher levels across the board, even in areas that may not have been of primary concern on the drawing board.

Take muscle cars, for example. We can’t begin to count how many times we’ve seen them churn out power and torque several times over their stock levels, and blast straight-line acceleration in a fraction of the time they could from the factory (see our recent NMCA West coverage for more).

Each and every time, it’s impressed us and left us wanting more. But even more awe-inspiring (at times, bewildering) is seeing them do that while also out-braking, out-cornering, and out-lapping their smaller, lighter, later-model performance brethren.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF AUTOCROSS

Autocross – where “going fast” is more about maintaining as much speed around a course as possible, rather than going faster in a straight line than the other guy. Here, braking performance, suspension setup, weight distribution, heat management, aerodynamics and grip in all directions are just as much of a concern (or more) as power production.

It’s a game the smaller, lighter and nimbler cars are naturally better suited for, but one in which—if the turnout of this round of competition at Fontana has taught us anything—an impressively wide variety of vehicle can excel, given the right attention.

MEET HOTCHKIS, THE “NITTO” OF PERFORMANCE SUSPENSIONS

Just as Nitto Tire has been making the best high-performance tires for nearly 70 years, Hotchkis Sport Suspension has been doing one thing better than most for over 30 years: developing performance suspensions. Today they offer everything from individual components to fully integrated systems for everything from late-model, high-performance imports and exotic sports cars to classic American muscle.

Even that O.G. Bronco or C10 pickup sitting behind the barn—they can make it a handling machine, and they test everything they make on their own 14-turn autocross track, located at their nearby facility in Santa Fe Springs, California. So it should come as no surprise that our Fontana autocross event was embraced by drivers of an equally wide variety of performance-tuned machines—Broncos and C10s, among them.

RULES OF THE AUTOX GAME

Competition in the Hotchkis Cup AutoX Series at the NMCA West Presented by NittoTire is divided into several classes to help level competition for various vehicles.

Unlimited | U

For purpose-built autocross machines, usually radically modified and far from street legal:

Modern Muscle | MM

For late-model Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger and Charger, etc.:

Classic Muscle | CM

For pre ‘82 muscle cars:

Sports Car | SC

For Chevy Corvette, Nissan 350Z/370Z, Mitsubishi EVO, Subaru WRX STI, miscellaneous V8-swapped models, etc.:

Compact | C

For Ford Focus and Fiesta, Honda Civic, Fiat 500, Dodge Neon, etc.:

Truck | T

For those Ford Bronco, Chevy C10, Nissan Hardbody pickup, El Camino, etc.:

Racing commences with each car lapping a course laid out in cones, completing the course clockwise on one of the event’s two days, and counterclockwise the second. Lap times are recorded, averaged through the day, over the two days of each event, and throughout a full season (minus any two-second penalties for hitting a cone), and prizes are awarded accordingly. There’s even a “beginner’s challenge” the Friday preceding official competition, and other awards are handed out along the way.

MOST IMPRESSIVE

Unsurprisingly, the fastest single laps of the event were clocked in by thoroughbred sports cars, led by:

David Carroll | ‘75 Datsun 280Z | :46.343

Dan Livezey | ‘04 Chevrolet Corvette | :46.864

Rick Jung | ‘03 Mitsubishi EVO | :46.918

Rita Wilsey | ‘02 Vette | :46.967

But more surprisingly—and very impressive—were some of the nearly-as-fast times in the Classic Muscle and Modern Muscle classes:

Greg Nelson | ‘14 Chevy Camaro | :47.156

Jordan Priestley | ‘16 Chevy Camaro | :47.496

Mike Cuthberton | ‘68 Camaro | :48.235

Chad Ryker | ‘68 Camaro | :48.744

But maybe most impressive were the fastest laps posted by the Truck guys (and girls), not too far off from their sports car and muscle competitors:

Wes D | ‘59 Apache | :48.546

Mike Sullivan | ‘65 El Camino | :49.929

Brandy Phillips | ‘72 Chevy C10 | :50.583

And for you Bronco fans, the one in attendance clocked a pretty respectable time:

Bill Kinsman | ’72 Bronco | :54.644

FINAL THOUGHTS

Out of dozens of competitors this time around, crowd favorites became the show-quality vintage and late-model domestics turning uncharacteristically fast lap times. Muscle, import, foreign and truck fans alike would agree—it was rad to see.

Curiously absent were the masses of Miatas, Civics and other compacts common to most autocross events, but with the final round of the season fast approaching later this month, we’re betting there will be plenty in store for fans of just about every machine imaginable.

Sound fun? Learn how to get your start in autocross, and make sure you check out more shots from this Hotchkis AutoX event in the gallery below.

The term "stance" is relatively new in Japan, but the concept has been around for decades. This is a case of Japanese trends being emulated and evolved abroad. That evolution is in turn picked up back in Japan and evolved even further. This was evident at this year's Stance Nation Japan G Edition car show.

Held in Odaiba, Tokyo, Stance Nation Japan's second annual event was a big one. All vehicles were pre-screened and had to be accepted to attend the outdoor event, with a limit of 940 spots. In addition, there were plenty of vendors, including well known tuners like Liberty Walk and Tra-Kyoto, as well as some you may not recognize, such as Garage-Ill and Speed Forme.

The biggest surprise for us was the variety of vehicles on display. VIP, Van, Spo-com and Kei were all well-represented, along with American, Euro and old school. There were, of course, some styles that were impossible to classify.

