Behind both LS swap 240sx, BAD Formula Drift cars w/ Collin Zielinski | Circle of Drift #150 - The Circle of Drift

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
We've blown up a few NA LSS in our our time.
LSS are so reliable. I mean, they work great until
they don't. Welcome back to the Circle of
Drift podcast presented by CMHQ.My name is Dawson and today we
are at Grid Life and Midwest Fest here at Gingerman again
with Collins. I feel like more drivers are
fighting car problems and car issues then like it is like

(00:21):
smooth sailing and like they're just a bad driver, you know what
I mean? Nobody's a bad driver.
And FDI feel like everybody's a good driver.
It's just who has a car that's working that weekend.
Yeah, you're never making money drifting or I mean, driving
anything. It's always like a passion or
like, yeah, I mean, you're having fun and then like,
whatever comes after, you know, I had a full like, kooky origin,
stylish kit, hot boy looking like final belt car and I ran

(00:41):
it. Yeah, I know everyone's going to
hate me. Look forward to all that and
plenty more on this episode. So look below the video, make
sure that subscribe button is pressed.
And without further ado, yeah, I've been wanting this forever.
I've been in the field with whatever they throw at me.
Brush it, I'll pick myself up. Moving on, a little better.
Hey, ain't no errors, baby. It's a new error.

(01:04):
There we are again. We got a brand new face to the
channel, of course, Colin here. So you want to give me a little
rundown or tell us anything thatpeople may not know about you?
Yeah, so my name is Colin Zelinsky.
I'm 23 years old and now a pro spec driver, so that's pretty
fucking cool. But yeah, other than that,
really nothing, nothing too crazy.

(01:24):
I work with my dad at Extreme Graphics.
We we do a bunch of, you know, anything stickers basically,
but. Yeah.
That, you know, I play with stickers and then play with
cars, so. Is it so pro spec as of this
year right? Yeah, OK.
Yeah, rookie year. Yeah, yeah.
How did that? How has the climb been so far?

(01:45):
So I, I did pro am for like 3 years.
So I did, I think it's like 3 years ago we did E 10 E 10 pro
am. I didn't do like 2 great.
I think it was like top five or something.
And then it was then I did full lock in Oklahoma and E 10.
So I did like 2 the second year and then the third year was.

(02:07):
Just 10? Yeah.
How'd you manage 2? It's really not that bad.
So they they both were doing like the the double header
thing. So like, yeah, so like where you
go to like a round and there you're doing 2 rounds
technically at the at the 1. So I think for for full lock, it
was like I only had to physically go there three times.
And then for E 10 I was it was only there for 2.

(02:29):
Sick man. So out of out of.
Since you got the experience 2 at the same time, which did you
prefer and why? That's a good question.
Honestly, the I feel like the E 10 one is better for drivers,
maybe because like so at least for me, like East End was like a
they like try to do it as like aspec series.

(02:51):
So we have to use the GTS. We have to like they kind of
like make it like you're in pro am or like pro spec, but like
you're in a pro am series, you know what I mean?
So like they they take you like you're in FD.
So like you have to have everything you can't like, yeah,
I mean you can't be like, oh, I I got a ratchet strap holding my
battery down, you know, and it'sgood enough where some other

(03:12):
series are kind of like that, but I don't know, I feel like
the the E 10 ones a little bit better just because it's like
it's more of a spec series wherethe full lock was not
necessarily like a shootout. It was still 4 rounds but like
it was kind of just bring what you want and like you still had
to like pass tech obviously. Like I assume that makes the
competition a little less. Yeah, because then you're not.
On competition. Yeah.

(03:33):
I mean, you have somebody that'sout there on three fifteens,
then you got somebody that's outthere on a 255 or you know what
I mean? It kind of is all over the place
at at that one, or at least whenI went, but I don't know.
East End was fun and it's, you know.
Other than your Obviously you won the license, but who?
If there was anybody else that you think deserved it just as
much as you did, who would you choose?

(03:56):
Jerry won his license, but he hegot second when I did it.
And then Reese, you know, Reese Conklin.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. He's freaking yeah.
He, I mean, he was kicking ass to the the same East End that I
was doing. So I mean, if anybody is like
the next one in line, it's I mean, he's young and he's
fucking. He's a good kid.
Yeah, exactly. Good kid, good guy, good driver.
And then he just got the that E46.
So you know, he now he has a carthat's a little bit more

(04:18):
competitive. So I think he's he's Next up on
the list. He's coming.
Well, well, how do you feel going out of program and into
prospect and like how it like the the complete vibe change of
the event like F DS pretty massive.
So it's a culture shock at at minimum, Yeah, it's.
Really not too bad of a culture shock.
I mean, we were doing like all the grid lives.

(04:39):
And so like we're doing a bunch of events where it's not too
crazy. And like, I mean, we were doing
like different competitions and stuff too.
So I mean, it's definitely weirdgoing into like a series that
you, I mean, you know nothing about.
Like, you know, I mean, new everything, you know, you don't
know where tech is, you don't know where you know, brand new
tracks, all that stuff. So it's just, yeah, it's

(05:00):
definitely a little bit of a culture shock, but we were, we
were doing the two pro AM. So like we were basically doing
4 rounds of like pro ish drivingpro spec pro AM with a bunch of
like decent drivers. So we were using you know, GTS.
We were already like I already had a car that was kind of
built. We were just like changing the
little stuff like, you know, I had to change the ECU and I

(05:22):
think like some wiring for Kevinto like plug in at FD.
But for the most part, like I had the car, I didn't like build
a new car or like, you know, I mean, with the spec series, it
makes it a little bit easier forlike the transition because then
it's not like I'm on a differenttire.
And then like, you know, this isthe first time on a GT at a
brand new track. And you know, I mean, I've been
on GTS for three years before that, you know, I mean, doing

