We are now approaching the end of show season, with 3 large events now complete in the form of Carfest North, Ignition Festival and Carfest South.
Carfest North for BBC Children in Need took place at Bolesworth Castle in Cheshire on 29th-31st of July. This was Japspeeds 4th year featuring in this event and once again it has been improved upon previous years. The track layout this year was the most obvious change moving from Oulton park race circuit with wide track, over to the new hay bale lined circuit just wide enough to fit two drifting cars between.
Despite the tight track circumstances Matt Carter and Paul Smith still went at full speed drifting
through the bales putting on a fast smoky show for the crowds. When off the track the team were able to check out the awesome cars on show from hyper cars to Formula 1 cars parked in the paddock.
The next event was a journey up to Glasgow to the SECC for the Ignition Festival of Motoring taking
place on 5th-7th August. Unlike the track at Carfest Japspeed had a large “Drift Pen” to play in with diggers and trucks to drift around followed by a long perimeter road allowing the guys to drift at high
speeds.
Friday evening saw Shane join a panel of Motorsport greats such as Nikki Shields, Gordon Sheddon and Mark Webber for a relaxed interview show for the public. Back on track the Team Japspeed 3 car drift train was putting on a show with large figure of 8 drifts followed by donuts and finally signed off with high speed street drifting.
The final show of the season was Carfest South which was one for the books! With the fast track
layout, the large crowds and the all night entertainment it was the right show to end the season
with.
As well as putting on displays for the crowds we auctioned our spare passenger seats off for a
thrilling ride through the sporting bears charity for children in need helping to contribute £1.2k
towards the overall £58k raised through passenger rides in the cars featuring in the show.
The track layout was a fast straight circuit with two chicanes and two large areas for donuts. Each
run started with an attack on the senses as Matt Carter launched from the line using his ear bashing anti-lag. Running the hay bails as close as possible with the rear of the cars, the guys were covering the crowds in hay and smoke putting on an incredible display. Heightened further when Matt Carter’s anti-lag lit the hay bails on fire with the flames popping from his exhaust during the donuts!
Once the track action was complete Japspeed headed over to the main stage for the night’s entertainment, being one of the perks of this event, to see acts like, The Feeling, James Morrison, Ronan Keating, Stereophonics, The Darkness and Status Quo.