Though not as large as Tokyo Auto Salon, we feel that one day was not enough to appreciate everything Stance Nation Japan's show had to offer. Unfortunately, we probably missed a few details, or even entire cars.

What we did catch were plenty of cars to drool over and enough that had us scratching our heads. Here are some of the vehicles that stood out the most to us at Stance Nation Japan. We'll start with something that caused quite a stir this summer.

So Popular: Ferrari 348 TS

Shot by our friend Ron for Speedhunters, Ginpei's Ferrari 348 TS drew quite a large crowd.

If one car could represent the stance movement in Japan, it would be this. Whether you agree or not, anything that can be stanced, will be stanced.

Quite Conspicuous: Toyota Century

Japan is known for its small kei and compact cars, so when you see a Toyota Century, it sticks out like a sore thumb (not in a bad way!).

Produced by Garage Startin, it is definitely something we wouldn't mind being driven around in. Just hope we can make it in and out of driveways and through the extremely narrow streets!

Mixing It Up a Bit: RX-7 FD3S

This may make a lot of RX-7 purists cringe. Overfenders, front face conversion and big wheels made this FD3S stand out.

Personally, we will probably pass on this, but it is definitely different, which is something we have to give them credit for.

Side Show: Z-Project 350Z

Even outside the event area, there were plenty of cars that could have easily participated. While walking to the entrance, the Z-Project 350Z grabbed our attention with its striking color combination and aggressive lines.

You may recognize those lines as the same sported by the Mercury 350Z campaigning in Formula D Japan.

Van Slammed: RB Honda Odyssey

The RB Honda Odyssey has to be one of our all-time favorites. There is just something about the front face and low roof line that make it appear more like a wagon than a mini-van.

Of course it is nearly impossible to drive at this height, so the owner raises it up about three inches when he needs to actually get anywhere. Not sporting air suspension, we can only imagine how long it takes to make the adjustment.

Nissan Legends: Skyline GTR Hakosuka & Datsun Bluebird 510

A pair of immaculate classics built for the track, the Nissan Skyline GTR Hakosuka and Datsun Bluebird 510 have legend status both in the U.S. and Japan. It was awesome to see these two in such great condition.

Noteworthy: Daihatsu Mira Gino

We'll finish off our review with this crazy Daihatsu Mira Gino. Mr. Yamamoto single-handedly crafted this to race around his local circuits.

Essentially just lowering the body to the height he wanted, the suspension appears to have functional geometry to support retaining grip and steering. We're sure we'll be seeing more of this Daihatsu in the future.

There were plenty of other cars at the show, so check out the gallery below.

Forged in sport-compact drag racing’s heyday, Import Face-Off may not have soared to the multi-million-dollar heights that some of the largest and most profitable series of the time have enjoyed; but with each passing year, it has successfully done two things that have proven to be far more valuable than commercial success: Survive. And flourish. (See our coverage of Import Face-Off from last year.)

Plan of Attack

We think the secret lies in Import Face-Off’s humble mission: to bring import drag racing to the people – no competing with top-flight professional drag racing series for brand recognition, no fighting for TV time or even courting the fastest professional teams.

Throwing nearly as many events in a season as there are weeks in a year, in both popular and forgotten corners of the country alike, they’ve succeeded by catering to a segment of the market that will be around, looking for a race, long after the glitz and glamour are gone: the grassroots – people like us.

Bakersfield: California’s Midway

Basically in the middle of nowhere, an aging quarter-mile drag strip nestled in farmland might not seem the likely location for rival drag racing battles, but when that drag strip is located roughly equidistant from Southern California and the Bay Area – two of the state's strongholds for import drag racing – it makes sense. Add in participation from some Northwest and Four Corners shops and drivers, and – if you’re an import drag racer or fan – spending a day in rural central California can be rather exciting.

Heavy hitters from the SoCal street-scene came out in full force, such as “Driver B,” “Ritchieworks,” and the venerable Jerry Built crew, who were met with perennial drag racing efforts from the Darton Sleeves team, Loarca Racing and more. Other groups included the Bay’s Red Zone Performance, Sinister Racing, Hybridworks and Team Lightspeed Racing, to name a few.

And for every one of them were even more amateur SoCal and NorCal drag racers with impressive builds, fast heads-up blasts or consistent bracket-class performance. A few of the heavy hitters even took their rivalries one step further by entering their daily drivers and tow rigs in friendly competition.

Seizing the Day

Hundreds of competing racers, friends, family and fans filled Bakersfield’s Auto Club Famoso Raceway this time around, and the drag racing ensued like drag racing should: with excitement, suspense, hardships (fortunately few) and triumphs. Import Face-Off’s show portion of festivities was equally large and competitive, incurring an impressive presence from rival crews like Team Hybrid, Slammedenuff, NVUS, R-Rydes and more. It was good times, all around.

As the event drew to a close and all in attendance had gotten all the drag racing excitement they could take (or afford to repair from), we were reminded once again why Import Face-Off is still around and stronger than ever:

Everyone was smiling.

Smiling after having won, smiling after having lost, smiling while talking trash, smiling while waiting for that unexpected AAA tow to arrive, even smiling with gnarly sunburns.

No records were broken (that we’re aware of), no contracts were signed, not even a single TV camera was present. Just lots of drag racing and show action, in the summer California sun. And we can’t wait to do it all again.