(05:43):
competitive stuff. So I kind of already knew the
tire. I already like knew the car for
the most part. And it was just kind of, you
know, going into FDA new tracks and then, you know.
What's the level of like competition as far as drivers a
lot a big difference or was it fairly the same or the?
Program was pretty competitive, at least the ones that I were
in. I mean the the first year Connor

(06:04):
Osoli was the one that won. I think it was Trevor Root.
And then I'm trying to think somebody else was the first year
I was in. So like, I mean, Connor's in Pro
already. Trevor's not a bad driver.
He's fucking he's great. And I don't honestly, I don't
remember who the third person was.
Oh, it was Cole Richards. So like the first year it was a
bunch of heaters in Pro AM and then the second year it was

(06:27):
Coddy Dempster. I'm trying to think who else was
at that was at full lock. That's when they changed it
because they went from like 3 licenses a year to like 1
license per round or per like event.
I'm trying to. I don't remember who won East
time that year. I couldn't tell you.
Honestly, but like it, it was always competitive drivers.

(06:48):
So like in pro am, at least the ones that I went to, they were
decently competitive drivers andthey all kind of had cars that
were like basically pro spec cars.
So there wasn't really it wasn'ttoo crazy of a jump.
But like, I mean, everybody in pro spec, I think it's
competitive as long as their car's working.
I think it's more of a fight to like who has a car that like can
last the weekend, you know what I mean?

(07:09):
Or, and you know what I mean, I'm trying to like, think of the
right way to say that yeah, like, basically who can like,
keep their car together for the weekend 'cause I feel like more.
That's ultimately what it boils down to.
Yeah, I feel like more drivers are fighting car problems and
car issues than like, it is likesmooth sailing and like, they're
just like a bad, you know what Imean?

(07:29):
Nobody's a bad driver in FDI. I feel like everybody's a good
driver. It's just who has a car that's
working that weekend. Yeah, I mean, or who can keep it
together that weekend? Yeah, especially when it's a car
that is not a normal drift car. Yeah, like I'm not necessarily
in prospect. There's not as much there, but
and in pro, there's a few cars that I would consider probably

(07:51):
you need to switch chassis. Yeah, but that's beyond the
fact. So as far as you and your
program and stuff though, did you ever see yourself going down
this FD road or like is it, was this always it?
I mean, I really wanted to just like, you know, I mean, I, we
had the shop, we were always doing stickers.
We were into drifting. I mean, when I first started, it

(08:12):
was just for fun. Like we were just messing around
with $1000 car with like maybe $1000 in parts in it.
And then it kind of like escalated a little bit quickly.
But I don't know, after a few years of like coming to grid
life and doing like fun events, I wanted to do like competitive
stuff. And then it kind of just turned
into like, you know, F DS, like the next step, you know, I mean,
in terms of like competition stuff.

(08:32):
Why did you feel FD specificallywas the next step I?
Don't know, it's kind of like the OR I mean like from the
outside, you know what I mean? You see it as like that's like
the series for the US, Like that's like the highest level of
drifting. Or at least I would from the
outside look like looking in I, you know, first year drifting,
I'm like, oh damn. Like I want to be an FD driver.
Like that's like the like, you know, but yeah, I don't know, it

(08:54):
wasn't the goal at the beginning, but like it slowly
turned into that, especially after like we kind of had the
cars, the first car built and then like it was just like, I
don't know, I wanted to do something that was, I could be
competitive and it's like still fun at like fun driving.
I don't know. That was like, do you think it's
paid off? Up until this point with
everything you put into it. I mean, I think so, yeah.

(09:17):
There's really, I don't know, it's you're always spending more
than you're getting, you know what I mean?
You're never. Yeah.
You're never, like making money.Yeah.
You're never making money drifting or I mean, driving
anything. It's always like a passion or
like you, I mean, you're having fun and then like whatever comes
after, you know? Unless you're Bond, Yeah, unless
you have like these, you know, 100. 1200 Thousand $1,000,000.

(09:39):
Teams. Yeah, I don't know.
It's a different side of it. I mean, I have AI think I have a
decent program this year with fit men on board.
So like. How has that partnership helped
your program specifically going into this?
Year oh it's a huge help I mean they're.
How do they help? Like what is the and wheels and
stuff like? That I mean everything they're
doing, they're helping with everything this year they're
doing a full like YouTube serieslike following me, Colette and I

(10:03):
I think it was supposed to be Mike Power, but.
Oh my God, yeah. Yeah.
So there's a huge, they're huge behind the scenes and then you
know what I mean, helping obviously, like monetarily.
What made them take such a big jump into drifting more
specifically this year? Because it seems.
Like it was kind of out of the blue.
A lot we. So we personally know like Steve
Hamilton and like all the guys that like are kind of behind the

(10:23):
scenes at Fit Men and custom offsets and like the Hamilton
Collection, like basically the whole like behind the scenes of
like all those companies. So we're kind of friends with
them. And then it was kind of just
like an out of the blue question.
He called me one day. He's like, hey, you don't have a
meeting. I have AI have this idea and it
just turned into. It's got to be nice when when
when they just fall in your. Life, it was wild, like it was.
Seriously. Like out of the blue.

(10:45):
I was like, damn, like I never expected that to happen, but
it's it's definitely a cool, cool thing.
Can you disclose like what all they're like specifically
helping with? Yeah, it's monitors are.
Used cars are fully sponsored bythem.
They're fully backed for basically.
Every time. They're the presenting, right?
Yeah, they are, yeah. Main yeah title sponsor it is

(11:08):
the fitment industries as 14.5 so awesome.
That's sick. But and then they're doing that
whole documentary series that following me and then Colette
through FD. So they're I think it's like a
six or five or six like episode series that they're gonna do
like one for each round. Maybe like some like in between
stuff like at like a grid? Like what are they covering for
anyone that hasn't seen it yet? Literally everything.

