By The shore along the Queen Mary rumbled and shook with a cacophony of almost a million horsepower’s worth of cars for the Type S Auto Night Lights Formula Drift Long Beach Pre-meet on April 3.
Not only does the car show mark the beginning of Formula Drift weekend in Long Beach, but its kickoff also symbolizes the unofficial beginning of the season.
The event was organized by Larry Chen, a world-renowned automotive and motorsports photographer, in collaboration with his sponsors Type S Auto, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and ST Suspensions.
The “pre-meet” is among many in the “Night Lights” series of car shows that Chen and his sponsors have organized across the United States.
Larry Chen is one of the biggest names in automotive photography. Even when he is not on the job taking photos, he still finds himself snapping a quick picture or two. Photo credit: Diego Renteria
In an almost half-hour YouTube video posted to Chen’s channel, he mentions that he created the “Night Lights” series to mix the themes of a “cars and coffee” show with the aesthetic of underground car culture.
However, unlike others in the series, the Formula Drift Long Beach Pre-meet separates itself because it is the largest event Chen and his constituents have organized.
Chen was inspired to organize this event after his trip to Japan in the summer of last year.
In the video invitation, he stated that he wanted to replicate the atmosphere he experienced at the Wangan Base Yokohama – Option Street Night Festival he attended.
The public responded en masse to Chen’s video by flooding the asphalt around Long Beach’s storied ship with a cornucopia of vehicular artwork and warfare.
This replica of a 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder was one of the few German cars on display; however, it still fits in with the Japanese car crowd due to its Subaru engine. Photo credit: Diego Renteria
Showgoers would be welcomed from the line for parking to the display lot to some of their favorite cars.
A Nissan Skyline GT-R in Millennium Jade Metallic, a Mazda RX-7 in Competition Yellow Mica and a Honda NSX in Formula Red were just some of the highlights of the colorful car corral.
Although the car show was open to all car enthusiasts, it primarily focused on Japanese-manufactured sports cars and utility vehicles.
Every owner customizes their car to their unique style or preference. Each modification represents some aspect of their owner’s personality. Photo credit: Diego Renteria
Along with the ocean of cars, food trucks and vendors, the racing teams and sponsors of the Formula Drift drivers competing this weekend were also in attendance, selling the newest merchandise for the racing season.
This also included an appearance from the race car drivers competing this weekend.
With the assistance of a Long Beach Police Department escort, the “drift gladiators” drove their competition cars from the Long Beach Convention Center garage to the Queen Mary lot where the show was taking place.
Showgoers could see, touch and experience what their favorite professional drift driver uses in battle every weekend. On top of that, drivers also stood by their cars to talk to and interact with fans.
Race car driver Kenshiro “Ken” Gushi was born in Japan but grew up in Southern California. He tries to give back and spend time with his fans in the area he grew up in. Photo credit: Diego Renteria
“I grew up coming to Long Beach as a kid to watch the Grand Prix,” professional drift racecar driver Rome Charpentier said. “I remember coming to the first Formula Drift event here in Long Beach.”
It means a lot to come back here at the professional level, he said.
Charpentier is a Southern California native, and Long Beach is his home racetrack, now that it is the only California race on the Formula Drift schedule.
“Most motorsports, you need a lot of money to get into. Formula Drift and drifting shows the fans that we use regular cars or cars you see every day,” Charpentier said. “It inspires more people to want to get into the sport.”
Formula Drift burned rubber on the streets of Long Beach from April 4-5.