See nearly 100 high-quality pics from the day in our gallery below, and don’t be afraid to rip and repost across your social sites! @DrivingLine 

Welcome to Driving Line's sixth episode of Talking Shift, a weekly series where we discuss the cool, weird, outlandish, dreamy and/or ugly vehicles we've stumbled upon recently. This time around we welcomed special guest Roy Narvaez of Narvaez Racing to talk shift with us for our second LIVE episode aired on Facebook. You may recognize Roy from some past Driving Line articles, including 360 Virtual Reality ride-alongs in his Hulk EVO 8 on Pikes Peak and Ariel Atom at Auto Club Speedway.

If you missed it LIVE, catch up on Talking Shift Episode 6 in the video below:

(And remember, you can still join in on all the shift talk in the comments!)

1. Lifted Life Power Wagon

ALI: There’s just not a lot of pristine examples of old 4x4s left in the South, so it's pretty cool anytime you see some vintage iron redone. I don't really care for the yellow accents on it, but it's a pretty cool-looking truck. Power Wagons have always been pretty popular in the off-road world, and it's neat to see someone do something different with it. I can't wait to check this thing out next week at the SEMA Show. It's got NittoRidge Grapplers and coilovers, and I believe it's got a diesel under the hood.

(Photo: @liftedlifetv)

KRISTIN: The snowmobile in the back is a little bit weird, but different.
JUSTIN: Like when you wanna rock climb, but in the snow at the same time.
ROY: Maybe he lives in Alaska.
KRISTIN: I love the front end of those trucks though. Gah, those years of those trucks are just golden in my book.

2. Happy Camper

KRISTIN: This one comes from the Ring Brothers, another car that's going to be at SEMA. They call this the Happy Camper and the Ultimate Road Trip Machine. On the inside they've got it decked out in a bar, some bucket seats, and beer refrigerator – exactly what I would like to take on a road trip.

JUSTIN: Except no drinking and driving.
ALI: Am I the only one that thinks this thing looks like the "Breaking Bad" Winnebago?
JUSTIN: Okay, so drinking and driving, and Ali's making a meth reference. Best road trip ever.
ROY: It's like a mobile bar, instead of a taco truck. But you have the taco truck next to it.

3. Street Racer

ROY: My Time Attack car. This is an '09 Nissan GTR. It's over 1,000 horsepower. It's a street car still, so I do drive it on the street, and it does really well at Time Attack. It runs on street tires. It has a bunch of modifications – arrow to suspension to transmission upgrades, water upgrades. It's my favorite car to drive – nothing like it. When the torque kicks in, the horsepower, there's nothing that compares to that car.

(Photo: @_gotzzlamonster)

JUSTIN: I have two questions. Why the two different colored wheels? And what's the fastest you've gone in it?
ROY: I thought it would be cool to have two colored wheels, but also when I went to go pick up the gold wheels at Mackin Industries, they didn't have four in stock, but they helped me out. The fastest I've gone? About 180 mph, but could probably go 200.
KRISTIN: So you driving us to lunch?
ROY: Well, there are only two seats, so there's only room for one other person.
KRISTIN: I'll go.

4. Ariel Nomad

ROY: You can literally drive to the desert, go have fun and then come home without having to worry about towing it to the dirt. For what it is, it's actually really fun.

(Photo: @_gottzlamonster via @notacarguy)

KRISTIN: What do you think of it, Ali? This is the off-road version of the Atom.
ALI: They are severely overpriced for the performance that you get out of it. This is super unique because it does have a lot of power. But I think it's going to be one of those cars like the Land Rover or Hummer H1 – people look at it, and they automatically assume that thing's gotta be awesome off-road! But it's cool for what it is. I think if I lived in the desert, it would be the perfect setup for that. It's just sort of a novelty vehicle.
KRISTIN: It's a gentleman's car.
ROY: It is street legal. You can literally drive to the desert, go have fun and then come home without having to worry about towing it to the dirt. For what it is, it's actually really fun.
JUSTIN: If you guys haven't seen it, we have a 360 video on the Ariel Atom on Driving Line, so check it out.

5. Daihatsu Mira Gino

JUSTIN: It's a Daihatsu Mira Gino. It sounds like I sneezed when I say it. This was at StanceNation's event in Japan. I thought it was a Mini Cooper at first... it just looks weird.

(Photo: @ys89_fotografie)

KRISTIN: I'd like to see the stock version of this car, because all I see when I look at this photo is that the windows are bigger than the doors. But it's cute. I want to pinch it.
JUSTIN: I believe it's even static, which makes it even crazier.
ALI: Yeah, that car's pure function right there.

6. Lambo Photoshop

ALI: This Hillbilly Photoshop keeps coming up on my Instagram feed. I see it everywhere. It's awesome. I like it, it's like the concept of the rally fighter, except they put a stupid Lamborghini body on it. I wish someone would do something like this. I've always wanted to take a like a Lotus Exige and make it look just like this, just to be obnoxious and different.

(Photo: @bestoffroad)

KRISTIN: You could never put that sort of suspension on any sort of Lambo frame.
ROY: Well, the Gallardo is all-wheel-drive, so you could modify it a little bit.
KRISTIN: I just want to know where you're going to pack in the ice chest and extra parts you need for off-roading in this things.
JUSTIN: Yeah, you don't.
ALI: I would think if you have a Lamborghini on 40's, you would have a support team that follows you around.
JUSTIN: This totally reminds me of Doug Breuninger's drawing, if you guys remember the Ferrari Re-Imagined video that we did. 

7. Cadillackin'

KRISTIN: And here we get to the car that Trump should be driving. This is called a Cordova. It's a mix between a Cadillac El Dorado and a Corvette. I just think it's gaudy and super awesome.