(11:28):
So like behind the scenes, like in the pits to full.
Like it's like full like drive to survive style, like F1, like
drive to survive. Almost like a documentary style.
Yeah, exactly. That's cool.
Yeah. So it'll be like a full
documentary style, like Want Me Colette FD and just like
drifting in general. Dude that's awesome.
It's always nice whenever the company provides stuff like that

(11:52):
to just send. It's an extra Ave. that they
needed in general anyways. Yeah, exactly.
But tell me about that car a little bit, especially if
someone doesn't know it's the the one with the boss kit,
right? So we have we have the two Yeah,
OK, yeah, that's right. So the our grid life car is just
an NALS. It's AS 14, but it has the the
boss kit, the racket buddy boss front end NALS.

(12:15):
It was it was a pro charged LS like the like our pro car.
So the the boss car's kind of been like the stepping stone
car. It started out AKA car, then it
went NALS, then it went pro charge LS and now we're back to
NALS. Jesus.
So it's just that's like kind ofI would consider that almost my
first drift car. I had a Mustang before that, but

(12:35):
like this is like kind of the one that like the Mustang like
sealed the deal. Then we built the the 2:40 and
it's just kind of been. Why did we go through that many
variations? Was it just issues or?
Not issues, it was really just like the the stepping stones of
like a car, you know what I mean?
Somebody it was it was AKA car and it was kind of like a show
car and then I was like well, screw it like I want to try
drifting. So we we're going to do a turbo

(12:57):
KA and then like a cheap angle kit like GK tech, not cheap, but
like I mean a cheaper angle kit,not like wise fab FDF stuff like
that and then it turned into an ALS and caged and then we did
the boss kit because we ended upgetting a deal on it.
So it was just one of those things we a bunch of stuff fell
into place. Yeah, first like.

(13:19):
Not a fan of the boss kit? No.
Yeah, it's a love or hate. It's.
Got to be specific I guess, but I don't know, it's never hit
right for me so I was curious why you chose to even do that
kit in general. It kind of just fell into our
lap. One of our buddies had one on
his car. It's Fisher, if you know who
Fisher is. Risky Devil.
Yeah. So when he had the red one,

(13:40):
that's the original kit from theRisky Devil.
Car I was sick, OK. So it was a final bout car kit
and then it turned into ours. So it just ended up.
It's just got a story that's pretty wild.
Yeah. Hell yeah.
Yeah, He ended up like taking apart that car.
I think he like totaled it or something at an event and then
he like parted it out and we ended up with the body kit and
then it turned into all that it we we were going to be like the

(14:04):
Kat and then it turned into NALSand then we got the boss kit and
it kind of all fell into place like right as the season
started. So it was supposed to be a lot
like more tame of a car when we first came out with it and then
it kind of turned into like thispro am capable car.
It is definitely, yeah. It's a good car.

(15:19):
If you could put a different kiton it, what would it have been?
It was so I literally I had a full like kooky origin stylish
kit, like it was a full, it was a full origin kooky like hot boy
looking like final belt car and I ruined it.
Yeah, I know everyone's going tohate me.
Yeah, that's that's we're only going to clip that part from

(15:39):
this podcast. No other ones, Josh.
No, I'm just kidding. I do that, but damn.
Yeah, why? I mean, it was like that for
like a year and a half. And then like I said, the the
kit kind of fell into place, theengine kind of fell into place.
And then I don't know. Does it?
How many times has it been mistaken for Pickle Rick?
Not a ton. Really.

(15:59):
Really. Because it's bright green, so.
Yeah, a couple times, but then that whole like Pickle Rick
thing, you know, he had his whole debacle.
And then so my car was, it was green for a little bit.
Damn, it was green for a little bit and then we did that whole I
don't know if you remember, it was like the black with like a
like a purple like star on the side.
It had a big star. It was like barely any green.

(16:21):
It was like mainly black. It had and then we did the big
wing and then we changed to likethe more all green body.
It's gone through a lot. And then it was kind of the
stepping stone for the FD car because like we did the NALS,
then we did the pro charge LS and then that was kind of like
the we like copy and pasted the combo.
For the pro. Car from that car.
Just mapping it out. No, yeah.
Like literally they were so. Is that the car that blew up

(16:43):
this weekend? Yeah, I blew it up.
Literally like last session, yeah.
Do you know what happened specifically or?
I have a few guesses because it's we've blown up a few NA LSS
in our our time, but. LSS are so reliable.
I mean they work great until they don't, just like any motor,
you know? I'm getting a lot of hate for

(17:03):
having blowing up the RV so I got to give some shit back to
people. No, I mean any motor's good, but
they all break eventually. Yeah, it's a fucking that's
just. Literally beating the shit out
of a bunch of old motors and hoping they.
Stay together. Yeah, we're all duct taping them
and. Fucking yeah.
I mean, I literally it was a. Stop. 6 liter with a Cam and
like springs and retainers. Like that's it.

