blockwoood: I remember a spare car in the back of your double stack trailer a few years ago. It wasn't dirt oriented what was it?

ACP: That was a Nissan 240 SX with an SR20 swap that I have been doing a little drift practice with for a couple of years. I hadn't had it for very long at that time, and we had loaded it up in the trailer to take it out for a test session at a track in Oklahoma after 100 Acre Wood. One of my crew guys for that event (he's with us at 100 Acre Wood this year again, come to think of it) is a really good Canadian drifter. The car is pretty beaten up at this point, but we've had a lot of fun with it.

blockwoood: Is that when the interest in drifting started? At least getting out on the track?

ACP: I've been watching the sport for years and I've wanted to have the chance to get out there and do it. Rally guys like Tanner (Foust), Rhys (Millen) and Steph (Verdier) all do really well in drifting and I've been to a bunch of events and enjoyed the energy. It's a sport that really focuses your car control and I think there are a lot of skills you learn in rally that are complimentary.

blockwoood: How much different is the technique from rally? I mean you aren't just pulling handbrake all the time in the rally car...

ACP: I have a lot to learn in drifting. Because it's a judged sport and that's different from the pure speed contests that we're used to, I think there's a misconception among some racers that it's easy. It isn't. The cars are insane and the speeds are really high. It takes a lot of commitment to go in to a turn at 90 mph and pitch it sideways on tarmac. And a lot of discipline to hold it there. I have a lot of respect for the skill it takes and I don't expect to get out there and win right away. Like anything else, I know it's going to take time and practice to get good at it.

blockwoood: It must be a real bummer to have all this go down after Shaun Carlson of Nuformz died, it would've been really cool to work with such a legend of sport compact motorsport here in the US. Will NuFormz still run the team?

ACP: It was such a tragedy to learn that Shaun had died. He was so young. I had the privilege to get to know him just a few years ago when we were first talking about working together. He was a visionary, an incredible car builder and a real character, and he's sorely missed.

blockwoood: Thanks ACP. We are all pumped for you and psyched to see you out there. Maybe they'll toss some jumps on to the courses to give the other drivers a scare.