JUSTIN: Those lowrider-esque wheels look very battle-chariot, like if you drive too close to me, I'm going to pop your tires.
ROY: That's a lot of chrome, that's for sure.
ALI: I wonder if you took all the chrome, so everything that is chrome is black. Let's swap out the spoke for some mud terrains, and I actually don't think it would be that bad.
JUSTIN: It sounds like Ali just changed the car entirely. Like, let's just go with a whole new car.

8. Value Wheels

JUSTIN: I’m lovin’ it! You know everybody likes to venture to McDonalds and enjoy a McChicken every now and then, but would you want to go there in a Lambo?

(Photo: @thestradman)

KRISTIN: I just want to see them try to reach out the window and try to grab their order.
ROY: I've actually gone to Jack in the Box in the Ariel Atom.
JUSTIN: I can just imagine all the looks, like hey, I drive this super expensive car, but I'm going to get this value meal.

Beginning with King of The Hammers (KOH) and ending with the most exciting short course action of the series during the 4 Wheel Parts Nitto National Championship Presented by MetalCloak, the 2016 Ultra4 Racing season is now in the books. For the third year, the course at Wild West Motorsports Park outside Reno, Nevada, has provided an outstanding combination of short course racing with brutal rock climbs and challenging elevation changes that make Ultra4 so challenging. 

Part of the thrill of this race is that the points are a major factor in determining the year's National Champion. National points combine a driver’s KOH points, their best three series events and their National Championship race points. Coming into the event with a series point lead doesn't necessarily guarantee that a the driver will leave with the Championship title, and we saw this play out in the 2016 National race with many surprising turn of events.

Single Qualifying Laps Kick Off Championship Competition 

With a field of nearly 70 registered cars, the event started on Friday afternoon with a single-timed-lap Qualifier. Based on their Qualifying time, drivers were placed in one of three Heats Saturday morning, which in turn dictated inclusion and placement in the afternoon's Main race.

One at a time, cars went off the line, with JT Taylor sending the next car off as the previous car reached the halfway point. The 01:20 separation seemed like a safe cushion until JP Gomez, Jason Scherer and Clay Gilstrap laid down blistering 01:16 lap times, putting almost 2 seconds on the next closest competitors and locking up pole positions for their respective Heats.

Heat Races and Big Surprises 

With six laps per Heat, racers didn’t have much time to make their move into one of the top seven positions to advance into the Main. Racing was aggressive but controlled, as teams knew they had to keep their car together for the Main, and a mishap in Heat racing could potentially end their day. Each of these races featured adrenaline-fueled excitement for the sold-out crowd.

Shannon Campbell started side-by-side with Gomez and maintained the lead throughout Heat #1. A couple of flips and mechanical issues kept a number of racers from moving forward into the Main, including Tom Wayes and Derek West.

Scherer began Heat #2 aside Levi Shirley, who stayed close behind him throughout. Erik Miller had been working his way through the pack the first few laps before an incident put him at the back of the pack, sending him to the B Main Heat for another chance at qualifying for the Main.

Gilstrap and Loren Healy launched off the line in Heat #3 with Healy jumping ahead, although not putting much distance between he and his opponent. Josh Blyler in his new Miller Motorsports Pro Series chassis did one heck of a job driving as well.

More drivers had issues on this round, including Jeff McCullough, who wowed the crowd at the race’s end with a roll over the rock garden at the start/finish line.

For those who didn’t advance, the B Main Heat offered a second chance. With only five drivers moving on to the Main, this race featured enough talent to stand on its own as an event in its own right! Miller, Healy, Tony Pelligrino, Cody Addington, West and Wayes led a field of competitors determined to drive hard and make the Main after suffering a multitude of challenges in the Heats.

The tension and pressure of moving on to the Main kicked the race's intensity up a notch, as each driver knew this might be their last chance. Wayes took an early lead, while Healy followed closely behind, with the two drivers taking the first and second spots. Miller suffered a setback to his Points Championship goal after suffering steering failure, which left the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) as his only hope.

Only two laps in length, the LCQ was electrifying and quite possibly the best laps of Ultra4 Racing ever! 26 cars lined up for their last ditch effort, with only two spots available in the Main. Miller started dead last – again. Could he pull off another amazing “come from behind miracle” like his win at Dirty Turtle Off Road Park, or was his chance at being both the King and Champion in the same season over?

After one lap, Miller had worked himself into 7^th position. The crowd was on their feet and cheering every position he advanced. However, with every driver giving it 200 percent, his efforts were not enough. Addington and Jon Cagliero took the top spots and moved on to the Main, leaving Miller on the outside looking in – a position he is not used to. The thrill of winning KOH was now tempered with the disappointment of ending a strong season without a Points Championship.

Jockeying for Position in the 4400 Main Event

For the big Main event, laps doubled in amount, up to 12, putting drivers on a course where anything could happen. The other big change had drivers going down the main rock hill rather than up as they had in the Heat races. The Main race featured Hotsprings winner Gilstrap in pole position, followed by MetalCloak Stampede winner Campbell in his “Dragon Slayer," Fallon 250 winner Scherer in 3^rd and Ferravanti in 4^th.

Jumping into the lead as the green flag dropped, Campbell looked like a man on a mission with Gilstrap staying close on his heels. Gomez, Scherer and Ferravanti formed a second group of competitors battling for position behind the two leaders. Drivers Shane Chiddix and Andrew McLaughlin would get hung up in the first corner, dropping them from 6th and 11^th, respectively, to the back of the entire pack less than 30 seconds into the race.