(17:25):
Yeah, that's. Probably some 100 and some
thousand mile, 200,000 mile freaking car that it came out of
and you know, we're just I mean I was down the entire front
straight. I was just pinned like.
So how do you feel about this track then?
Like out of all of the grid because you can drive grid lives
all the time. So how does this track flow to
you? What is your experience with it

(17:46):
this weekend other than blowing your motor?
This is a great track. I love it.
The only problem with it is thatlike everybody sits on the first
three corners and the first three corners are cool, but like
the back like 7 are fucking awesome and nobody sees it.
There's like no media coverage and like, I don't know, the back
half of the track is way more. Forever to get to?
Yeah, exactly. So it's like the back half of

(18:08):
the track is way more fun, but there's no media back there, so
it's like nobody drives back there.
Damn that sucks. It is cool to see it cuz this is
spectator. Yeah, exactly.
Where everyone? Does their cool shit so I get
that. I've driven it a couple times on
the SIM. But the SIM is weird, like real
life, it's relayed as well. Yeah, real life it's a lot

(18:30):
easier to like make flow once you kind of get it.
Like it's it's pretty simple. I mean, obviously there's like a
couple long straights that you're either managing or, you
know, straightening and then like kind of entering at.
But the back half of the track is a lot more linkable, where
like this is like you're really just drifting what, 1-2 and like
a little managing to three really.
But I don't know, the track's definitely fun, but I don't

(18:53):
know, there's better tracks I guess for drifting, but it's
just, you know, this is like thestaple for grid life, so.
Yeah, that is true. Out of the grid life though,
what would you what is like yourfavorite track I guess to go to?
Laguna was pretty fucking sick. I knew you were going to say
Laguna. Everyone does, yeah.
Laguna's pretty sick. I mean, Watkins gun was sick,
but like they don't go back there.

(19:15):
They're all kind of, it's one ofthose things, I mean, when you.
Have you drove? Atlanta, right?
No, I didn't. I mean, I drove.
FD Atlanta, but not. Not Grid Life Atlanta.
No, that was the year before I started Grid Life stuff because
it was FD or they did the the Grid Life Atlanta and then it's
turned into then, then they likestopped or whatever they got
like, I don't know, something happened.

(19:36):
Yeah, it was some. Yeah, I don't.
Know that was when I think T pain headlined right.
That was, I think so, yeah. Yeah, because I I wanted to go
to that. And then the year I started
going to grid life's was it was,I was whatever, like 17 or like
18 and we they stopped doing it and I was like, oh, that sucks.
But darn. Yeah, but you didn't go to this

(19:56):
past one. Why was that?
FT Oh, OK. So yeah.
But I didn't I didn't drive likethe grid life side of it.
No. Oh, OK, so you I would have
loved to. Drive the full course.
No Damn. Damn, why didn't you do that?
I was having belt problems, that's how I lost in FT actually
the blower belt. What was going on there like?
I was just, I don't, I don't know what happened from last

(20:17):
year to this year, but we, I blew up the motor on the dyno,
set it on fire on the dyno and then I got to FD and then had a
bunch of blower belt problems. So I, I don't know, we added
another pulley to like break up one of the like the longest runs
in the the pro charger system. OK.
And then it seems to be fine now.
I mean, I've done or three sets of tires or four sets of tires
here this weekend so far, so andthe belt stayed on the whole

(20:40):
time. So I hope it's fixed because in,
you know, if it is, then hopefully I can kick some ass in
New Jersey, you know? Well, I hope you do.
Yeah, exactly. Good luck to that.
But tell me a little bit about extreme graphics.
Like where where did that come from?
When did it start? Is it like a family business?
Yeah, so extreme graphics is solely my dad.
He started it. I think we're going on like 27

(21:03):
years or something like that. 27years ago.
He started I think in his mom's basement or something or like in
his mom's house doing stuff. And then it turned into he had a
couple buddies that like owned or worked at like body shops and
stuff. So he started doing like Body
Shop style, like stickers, but he was also doing like the

(21:23):
custom side of it, like out of his friend's Body Shop.
And then it turned into like he wanted to do it more of the
custom side of it. So he opened up his own shop and
I think we're 3 or 4 buildings. OK time.
And then now it's, yeah, now we're in Lombard and we got
100,000 square foot building and.

(21:43):
Get into vinyl itself. Like what?
Honestly, I have no idea how he like why he started with vinyl.
It was just kind of, it was one of the things that he, you know
what I mean? He was doing like paint stuff
and like with The Body Shop withlike his buddies.
And then it turned into, you know, he was doing like the
sticker side of it in The Body Shop and he just wanted to do
his own thing. Well, I mean, there was a

(22:05):
conflict of interest, I guess, in The Body Shop.
They wanted to do more of like The Body Shop repair.
And then he wanted to do more ofthe custom cool stuff.
The pretty stuff. The fun stuff, the fun, cool
looking stuff. And then it turned into he
opened his own shop and then I think it's like, I think it's 3
or 4 different buildings he's been in since he started.
Now we're in that 5000 square foot building.

(22:26):
What cars do do y'all primarily like focus on?
Is it drift cars or is it just? We honestly, we do more
commercial stuff than anything, Yeah.
So like van, like any like semi trucks, vans, truck lettering.
I mean, we do stuff for like weather tech, we do stuff for, I
mean, literally anything, any company that's by us, there's a
bunch of like fleets and stuff that we do.

(22:49):
Dude do you not use those connections for like
sponsorships that are outside ofdrifting right now?
We have for some of them actually.
I mean like Bristol Hose is a good one that we're kind of
friends with. They're local to us, but they do
everything like fittings and stuff.
They do more of the commercial side of it where they're doing

(23:10):
repairs for Bobcats or like highpressure orange or like stuff
like that. But they have all the brands for
like all the automotive stuff. So like on on my car, like is
everything is Phoenix fittings, Phoenix fittings and like hoses
and stuff. But I get it all through them.
So, but that's like a good example, I guess of like we were
doing their stickers and then itturned into like he's friends

(23:31):
with them and then, you know, turned into a sponsorship for
the the race cars. I would, yeah, dude, if you
could get a big company in if you're already doing commercial
stuff. Yeah.
Like what? What company did you just say
before that we did? We've done some stuff for like
weather tech. Weather tech yes.
Why the fuck are they are drifting?
I don't know. It's a good question.
I mean, they do so much like stock stuff, you know what I

(23:53):
mean? Yeah, probably.
I don't know. I mean it would be cool.
There's so many companies out there that that it would suit so
well for drifting. I don't understand the whole the
whole back, I guess, yeah. I don't know, especially with
like me at least like having like almost a 30 year old car
now, you know, that's why I'm like trying to do the all the
stuff for the A-90, like I'm trying or that's like going to

(24:15):
be the next car that I'm building is that maybe like it's
not as marketable like from a company's like, why wouldn't it
be like that? You know what I mean?
Like a car that's like 25 years old.
A company like Weathertech, they're not selling anything for
a car that's 25 years old, you know what I mean?
At least for like a like an A-90, like, I mean, I could have
an exhaust company on the car. You know, they might not make my

(24:37):
exhaust on my car, but you know,somebody that sees my car with
that logo and they have an A-90,you know, stuff like that.
Like I feel like it. Does it not feel weird still
running a logo that it's not even on the car?
Honestly, no, because I mean they're they're sponsoring you
monetarily and then technically they make parts for that
chassis. So like or you know, like stuff

(24:57):
like that, like where like say Idon't even like Borla or
whatever, you know, like Borla make stuff for a Corvette that
might not have. A Corvette loaf car.
Yeah, they might not necessarilylike make stuff for Matt Field's
car, but they, you know what I mean?
They make Corvette like stuff. So like, you know, stuff like
that. Like I feel like newer cars are
more marketable for like those newer companies that might not

(25:19):
carry stuff or make stuff for the older cars.
Yeah, like the older cars are like more supported, like
aftermarket wise, like for drifting.
But I feel like the newer cars are more marketable in that like
sense. I just.
Feel like that stuff's like coming because.
Like all these cars I mean I bought 2 wrecked a 90s for $3500
like that's a no way that's a. From where?

(25:41):
It was a guy that was part in a model like he would buy like the
Copart cars and then buy or liketake all the expensive stuff out
of it. But he wanted to get rid of the
shells. So I bought 2 shells.
One was 1 was a wrecked shell and 1 was like a burn car.
So I used all the parts from theburn car like like subframes and
stuff like that. And then I used I fixed the the
crash car like chassis and I putthem together and I'm making one

(26:03):
good one. Damn.
That's crazy, but like 30? $500.00 for two A9 like that's a
brand like literally the one carthat was crashed had like 1000
miles on it. So like 3 grand is like barely
in as chassis. Oh yeah, clapped like easy.
A total like junk car, you know what I mean?
So where does it sit right now and how much money do you think
you have in it so far? After like The Body Shop, I

(26:26):
bought a couple things but nothing crazy.
I probably have seven in the shell as is, and that's it's.
Not bad at all. Yeah, I don't think so.
I mean because it was like it was 3 or 3500 for the cars and
then it went to The Body Shop and it was like almost 5 grand
in like repairs. So it sounds terrible, but I

(26:50):
bought like I bought doors, I bought like a hatch.
I bought like a bunch of like random stuff like so that they
could like fix it the right way.Like make sure like all the body
panels like. Lined up.
So like the car was pretty tweaked, but now you know, I
mean 7 grand in a chassis that'sI mean that's expensive, but.
True. Are you running into any like
weird issues given that it's a newer chassis and not it has

(27:12):
like so much more going on with it.
It's a more complex chassis compared to your's chassis.
And stuff like that. Really.
Like I have more room than An's chassis in the engine Bay.
Like it's fucking huge. Wow, like.
I guess, yeah, pretty narrow. Yeah, I probably have like at
least 6 inches more like width in the Bay, like minimum.

(27:32):
That's incredible, yeah. The like the friggin steering
columns tucked against the side of the friggin the OR the not
the trans tunnel, the frame rail.
So like there's just a ton of room for like, I mean it's an
easily swappable chassis. I mean it's it's probably I'm
trying to think of what it's considered or like close to in
like the BMW world. So I mean it's basically a BMW
but it's probably like a like anF80 ish like chassis wise like

(27:56):
up front. So OK then as far as setup goes,
what all what all are you going to do to your car?
Like what do you suggest someonetrying to do that same process
of the same chassis? What parts are you going to put
on it? Honestly, I have no idea really.
Yeah, I mean, I'm going to cage it, obviously, so I'll probably
like cage kits, so that's easy. But like, I mean, HDK, like body

(28:19):
stuff, I mean, it's super expensive, but it's super nice.
I was thinking about doing like HDK stuff or I was actually
talking with Peter and like his mechanics in Poland like
specific about doing the stuff that he has on his car because
they they make all that stuff. So I was just one of those like
it depends on like what route I want to go for like body work.
But I mean, parts wise there's really wise Fab is the only

(28:41):
place making stuff. I think FDF just is now starting
to come out with like prototype stuff for a 90s, but nobody has
really any angle kit, like grip kit stuff besides Wise Fab, at
least at this moment. I was talking with Josiah about
like doing like a custom kit forthe like the front and the back.
But like, I don't know, he's super busy with building the
cars that he's building. So it's like to find the time to

(29:03):
send the car to Canada to have them like build all the stuff
and make it all custom to have like their A-90 kit.
Like I don't know. And I'm running out of time.
I mean, I was talking about doing this stuff six months ago
and that's, you know, it's kind of at a standstill.
We're making like. When does it need to be done by?
Need to be done by this year, but I'd like to have it done
before the end of the year to like test it next year.

(29:23):
Like maybe like have it like as like a grid like car next year
and like slowly like move it into like maybe making it like
the pro car. One day that'd be cool.
Yeah. That'd be a good chassis for it,
that's for sure. Yeah.
I've just heard that they're notas easy to get grip out of, so
like they're. I've heard that too.
They're like limited on like the.