Action was spread out all across the course with the leaders battling it out and back-of-pack drivers working their way to the front. Wild West Motorsports Park offers a commanding view of the entire track, and spectators were on their feet in excitement with their biggest challenge taking in all the action at once. As drivers aggressively jumped and bounced their way through the finish line rock garden, huge cheers went up for the wildest rides.

Midway through the race in this rock garden, fans saw race leader Campbell inexplicably slow down, moving from super-human “Shannon Campbell speed” down to a more normal “human speed.” This allowed Gilstrap to take the lead and try to stay in front of Scherer, Gomez and Farravanti, who were quickly closing in as lap traffic came into play. Experiencing mechanical issues, Campbell made the difficult choice to drive more conservatively and finish in order to protect his National Points. 

Healy had been spending the race powering to the front of the pack from his back-of-the-line starting position, but time was running out. Top drivers such as Wayes and Shirley were already out of the race, and Jason Shipman had just pulled over. Gilstrap started to run further away from the other lead cars until he encountered lap traffic.

With Shannon Campbell pacing slower, son Wayland Campbell had taken up the “Campbell Wild Man” mantle and was making a charge for the front. Meanwhile, Ferravanti was able to get around Shipman and Scherer and started making a serious push for the lead.

In this drama-filled day, one final surprise was bound to happen. At the end of the 11^th lap, within sight of the “1-lap-to-go” white flag, race leader Gilstrap took a tumble, landing on his car’s lid. This opened the door for Ferravanti to take the lead.

In a battle for 2^nd, Scherer had his hands full with Gomez, while Wayland Campbell, Paul Horschel and Healy made their final push for the podium. All Ferravanti had to do was keep his car together for one last lap to claim his first ever Ultra4 Racing victory. 

Taking an "all-or-nothing" approach, Gomez launched his car across the rock garden in a dramatic, breathtaking fashion (not unlike what Miller did last year,) to edge out Scherer for 2^nd place.

Always fast and competitive, Ferravanti finally took 1^st place as the Ultra4 checkered flag fell. "It's great," he exclaimed, "I can't believe we won!" In a season full of first-time winners, this victory was long overdue for Ferravanti.

Gary Ferravanti Sr. Takes Checkered; Jason Scherer Takes the Title 

As Ferravanti celebrated his race win by waving the checkered flag, Team Nitto driver Scherer popped the top on a bottle of champagne to ring in his National Championship Points victory. Putting together a masterful season of podium finishes (including his first win in his new car at Fallon), Scherer raised his hands high in celebration and relief as his hard-fought battle over the 2016 season had finally come to a close.

While it makes for exciting racing, this points format also sets the stage for disappointment. 2016 KOH winner Miller entered the final race of the season as the National Points leader, but after missing the Main, he dropped from 1^st to 6^th overall. Despite the frustration from the Final race, his season was a great success with much to be proud of, including becoming a member of the rare “Two-Time King of The Hammers” club.

Jason Scherer is the 2016 Ultra4 Racing National Champion, adding to his fellow Team Nitto drivers' victories this year. Erik Miller clinched 1^st place at the Trail Gear Western Regional Series, and Jason Shipman at the 4WD Hardware Eastern Regional Series.

Congratulations to the 2016 Top 10 4400 Finishers:

1. Jason Scherer
2. Shannon Campbell
3. Clay Gilstrap
4. Jason Shipman
5. Wayland Campbell
6. Erik Miller
7. Brian Caprara
8. Baily Campbell
9. Levi Shirley
10. Andrew McLaughlin

4 Interesting Facts About the Top 10

Before wrapping this up, we’ll leave you with a few tidbits of information about the Top 10 you may not know:

1. Six of the cars are built by Campbell Enterprises.
2. This is the 2^nd year in a row that the three Campbells (Shannon, Wayland and Bailey) have finished in the Top 10.
3. Two of the drivers were not in the Top 10 prior to the final race.
4. Eight of the Top 10 were in IFS cars. Conventional wisdom, however, says it still takes a solid axle car to win KOH.

Based on this exciting end to the 2016 season, we have a lot to look forward to in 2017. As they say, “See you on the Lakebed” at KOH 2017!

Stay tuned for additional galleries and race coverage of the other Ultra4 classes!

Photos By: Kyle Wells, Doug Dienelt, Shana Whitford, Alan Johnson and Kristin Cline

Stage rallies are challenging for both race teams and media crews alike; weather conditions vary from rain, snow or shine, and courses range from oily muck to rutted gravel. Each stage could be set miles apart with tricky access points for spectating. While drivers race for their next best time, photographers aim for their next best shot. It’s a rush we simply can’t resist.

Some of the best rally cars are seen at the Rally America National Championship, and we were there for the eighth and final round – the Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) in Houghton, Michigan. It comes every year just in time for the peak fall colors, and the 15 stages of this year’s event did not disappoint.

Friday, October 14, before fans scattered to the spectating areas, crowds gathered at the Parc Expose to gawk at rally cars and chat with the race teams. The crowd swarming around pro-drivers Travis Pastrana and David Higgins went to extremes.

Once the first rally car rumbled back to life, everyone dispersed like a raindrop on an anthill and headed to the competitors’ first challenge.

A Rally Car Mud Bog

The cars got dirty early into the first stage, where a muddy .23-mile course was roped off on the Fairgrounds. It was a hippo’s paradise, but not for long: with each car’s passing, the ruts dug deeper, and the four-wheel-drives repeatedly split the sludgy lake in half like Moses.

The two-wheel-drive cars made it through at full-throttle, and the GMC Sonoma looked right at home with its extra-long mud flaps dragging across the surface.

Alas, the teams still had bigger fish to fry. After the mud war came to an end, racers headed to the next start line while spectators rushed to their post in the woods to listen for the faint hint of an engine’s rev or a blowoff valve’s hiss. Every five minutes, a car would skid around a corner into sight and race right by out of sight, leaving echoes of exhaust backfires.

For spectators, it was a game of “hurry up and wait.” After each stage, everyone hastily picked up and drove (some hiked) to the next location. For media, the next best shot was all about being in the right location at the perfect time.

This series of events continued into the night, when often the only visible things were blinding headlights and red-hot rotors. Instead, it was all about the sounds after sunset: burley exhaust notes, harsh, smile-inducing backfires and whirring turbos.

Late Nights and Early Rising

We kicked Saturday morning off with coffee and rally cars at the Parc Expose in L’Anse, and found that hundreds of spectators had the same idea. While avoiding two-legged traffic, we spotted a row of vintage rally cars neatly displayed near the waterside.

Before leaving for the morning’s first stage, Subaru Rally Team USA pro-driver Travis Pastrana took a moment to update us on Friday’s events.

“The vehicle’s setup is spot-on," he said, "and we are running with no mechanical issues, which puts us in a good position for the final day."

Let the Races Begin

More than 10 entrants were down for the count by day two, and the light overnight rains and spitting sprinkles throughout the day caused some low-traction areas, as witnessed by the progressive damage on various vehicles. Overall, however, the day held perfect, temperate rally weather for both drivers and spectators alike. 

New to the event this year was a city stage formed with concrete barriers in downtown Houghton. Immense energy radiated from thousands of excited onlookers. Some folks had to get creative to catch a glimpse of the action.

On ground level, exhaust backfires and rev limiters echoed between the tall brick buildings while the erotic perfume of race gas whirled up our nostrils. The cement walls looked intimidating; squealing tires and intense body roll action around the sharp corners complemented the challenging course.

The Diverse World of Rally Racing

Anything from a 2016 Subaru WRX STI to a 1974 Ford Capri could be seen kicking up gravel and slop at the Lake Superior Performance Rally.

Travis Wallick and Cameron Carr competed for the first time in a mellow yellow 1976 Volkswagen Golf recently imported into the U.S. from Finland three months prior.

Drivers fought varying course conditions throughout the weekend’s 15 stages, and several teams were forced to forfeit; but some, like the Relentless Rally Team, stuck it out against all odds.

“The power steering rack on the car blew on the first stage of day two,” reported driver Dylan Helferich, “but we pushed through and finished 4^th in our class.”

And the Winners Are…

The much-admired 1991 Porsche 911 handled by Ramana Lagenmann and Nathalie Richard drifted into 1^st in 2WD and 6^th place overall.

Team Subaru dominated the stages. Driver David Higgins with co-driver Craig Drew boosted ahead to 1^st place with a 1:32:06.8 overall time, while Travis Pastrana and Robbie Durant trailed behind in 2^nd, trailing by just 1:32.5.

With the conclusion of this season, post-rally depression is bound to set in, so we made sure to provide plenty of photos for your viewing pleasure to hold you over until the 2017 opening season at Sno*Drift in Atlanta, Michigan, in the gallery below.

It’s a wear item. That’s a phrase not many like to hear. Most commonly, it coincides with your vehicle’s brakes, tires or wiper blades. For Jeep Wrangler owners with a soft top, it unfortunately includes the fabric covering their heads. Be it mud, trees, the weather, or constant pounding from the sun, your Wrangler's soft top will eventually need to be replaced.

While the soft top frame is usually reusable (assuming you haven’t played too rough off-road), you can get away with simply replacing the fabric itself. Compared to the poor souls who fork over crazy money to have their cars convertible top redone, replacing your Jeep’s soft top is an inexpensive and easy affair. Our friend’s 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon was in desperate need of a new soft top after nearly 10 years of use had taken its toll. With the Jeep’s soft top frame in fine shape, he opted to order a XHD Black Diamond replacement top from Rugged Ridge.

Mud-stained, torn and ready for the garbage – the stock soft top from this 2007 JK was in rough shape. Be sure to inspect your door surrounds for damage when removing your top as well. The plastic units are very susceptible to damage off-road. 

To remove the old fabric from the JK’s soft top frame, you’ll simple unscrew the top using a Philips head screwdriver. Once you reach the header panel, you’ll flip over the fabric to access the screws that attach the header.

To make the install go more easily, be sure to let the top sit in the sun for at least an hour. If the weather is on the cooler side, the material may fight you a little. Temperatures above 70-degrees are ideal.

The hardest part of the install isn’t that difficult so long as you use a little tape. To make sure the header sits in the front channel evenly, you’ll need to tape the fabric approximately every six inches to the inside of the header panel. Once the top is even and aligned properly, you can start to reassemble the header panel. Another set of hands will help as well.

Once you have the main panel screws in place, be sure to check that the stitching below remains even across the entire panel. It’s critical that the front of the top rests in the channel evenly and isn’t bunched in one spot.

Just as it was from the factory, your soft top will get hook-and-loop-wrapped to the first crossbar. The next bar will be secured using the stock hardware. 

The same will go for the final rear brace as well. We opted to screw the fabric to the frame once we had it back on the Jeep to make sure everything was properly aligned.