(29:44):
Grip side of like the the suspension.
Yeah, like mechanical grip, Yeah, what's why are people
lacking the grip in those cars? I.
Think it's just how the suspension is designed, like the
the number, like the number of bars and like how they're set up
is just subpar to like other suspension like geometry I

(30:05):
guess. Subpar.
That's crazy. Yeah, but I, I mean, once you're
in pro, you kind of, you know, Imean it's all by weight.
So you're, you can run a big tire that's, you know, it kind
of evens the playing field, I guess in terms of like grip I.
Could see that, yeah. But I mean, they're new still,
you know what I mean? So like, what if Wise Fab or
what if FDF comes out with like this baller grip kit that works

(30:26):
way better than the last one? I mean, you never know.
We're talking about a car that'sfive years old, you know what I
mean? We're compared to like S chassis
that have been out for 2530 years, you know?
No, that's the beauty of having companies like FD and especially
Wise Fab too, Like they're constantly changing the game.
And I think Wise Fab wouldn't have been so ahead of well, not

(30:50):
in the in the beginning, but right now.
Like they started falling off because FDF really challenged
them and started making more innovative products rather than
just here's the angle kit this. Is kind of you get it, yeah.
Yeah, there's no nothing else toit, but I mean.
FDF was like filling the gap of like, oh, we want like the mega
mantis, not like a full, you know, angle kit.

(31:11):
They can kind of do like the cutknuckle style like what you
would do in an S chassis but with like an adapter almost.
Absolutely. Like the fact that he comes out
with 345 versions of a kit. Yeah.
He's constantly like upgrading it.
I mean wise Fab's doing that too, but it's.
Yeah, I'm not trying to argue them.

(31:32):
No. Yeah, between wise fab and shit
and just I love that the industry is being challenged
that way. Yeah, exactly.
It makes everything better because then you know what I
mean, Companies are constantly making like, oh, I made this
better. And then, you know, they make
something a little bit better and then they kind of just, you
know, keeps going. Absolutely.
It's a great thing for drifting just in general well.
Where do you see the future of drifting?

(31:53):
Like what is, what is your idea of it or whether it's for
yourself or just in general? I mean, myself, obviously I'd
love to get to like pro 1, you know, maybe even do like some
drift masters stuff just becauselike, I feel like it's a little
bit more competitive than drift masters.
Maybe. I don't know, it just seems that
way from the outside, but same thing.
Like I thought FD was super competitive, you know, going
into it and or at least I'm doing pretty well, But I don't

(32:16):
know, I with all of the, the Super young people coming into
like FD and drifting and like, Idon't know if there's really
only way, only one way, you knowwhat I mean?
It's going to keep growing, or at least I would think.
Do you think Drift Masters is actually better or do you think
just the perception seeing it and the fact that like we don't

(32:36):
have those tracks specifically, we don't have those judges we.
Don't really like that, I think it's just a FOMO.
Factor in my opinion. It's like, I mean that that's
how I felt about FD and I'm in it and I'm like, Oh yeah, it's
not that bad or what? Yeah, I mean, I've.
I can't believe I used to think that way.
Yeah, exactly. I was always like, oh, this is
fucking, you know, this is crazy.
And then I, I get here and I mean, it's still fucking, it's

(32:56):
awesome. Like it's, you know what I mean?
It's a dream to be an FDA. So I don't know, it's one of
those things that it's going to keep growing and we're going to
keep going to different, you know, bigger tracks and like
stuff like that. It's just, you know, it's when
more sponsors and like more money comes into the sport is
when more stuff's going to grow,you know what I mean?
Because I think we're kind of capped on like that side of it
because I mean, there's always more drivers, you know what I

(33:18):
mean? There's always like that
grassroots guy that you've neverheard of before that'll, you
know what I mean, does some crazy shit.
And you know, see now especiallylike with Instagram and YouTube,
TikTok, all that shit, like you see more of like those like
people that you wouldn't normally see unless you were
like going to those tracks. So like, I don't know, it's
going to keep growing. It's just like once you get more
money into the sport from like other sponsors, like those

(33:39):
outside sponsors that we were like talking about before, that
isn't like necessarily like the cookie cutter like like FDF or
YS Fab, like where they're physically making parts for the
cars that like are driving in the sport.
I think that's when it'll grow more.
Who do you think it'll take? Like what company?
I don't know, it's really, I don't know about a company in

(34:00):
general. It's just about like having the
backing because I feel like mostlike tracks are like kind of
scared of drifting still becauselike it's new, you know, it
tears up the asphalt, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Like I feel like all those tracks and like the, the
companies are like scared to be like a part of it, I guess.
Or maybe like, maybe some of those companies have been like
burned by drivers that like didn't know what they were

(34:21):
doing. You know, they, they threw the
pitch at them, they got it and then they did like nothing with
it. You know what I mean?
Because I, I've definitely seen like some of that, like where,
you know what I mean? You'll, you'll get a brand new
company that like would be revolutionary.
And then like that one person that got the deal kind of burned
the bridge for like that company.
So maybe like some of that happened.
Maybe, you know, maybe it's not having a connection to the

(34:45):
company, I don't know. Well, how's your experience been
with gaining relationships with companies and stuff then?
It was pretty difficult at first.
I feel like with social media side of it, it's not necessarily
easier, but like you kind of have to do social media 1st and
like drifting second where before, like before social

(35:06):
media, I mean you had to be a good driver to get a
sponsorship. Now I feel like if you're a good
personality, you can be like a subpar driver but still get a
bigger name sponsor. I don't know if that's like a
Dick way to say that, but. No, I mean it's I mean it's
could be a Dick way or not, but if this is the truth, this is
the truth. So like, I get it.
It's just always. I feel like social media is a

(35:27):
way bigger factor in a sponsorship, if not like the
main factor in a sponsorship compared to how it was.
Today's age, it's all social media.
So, I mean, you're you're running.
I could not know a single thing about you or your car or
anything. I've never seen you in my life.
But I could see you a million times a month.