There’s no relearning with the Rugged Ridge XHD soft top as it clips to the door surrounds, the same as stock. The material will be a little tight the first time you secure it to the surrounds, but it will get easier to install and remove as time passes.

Heavy duty zippers as well as hook-and-loop strips ensure that the windows fit snugly in place. Sewn-in plastic inserts will hook the channels on the Wrangler's tub.

Included with the top were 30-mil tinted windows, which match the stock privacy glass nicely. If you do happen to damage one on the trail, you can purchase a replacement separately. The rear window reuses the stock window bar, which allows you to keep window tension and prevents elements from seeping in.

Overall, we were impressed with the fit and finish of the Black Diamond series top material. In comparison to the stock JK top, we would say the initial quality is definitely on par. Obviously, this 40-inch Nitto Trail Grappler-equipped 1-ton Wrangler is far from stock, so time will tell how the top holds up to the elements and the trail.

For more from Rugged Ridge, see our review of their receiver kit.

When it comes to building a trail rig, the old adage of "K.I.S.S." (Keep It Simple, Stupid) shouldn’t be ignored. When you're out in the middle of nowhere, the last thing you want is added complexity by design. For nearly 30 years, the Jeep Wrangler has been the poster child for rugged and simplistic off-road machines. After all, it’s the only modern 4x4 you can purchase with removable doors, top and solid front and rear axles.

While the advanced electronics in the 2007 to current Wrangler platform are known to cause a little headache from time to time, it hasn’t stopped ‘wheelers from modifying the platform to extreme measures. Nearing 10 years in production, the early models of the JK are finally settling in price. This has opened up the platform for more extreme and trail-dedicated build strategies.

A great example of this can be seen with Max DurJava’s 2007 Jeep Wrangler. The stretched two-door has been a continual work-in-progress (like most Jeeps), with the majority of the work coming from the Jeep builders at Low Range 4x4 in Wilmington, North Carolina.

While there’s still more to be done to this well-built two door, we wanted to show you this killer setup. 

The 3.8L engine isn’t a fan favorite among many Jeep enthusiasts. However, when you start plucking weight from the Wrangler, the modest V-6 doesn’t feel as anemic. DurJava didn’t want to push his luck by boosting the original engine, so it remains mostly stock.

In true purist fashion, this JK doesn’t have a power-robbing automatic, but rather a six-speed manual gearbox. Splitting power between the axles is an NVG231 transfer case. A set of Tom Wood’s Custom Drive Shafts replace the stock drivelines. Both ‘shafts are fit with 1310 Double Cardan joints at the T-case and 1310 U-joints at the differentials.

Up front, you’ll find a high-pinion Dana 44 front axle, which was transplanted from Rubicon JK. A sleeve and gusset kit from EVO Manufacturing was installed to fortify the front end, while 5.13 gears were paired with the stock E-Locker. A steering upgrade is next on the list as the fully locked front end can be a handful to steer when the Mud Grapplers take hold.

Gone are the original front coil buckets and short-arm suspension, and in their place are EVO MFG coilover towers and long-arm kit. This shock setup secures a 2.0, 12-inch-travel King coilover, which has been built to EVO-spec. The inner fender kit is an all-aluminum setup from Crawler Conceptz.

Out back, an EVO MFG truss braces the Rubicon Dana 44 rear axlehousing. As is the case with the front, a set of 5.13 differential gears were mated to the Rubicon’s electronic locker. Keeping the axle centered is a custom track bar. 

The EVO long arm kit utilizes the stock control arm mounts on the JK’s frame. This setup pushes the rear axle back roughly eight inches, giving the two door a more stable 104-inch wheelbase. The 0.250-wall lower arms secure Johnny Joints at each end, making them durable and easy to service.

With the rear axle pushed so far back, the Jeep’s primary builders at Low Range 4x4 had to come up with a new way of supporting the rear of the JK. To fit DurJava’s needs and wants, Low Range owner Kelly Carter crafted a custom coilover setup that secures 12-inch-travel King coilovers.

To make sure the Jeep had a nice balance of travel, the EVO-spec coilovers were sent through the rear portion of the Jeep’s tub. The custom tower and block-plate system is slated to get more work as a custom bed-mounted tire carrier is in the works.

Pushing the rear axle back meant new body lines were necessary to make room for the tires. To keep the weight down and the tub looking clean, aluminum stretch corners from EVO MFG were installed.

This Jeep spends most of its time in the southeast trails, which often requires an aggressive mud-terrain tire. This was accomplished by a set of 37x13.50R17 NittoMud Grapplers. To ensure he could get the most performance possible out of the extreme treads, a set of 17x9 M2W beadlock wheels were installed.

While the four-door Unlimited JK seems to be the most common JK build platform, the two-door is still one of our favorites for ‘wheeling. This setup is proof that you don’t need a V-8 and 1-ton axles to have a fun and functional trail JK.

Enjoy some live action of the Jeep in the video below:

Hard Facts

MODEL: 2007 Jeep Wrangler
ENGINE: 3.8L V-6
TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual
TRANSFER CASE: NVG241
FRONT AXLE: Rubicon JK high-pinion Dana 44, E-Locker, 5.13 gears
REAR AXLE: Rubicon JK Dana 44, E-Locker, 5.13 gears
SUSPENSION: EVO MFG front long arm, EVO MFG 8-inch rear stretch, 12-in-travel, 2.0 King coilovers, TeraFlex S/T sway bar
TIRES: 37x13.50R17 Nitto Mud Grappler
WHEELS: 17x9 M2W Beadlock
ARMOR: Custom front bumper, M.O.R.E. skidplates, EVO MFG aluminum rear corners, D-ring mounts, and rear bumper fascia

And don't forget to check out the gallery below for more shots of Max DurJava's JK!