(35:51):
Yeah, or whatever. Maybe not that much, obviously,
but but yeah, I can see you 30 *a month at minimum.
Probably. Yeah.
If you're posting every single day.
Yeah. So.
Yeah, exactly. And it doesn't even have to be
great. Like what do you post on a
regular basis? I mean, I it's really just
content from the track and then like maybe some like behind the
scenes stuff like fixing it or Imean, you know, when shit
happens, you know, it's always, you know, an opportunity for a

(36:13):
video or something. But it's really just like in car
content, like driving stuff. I don't know, nothing super
crazy. It's just reels and posts.
I'm not any or I don't do anything on YouTube yet.
I kind of I should. Just, you know, do any of your
like deliverables or anything for sponsors revolve around
making content? Oh yeah, Like I have like with

(36:33):
fitment per SE, like I have likestuff that I need to do for
them. Or like, well, yeah, there is
that, but like you specifically you have to make the content you
have to post. Yeah, I'm making.
I'm making everything, doing everything, Yeah.
It's all like contract obligatedthough.
For some companies, yeah, for some others it's other.
So like, at least for me, like some companies they don't want

(36:56):
to like put like a like, oh, youneed to make 10 posts about us.
Like they'd rather have it more organic than that.
But then I do have like some of those companies where they, they
want a contract, you know what Imean?
In the contract, like there's a number like I need to have
whatever 5678 posts about them, you know, a year or whatever.
And so you mentioned organic, like what type of what organic

(37:18):
posts are they looking for you to do that still incorporates
their brand? Yeah, it's more just like
organic, like integration of like whatever it is, like power
stop, you know, I mean, I run power stop breaks, but like they
don't want me to like just make a power stop, like, you know,
take a picture of my brakes. Here's my brakes.
This is why they're. Good exactly like nobody ever
look. You know I mean even you like
you're not going to look at a post that like here's my brakes

(37:40):
they're great. You know you have to like
integrate it. I don't know, it's, I hate
saying they're saying it like that, but like you try, you know
what I mean? If they work good, they work
good. And you know what I mean?
They it kind of shows on track and then like you use the
content that you make to like show that off.
Do you think the relationship builds that?
Because personally I would only work with the company that I

(38:03):
genuinely understand the productor I've used it myself and I
know it works. Yeah, that way you even have to
try and it's actually organic. Yeah.
You're just genuinely talking about a product you love to use.
So I feel like the audience can just see through that shit, man.
If you're talking about a product you don't like, they can

(38:25):
see through it. I've really never had a company
or something like that that I'velike wanted, you know what I
mean? Or that I've got that like I
didn't want or you know what I mean?
I don't. Know I feel you.
Like I've always, all the companies I work with are all
like, they're all like good people behind the scenes, like
I'm meeting them before, like working with them.
I guess I don't know if that's like a good way, do you?

(38:45):
Feel that's the best and appropriate way to do it in this
industry. I feel like you get a better
relationship that way. Like it's like I said, it's like
more organic, I guess. It's like I'm actually like
friends with the people in the company before, like I'm working
for them, I guess. Yeah, if that makes sense.
Yeah, I can see that. It was like, or at least like
that's how it worked with like most of the brands that I've

(39:07):
worked with. Like I've never had like
somebody come up to me or at least I don't know, I'm not like
some huge, you know, 100,000 followers or a million
followers. So it might be different for me,
but I don't know. I haven't had like opportunities
like the, the fitment thing likeever.
That was kind of just like out of the blue.
I mean, I've been sponsored by fitment and like custom offsets
or like those companies for likea little bit, but like on a

(39:29):
pretty small scale. So, like the jump was kind of
crazy, at least for Yeah, I mean, for this year, it's.
Like Oh my God, wait, I didn't think that would have worked.
No, like absolutely no. Like it kind of just fell on my
lap and I was like holy shit, like this is actually happening
and like it all just worked out.So it's.
So cool man. But like, I've never had like a
company like that I didn't want to work with or you know what I
mean? Or like, it was a product I

(39:50):
didn't like, like or like wasn'ton the car.
It's everything I'm using or allthe companies that I work with
are like either stuff that like is actually on the car that
works or like stuff like that I guess.
Did it open and open you up to like what more possibilities
there could be as far as your sponsorships you already have

(40:10):
didn't spark any more ideas thatyou could bring up with other
companies or? Oh yeah, for like, like like
content ideas or like. Stuff like that.
Yeah, yeah, cuz then now it's like, Oh my God, I didn't
realize this was even feasible. Oh, but wait, what about?
Or like I can leverage stuff like that I'm doing with one
company, like to help another company, like stuff like that.
Like obviously the documentary with fitment is great for all

(40:33):
the other sponsors that I have. You know what I mean?
It's like stuff like that. So like it's you can like
leverage stuff like that, I guess to, to kind of like move
stuff around or like gain other sponsors and you know, or like,
oh, I'm sponsored by this company.
Like you can kind of use some companies like as leverage to
get other companies I guess. Is there any company out there
that you really wish you were working with currently just

(40:57):
because you love the company as they are like the way?
Trying to think, yeah, like, I don't know, I mean, it would
obviously be like awesome, but like be like factory backed or
like like some crazy shit like Red Bull or something, you know
what I mean? Like, I don't know, like it
would be something like that like Toyota or like like

(41:18):
obviously doing like the a 90 stuff like I yeah, I mean, I
wouldn't just be doing it because it's an A-90.
Like I like it because I like the car.
I have one that I daily, you know, stuff like that.
Like that would be sick. Like a Toyota, like sponsorship
or like something like Papadakis, like something crazy
like. Toyota would be.
That would be sick. So like, I don't know, there's
like Falcon would be sick, but like they're not an FDA anymore.

(41:39):
So it's like, I don't know. There's mine's always been Nas,
for one. I drink way too many of them, so
I'm trying to. You're welcome, Nos, but.
Or like, yeah, Red Bull and stuff like that.
Like shit like those crazy like big like dude.
What? What about Red Bull?
What like cuz why? For one, why hasn't Red Bull
shown up more in FD and why now?Just because of Shanahan and a

(42:02):
couple of the drivers. Honestly I have no idea because
I like I know a couple of Red Bull like athletes on like in
different Motorsports and they just don't do drifting in the US
and it's only with drivers that are overseas that move over to
like FD like Shanahan or what isit Manoa Red Bull too.
Yeah, yeah, but it's not for theUS program.
Yeah, it's only the overseas drivers that are sponsored

(42:25):
overseas that they get the. Isn't Conor the only one with a
Red Bull logo on the car specifically?
Because that was last year with Rome's car and then this year
with his FRS or. He's so crazy for one.
How do you even land sponsorshipwith Red Bull?
How do you meet someone from RedBull?
I have no idea. I wait, I'd tell.
Me, please. Yeah.

(42:47):
If you ever find out, let me know.
I know. Yeah.
Ditto. Seriously.
Well, cool, man. Is there anything special
happened in this season that's coming up in the future or are
you excited for, do you think you're going to get your license
this year for Pro? I mean, obviously I'd love to be
like optimistic and be like, yeah, I'm gonna win pro spec

(43:07):
this year, but like. Be confident bro.
It's. My first year in pro spec, I
mean, I did pretty well for the first round for my rookie like
debut. I've top eight, top five in
points. So like that's fucking bad ass.
But like realistically my goals were like top 10 for the season.
So like as long as I can like stay within like the top ten,
top five, like I feel like I'm as a driver, I'm good enough to
be there. Well, like I really just need to

(43:29):
like figure out the car again and kind of get it sorted.
And as long as the car works, I feel like I'm a good enough
driver to be able to go to pro so.
As far as everything else in theprogram though, it's it's going
good. No changes needed really.
Yeah. Are crews fucking sick?
I mean, they got me back out there every time we had AI.
Mean I threw 5 belts in the 15 laps that I drove in Atlanta.

(43:50):
So and you know, the couple times I got hit, so they were,
they were great when I needed them.
So I, yeah, as far as like the program and like that, I'm, I
think we're pretty not dialed. I mean, obviously you're
learning every event that you goto.
So I don't know. I mean, obviously FD is fucking
sick. So it's going to be sick to go
go to all the new tracks and like, figure it out and.

(44:12):
Are you nervous for any in particular?
I don't know. I mean, I'm you're always
nervous like the first couple laps you go out at an event or
like a competition, at least forme.
But like once I get comfortable in the car or like as long as I
can get comfortable, I don't know.
I think I just figured out it's one of those.
I'm not like super crazy with itI guess.

(44:35):
Just psych yourself out for a little bit.
Yeah, like I the first couple laps I'm like, oh shit.
Like a like, is the car going towork?
Get it together. Yeah, exactly.
And. I'm like once I like put it
together, you know, get a lap around the track or a couple
laps and you, you know, start getting more.
What do you? Think that is because I have it
too and I know plenty of other fucking people have it.
Even Jeff Jones. He mentioned it in his podcast

(44:57):
how he has that. That's like that still is fear.
It's like just get through the 1st initiation type fear.
It really is like it's really that like get the first couple
laps out of the way and then like you're kind of good.
I guess I don't know. But how we were like trying to
like explain it is that like especially in the competition,
like once you get through like top 32 or like once you get

(45:19):
through like that first, like that first battle, then it's
like, well, shit, I already won like the first one, like fuck
it, we're we got this shit. You know what?
I. Mean.
Oh yeah, I get it. Well, cool man, I really
appreciate you coming on and chatting about this.
What events? I don't know if you answered
this part. What events do you have coming
up? So there's obviously FD, the

(45:41):
four rounds that we're doing, FD, we're doing I think 3 or 4
of the grid life events we got Ithink Holly LS Fest, we're doing
some fuel fest stuff. So just stuff like that.
And then we're obviously doing like the local, like around the
Chicagoland area, I guess stuff.But yeah.
Awesome man. Anything special behind the

(46:02):
scenes people can hope for otherthan the car?
I mean, yeah, the A 90 is going to be hopefully pretty sick, so.
Where can they? If they want to get any graphic
stuff done, where can they look at that for?
Extreme graphics on I think all social medias, Instagram,
Facebook, our websites, I think extremegraphics.com.
So it's pretty, it's pretty simple.

(46:23):
But yeah, other than that, I'm extreme.
CJZ is my stuff. So cool.
The shop is all extreme graphics.
Hell yeah dude. Well last one I got for you is
what is your best piece of advice for anyone just getting
into drifting? Anyone getting into drifting?
It's like that whole like keep it simple stupid thing.

(46:45):
Literally. I mean my first car was a
fucking like I said $1000 car with like maybe $1000 and parts
in it. Like literally get out there
just like buy a car, Weld the DIF, go fucking drive it.
Done. Just go go figure it out.
You don't need an angle kit, youdon't need a hydro, you don't
need any of that shit. Just go fucking drive and figure
it out and then upgrade the car as you go.

(47:07):
Nailed it. I love that.
Keep it simple. Awesome man.
Well, again, thank you. Thanks for taking the time.
Sorry again your motor blew up, but you'll get it worked out
absolutely well. Good luck this season for real
I. Appreciate it.

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Behind both LS swap 240sx, BAD Formula Drift cars w/ Collin Zielinski | Circle of Drift #150

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Behind both LS swap 240sx, BAD Formula Drift cars w/ Collin Zielinski | Circle of Drift #150