When you hear the words “trade show,” you might envision long, never-ending bouts of walking or standing, handing out brochures, giving that same sales pitch over and over and of course, collecting leads on leads on leads! Sounds exhausting, right?

Yes, SEMA Show still has all of that, except it’s all about the automotive industry! Fortunately for you, you can skip all those boring trade show things and just get to the parts you love to see. Stayed tuned to DRIVINGLINE.com/SEMA all week as we show you the cars, trucks and “what the hell is that thing” builds, all while you’re nice and comfortable in your own home. #MBN

Here is a quick schedule of what to expect each day, either on DRIVINGLINE.com (DL) or FACEBOOK.com/DRIVINGLINE (FB):

Tuesday, November 1

DL: Surprise Reveal at 9:00 AM PST

FB: LIVE with the Ring Brothers

FB: LIVE with Vaughn Gittin Jr.

DL: Odd & Awesome SEMA Wrap-Up

Wednesday, November 2

FB: LIVE with Aaron Kaufman

FB: LIVE at the Driving Line booth

Thursday, November 3

FB: LIVE with Will Castro

FB: LIVE at WARN Industries

DL: Off-Road Everything SEMA Wrap-Up

Friday, November 4

FB: LIVE at the Nitto Tire booth

FB: LIVE with Coco Zurita

DL: Cars, Cars, Cars! SEMA Wrap-Up

Growling engines, Monster trucks and Rocket Bunnies – oh my! 

Tomorrow is the start of the annual week-long automotive trade show extravaganza they call SEMA. But before that, we have to deal with tonight, for tonight is Halloween! The Driving Line team is here in Las Vegas, Nevada, where we totally expect to encounter more tricks than treats on this night. Before we embark on our adventure, we took a peek to see what’s going on just outside the Las Vegas Convention Center entrance. Wish us luck that we survive the night, so we can bring you all the live SEMA coverage you can handle throughout the week.

Check out the gallery above for a spooky tease of what’s to come during this year’s SEMA Show 2016!

Sit back and enjoy pressing "pause" on all the awesomeness that went down during the 2016 Ultra4 Nationals race in the large gallery above. If you haven't read the recap, SPOILER ALERT, Gary Ferravanti Sr. won while Jason Scherer got 3rd and the points needed to take home the 2016 Ultra4 Champion title.

The 2017 Ultra4 Season and King of The Hammers are just months away - check out all the action from this past year here.

Photos by: Doug Dienelt, Shana Whitford, Alan Johnson & Kyle Wells

"Happy wife, happy drive?" Or something like that.

If there was ever a power couple in the drifting world, Sam and Stina Hübinette would take the cake. They're here to blow your mind with some crazy stunt driving in a parking lot filled with Lamborghinis.

That's right – #HuracánDrift has finally arrived. And there there's no better way to thank Lamborghini Newport Beach for their excellent service and complimentary cup of espresso than leaving a few signature Hübinette donut marks for good measure. Sliding a $250k+ Lamborghini Huracán equipped with a Vorsteiner Novara Edizone Aero Package, custom hydraulic handbrake and ultra high performance Nitto Tire NT555 G2s around other $200k+ exotic cars might give most a heart attack, but for us adrenaline junkies and auto enthusiasts, it puts a big grin on our faces!

Don't be the only one left out. Watch the full #HuracánDrift in the video above and learn more about the Hübinette's one of a kind Nitto Tire x VorsteinerLamborghini Huracán.

(Photos by: Ignition MG, Larry Chen / Video by: Donut Media)

We just want to have fun! So of course we had to enlist the help of the Professional Fun-Haver himself, Vaughn Gittin Jr. There’s no better way to kick off SEMA Show 2016 than the ultimate walk-around with the one man who’s always ready to rock. Starting from inside the heart of the show all the way out to his rig at Ford Out Front, we let Vaughn Gittin Jr. be our personal guide to spot the hottest builds from this year.

Here are some of the vehicles and one very special guest he ran into:

MagnaFlow Batmobile

Old Smokey Truck

Gas Monkey Pantera

Ultra4 4500 Bronco

Jarod DeAnda

Which pick surprised you the most? Stay tuned tomorrow when we catch up with the hit show Fast N’ Loud’s Aaron Kaufman.

“If you build it, they will come” seems to be the common trend every year at the SEMA Show. It’s all there for everyone to see, from builds that blow your mind to builds that make you think the people who worked on it were out of their minds. You don’t need to be hanging out by the watercooler to find out what vehicles everyone has been gossiping about. Just check out our gallery above and feel free be amazed or confused – it’s all the same when you’re in Vegas.

If you thought Halloween in Las Vegas was weird, then get ready for all of the odd and awesome builds at this year’s SEMA Show 2016!

(Photos by: Byron Yoshida)

The only thing that might be bigger than Aaron Kaufman’s influence in the industry is his epic beard. There’s probably a grin hiding behind that beard, but don’t be fooled, Aaron is still all business when he’s admiring all of the unique builds here. Gas Monkey’s Master Mechanic is taking a break from wrenching (or from Richard Rawlings, not quite sure) to walk around SEMA Show with us and pick out some of his favorites.

Now that was one wild ride with Aaron!

Tomorrow get ready for another unique walk through – this time with vehicle customizer to the stars, Will Castro.

(Photos by: Byron Yoshida)